Written by Matt Smith

Charlton Warren, IU’s new defensive coordinator wants to maintain the success of the defense this year, which means not making huge changes. However, Warren is adding more attention to one position in the Hoosiers’ scheme, the bull position.

The bull position, which Tom Allen brought to IU in 2016, is a hybrid position on the defensive line. It is supposed to be what the husky position is for the secondary, but for the defensive line. The position itself can be viewed simply as a hybrid position between defensive end and outside linebacker.

“You look for a guy that’s a smaller defensive end or a guy thats a bigger linebacker and merge the two together,” said Warren. “The great thing about the Bull position, you could have four guys and have four different skill sets. This guy is on the field when you need this, this guy is on the field when you need this, by down, distance and situation.”

However, according to Warren, it is not as simple as that. With the position, the player will always be lined up at the line of scrimmage, but will not be in a three-point stance, they will be standing in a two-point stance. With the player standing it will be easier to confuse defenses because the player will either rush the line or drop back into coverage.

“We’re a 4-2-5 and the Bull is the fourth guy all the time on the line of scrimmage. That position is just very versatile because he’s a guy that can rush, a guy that can cover, a guy that can blitz. It takes a special skill set to be that position,” said Warren. “You’re looking for that hybrid defensive end/outside linebacker. He’s got to be athletic enough and quick enough to drop in coverage, carry tight ends, to bull, there’s a lot of things we ask that guy to do which makes him a really specialized player. For us, it’s exciting because there’s a lot of things you can do with that guy. In the course of a game, the course of a drive, the course of a series that can keep an offense off-balance.”

Special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach Kasey Teegardin will be coaching the position as well. Earlier in the spring, head coach Tom Allen touched on recruiting for the position, as it is a new position for the program.

“We added the position in the fall, and made this adjustment for it during the year,” said Allen. “ I do think it is the next evolution in our system that we are utilizing and trying to locate that guy and recruit that guy, in order to find the best fit. It is a critical position for us and he has to have a lot of skill sets to utilize.”

The bull position will help IU, confuse defenses even more and make it easier to disguise blitzes and coverages for the opposing quarterbacks.

As for who is filling the position, the Hoosiers are always recruiting for the position, but they have three players right now listed as bulls, sophomore D.K. Bonhomme, senior Michael Ziemba, as well as junior Alfred Bryant.

“The great thing about that is because there’s only one of them on the field, they don’t have to be the clone of each other. One can be bigger and more physical, one can be smaller and more athletic. One can be quick. One can do a little bit of everything. That is what makes it exciting. If you get a nose guard, they have to be 300 pounds and big and you need a bunch of those guys. The Bull is different. You can have a 260 guy, you can have a 225 guy, you can have a 245 guy. It really just depends on what you’re doing,” said Warren.

The Hoosiers will look to test the position out even more during the upcoming spring game.

The Huddle

Bull Position a Focus of IU's Spring Practice

Hoosier Huddle