For New Defensive Line Coach Vince Oghobaase, Creating Havoc Up Front is Key

BC's defensive line needs to improve, and for new defensive line coach Oghobaase he feels he can bring the heat.

If you follow new defensive line coach Vince Oghobaase on Twitter, you know that he is a high energy coach. Reading his tweets about recruiting, and coaching at BC it's hard not to find his energy infectious. "Im generally a jovial and energetic guy." he explained. "Energy is a key, no one wants to be around a dull low energy guy."

For new defensive line coach Vince Oghobaase, coming to Boston College made a lot of sense. He is yet another coach with experience not only with head coach Jeff Hafley who he worked together with the San Francisco 49ers, but also two other coaches. Defensive coordinator Tem Lubaku was on the same staff as Oghobaase (and Hafley) with the 49ers, and he also worked with special teams coordinator Matt Thurin at Ohio State, where he started coaching as a graduate assistant.

Knowing all these coaches gives makes the staff a great starting point, Oghobaase told reporters it's a "natural mesh". All of this work starts at the top with Hafley, who he explains should be a fit because he has the "same type of vibe and energy, same type of vision as Coach Hafley".  Communication is a process he sees as critical to this staff, they feel comfortable with each, and won't hesitate to bounce new ideas off each other. 

New defensive line coach Vince Oghobaase has a big task ahead of him. Coming to Boston College from UCLA, the 33 year old coach has to turn around a unit that managed only eleven sacks in thirteen games in 2019. This unit struggled all season to new only contain quarterbacks but also in supporting the run game. The group lacked the explosive plays that Zach Allen and Harold Landry brought in years past. 

But he is returning three starters on that front line, and he has been busy evaluating them prior to spring practices. As he continues to look at his players he can start to look at formations and his depth chart. "Once I learn their skill set I like to put them in the best position possible to be productive" he told reporters."I can put guys in different places to maximize their skills."

He intends to bring a similar style up front to what he brought to the 49ers and at Ohio State. "We will be a four down front, attack at the line of scrimmage" he explained to reporters, "run down their gaps and create some havoc".  Getting to the quarterback is a key for his defense, something BC struggled with last season. And he has the history to get that done, in his second year at UCLA his defense went from 11 sacks to 26.