Mizzou football defensive line uses ‘Cheetah’ to reclaim past success

Smiles on the faces of Missouri football players and coaches widened when “cheetah” was mentioned last Monday.

It wasn’t easy to first glean the name of the formation that lines up four defensive ends to rush the passer, a package that lit a spark for the Tigers’ defensive front last Saturday in a 26-17 victory against Vanderbilt.

Missouri junior defensive end Marcell Frazier, who plays his usual end spot in the package, didn’t give an inch when asked what the team calls it. Junior defensive end Jordan Harold nor sophomore defensive end Nate Howard — who play the tackle spots in the package — didn’t speak to reporters.

Junior defensive Charles Harris was the last hope, and he didn’t want to relinquish the name either.

“I don’t know if I should say that or if I shouldn’t, so I’m just not going to say anything,” Harris said, but then lightened up. “I don’t know if I’m supposed to say anything, not that it really matters because everybody’s seen it on film.

“... it’s called Cheetah. The fastest animal in the wild.”

Simply put, Cheetah propelled Missouri’s defensive line back to its roots on Saturday.

On 14 plays in Cheetah, the Tigers’ front four recorded four sacks, helped force an interception and gave up just 5 yards.

The speed and the aggression that Missouri folks have become accustomed to seeing from the defensive line dressed in black and gold? That returned, and former Missouri defensive tackle Marvin Foster was happy to see it.

Foster played under former Missouri defensive coordinator Dave Steckel and defensive line coach Craig Kuligowski from 2010-13. During that time, Missouri had a similar speed-package.

It’s name? “Candy,” because it was “so sweet,” Foster said.

“In the package, somebody is going to get a one-on-one (matchup) and somebody is going to be on a highlight tape,” Foster said. “I had never had the opportunity to be on it because I wasn’t quick enough. You had guys like Sheldon Richardson and Michael Sam on it, and they all made it look so easy.”

On Saturday, it was Harris that made it look easy, making 2  1/2 sacks.

Although this season has been a struggle for Harris, a projected first-round NFL draft pick, the defensive line has stood out in the Cheetah formation.

Harold, who transferred from Northwest Missouri State, recorded a half-sack on Saturday. Howard, who returned from a spring knee injury against Middle Tennessee, also boasted a half-sack at game’s end.

Then there’s Frazier, who is from Portland, Ore., and has emerged as a critical piece opposite Harris. Against Vanderbilt, Frazier garnered 2  1/2 sacks and applied constant pressure.

“It always helps if you have another guy (opposite a star like Harris),” defensive-line coach Jackie Shipp said Tuesday. “I look at this history here (at Missouri). You look at (Markus) Golden and you had (Shane) Ray on the other side. When somebody else (like Frazier) is doing well too, it takes pressure off the others.”

With Cheetah, there’s no pressure.

“We can do so many things out of that package — it’s amazing,” Harris said. “You’ve got four guys who are equal in speed, although I’m a little faster than everybody else.”

It’s that kind of swagger that junior linebacker Eric Beisel has known for so long.

Asked about the importance of a performance like last Saturday’s from the defensive line, Beisel referenced a nickname that’s been caged for the season’s entirety.

“It’s called ‘D-Line Zou’ for a reason,” Beisel said.

This story was originally published November 17, 2016 at 1:30 PM with the headline "Mizzou football defensive line uses ‘Cheetah’ to reclaim past success."