“Wefense” (we + defense/offense) was popularized by Rich Bisaccia, the special teams coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2002 to 2010. Special teams is neither offense nor defense and consists of players from both of those squads. “But the wefense came with a great attitude and helped us come out with a win,” Bisaccia said after a Tampa Bay game in October 2004.
The special teams term “wefense” has become popular in college football and has been used at Auburn (2010), Vanderbilt (2012) and Penn State (2014).
Rich Bisaccia joined the Dallas Cowboys in 2013. In December 2014, Dallas Cowboys defensive end Jeremy Mincey said that the team’s defense was a “wefense” (we + defense), with everyone having a role and helping out. This differs from Bisaccia’s use of the term for special teams only.
Wikipedia: Rich Bisaccia
Richard Bisaccia (born June 3, 1960) is the current special teams coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys.
Prior to joining the Cowboys, Bisaccia was the assistant head coach, special teams coordinator and running backs coach for Auburn University’s football team; he was hired to that position by Gus Malzahn in January 2013. Auburn released Bisaccia from his contract after less than a month to allow him to sign with the Cowboys.
He was previously assistant head coach / special teams coach for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League.
Bisaccia was the special teams coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2002 to 2010 and won a Super Bowl ring during his first year with the team.
St. Petersburg (FL) Times
‘Wefense’ asserts itself with big plays
Special teams have a few blunders, but frustrates the Saints and helps put the game away in the fourth.
By ROGER MILLS
Published October 11, 2004
NEW ORLEANS - They call themselves “The Wefense” and why not. When you make plays that impact the game, you deserve your own nickname.
Tampa Bay’s special teams on Sunday made a few blunders, which in the past cost them games.
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“What you do is you coach the ones you mess up and move on, and the ones you do well on you stress the positives and then move on,” special-teams coach Rich Bisaccia said. “We played with great effort and energy and the penalties could have messed us up after some tremendous plays. But the wefense came with a great attitude and helped us come out with a win.”
USA Today
Posted 1/5/2005 1:02 AM Updated 1/5/2005 2:54 AM
All-Joe members worth their weight in gold
By Larry Weisman, USA TODAY
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Like Tampa Bay Buccaneers special teamer Keith Burns, who slogs on without much renown outside of his locker room.
“He’s a guy that has played in the NFL for 11 years. He’s been a double-digit tackle guy in special teams for over 11 years. I don’t believe he’s ever been a starter on defense or offense, but on the ‘Wefense’ he is the best player in the National Football League, on special teams,” says Bucs special teams coach Richard Bisaccia.
Twitter
Michael F. Weber @m_weber 5 Aug 2009
RT @PewterReport: The Bucs are practicing a ridiculous amount of special teams. << Maybe they figure it will make up for lack of D
Ryan Ellerbe
@ellerbestyle
@m_weber its because Raheem Morris calls it Wefense.
6:35 PM - 5 Aug 2009
Twitter
Hunter Johnson
@HunterLJohnson
Trooper Taylor just said they don’t play offense or defense. They play “wefense.” #ghey
12:21 PM - 22 Oct 2010
Twitter
Jim Dunaway
@jimdunaway
Trooper Taylor on the show today…doesn’t worry about Auburn’s defense, he says they play “WEfense” (i.e. all 3 phases together) joxfm.com
12:22 PM - 22 Oct 2010
AuburnSports
September 30, 2011
Auburn’s ‘Wefense’
Jeffrey Lee
AuburnSports.com Publisher
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Following the ‘09 season, Boulware invited Rich Bassachio, currently the special teams coordinator of the San Diego Chargers, to Auburn.
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“It’s not special teams,” said Boulware. “It’s not our special teams units. It’s our ‘wefense’. (Bassachio) said that when he came here and I really thought it fit us.
“We have offensive players on coverage units, defensive players on return teams. It is a mixture of our team. It’s not just offense. It’s not just defense. It’s our team. It’s our ‘wefense’.”
Vanderbilt University Commodores
The Best of 2012: ‘We-Fense’
Vote for the best play on special teams.
Dec. 13, 2012
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Thursday’s category is “Best ‘We-Fense’ Play.” For those not familiar with the category, “We-Fense” is the term Vanderbilt’s staff uses for special teams.
Penn State Football
James Franklin and Sam Ficken try to explain ‘wefense’ (video)
James Franklin revealed a new term Tuesday afternoon at his news conference when he casually mentioned the ‘wefense.’ What does it mean and why is we-fence important to the Nittany Lions? Kicker Sam Ficken, the Big Ten special teams player of the week, is still trying to figure it out.
PUBLISHED: September 02, 2014
Dallas (TX) Morning News
George: Cowboys ‘we-fense’ snubbed by Pro Bowl, but peaking at right time
By Brandon George
Staff Writer
Published: 25 December 2014 10:39 PM
Updated: 25 December 2014 11:29 PM
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“Our defense is we-fense, and that’s what we focus on is we-fense. There is no star of the defense,” defensive end Jeremy Mincey said. “If every man is doing their job and in place, then everybody will talk about the whole defense. It’s not an individual league.”
Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, TX)
Cowboys’ ‘We-fense’ lacks Pro Bowlers, but not unity
Cowboys’ defense exceeded expectations this season with relatively no-name players
BY DREW DAVISON .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
01/03/2015 5:33 PM 01/03/2015 11:42 PM
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But nobody knew where their level of play would be this season and it’s something the unit has turned from a negative into a positive. They consider themselves a “we-fense,” a group that has no Pro Bowlers or standout players, but is successful because they play as a team.