Spring Football Outlook: The Defense
4/1/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
DEFENSIVE LINE
Leading the way at the defensive tackle spot is junior Daniel Muir, who moves over from after spending last season at nose tackle. Muir recorded 46 tackles, 7.5 for a loss, and had 1.5 sacks in 2003. Redshirt freshmen Anthony Dugarte and Dan Durante will press Muir for playing time. At nose tackle the Flashes look to redshirt freshman Colin Ferrell and junior Roger Attieh, along with sophomore Larry Brown will battle for the starting spot. Attieh finished last season with 13 tackles, 1.5 sacks and an interception. At the defensive end, A trio of talented redshirt freshman, Justin Latimer, Mark Malloy, and Matt Woodworth, will fight for playing time. The Golden Flashes also return junior Nate Wesley, who missed last season, but made 10 starts in 2002, recording 34 tackles, including seven for a loss, with two sacks. The other end position an experienced trio of senior Damian Stolowski, junior Justin Parrish, and sophomore Bruce Rice figure to see plenty of playing time. Stolowski started all 12 games last year, making 45 stops and recovering two fumbles. Parrish started eight games at defensive end registering 46 tackles, one sack and two fumble recoveries. Rice returns following a solid freshman season in which he made two starts and recorded 14 tackles, 1.5 for loss.
LINEBACKERS
A hard-working linebacker corps is highlighted by an All-MAC performer in senior middle linebacker Eric Mahl. He started all 12 games in 2003, leading the Golden Flashes and finishing eighth in the conference with 10.5 tackles per game. His season total of 126 tackles was the highest since Roger Terrys 154 in 1996. Backing up Mahl at middle linebacker is redshirt freshman Joe Crivella and sophomore Justin Murphy. Senior strong side linebacker Antonio King returns after making 47 tackles and registering two sacks last fall. Sophomore Jonathan Eggleston, a special teams warrior last season, and converted senior defensive back Najee Lundy will spell King. The weak side linebacker position will be manned by tenacious junior Jon Sessler who made one start last season and finished with 32 tackles and one sack. Junior Marcus Robinson, who had nine tackles and half a sack last year, will battle Sessler for playing time.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
The defensive backfield returns all four starters from a unit that interecepted seven passes and broke up 31 in 2003. The starters at cornerback, junior Barry Drakeford and sophomore Usama Young combined to start 19 games and break up 18 passes last season. Drakeford added 78 tackles, which included five for loss. Young was named to the 2003 collegefootballnews.com Freshman All-America Team and garnered Bronco Nagurski/Football Writers Association of America Defensive Player of the Week honors against Central Florida, intercepting two passes and recovering two fumbles. Redshirt freshmen Jack Williams, Darrell Pierce and Taros Harris will compete for playing time behind Drakeford and Young. At strong safety, senior Vashawn Patrick returns after recording 94 stops, fourth on the team, and two interceptions in 2003. Senior Andre Ashley and junior Cedric Davis return to back up Patrick. Shannon Davis, a senior All-MAC canidate returns following a stellar 2003 campaign at free safety. Shannon Davis ranked third on the team with 98 tackles and recorded one sack, three forced fumbles and two interceptions, returning one for a touchdown. Transfer Abram Elam and sophomore Gary Ham also figure into the crowded secondary mix, fighting for playing time in a deep and skilled defensive backfield.
