Veteran Leadership, Deep Room Powers Kent State D-Line Into Fall Camp
8/6/2026 6:28:00 PM | Football
KENT, Ohio — Two days into fall camp, Kent State's defensive line is shaping up to be one of the deepest and most experienced units on the roster, blending proven veterans with a wave of newcomers competing for early snaps.
Defensive ends coach Allen Gant said the room's chemistry has stood out early in camp, with returning players stepping into coaching roles alongside the staff.
"Everybody sticks together, everybody's excited to be out here," Gant said. "Everybody wants to get one percent better each and every day, and coaching each other up. I'm not the only voice in the room. Everybody's just excited to be a part of this thing. It's the best time of the year, I'm fired up for it."
That returning leadership includes Jaihein Roy and Antonio Bottiggi, both of whom Gant pointed to as veterans helping younger players adjust to the mental and physical grind of camp.
"That's been huge," Gant said. "Some of the younger guys are actually looking up to those guys and helping those guys in the playbook. Training camp is tough for some guys, especially mentally and physically, so having that leadership, having that older group of guys in the room, is very beneficial for us."
Among the younger players, Gant singled out a pair who share a first name as early standouts over the first two days.
"Both names start with Garrett," Gant said. "Garrett Long, he transitioned over from offense, from tight end, now he's with us at defensive end. And Garrett Dial. Both guys have had two really good days of camp, so I'm excited to see what they do the rest of camp."
Gant said the group's focus for the rest of camp is simple and singular.
"Get one percent better each and every day," Gant said. "Be consistent with everything that you do, from a training room standpoint, on the field standpoint, playbook, and obviously what we do on the field as a whole."
At defensive tackle, coach Bill Teerlinck is working with a room split evenly between experience and youth, four returners who battled through last season alongside six newcomers looking to carve out roles.
"Probably the blend of older guys and young guys," Teerlinck said of what excites him most. "We got guys who have been in the fight, been in the war with us last year, and brought in new young guys. So it's a good blend, and our duty through camp is to find role clarity within the room. I treat our D-line like a hockey team, we're going to substitute often, and everybody's got a chance to get in."
Leading that room is Thomas Aden, who enters the season with preseason All-MAC recognition and, according to Teerlinck, has become one of the most respected voices on the entire defense.
"Old Man Rivers played a lot of football. He might be the most experienced guy," Teerlinck said. "When you've played that long and played at a high level, you learn how to push people's buttons. He's a voice in our room, the voice in our defense, an older, savvy guy who knows what it takes to win and knows what we've got to do to improve from last year to this year."
Alongside Aden, defensive tackle Darian Blachewicz enters the season as one of the group's breakout candidates after leading all returners in tackles for loss a year ago. Teerlinck said the biggest difference in Blachewicz has come through an offseason transformation in the weight room.
"Darian has changed his body," Teerlinck said. "He was a true freshman who played over 240 snaps for us last year, and guess what, he's getting a feel for his body. Coach Walker's done a great job in the weight room. He's changed his body and taken his game to the next level. We're going to count on big things for Darian."
Teerlinck also pointed to early-enrollee Eckley Bridges as a newcomer who has already made an impression.
"I would have to say Bridges, he was fortunate enough to come at semester, and he's just a hair above the other guys," Teerlinck said. "But he's a try-hard, do-right guy, never on any list, and he's going to go outwork anybody, which gives him a chance. As a young guy, he's going to find his way onto the field for us. Excited to have him."
Echoing Gant's message to the defensive ends, Teerlinck said the tackles' focus starts with the habits established in camp's opening days.
"Coach Mac [Carney] says it's our habits, we want to get one percent better every day," Teerlinck said. "Camp's my favorite time of the year. It's Groundhog Day, get up at 5:30, go home at 10, and you're ball all day teaching the guys how to practice, teaching the guys how to watch film. One percent better in every drill, every walkthrough, every meeting, and every lift. Can't wait."
For Blachewicz, the offseason work began with the mental side of the game before the physical gains could follow.
"I'd say my main focus was learning the playbook so I could play faster, and obviously getting a better pass rush and continuing to improve on what I already am good at," Blachewicz said.
That emphasis on his frame, which Teerlinck highlighted, was equally intentional for Blachewicz himself.
"I know having good skills is good and everything, but if you don't have the capabilities physically to have it, then it's not really going to work," Blachewicz said. "So just improving my body makes me faster, quicker, stronger."
With a deep, experienced room around him, Blachewicz said the defensive tackles are entering the season with lofty expectations.
"We feel like we're the best in the MAC," Blachewicz said. "We feel like we can dominate any O-line that's put in front of us, and we're ready to show that this year."
Blachewicz pointed to Aden and Roy as the two players who have stood out most as the group blends its returning and incoming talent.
"Thomas Aden really stood out as far as proving his leadership, and just improving on what he was already good at last year," Blachewicz said. "And probably Jai Roy, he's been getting quicker, a lot of bend off the edge. I'd say probably those two mainly."
As for the identity the group hopes to build through camp and into the fall, Blachewicz kept it direct.
"We want to have an attacking mindset," he said. "Run our pass, we want to hit somebody in front of us every play."
Defensive Line Room Breakdown
Defensive Tackles
Returners: Darian Blachewicz (So.), Aiden Burgess (R-So.), Josue Cordoba (R-So.), Thomas Aden (R-Sr.)
Newcomers: Camdon Wilborn (R-So.), Eckley Bridges (Fr.), Dion'Dre Taylor (Fr.), Kale Webb (Fr.), Carlos Shird (Fr.), Anthony Adams III (Fr.)
Defensive Ends
Returners: Antonio Bottiggi (R-So.), Garrett Dial (R-So.), Bryce Faulk (R-Jr.), Bryce Griffin (R-Fr.), Mohammed Hazime (R-Sr.), Jaihein Roy (R-So.), Garrett Long (R-Fr., switched from tight end)
Newcomers: Daiveon Taylor (Fr.), Jacob Broach (Fr.)
The Golden Flashes open the 2026 season on the road at South Carolina, on September 5, at 12:45 p.m. Eastern. Season tickets for the 2026 season are available now at KSUtix.com.
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