Eisenman, Box, Collicott & Kiess.
No it’s not the name of a law firm, but it was a group that laid out weekly punishment to offenses across the RMAC in 2017.
It was strange not seeing that quad of quarterback crushers at Chadron State spring football opening practice Monday, and with such a superior group of seniors no longer entrenched up front CSC is looking for the next rotational wave of defensive lineman and rush ends to keep the momentum churning into the fall from a defense that led the RMAC in sacks with 26.
But it’s not only up front that CSC needs to call in re-enforcements. The secondary was also loaded with seniors like twin enforcers Brian and Ryan Wood, Tre Mosley and Steve Allen that has left some big spots to claim at corner, safety and special teams.
Entering his seventh season it’s a new challenge for Defensive Coordinator Jeff Larson who said this about having to replace so many seniors across the board heading into a season during his career at CSC, “Probably not in two spots. We’ve had a situation with the linebacker group. Really, every group we’ve had a situation in a varying year, we’ve just never had it where it’s two groups in the same year.”
Whether it’s in the trenches or back in the secondary Larson is looking for who will step into the next-man-up role saying, “The biggest thing I’ve told the guys and re-iterated all winter in our workouts is that we’re looking to find those guys who are going to be our rotation guys. We’re big on playing as many guys as possible as it takes to be successful, we just got to find the guys that are going to plug in and be ready to go.”
Upperclassmen DeAndre Barthwell, Demetrius McFadden and Zech James will be the top returners at corner and safety. Add in Montana State transfer Chris Harris, who didn’t practice Monday but attended, who will be in his second year with the program after playing in 10 games last fall.
When the freshman class hits campus in August it sounds like there’ll be plenty of open competition in the defensive backfield for playing time leading up to the season opener against Black Hills State.
“We’re going to fill it with youth and numbers,” said Larson. “We’ve got a couple guys that are going to come in in the fall that we’re going to give an opportunity to compete. (There’s) not a lot of experience right now so we feel we’ve got the numbers where we can just keep on rolling some guys through there and find out who’s got the hot hand for the day, that’s really what we’re looking for.”
Back up to where each play starts – on the line of scrimmage – Larson is getting back one of the six key cogs in CSC’s defensive line from a year ago, Kyle Temple who racked up 4.5 tackles-for-loss, two sacks and a fumble recovery in a back-up role.
Larson said, “A giant bright spot – and he’s had a phenomenal winter so far – has been Kyle Temple. Which should be no surprise coming back from having two really successful years coming into his senior year. That’s no surprise. He’s solidified himself but he’s really taken over as kind of the lone ‘old guy’ of the group and he’s really taken on a whole different role than he’s ever taken as far as leadership and encouraging guys and pushing guys.”
Junior Calder Forcella played in seven games last fall but Larson says it’s too early to tell who’s going to be a mainstay up front with Temple this early in spring ball.
One thing is certain: there is opportunity for young players to make a big move up the depth chart with a roster full of underclassmen at the position, but we most likely won’t know until late in fall camp who makes the most of that opportunity.