We continue Football Preview Week on GoDutchmen.com by taking a look at the defense. One of the MAC's top defensive units last year, LVC brings back eight starters, including the entire defensive line and secondary, for 2010. Be sure to check out the preview video above!
5 Things To Watch
1. QB Pressure: The 2009 Dutchmen were one of the best in the nation at hitting the quarterback with 36 sacks and 76 tackles for a loss in all. With
Zach Bleiler and
Cory Homer on the ends and pass rusher
Alex Gilchrist at outside linebacker, LVC returns 21.5 of those sacks.
2. Turnover Battle: LVC was +10 on turnovers last year, thanks in large part to 18 interceptions produced by the defense. They were even better over the final five games of the season at +12, as the D picked 13 passes while the offense threw just one.
3. Linebacker Development: The only starters lost were at three of four linebacker spots, and while back-ups
Chadd Comp and
Jason Gigous figure to get two of those spots, depth could be a concern to watch here as new faces will have to step up.
4. Hold In the Red Zone: LVC let opponents score 75% of the time in the red zone last year, a middle-of-the-pack statistic in the league (compared to leader Delaware Valley's 57.6%). Opponent scored nine TDs and also made six of seven field goal attempts.
5. Pass Defense: The Dutchmen had the MAC's second-best run-stopping unit last year, but LVC's pass defense ranked only fifth in the league at 203.6 yards allowed per game (although excluding the Gettysburg game, when LVC gave up 375 yards in the air, drops that to 185 ypg, which would have ranked third). This year, with the entire secondary back and experienced, expect that number to improve.
By the Numbers
1 - Shutouts by LVC last year, a 24-0 win at Widener
7 - Number of games the defense held an opponent to 100 or less yards rushing. Three of those games (Ursinus, Moravian, and Wilkes) had the other team get 20 or fewer yards.
8 - Defensive starters returning, including all-MAC picks
Zach Bleiler and
Dane Eichelberger.
18 - Interceptions, including seven by
Matt Lillis alone, second-most ever by a Dutchman in a season
22 - Points scored by last year's defense, with three touchdown returns and two safeties
36 - Sacks in 2009. LVC led the MAC and was 7th in the nation in getting to opposing quarterbacks. Returners
Zach Bleiler and
Alex Gilchrist combined for 18.5 sacks.
Positional Breakdown
Defensive Line
2009 Starters:
Zach Bleiler and
Cory Homer (DE) /
Nick Bowne (NT)
2010 Preseason:
Zach Bleiler and
Cory Homer (DE) /
Nick Bowne (NT)
Anchored around Bleiler, a pre-season all-American and two-time all-MAC selection, the entire line returns with starters
Cory Homer and
Nick Bowne to form arguably the best unit in the MAC. The league's second-best run-stopping line last year (98.4 ypg) also turned in 15.5 sacks and 28.0 tackles for a loss combined. Bleiler had the biggest numbers with 59 tackles, 15.0 TFL and 10.5 sacks, but Homer had a breakout sophomore year with 46 tackles, including 10.5 behind the line and three sacks as he keyed the pass rush. Bowne stopped the middle with 39 tackles and 2.0 sacks. Nearly all of their back-ups return, as well, with only senior end
Rob Evangelista gone to graduation.
Wes Rockwell (9 T, 1 sack) and
Jason Dougherty are expected to play at end, while at nose tackle,
Mark Bowne and
Kevin Pirring will back up.
Linebackers
2009 Starters:
Alex Gilchrist and
Jeff Ochoa (OLB) /
Will Keylor and
Bruno Iozzo (ILB)
2010 Preseason:
Alex Gilchrist and
Chadd Comp (OLB) /
Clay Chaney and
Jason Gigous (ILB)
The linebacking unit is hurt by graduation with the loss of
Jeff Ochoa,
Will Keylor, and
Bruno Iozzo, but the Dutchmen bring back outside linebacker in
Alex Gilchrist. The senior turned in one of 2010's most memorable moments when he sealed the ECAC bowl win with his amazing "fumbleception" touchdown return on a pitch-out in the 4th quarter; he was named the game's most outstanding player for his trouble, which also included 10 tackles, a sack, and 3.0 TFL. His season stats were just as good: 61 tackles, a team-best 15.5 for a loss, and 8.0 sacks with eight pass break-ups and a pick. Pairing him on the outside is expected to be
Chadd Comp, who played sparingly in '09 but started a game as a sophomore in '08. Last year he had 17 tackles total. Inside,
Jason Gigous, who had 20 tackles and an interception as a back-up last year, and
Clay Chaney, who transferred from West Chester last year and didn't see varsity action, are expected to step in.
Secondary
2009 Starters:
Matt Lillis and
Tim Ridewood (CB) /
Dane Eichelberger (SS) /
Jur'ey Fowlkes (FS)
2010 Preseason:
Matt Lillis and
Tim Ridewood (CB) /
Dane Eichelberger (SS) /
Jur'ey Fowlkes (FS)
All four starters - and all of their back-ups - return in the secondary, including all-MAC safety
Dane Eichelberger. Eichelberger had a 40-tackle, two-interception season last year that included eight pass break-ups and 2.5 tackles for a loss, as he moved from free safety to strong safety and was a threat on safety blitzes as well as in pass coverage.
Jur'ey Fowlkes did well in his first season as a full-time starter, racking up 31 tackles with four interceptions, and his hitting power belies his speed. On the corners,
Matt Lillis had a breakout season, leading the MAC with seven interceptions (two of them returned for touchdowns) to go with 45 tackles in all. On the other side, third-year starter
Tim Ridewood had 20 stops and a pick with seven pass break-ups. Behind them, back-ups
Justin Lee and
Jerome Duncan return at corner, along with
Nic Shirey and
Dave Hallinan at safety.