ShowMeBear2
August 13th, 2007, 05:59 AM
Trial by fire
Missouri State's young defensive line will get plenty of playing time.
Kyle Neddenriep
News-Leader
Young and unproven is no way to go through the Gateway Conference. On a team with both of those attributes in abundance, the Missouri State defensive line is about as green as the artificial turf at Plaster Sports Complex.
How about this for inexperienced? The four defensive linemen playing with the first team defense during Saturday's intrasquad scrimmage combined for four tackles last season.
Which is why the sight of 6-foot-3, 250-pound redshirt freshman Levi Moore running down a wide receiver from behind and forcing a fumble had Bears' defensive coordinator D.J. Vokolek smiling.
"Those guys are going to have to play for us," Vokolek said of the freshmen linemen. "We're in a situation where we lost all of our defensive line from last year and depth is an issue. So we don't have a choice but to have those guys play."
The veteran group last year managed 16 sacks, ranking sixth out of eight teams in the Gateway. Gone are ends Sid Rone and Chris Walsh and tackles Keith Reed and Renard McDaniel, replaced by junior Chris Brehmer and sophomore Connor McDonough at end and juniors Mike Taylor and Clayton Dickehut at tackle.
As of now, anyway. A talented young group behind the starters includes Moore, redshirt freshman tackle Brandon Hilt, true freshman defensive end Terian Washington and sophomore end Grant Detwiler.
"You can't play just four guys," Vokolek said. "We have to get something out of Levi this year. He's a guy who's worked hard in the weight room and he can go sideline to sideline. We like what he can do."
Moore, who grew up on a ranch and played his high school ball at MV-BT Liberty, impressed coach Terry Allen even last year during his redshirt season. He has bounced back and forth between tackle and end and could see time at either position.
"He plays at one speed and that's pedal to the metal," Allen said. "That rubs off on the other players around him. He's not the most gifted player in the world, but he has a positive influence on the team when he's out there."
Moore is slightly undersized for a tackle, though most of the Bears' linemen are on the smallish side. McDonough, who intercepted a pass Saturday, is listed at 6-2 and 241 pounds and Dickehut is 6-3 and 245. The heaviest tackle is a freshman — Mexico's Travis Simmons at 280 pounds.
The coaches looked at Washington as a third-down pass rusher during the scrimmage. The freshman from Arkansas has good speed off the edge, though he lacks bulk at 230 pounds.
"All across the defensive front we're pretty small, especially on the inside," Moore said. "Our athleticism as a group is our strongest point."
The emergence of the defensive line will play a big role in the Bears' ability to improve in run defense. They allowed 191 rushing yards per game last season, better than only Indiana State in the Gateway.
"They have a chance to be better," Allen said. "They play harder together and they put pressure on the quarterback.
"You don't know for sure with young guys, but they are doing a good job for us."
http://cmsimg.news-leader.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=DO&Date=20070813&Category=SPORTS0401&ArtNo=708130377&Ref=AR&Profile=1002&MaxW=300&MaxH=400&Border=0
Missouri State's young defensive line will get plenty of playing time.
Kyle Neddenriep
News-Leader
Young and unproven is no way to go through the Gateway Conference. On a team with both of those attributes in abundance, the Missouri State defensive line is about as green as the artificial turf at Plaster Sports Complex.
How about this for inexperienced? The four defensive linemen playing with the first team defense during Saturday's intrasquad scrimmage combined for four tackles last season.
Which is why the sight of 6-foot-3, 250-pound redshirt freshman Levi Moore running down a wide receiver from behind and forcing a fumble had Bears' defensive coordinator D.J. Vokolek smiling.
"Those guys are going to have to play for us," Vokolek said of the freshmen linemen. "We're in a situation where we lost all of our defensive line from last year and depth is an issue. So we don't have a choice but to have those guys play."
The veteran group last year managed 16 sacks, ranking sixth out of eight teams in the Gateway. Gone are ends Sid Rone and Chris Walsh and tackles Keith Reed and Renard McDaniel, replaced by junior Chris Brehmer and sophomore Connor McDonough at end and juniors Mike Taylor and Clayton Dickehut at tackle.
As of now, anyway. A talented young group behind the starters includes Moore, redshirt freshman tackle Brandon Hilt, true freshman defensive end Terian Washington and sophomore end Grant Detwiler.
"You can't play just four guys," Vokolek said. "We have to get something out of Levi this year. He's a guy who's worked hard in the weight room and he can go sideline to sideline. We like what he can do."
Moore, who grew up on a ranch and played his high school ball at MV-BT Liberty, impressed coach Terry Allen even last year during his redshirt season. He has bounced back and forth between tackle and end and could see time at either position.
"He plays at one speed and that's pedal to the metal," Allen said. "That rubs off on the other players around him. He's not the most gifted player in the world, but he has a positive influence on the team when he's out there."
Moore is slightly undersized for a tackle, though most of the Bears' linemen are on the smallish side. McDonough, who intercepted a pass Saturday, is listed at 6-2 and 241 pounds and Dickehut is 6-3 and 245. The heaviest tackle is a freshman — Mexico's Travis Simmons at 280 pounds.
The coaches looked at Washington as a third-down pass rusher during the scrimmage. The freshman from Arkansas has good speed off the edge, though he lacks bulk at 230 pounds.
"All across the defensive front we're pretty small, especially on the inside," Moore said. "Our athleticism as a group is our strongest point."
The emergence of the defensive line will play a big role in the Bears' ability to improve in run defense. They allowed 191 rushing yards per game last season, better than only Indiana State in the Gateway.
"They have a chance to be better," Allen said. "They play harder together and they put pressure on the quarterback.
"You don't know for sure with young guys, but they are doing a good job for us."
http://cmsimg.news-leader.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=DO&Date=20070813&Category=SPORTS0401&ArtNo=708130377&Ref=AR&Profile=1002&MaxW=300&MaxH=400&Border=0