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Photo by: Frank Fortune - Georgia Southern Athletics
Position Preview: The Defensive Line
8/28/2015 7:54:00 AM | Football
Deep group expected to be strength of team
The Georgia Southern football team set the bar extremely high in its first season of FBS play. By winning the Sun Belt Conference title, the Eagles duplicated what just two other teams in the history of college football had accomplished, and became the only team to do it with an undefeated league record. With 13 starters back, five on the offensive side of the ball and eight on defense, Georgia Southern will try to meet and surpass that standard in 2015 by reaching the first bowl game in school history.
With the season opener at West Virginia getting closer each day, GSEagles.com will break down each position group now that camp is over and the regular season is rapidly approaching. Today, we take a brief look at the defensive line, led by coaches Johnny Jernigan and Kevin Peoples.
COACH JERNIGAN ON THE DEFENSIVE ENDS:
"Expectations for me are to be more physical in the running game and to provide more pressure from the outside. I think we've met the pass rush part, in terms of getting off the ball and being more aware of the sets and playing better with our hands. Still, we need more work in the run and being more physical. That comes with time and drilling it in their heads. We have gotten better, but as a coach, you're never satisfied. Bernard Dawson has been through the fire, so he's got the most experience for us. Him and Lennie Richardson have played the most for us. They've played a lot of downs and we expect a lot from them."
COACH PEOPLES ON THE DEFENSIVE TACKLES:
"The number one thing we have to be able to do is stop the run. We have some big guys who are good run stoppers. One of the things we tried to emphasize was the pass rush. We worked hard in the summer and in fall camp on that and they've done a good job with that, but we have to continue working on that all year. We have Jay Ellison coming back, who obviously is a very good player for us, and we have Jamal Johnson who played a lot last year who has provided a good spark. We also have some younger guys that had some playing opportunities last year like Darrius Sapp, who's had a really good fall. Ian Bush is a newcomer who redshirted last year and Jalen Stewart will be a guy who's in the rotation, as well. It's a D-line by committee and we're able to play a lot of different guys in a lot of different situations because they all have different strengths. That's our job as coaches ... to put these guys in situations where they'll be able to play to their strengths and get the right guys out there in the right situations."
BRIEFLY:
• The front four on the defensive side of the ball may very well be the deepest position group for the Eagles and should be a strength of the team this season.
• Junior Jay Ellison (6-1, 305), an All-Sun Belt honorable mention selection, sophomore Darrius Sapp (6-1, 320) and junior Jamal Johnson (6-2, 245) saw significant action on the interior last season and combined for 7.5 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks.
• At the defensive end positions, senior Lennie Richardson (6-1, 255), junior Bernard Dawson (6-1, 248) and sophomore Ryan George (6-1, 244) all return after combining for 13.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks.
• Nardo Govan moves from tight end to defensive end and is expected to back up Richardson. Redshirt freshman Ian Bush (6-1, 301) is expected to see plenty of time on the inside, while sophomore Ross Alexander (6-2, 237) will compete for playing time on the outside.
• Senior Jonathan Battle had to retire from football after an injury, but is staying on as a student assistant to help the team.
Monday, Aug. 24 - LINEBACKERS
Tuesday, Aug. 25 - QUARTERBACKS
Wednesday, Aug. 26 - SECONDARY
Thursday, Aug. 27 - TIGHT ENDS/H-BACKS
TODAY - DEFENSIVE LINE
Saturday, Aug. 29 - RUNNING BACKS
Sunday, Aug. 30 - SPECIALISTS
Monday, Aug. 31 - OFFENSIVE LINE
Tuesday, Sept. 1 - WIDE RECEIVERS
With the season opener at West Virginia getting closer each day, GSEagles.com will break down each position group now that camp is over and the regular season is rapidly approaching. Today, we take a brief look at the defensive line, led by coaches Johnny Jernigan and Kevin Peoples.
COACH JERNIGAN ON THE DEFENSIVE ENDS:
"Expectations for me are to be more physical in the running game and to provide more pressure from the outside. I think we've met the pass rush part, in terms of getting off the ball and being more aware of the sets and playing better with our hands. Still, we need more work in the run and being more physical. That comes with time and drilling it in their heads. We have gotten better, but as a coach, you're never satisfied. Bernard Dawson has been through the fire, so he's got the most experience for us. Him and Lennie Richardson have played the most for us. They've played a lot of downs and we expect a lot from them."
COACH PEOPLES ON THE DEFENSIVE TACKLES:
"The number one thing we have to be able to do is stop the run. We have some big guys who are good run stoppers. One of the things we tried to emphasize was the pass rush. We worked hard in the summer and in fall camp on that and they've done a good job with that, but we have to continue working on that all year. We have Jay Ellison coming back, who obviously is a very good player for us, and we have Jamal Johnson who played a lot last year who has provided a good spark. We also have some younger guys that had some playing opportunities last year like Darrius Sapp, who's had a really good fall. Ian Bush is a newcomer who redshirted last year and Jalen Stewart will be a guy who's in the rotation, as well. It's a D-line by committee and we're able to play a lot of different guys in a lot of different situations because they all have different strengths. That's our job as coaches ... to put these guys in situations where they'll be able to play to their strengths and get the right guys out there in the right situations."
BRIEFLY:
• The front four on the defensive side of the ball may very well be the deepest position group for the Eagles and should be a strength of the team this season.
• Junior Jay Ellison (6-1, 305), an All-Sun Belt honorable mention selection, sophomore Darrius Sapp (6-1, 320) and junior Jamal Johnson (6-2, 245) saw significant action on the interior last season and combined for 7.5 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks.
• At the defensive end positions, senior Lennie Richardson (6-1, 255), junior Bernard Dawson (6-1, 248) and sophomore Ryan George (6-1, 244) all return after combining for 13.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks.
• Nardo Govan moves from tight end to defensive end and is expected to back up Richardson. Redshirt freshman Ian Bush (6-1, 301) is expected to see plenty of time on the inside, while sophomore Ross Alexander (6-2, 237) will compete for playing time on the outside.
• Senior Jonathan Battle had to retire from football after an injury, but is staying on as a student assistant to help the team.
Monday, Aug. 24 - LINEBACKERS
Tuesday, Aug. 25 - QUARTERBACKS
Wednesday, Aug. 26 - SECONDARY
Thursday, Aug. 27 - TIGHT ENDS/H-BACKS
TODAY - DEFENSIVE LINE
Saturday, Aug. 29 - RUNNING BACKS
Sunday, Aug. 30 - SPECIALISTS
Monday, Aug. 31 - OFFENSIVE LINE
Tuesday, Sept. 1 - WIDE RECEIVERS
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