Fall Camp Preview: Defensive Line
Will Johnson, 12th Man Productions
Some would say when building a championship college football team, the defensive line is where the foundation is laid.
If that’s the case, the 2023 Aggies’ foundation is rock solid. There are high expectations for this unit.
The depth is incredible. As many as twelve could play, meaning the group truly goes three deep. And this is the area depth is most needed.
“You gotta rotate em,” says Jimbo Fisher. “You can’t go play 70 plays as a D-Lineman. If you’re playing the right way you get 30 or 40.”
A group that can survive the wear and tear well into the fourth quarter is an added advantage.
“Keeping guys fresh, you’ve got to have numbers,” says Fisher. “Keep the fresh rotation especially when (opponents) are doing no huddle. Keeping those guys fresh to go through a whole SEC season is huge. Now you feel really comfortable about the guys you can put in a game and not drop off.”
Fisher also talks ‘situational’ football. A stout defense front creates a better circumstance for everyone behind them.
“The secondary and linebackers’ best friend is D-Linemen,” Fisher states. “If they’re rushing, the ball has got to come out. If they’re taking on double teams, its freeing backers up to run and play.”
Good, quality depth at D-Line effects the entire defense, and this front should permeate positives through that side of the football.
There’s tons of talent that now has experience after many had to play early in their careers in 2022.
Walter Nolen, Shemar Stewart, Enai White, Albert Regis, LT Overton and Malick Sylla created a long list of freshmen that saw extensive action a season ago. They had to put their hand in the dirt and fire off against SEC talent in the trenches without much time to fully prepare.
They’ll be better off for it in 2023.
Nolen has switched to No. 0 this season because he wants ‘no excuses’ as he puts it. He also says what he learned in his first year didn’t necessarily pertain to what transpired on the field.
“Really just your mindset,” Nolen recalls. “There’s probably a lot of high school players that haven’t watched film before or really just locked in on their health, their body. Me just honing in and focusing on that I feel like will take me a long way and make me a better player.”
Nolen and the ‘newer’ guys will mix well with the Aggies that have been around the block a time or two. McKinnley Jackson, Shemar Turner, Fadil Diggs and Isaiah Raikes all have extensive experience.
Together, new and old, this group was really good at creating plays. They helped the defense force 15 fumbles and recover 12 of them in 2022. Both of those numbers ranked in the Top 15 nationally. Diggs himself jarred the ball loose three times. Only seven players around the country forced more fumbles.
They’ll need to improve against the run game, but the valuable season of experience from the young guys will certainly help.
The foundation of great college football teams these days is the defensive front.
In 2023, it looks like the Aggies have a rock solid foundation.
