2021 Bearkat Football Preview: Defensive Line
8/18/2021 3:13:00 PM | Football
Returners:Â Jahari Kay, Joseph Wallace, Trace Mascorro, Jevon Leon, Scean Mustin, Chris Scott, LJ Salazar, Briceon Hayes, Juan Henry, Roscoe Jones, Richard Outland, Zach Loane
Newcomers:Â Matthew Aribisala, Cameron Plummer, Maize Washington, John Mathis, Kamren Washington
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HUNTSVILLE – Name a more dominant position group in the FCS than the Sam Houston defensive line.
Â
We'll wait.
Â
Still waiting.
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When K.C. Keeler addressed the media following a 55-13 loss at North Dakota State in the semifinals of the 2017 FCS Playoffs, just one game from Frisco, he made it publicly known that for the Bearkats to compete on a national stage they would have to become more physical at the line of scrimmage.
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Fast forward to May 16 when Keeler and the Kats hoisted the national championship trophy and those words ring true, thanks in large part to the Bearkats' defensive line unit.
Â
Over the past two seasons, four Kats – Jahari Kay, Joseph Wallace, Trace Mascorro, Jevon Leon – have earned all-America honors; however, the unit went deeper than that last year with key pieces such as Scean Mustin and Chris Scott as part of a rotation that headlined one of the top defenses in the nation a year ago.
Â
The Kats' front line of defense has been particularly stingy against the run in the last two seasons, leading the nation in rush defense in 2019 and then ranking 11th in the nation in that category in 2020. Along the way the Kats held 21 consecutive opponents without a 100-yard rusher until South Dakota State's Isaiah Davis surpassed that mark in the national title game in Frisco in May.
Â
Kay turned in a breakout season in 2021, finishing as a Buck Buchanan Award finalist after finishing with 13.5 TFLs, 6.0 sacks and three forced fumbles a year ago. He, along with 2019 Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year Trace Mascorro and 2020 all-American Joseph Wallace give the Kats not only a formidable front, but an experienced one as none of the three seniors have missed a game over the past two seasons after having transferred in prior to the 2019 season.
Â
Fortunately for the Kats, the trouble for opponents does not stop with those three.
Â
Leon led all freshmen in the FCS in both sacks and TFLs in 2019 and followed that up by landing on the all-Southland first team in 2020, while Mustin and Scott proved to be menaces in their own rights on the interior.
Â
Other returners Zach Loane and Juan Henry also played key roles a year ago, while Huntsville native Briceon Hayes could work his way into the rotation in his second full year with the program despite not seeing any action a year ago.
Â
With an experienced group already on hand, the Kats also made it a point to prepare for the future with a strong group of defensive linemen in its last recruiting class that includes Kamren Washington, Cameron Plummer, John Mathis, Maize Washington and Matthew Aribisala.
Â
Newcomers:Â Matthew Aribisala, Cameron Plummer, Maize Washington, John Mathis, Kamren Washington
Â
HUNTSVILLE – Name a more dominant position group in the FCS than the Sam Houston defensive line.
Â
We'll wait.
Â
Still waiting.
Â
When K.C. Keeler addressed the media following a 55-13 loss at North Dakota State in the semifinals of the 2017 FCS Playoffs, just one game from Frisco, he made it publicly known that for the Bearkats to compete on a national stage they would have to become more physical at the line of scrimmage.
Â
Fast forward to May 16 when Keeler and the Kats hoisted the national championship trophy and those words ring true, thanks in large part to the Bearkats' defensive line unit.
Â
Over the past two seasons, four Kats – Jahari Kay, Joseph Wallace, Trace Mascorro, Jevon Leon – have earned all-America honors; however, the unit went deeper than that last year with key pieces such as Scean Mustin and Chris Scott as part of a rotation that headlined one of the top defenses in the nation a year ago.
Â
The Kats' front line of defense has been particularly stingy against the run in the last two seasons, leading the nation in rush defense in 2019 and then ranking 11th in the nation in that category in 2020. Along the way the Kats held 21 consecutive opponents without a 100-yard rusher until South Dakota State's Isaiah Davis surpassed that mark in the national title game in Frisco in May.
Â
Kay turned in a breakout season in 2021, finishing as a Buck Buchanan Award finalist after finishing with 13.5 TFLs, 6.0 sacks and three forced fumbles a year ago. He, along with 2019 Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year Trace Mascorro and 2020 all-American Joseph Wallace give the Kats not only a formidable front, but an experienced one as none of the three seniors have missed a game over the past two seasons after having transferred in prior to the 2019 season.
Â
Fortunately for the Kats, the trouble for opponents does not stop with those three.
Â
Leon led all freshmen in the FCS in both sacks and TFLs in 2019 and followed that up by landing on the all-Southland first team in 2020, while Mustin and Scott proved to be menaces in their own rights on the interior.
Â
Other returners Zach Loane and Juan Henry also played key roles a year ago, while Huntsville native Briceon Hayes could work his way into the rotation in his second full year with the program despite not seeing any action a year ago.
Â
With an experienced group already on hand, the Kats also made it a point to prepare for the future with a strong group of defensive linemen in its last recruiting class that includes Kamren Washington, Cameron Plummer, John Mathis, Maize Washington and Matthew Aribisala.
Â
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