If you look at
the tackles for loss leaders in the OVC, the first four names all have one thing
in common; they all play for Tennessee State. On the list are defensive lineman
Anthony
Bass (9.5), Marquaveus
Jackson (8.5) and Samquan
Evans (8.0) as well as middle linebacker Nick
Thrasher (8.5).
“The best pass
defense is the pass rush,” said coach Rod
Reed. “When you’re able to put pressure on the passer and make him uneasy in
the pocket and move things around, it makes things easier for your
secondary.”
Not only does
the unit rank highly in tackles for loss they also boast the best pass rusher in
the conference in Anthony
Bass. The Clarksville, Tenn. native has registered 6.0 sacks on the season
in his first full year as a starting defensive end.
Although Bass
may appear soft spoken off the field, on the field he’s a quarterback’s
nightmare.
“I’m all about
business once I step on the field,” said Bass about his focus on gamedays. “It’s
just a mindset to get to the quarterback.”
But it isn’t
just Bass that’s getting to opponents quarterbacks, the unit as a whole has an
OVC leading 23 sacks, including four in last week’s 29-15 win over UT
Martin.
Along with Bass’s league leading total, Jackson ranks fifth
in the conference with 4.5 sacks and fellow defensive end Antonio
Harper has the seventh best league total, 3.5 sacks.
The group has
grown together from offseason workouts to where they are now and they say that
those long days in the heat built their bond on the field.
“It just shows
me the grind in the offseason pays off and that everybody was really working
hard to meet one common goal, to win a championship,” said Evans. “I could tell
by each of every defensive lineman workouts it was going to be a great
season.”
Even when the
unit makes mistakes, they know with the teammates around them plays will be made
in their place. It’s the ultimate trust.
“I know they
got my back all the time,” Evans said about his fellow lineman. ”I know if I
miss my tackle I know somebody is right there like a split second away, not even
a split second, like the lowest millisecond you could ever think of."
According to
coach Reed the reason for the unit’s success is simple, yet for opposing
offenses it’s the most complex to stop.
“They’re
relentless, they’re just refusing to be blocked right now,” Reed
said.
For defensive
coordinators it’s a dream come true to see the time the opponents quarterback
has to find open receivers diminishes.
“We’re blessed
to have them,” said co-defensive coordinator Justin
Roberts. ”It makes you feel good on the backend knowing you’re going to
have pressure on the quarterback and get him to make some bad
decisions.”
The Tigers’
defensive backs have capitalized on the mistakes by the pressured signal
callers, to a tune of an OVC best eight interceptions, with three returned for
touchdowns.
Most
importantly the defense as a whole ranks second in total defense nationally for
FCS programs. It was only last week the Tigers laid claim to the best defense in
the entire country.
‘We’re going
to come back and get the number one spot,” said Bass, knowing the challenge that
presents itself this afternoon.
Today, the Big
Blue defense will face their toughest challenge yet, Eastern Illinois. The
Panthers offensive pedigree is just as impressive as the Tigers’ defensive
prowess. As a team, their offense is the FCS’ elite team ranking first in total
offense and boasting the best quarterback, statistics wise, in the country in
Jimmy Garoppolo and the country’s best receiver in Erik Lora.
On the year,
the senior signal caller has compiled 2,735 yards passing along with an FCS
leading 31 touchdown passes. Graoppolo’s favorite target Erik Lora ranks third
in the country with 928 yards receiving and an FCS best 13
touchdowns.
So once again
the defensive unit has to prove they’re up to the task, something they’ve done
all season, and like all those tasks they expect to exceed expectations just as
they’ve done time and time again.
”Our defense
is better than their offense that’s all I’m going to say,” Evans said about
today’s matchup. ”I hope (Garoppolo) is ready because he’s going to be in a
world of trouble come Saturday.”
If the stats
are any indication; today’s matchup of strengths should be one for the ages and
Tennessee State’s defensive line will be a huge factor in determining the
outcome. Which is something they don’t mind at all.
“We’re going
to go out and do our jobs and when it’s time for plays to be made by the
defensive line, we’re going to go out and make those plays,” Bass
said.
COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
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