Will Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks Fall With Browning Gone?

Defense

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The defense was slightly better than the offense last year, but still not great. However, after last year was the second straight year most of the starters played together, they’re almost all back again for a third straight year. Remember, the first year, when the unit was very young, the Warhawks went 8-5, thanks mostly to the offense. Now, the defense is the veteran group and will be looked to help carry this team to victories this year.

The entire front line is back this year, and although it will be improved, it still won’t be great. Take into account the fact that the defense as a whole was 107th in the country in sacks recorded with only 16 and 87th in the country in total rush defense, and you’ll see that with the Warhawks, the problems start up front. Gerrand Johnson and Malcolm Edmond will be the nose tackles, but neither weighs more than 285 pounds, which isn’t what you want in a position that’s supposed to be filled by giants. Joey Gautney and Darius Lively are athletic enough to make plays on the end, but they both weigh less than 260 pounds. The undersized front four will still be problematic this year, but the experience of playing together for three years should be helpful.

Linebacker is a position that should be in pretty good shape, but the Warhawks do lose their best player at the position in Cameron

Sep 21, 2013; Waco, TX, USA; Louisiana Monroe Warhawks cornerback Trey Caldwell (24) breaks up a pass intended for Baylor Bears wide receiver Jay Lee (4) during the second half at Floyd Casey Stadium. The Bears defeated the Warhawks 70-7. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Blakes. However, Hunter Kissinger and Ray Stovall were able to combine for 95 tackles, 17.5 tackles for a loss, and 3 sacks while Kissinger added on 3 interceptions and a forced fumble. Those two should be even better this year, and Cody Robinson and Michael Johnson each have significant experience at the position as well. All four of those guys played a lot last year and will the focus of the position this year.

In the secondary, nearly everybody returns to a unit that might have been the strongest part of the defense last year. The Warhawks pass defense was 74th in the country in yards allowed, not great but better than the rush defense, and it was tied for 53rd in passes intercepted with 12. The biggest problem? Safety Isaiah Newsome, who led the team in interceptions with 4, is the one player who’s gone. But Cordero Smith and Mitch Lane both played a lot at safety last year, and each had interceptions, so they should fill that void left by Newsome. Both cornerbacks, Justin Backus and Trey Caldwell, are back. Backus had 2 interceptions and Caldwell broke up 3 passes.

The defense as a whole is a unit that should be much improved this year. With so many players back and size issues still facing the front line, the weaknesses will be the same as last year, but this is the third year in a row these guys have played together, so the experience should mark even more improvement this year. There’s no questions here because we know what we’ll get from this unit.