Louisiana Monroe Football: Can Terry Bowden turn Warhawks around?

Experienced defense hopes to improve in 2021

ULM had one of the worst defenses in the country and in the Sun Belt, last season and it is hoping that new coordinator Zac Alley can help turn things around. Alley is a young coach and he is going to have a tall task in order to get this defense even to an average level in the Sun Belt.

On the defensive line, Kevin Pointer and Ty Shelby will back, but the Warhawks ranked near the bottom in sacks last season and that number is going to have to improve. There is going to be some more youth on the D-line and guys like Elijah Fisher and Quicny Ledet Jr should help round out the front four.

Linebacker is probably going to be the top unit on this defense and that is because last year’s top tackler Traveion Webster is back. Keyshawn Johnson is a young linebacker who played last year and he should be starting alongside Webster.

The secondary will be led by cornerback Josh Newton, who is a pretty solid corner, and the safeties Austin Hawley, Tyler Glass, and Keilos Swinney. Hawley was second on the team in tackles and plays well when he is near the line of scrimmage. The one open spot in the secondary is at corner and I think that you can expect to see Kenderick Marbles manning the other sport opposite of Newton.

The defense has experience at linebacker and the secondary, but they were not a good unit last season and struggled to create turnovers and get sacks. Alley might have to be creative with this unit in 2021.