Tennessee State Football: Can Eddie George win with the Tigers?

TSU struggled against the pass and the run

This past spring the Tigers allowed nearly 200 yards passing and running. Much like offensive coordinator Hugh Jackson, defensive coordinator Brandon Fisher has some work to do on the defensive side of the ball.

Also, much like the offense, there are some pieces for Fisher and the defensive staff to work with.

Tennessee State’s leading pass rusher, Kentucky transfer Davoan Hawkins returns to Nashville. He led the Tigers with five sacks last spring. Joining Hawkins are two other defensive linemen, Nate Sutton and Emmanuel Baez who had at least two sacks last spring.

Despite their issues on the back end, TSU has some good players in the secondary. Defensive back Josh Green was All-Ohio Valley second-team and led the Tigers in interceptions last spring.

Leading tackler, linebacker Nyle Love also returns this fall. What TSU needs is more physicality up front to slow down the run. With the exception of 300-pounders Terray Jones and Raymond Horton, the Tigers are short on size in the interior of their line.

If the line plays better, TSU can take advantage of their athletic linebackers. Everything for the Tigers begins with their defensive line play. If the pass rush can be more consistent, it helps the back end of the defense.

As the defensive line goes, so does the TSU defense.