A Look at the SFA Defensive Line
8/27/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 27, 2006
NACOGDOCHES - The 2005 SFA defensive unit struggled through quite a few growing pains in 2005 finishing sixth in the league in rush defense and seventh in the conference total defense. But one, highly under-publicized fact about the 2005 defensive unit was the number of true or redshirt freshmen that were seeing time on the front lines. The Lumberjack rookies were thrown into the fire early, some barely on a collegiate campus for a month, facing men that had been in an NCAA Division I weight room four and five years.
It has been said that `what doesn't kill you, only makes you stronger.' That being the case, those athletes that fought through the struggles and returned to camp this fall should slowly begin to see the rewards of that hard work.
A lot of changes were made to the SFA defensive line during the offseason. The coaching staff hit the recruiting trail looking to bulk up the front line. SFA head coach Robert McFarland was confident that he accomplished that with the addition of 11 defensive linemen. Add to that the defection of 2005 starting defensive end Andrew Fleck to the offensive side of the ball and junior Scott Dover who made a similar switch, but from offensive line to defensive line. But the biggest change of all is a person who will never strap on a helmet at SFA, and that is new defensive line coach Darren Drago. After five seasons at Northwestern State, Drago brings his winning attitude to Nacogdoches.
"It is a real neat time for me," said Drago. "With so many new guys on the defensive line, I'm getting the opportunity to work with and help mold so much talent into the players that we want these guys to be. Just in the short time of camp, these guys have work really hard and they have come a long way, but we're still young. We are going to have some freshman mistakes, but if they play hard we'll get them through it."
Heading into the Lumberjacks season-opening game Thursday against Tulsa, the starting front four consists of two sophomores and two juniors. The starting defensive ends are 6-2, 210-pound junior Robert Castillo and 6-0, 210-pound sophomore Chris Bocard. Between these two athletes, they have 25 games of experience but only four starts.
More of a vocal leader on the field, Bocard started the final four games of the 2005 season recording 24 tackles and one sack. Bocard brings a lot of speed off the end and is being counted on to turn a strong fall camp into a big sophomore season.
"Chris might be a little undersized for the defensive position," said Drago. "But he is probably the most explosive defensive lineman that we have.
"Andre Hicks will backup Bocard. Hicks is a very intelligent kid who brings a lot of strength to the position. He is very similar to Chris (Bocard) in that he doesn't have great size yet, but he is only going to get bigger," added Drago.
Whereas Bocard is more like a train roaring down the tracks announcing to any unfortunate ball carrier of an imminent collision, Castillo goes about his business quietly, stalking the football, not letting anyone know that an attack is coming until it is too late.
Castillo brings added size to the other defensive end position at 6-2, 210 pounds. Castillo finished the 2005 season with 19 tackles, two for a loss, one sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
"Robert bounced around from position to position, but I think has really found a home at the rush end position," said Drago. "He is at a position where he can let his speed just take control and make things happen.
"Daimyeon comes to SFA from Central Michigan. I recruited him at Northwestern State, and really thought that I was going to get to coach him there, but thank goodness I lost that recruiting battle. He is going to be a special player. Daimyeon is only a redshirt freshman, but we think he is really going to challenge Robert for playing time every week," added Drago.
The coaching staff is expecting sophomore Stormy Wingo and junior college transfer Ryan Mengo to lock down the interior positions. Wingo is another one of the youthful 'Jacks that was thrust into early playing time last season. Wingo earned a starting role in the third game of the 2005 season and never relinquished it. He finished the season seventh on the team with 37 tackles, including 4.5 for a loss, and two sacks.
Despite his junior status, Mengo is entering his first season at the NCAA Division I level. He transferred to SFA after earning all-conference honors at Blinn Junior College.
"Ryan is a really big at 6-foot-3, 312 pounds," said Drago. "To look at him you think that he would just be a guy to plug up the middle, but he's not. Ryan moves around really well and plays hard. By staying here this summer, he has really improved and became a really good player for us. I'm expecting big things from him."
Also thrown into the mix is the addition of 6-5, 290-pound junior Scott Dover, who started all games 11 games last season on the offensive line. Despite his junior status, Dover is entering his season on the defensive line, but he made an immediate impact at the position during spring ball.
Fans need only look at the No. 2 spot on the SFA defensive depth chart to be reminded how young this squad really is. Entering the Tulsa game, every started is backed up by a true freshman, except for Castillo, who's reserve is a redshirt freshman.
"It is really exciting heading into this season knowing that I don't lose one guy," said Drago. "Every one of these men have eligibility remaining and they are only going to get better. There are so many young guys that if they can become the players that I think they can, the future is really bright for SFA football."
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