Photo by: SFA Athletics
SFA Football Fall Camp Report | Defense
8/6/2018 11:36:00 AM | Football
‘Jacks returned to morning practices Monday in shells before going to full pads Tuesday
The 2018 Stephen F. Austin football season is just around the corner and the Lumberjacks have begun fall camp, beginning the countdown to the 92nd season of Lumberjack football in Nacogdoches. Throughout the preseason camp, SFAJacks.com will break down each position or area of the team, today highlighting the defense.
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – For the second consecutive day, the Stephen F. Austin football team took to the two grass practice fields behind the athletics fieldhouse in shoulder pads, helmets and shorts on the fourth day of fall camp. The Lumberjacks returned to their morning practice schedule after conducting their first afternoon practice Sunday.
In the east Texas heat and humidity, SFA began its 20-session workout with its usual pre-practice exercises and dynamic warmup before jumping into three sessions of special teams work. For the next four sessions, each positional group broke out to take part in one-on-one drills and worked on specific skills of the game. The 'Jacks then hosted a series of running drills, primarily focusing on the inside run, as the wide receivers and defensive backs went head-to-head.
The final nine sessions of Monday's practice featured full team plays from the line of scrimmage. SFA ran approximately 52 plays focusing on specific situations with 10 third down plays, 10 red zone plays, 12 1st-and-10 plays, eight 2nd-and-10 plays and 12 2nd-and-8 and 2nd-and-4 plays. Both the running and passing game were on display as the 'Jacks continued their playbook install.
"We're really competitive and we want to be competitive," senior linebacker Ryan Woods commented about the defense following Monday's workout. "We're out here in shoulder pads and shorts but there is a lot of physicality regardless of what we're wearing. I'm loving the physicality, I'm loving the energy that this team brings and the confidence that this team brings"
"We know we have a lot of talent and we know what we can bring to the table," Woods continued. "Right now, we are trying to build the confidence in our preparation so we can come out week one firing on all cylinders."
"It's been good to be back out with the new guys after missing the spring," junior safety Alize Ward said after Monday's practice. "We have a lot of guys who came in so it's been nice to go out and be on the field with them."
"It's a big adjustment from being in just shorts and jerseys running around to pads and helmets," sophomore safety Trenton Gordon stated. "You have to communicate, everyone is talking and getting adjusted but it's going really well."
"As a defense that's what you want to do, you want to be physical," Gordon added about moving to full pads Tuesday. "You want to set the tone and Tuesday we need to do that."
The Defense
Interim head coach Jeff Byrd enters his second season as defensive coordinator after making some adjustments in SFA's defensive schemes in his first year. Coach Byrd brought immediate success to the Lumberjacks' defense. After ranking last in the league in both scoring and pass defense and 10th in total defense in 2016, Byrd guided the SFA defensive unit to finish seventh in the Southland Conference in all three categories in 2017.
For the sixth-consecutive season as a defensive coordinator, Byrd's defense held opponents to fewer than 30 points per game (29.5 PPG) in 2017. SFA ranked fifth in the league in red zone defense as opponents scored less than 80 percent of time when reaching the Lumberjacks' 20-yard line. In conference play, the 'Jacks held opponents to 24 points per game to rank fourth in the league and allowed just 210 passing yards per game to finish fifth in the Southland in that category.
Year in and year out, SFA prides itself on a strong defensive line and 2018 looks to be nothing shy of that once again as fifth-year assistant coach Tom Howe enters his second season overseeing the Lumberjacks' entire defensive front. The 'Jacks have boasted one of the nation's top defensive line threats for the past few seasons, anchored in 2017 by 2018 NFL Draft pick John Franklin. SFA will attempt to fill Franklin's void in its defensive tackles as the 'Jacks return a plethora of talent at that position.
In its secondary, SFA looks to be even more potent this fall as both of the Lumberjacks' top two tacklers from a season ago return. Preseason All-Southland Conference First Team member and junior safety Alize Ward was an All-Southland Second Team selection in 2017 after finishing with the second-most tackles on the team (75), while preseason All-Southland Second Team pick and sophomore safety Trenton Gordon led SFA in tackles last year (76).
"Our mindset for this fall is to not worry about what the offense has going on," Ward said Monday. "We're a defense, we can't let our opponents score. The moral of the story is if we don't let the other team score, it will be at least 0-0 all game. Our back is always against the wall, so we have to hold it down."
"As a defense we just have to do our job," Gordon explained. "The next man is going to do his job, when it's your turn just make the play. We do have to work on missed tackles though, it's as simple as that."
Senior defensive tackle Lamont Alexander claimed 2017 All-Southland honorable mention laurels and should be one of the Lumberjacks' defensive leaders up front this fall. In the heart of SFA's defense, senior linebacker Ryan Woods, a former walk-on, was tabbed preseason All-Southland Second Team and is prime for a breakout year.
In total, the 'Jacks return 20 letter winners on the defensive side of the ball from last fall and bring back a trio who redshirted. Eight of SFA's returning defensive letter winners had starting experience in 2017 as the 'Jacks also welcome 22 newcomers, including 12 transfers and 10 freshmen.
Fall Camp Continues
SFA's 20 total practices of preseason camp continue tomorrow once again at 8:15 a.m. as the 'Jacks get their first taste of full-contact football in complete pads under the Texas sun. Wednesday, SFA will go back to shells and host a 3:15 p.m. afternoon practice before the team gets its first off day Thursday.
With the exception of the Lumberjacks' three intra-squad scrimmages, all practices will take place on the two grass practice fields behind the SFA athletics fieldhouse.
The complete fall camp schedule can be found below.
2018 SFA Football Fall Camp Schedule
Practice #5 | Tuesday, Aug. 7 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Full Pads
Practice #6 | Wednesday, Aug. 8 | 3:15 p.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
OFF | Thursday, Aug. 9
Practice #7 | Friday, Aug. 10 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
Scrimmage #1 | Saturday, Aug. 11 | 8:15 a.m. | Homer Bryce Stadium | Full Pads
Practice #9 | Sunday, Aug. 12 | 3:15 p.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
Practice #10 | Monday, Aug. 13 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
Practice #11 | Tuesday, Aug. 14 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Full Pads
Practice #12 | Wednesday, Aug. 15 | 3:15 p.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
Practice #13 | Thursday, Aug. 16 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
OFF | Friday, Aug. 17
Scrimmage #2 | Saturday, Aug. 18 | 8:15 a.m. | Homer Bryce Stadium | Full Pads
Practice #15 | Sunday, Aug. 19 | 3:15 p.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
Practice #16 | Monday, Aug. 20 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
Practice #17 | Tuesday, Aug. 21 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Full Pads
Practice #18 | Wednesday, Aug. 22 | 3:15 p.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
Practice #19 | Thursday, Aug. 23 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
Scrimmage #3 | Friday, Aug. 24 | 6:30 p.m. | Homer Bryce Stadium | Full Pads
SFA Football Season Tickets
Fans interested in purchasing tickets for the 2018 SFA football season can visit the new home for SFA Tickets at SFATickets.com or contact the SFA Athletic Ticket Office at 936-468-JACK.
Stay tuned to SFAJacks.com, as well as SFA's social media platforms, for complete coverage of Lumberjack football throughout the 2018 season.
-SFA-
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – For the second consecutive day, the Stephen F. Austin football team took to the two grass practice fields behind the athletics fieldhouse in shoulder pads, helmets and shorts on the fourth day of fall camp. The Lumberjacks returned to their morning practice schedule after conducting their first afternoon practice Sunday.
In the east Texas heat and humidity, SFA began its 20-session workout with its usual pre-practice exercises and dynamic warmup before jumping into three sessions of special teams work. For the next four sessions, each positional group broke out to take part in one-on-one drills and worked on specific skills of the game. The 'Jacks then hosted a series of running drills, primarily focusing on the inside run, as the wide receivers and defensive backs went head-to-head.
The final nine sessions of Monday's practice featured full team plays from the line of scrimmage. SFA ran approximately 52 plays focusing on specific situations with 10 third down plays, 10 red zone plays, 12 1st-and-10 plays, eight 2nd-and-10 plays and 12 2nd-and-8 and 2nd-and-4 plays. Both the running and passing game were on display as the 'Jacks continued their playbook install.
"We're really competitive and we want to be competitive," senior linebacker Ryan Woods commented about the defense following Monday's workout. "We're out here in shoulder pads and shorts but there is a lot of physicality regardless of what we're wearing. I'm loving the physicality, I'm loving the energy that this team brings and the confidence that this team brings"
"We know we have a lot of talent and we know what we can bring to the table," Woods continued. "Right now, we are trying to build the confidence in our preparation so we can come out week one firing on all cylinders."
"It's been good to be back out with the new guys after missing the spring," junior safety Alize Ward said after Monday's practice. "We have a lot of guys who came in so it's been nice to go out and be on the field with them."
"It's a big adjustment from being in just shorts and jerseys running around to pads and helmets," sophomore safety Trenton Gordon stated. "You have to communicate, everyone is talking and getting adjusted but it's going really well."
"As a defense that's what you want to do, you want to be physical," Gordon added about moving to full pads Tuesday. "You want to set the tone and Tuesday we need to do that."
The Defense
Interim head coach Jeff Byrd enters his second season as defensive coordinator after making some adjustments in SFA's defensive schemes in his first year. Coach Byrd brought immediate success to the Lumberjacks' defense. After ranking last in the league in both scoring and pass defense and 10th in total defense in 2016, Byrd guided the SFA defensive unit to finish seventh in the Southland Conference in all three categories in 2017.
For the sixth-consecutive season as a defensive coordinator, Byrd's defense held opponents to fewer than 30 points per game (29.5 PPG) in 2017. SFA ranked fifth in the league in red zone defense as opponents scored less than 80 percent of time when reaching the Lumberjacks' 20-yard line. In conference play, the 'Jacks held opponents to 24 points per game to rank fourth in the league and allowed just 210 passing yards per game to finish fifth in the Southland in that category.
Year in and year out, SFA prides itself on a strong defensive line and 2018 looks to be nothing shy of that once again as fifth-year assistant coach Tom Howe enters his second season overseeing the Lumberjacks' entire defensive front. The 'Jacks have boasted one of the nation's top defensive line threats for the past few seasons, anchored in 2017 by 2018 NFL Draft pick John Franklin. SFA will attempt to fill Franklin's void in its defensive tackles as the 'Jacks return a plethora of talent at that position.
In its secondary, SFA looks to be even more potent this fall as both of the Lumberjacks' top two tacklers from a season ago return. Preseason All-Southland Conference First Team member and junior safety Alize Ward was an All-Southland Second Team selection in 2017 after finishing with the second-most tackles on the team (75), while preseason All-Southland Second Team pick and sophomore safety Trenton Gordon led SFA in tackles last year (76).
"Our mindset for this fall is to not worry about what the offense has going on," Ward said Monday. "We're a defense, we can't let our opponents score. The moral of the story is if we don't let the other team score, it will be at least 0-0 all game. Our back is always against the wall, so we have to hold it down."
"As a defense we just have to do our job," Gordon explained. "The next man is going to do his job, when it's your turn just make the play. We do have to work on missed tackles though, it's as simple as that."
Senior defensive tackle Lamont Alexander claimed 2017 All-Southland honorable mention laurels and should be one of the Lumberjacks' defensive leaders up front this fall. In the heart of SFA's defense, senior linebacker Ryan Woods, a former walk-on, was tabbed preseason All-Southland Second Team and is prime for a breakout year.
In total, the 'Jacks return 20 letter winners on the defensive side of the ball from last fall and bring back a trio who redshirted. Eight of SFA's returning defensive letter winners had starting experience in 2017 as the 'Jacks also welcome 22 newcomers, including 12 transfers and 10 freshmen.
Fall Camp Continues
SFA's 20 total practices of preseason camp continue tomorrow once again at 8:15 a.m. as the 'Jacks get their first taste of full-contact football in complete pads under the Texas sun. Wednesday, SFA will go back to shells and host a 3:15 p.m. afternoon practice before the team gets its first off day Thursday.
With the exception of the Lumberjacks' three intra-squad scrimmages, all practices will take place on the two grass practice fields behind the SFA athletics fieldhouse.
The complete fall camp schedule can be found below.
2018 SFA Football Fall Camp Schedule
Practice #5 | Tuesday, Aug. 7 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Full Pads
Practice #6 | Wednesday, Aug. 8 | 3:15 p.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
OFF | Thursday, Aug. 9
Practice #7 | Friday, Aug. 10 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
Scrimmage #1 | Saturday, Aug. 11 | 8:15 a.m. | Homer Bryce Stadium | Full Pads
Practice #9 | Sunday, Aug. 12 | 3:15 p.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
Practice #10 | Monday, Aug. 13 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
Practice #11 | Tuesday, Aug. 14 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Full Pads
Practice #12 | Wednesday, Aug. 15 | 3:15 p.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
Practice #13 | Thursday, Aug. 16 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
OFF | Friday, Aug. 17
Scrimmage #2 | Saturday, Aug. 18 | 8:15 a.m. | Homer Bryce Stadium | Full Pads
Practice #15 | Sunday, Aug. 19 | 3:15 p.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
Practice #16 | Monday, Aug. 20 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
Practice #17 | Tuesday, Aug. 21 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Full Pads
Practice #18 | Wednesday, Aug. 22 | 3:15 p.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
Practice #19 | Thursday, Aug. 23 | 8:15 a.m. | Practice Fields | Shells
Scrimmage #3 | Friday, Aug. 24 | 6:30 p.m. | Homer Bryce Stadium | Full Pads
- Practice time and location subject to change dependent on weather
SFA Football Season Tickets
Fans interested in purchasing tickets for the 2018 SFA football season can visit the new home for SFA Tickets at SFATickets.com or contact the SFA Athletic Ticket Office at 936-468-JACK.
Stay tuned to SFAJacks.com, as well as SFA's social media platforms, for complete coverage of Lumberjack football throughout the 2018 season.
-SFA-
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