2016 Leatherneck Football Preview - Defensive Linemen

[ST_Lawson]

Defensive Linemen/Ends
Quite literally the “first line of defense”. These are the guys going toe-to-toe and nose-to-nose with the opposing team’s offense...slamming into O-Linemen, TE’s, and occasionally RBs or a QB. They get things done “in the trenches” and can make a RB have a very bad day.

Here’s who we have this year for our D-Linemen:
#96 - Senior Steve Mercado: http://goleathernecks.com/roster.aspx?r ... h=football
#51 - Junior Colin Olson: http://goleathernecks.com/roster.aspx?r ... h=football
#56 - Junior Nathan Oquendo: http://goleathernecks.com/roster.aspx?r ... h=football
#93 - Junior Jordan Veloz: http://goleathernecks.com/roster.aspx?r ... h=football
#95 - Junior Mick Nelson: http://goleathernecks.com/roster.aspx?r ... h=football
#50 - Sophomore Pete Swenson: http://goleathernecks.com/roster.aspx?r ... h=football
#94 - Sophomore Grant Kasal: http://goleathernecks.com/roster.aspx?r ... h=football
#99 - Sophomore Khalen Saunders: http://goleathernecks.com/roster.aspx?r ... h=football
#67 - R-Freshman Jacob Barnes: http://goleathernecks.com/roster.aspx?r ... h=football
#97 - R-Freshman Matt Costenson-Segura: http://goleathernecks.com/roster.aspx?r ... h=football
#52 - Freshman Alijah Burno: http://goleathernecks.com/roster.aspx?r ... h=football
#57 - Freshman Keith Knight: http://goleathernecks.com/roster.aspx?r ... h=football
#91 - Freshman Kyle Williams: http://goleathernecks.com/roster.aspx?r ... h=football
#97 - Freshman Eryk Preston: http://goleathernecks.com/roster.aspx?r ... h=football
#98 - Freshman Max Gober: http://goleathernecks.com/roster.aspx?r ... h=football

The defensive line is where we’ve lost most of our experience from the previous season, having lost Kris Harley, Eddy Holtschlag, John LaChapelle, Gavin Ricketts, and Jean-Marc Charles (due to injury). That is quite a bit of playing experience...however, the good news is that for the entire defense...we only have one player that we will lose after this year...the experienced grad transfer (from Lafayette), Steve Mercado.

Obviously, I think that Mercado is going to get a good amount of playing time (I don’t think he’d transfer here if he didn’t think he’d get a good chunk of time on the field).
For players who were playing for us last year, these are the guys who are still here who had at least some playing time last year (and the number of games played in): Colin Olson (9), Jordan Veloz (10), Mick Nelson (13), Pete Swenson (13), Khalen Saunders (13). So, I’d have to imagine that most of those guys will see fairly significant playing time this season.
I would also not be entirely surprised if we saw a couple of the new guys end up playing as true freshmen...guys like Alijah Burno, Kyle Williams, Eryk Preston, and Max Gober all seem to have the abilities coming out of HS to do well at this level...it’s just a matter of how quickly they are able to learn the defensive schemes and how quickly they’re able to improve their strength and endurance now that they’ve started to have time with the strength and conditioning people, as well as getting some time on the field to start learning what DI college football is all about.

Just for reference, I've noticed that in the past, players were only listed as Defensive Line (DL) players, regardless of their position on the line (DE or DT), however, starting with a couple of the freshmen this year, they’ve started listing DEs. So, I’m not quite sure of the position on the line that everyone is playing, other than just those couple of freshmen.

And, now that we’re adding “Great Leathernecks of the Past” to these threads, feel free to chime in with some of the best Leatherneck D-Linemen that you saw play and/or are aware of.
One that I can think of off the top of my head was Cyron Brown. I remember being in the band the year he was on the team (transferred in from Illinois for his last year) and seeing him walk right past us and thinking that he was absolutely HUGE. Apparently he was “only” 6’6”, but I swear it felt like he was 8 feet tall. One of my best friends at the time (and my eventual best man in my wedding) is 6’6” and played DIII basketball for a short time, and it just “felt” like Brown would have dwarfed him.

Just a reminder, we’re getting close to the start of the season, so here’s the rest of the “Previews” schedule:
8/18 - Special Teams (kickers, punters, long snapper)
8/25 - Overall predictions for the team/season

[BobLovely]

The three best DL during my era at Western were John Teerlinck, Dave Tipton and Steve Silosky.

Bob

[Neckfansince71]

How about Jim Scruggs? jc

[Leatherneck57]

Scruggs was a good one and let's not forget All Americans Craig Phalen and Bill "Husky" Huskinsson (deceased)...all teammates of mine and all good defensive lineman!

[BobLovely]

Although just after my time at Western [1969-1973 seasons], Scruggs, Phalen and Huskinsson were all excellent DL...

Bob