Big South LBs 2015

[bjtheflamesfan]

We look at the second level of the defensive front this week. I am posting this a day early because I will be at work tomorrow evening and I am housesitting for the evening for my parents tonight.

Charleston Southern

Aaron Brown 81 Tackles 9.0 TFL 0 Sacks (2014 Big South All-Conference FIrst Team, 2015 Preseason All Conference)
Zach Johnson 48 Tackles 7 TFL 1.0 Sacks

The backers are anchored by senior Brown, who finished as the overall leading tackler for CSU in 2014, on the way to all-conference honors. Its a young team in large part, so it will be up to those two plus the other upperclassmen to take the lead with this group.

Coastal Carolina

Rayshaud Shields 32 Tackles 3.0 TFL 0 Sacks
ALex Scearce 12 Tackles 0 TFL 0 Sacks

Quinn Backus has been the far and away leader of this group, on the way to consecutive Big South Defensive Player of the Year honors (and a free agent deal with the Houston Texans after going undrafted). with so many linemen and DBs in the top 10 in tackles (Shields finished 13th in 2014), itll take a lot from the two leaders to help them to support in the run and in the pass rush in 2015 and keep up their stout defensive numbers

Gardner-Webb

Aaron Cook 92 Tackles 13.0 TFL 4.0 Sacks (2014 Big South All-Conference First Team)
Azziz HIggins 64 Tackles 2.0 TFL 0 Sacks

WIth leaders Chad Geter and Tanner Burch out with injuries, Cook was the lead dog for the Runnin Bulldogs, far and away leading the team in tackles and one of only 2 players with double digit tackles for loss (along with 2015 Preseason Defensive Player of the Year OJ Mau). Both Geter and Burch are back to anchor the second level, which will be a key group with teams no doubt game planning heavily for the Samoan senior.

Kennesaw State

Dustyn Moore
Dez Billingslea

As has been the case throughout all of my previews, the Owls do not have any 2014 stats since 2015 is their first season but we have the top 2 projected players at the position.

Liberty

Nick Newman 79 Tackles 3.5 TFL 0 Sacks
Dexter Robbins 42 Tackles 2.0 TFL 0 Sacks

The Flames lose one of their best LBs in school history in Nick Sigmon, who finished last year with a second team all-conference honor. They do return lots of experience with Newman and Robbins along with Jimmy O'Grady and Miles Hunter and hybrid safety/linebacker Avery James.

Monmouth

John Sieczkowski 85 Tackles 4.0 TFL 1.0 Sacks (2014 Second Team All Conference, 2015 Preseason All Conference)
Payton Minnich 53 Tackles 5.5 TFL 1.0 Sacks

The Hawks defense carried them through much of the season, before being outscored 121-57 in a 4 game stretch, then closing the season with a 31-15 victory over Gardner-Webb at home. The two upperclassmen will be leading the way for this group, as is true with every team.

Presbyterian

Donnelle WIlliams 81 Tackles 4.5 TFL 2.5 Sacks (2014 Big South All Conference First Team. 2015 Preseason All Conference)
DaRon Dickey 64 Tackles 0 TFL 2.5 Sacks

THe defense carried the day for PC after their first three games (all losses), the Blue hose finished 2-0 against the Southern COnference (wins over FUrman and Western Carolina), allowing only 21 total points in those games, and allowing 20 points only twice in conference play, against Liberty and Coastal Carolina, the two co-champions. It will take a team effort to keep up those kind of numbers in 2015, with Williams and Dickey leading the way on the second level

Rankings

1. Aaron Cook, GWU
2. Donnelle WIlliams, PC
3. John Sieczkowski, MU
4. Nick Newman, Liberty
5. Aaron Brown, CSU
6. Rayshaud Shields, CCU
7. Azziz Higgins, GWU
8. DExter Robbins, LU
9. Zach Johnson, CSU
10. Dustyn Moore, KSU