2018 Lights Football: Lights aim for new heights on defense

There’s no way of getting around it. In 2017, the Montana State University-Northern football team struggled mightily on defense. And among the many things the Lights are changing under new head coach Andrew Rolin this season, being better on the defensive side of the ball is certainly one of them.

But what will be a young defense in 2018 will still have its work cut out it for it, as Northern has very few returning starters under new defensive coordinator Jake Chestnut, and yet Rolin has high hopes for his Lights on that side of the ball.

“No doubt we’re young on defense,” Rolin said as the Lights prepare for their season-opener against Mayville State on Saturday. “But that group has come a long, long way since spring ball. Coach Chestnut is doing a great job with the defense, and they’ve had a great fall camp. So I’m excited about where our defense is at right now.”

And where the Northern defense wants to be this season is a long way removed from what was a rough go last fall, where Northern allowed 51 points per game and over 500 yards of total offense. The Lights were also decimated by injuries on a defense that was already young as well, but whatever the reasons, the results were rough, and the Lights are determined to turn that around this year.

“We’re going to be a new defense this season,” Rolin said. “We’re turning the page. We’re going to be a gap-sound, physical defense where everybody just needs to do their 1-11th. If everybody is doing their job, this defense will be successful.”

Northern’s defense will be centered around a tough group of linebackers led by senior starter Alec Wagner (5-11, 215), who tallied 46 tackles and three sacks a year ago. And while the LB group did lose star Garet Fowler, who led the Frontier in tackles in each of the last two seasons, as well as Steven Fernandez, it’s a group Rolin said should be the foundation of the MSU-N D this fall.

“I really like that group,” Rolin said. “They’re a physical group of guys who play fast and play hard. Our linebackers are certainly a strength for us.”

Indeed. Starter Jake Norby (6-2, 195) is also back for the Lights after recording 42 tackles as a freshman. Fellow sophomore Pete Hamilton (6-0, 220) also had 51 tackles as a freshman, and he should make a splash this season as well. The group also includes the likes of Jaren Maki (6-2, 215), who also saw plenty of playing time as a freshman, while senior Andrew Morgan (6-0 230) and freshmen Dax Miller (6-1, 190) and Chase Storey (5-11, 195) will also push for playing time.

The guys in front of the linebackers will also be key, and that is where Northern’s defense gets really young. Only Joe Fehr (6-3, 220) saw significant starting time on the defensive line for the Lights last season, so there’s no getting around the fact that Northern is a little green in the trenches.

“We have a really young D-line,” Rolin said. “There’s going to be a learning curve there. But I really like that group because we have a lot of really good athletes up there. We’re deep with a lot of really good football players on the line, so we’re going to rotate a lot of guys and we’ll be able to have fresh legs with that group.”

One player the Lights are super high on is red-shirt freshman Justin Pfeifer (6-0, 285) from Cut Bank at the nose tackle position. Pfeifer has been wreaking havoc in both the spring and fall, and he should anchor the interior. Meanwhile, Fehr is looking to have a big season after starting much of 2017 as a true freshman. Tyler Pallas (6-0, 245), Jonothyn Jordan (6-3, 205) and freshman B.J. Hatcher (6-3, 205) will also be called upon at DE, as will transfer Derante Lamelle (6-0, 255), while Trendae Umi-Tuato’o (5-11, 290) and Aaron Dolfay (6-0, 230) will be players to watch on the inside.

The back end of Northern’s defense will also be young, but the Lights do have two cornerbacks who should make a splash this season. Sophomore Devariej Criss (5-6, 160) is Northern’s leading returning tackler after recording 72 stops and an interception last fall. On the other side, Caymus Thomas (5-11, 165) moved from wide receiver to CB in the spring, and has become an instant playmaker in the secondary. A pair of true freshmen, Damien Nelson (5-10, 155), the record holder in the Montana for the 100 meters, and Gary Carter (6-0, 160) are also exciting players to watch at cornerback.

At safety, the Lights have a host of players vying for the starting jobs, led by freshman Wylie Novak of Cut Bank. Novak (6-1, 182) has been impressive in fall camp, while veteran Morgan McCrary (5-10, 190) also returns to anchor the safety position. Freshman Ostin Welch (6-2, 165) from Malta could also make a push for playing time, as could Jeff Tinae (5-10 160) and Caleb Knoche (6-0, 195) of Forsyth.

“We’re going to be young in the secondary, too,” Rolin said. “But again, I like the athletes we have there. Devariej Criss has had a great fall camp, and has been a great leader for that group. Caymus Thomas has really stepped up there for us, and we have a lot of guys who are going to make plays for us back there.”

And making plays will be huge for the Northern defense.

The defensive struggles of last season are something Northern wants to put behind them this season, and Rolin said, there’s several ways the Lights can do that.

“We want to be a defense that plays fast and plays hard,” Rolin said. “But we’ve got to also be a very fundamentally disciplined defense. We’ve got to be gap-sound, we’ve got to be lined up right, and then we have to tackle well. We’ve got to get to the ball and make tackles. I think we’ve done a great job of doing that all fall camp. Our guys have shown they can do it. Now we just have to go out and do it in games. The other thing we need to do is create turnovers. We want to take the ball away from opponents. That’s something we preach every single day.”

And there’s no question that, if the Lights do those things, if they meet those goals and those challenges, their defense will no doubt turn a corner. And when Northern’s young defense does turn that corner, watch out, because the Lights will ultimately take a big, big step forward.

“I’m really excited about the potential of our defense,” Rolin said. “They’re a great group, they give great effort, and they are athletic, tough kids who play hard. It’s a process, and this defense will have to continue to grow as the season goes on, but I think they have a chance to be special this season. I really do.”

Editor's Note: Northern opens the 2018 season Saturday against Mayville State at Blue Pony Stadium. For a preview of the Northern offense, and special teams, see Wednesday's Havre Daily News.