Frontier Preivew: The last line of a Frontier defense

It won't be this fall, but eventually the defensive backs in the Frontier Conference will get to show why they're the last line of defense.

Year in and year out, DBs in the Frontier have arguably the hardest job because there are so many diverse and balanced offenses around the league.

Of course, no one knows that better than Montana State University-Northern head coach Andrew Rolin, who has watched his secondary struggle at times the last two seasons because they were just so young. However, when the Frontier Conference takes the field for games this spring, Northern will have not only talent but also experience in the secondary.

Returning safety Hunter Riley was among the league leaders in interceptions with four a year ago, while he also tallied 58 tackles and a sack. Riley is back for what should be a big season, where he'll be buoyed by returning starting corner Joshua Rose. Adding to the secondary is Damari Caul-Davis, who is switching from wide receiver to DB, where he was originally recruited to play when he came to Northern.

"We've got talent in our secondary," Rolin said. "We need to develop depth there, but I like the direction that position is headed, especially with coach Celisar coming in from Minnesota. He's doing a great job with that group, so I think we're going to make some big strides there this season."

Riley was one of four players in the Frontier to record four INTs last season. However, he's not the only great safety with a local connection back this season. Former CJI star Justin May is a three-year starter at safety for Montana Tech. He's led the Orediggers in tackles in two of the last three seasons on his way to earning First-Team All-Conference honors a season ago. And while May is as good as they come in the secondary, he's also perhaps one of the best overall defensive players coming back this season.

But May isn't alone. Carroll College's Brian FauntLeRoy is back for his senior season for the Fighting Saints, while College of Idaho's Taeson Hardin and Eastern Oregon's Zack Jacobs were also All-Conference defensive backs last year.

Keep an eye as well on Montana Western's Dylan Pope, who had 55 tackles at CB last season, as well as safety Mitch Orme. Rocky Mountain College's Ty Reynolds and Isaiah Schlegel are returning starters to watch next spring as well.

Special

When talking about key players, no one can overlook special teams standout either, and the Frontier will bring back some really good ones when the season resumes next spring.

And perhaps no special teams player is more heralded than Montana Western's Trey Mounts, who was First-Team All-Conference last season at both kickoff return and punt return. Mounts averaged nearly 30 yards on kickoffs last season, as well as more than 13 yards per punt return, which led the Frontier in both categories. Carroll College's Shane Sipes and MSU-Northern's Marvin Williams Jr., are also very dangerous in the return game.

On the other side of special teams, Western's Joseph Lema and Eastern Oregon's Zach Cahhill return as top punters in the Frontier, while EOU's Jaiden Machua was an All-Conference kicker last fall. Montana Western senior Mark Kharchernko has also been a standout kicker in the Frontier for some time now.

Note: This is the sixth installment of the Havre Daily News Frontier Vonfrerence preview of the top players in theleague. For a look at the top running backs, see Friday's HDN.