Big, veteran lines abound in the Frontier Conference

With high-powered offenses usually the norm in the Frontier Conference, a good defensive line will go a long way in making a team a playoff contender.

And heading into the 2021 season, there are plenty of good defensive linemen around the league - even if many of them have played only a few, or in some cases, no games since the fall of 2019.

One team that played in the spring of 2021 was champion Carroll College, which returns one of the best defensive linemen in the country in Garrett Kocab (6-3, 285), who is a two-time All-Conference standout. Garrett Warden also returns for the Fighting Saints after earning All-Conference honors in 2021. College of Idaho returns one of the most complete defensive lines, with two All-Conference performers in Keagan McCoy and Gino Allen, while Eastern Oregon's Dakota Hibbs returns after All-Conference honors this past spring.

Rocky Mountain College lost the league's leader in sacks last spring, but Chad Nebel and Dylan Beridon are two players to watch for the Battlin' Bears, while the Montana State University-Northern Lights look to have one of the most improved defensive lines in the league this fall.

Northern, and new defensive coordinator Mike Van Diest, return all four starters from last spring, including Pat Hammond, who earned All-Conference honors. On the interior, senior Justin Pfiefer is a veteran tackle, while senior defensive end Joe Fehr has been a three-year starter for the Lights. Junior Sam Sanders also returns at the other defensive end position, giving the Lights one of the most formidable lines in the entire conference.

Montana Tech will have a complete defensive line was well, though the Orediggers haven't played since 2019. Still, Tech will look to veterans Logan Kolodejchuk and Zach Trumble to lead the way, while Montana Grizzly transfer Esai Longoria will make a big difference on the interior.

The Montana Western Bulldogs also opted out of the spring season due to COVID-19, but head coach Wes Nourse' team will look to veteran Tanner Harrell to lead the Dawgs on the defensive line this season.

Editor's Note: This is the second in the Havre Daily News' series of the top returning players in the Frontier Conference. Next up will be the offensive linemen in Thursday's HDN.