Even with a 6-5 finish and the first winning season for the Tigers as members of the MIAA, the Tiger defense struggled throughout last year due to several scheme changes and injuries. Thanks to a very potent offense, the Tigers were able to overcome some of those struggles by scoring the second-most points for a season in school history. The Tiger defense was among the best in NCAA Division II in 2008 and looks to return to form in 2010.
Fort Hays State has two of four starters returning on the defensive line this year, including seniors Jacob Crossman and Garrett Nikkel. Crossman earned All-MIAA Honorable Mention honors last year, leading the Tigers in sacks (5.5) and tackles for loss (11.0). He ranked eighth on the team in tackles with 40. Nikkel finished ninth on the team in tackles last year with 38. He also recorded 1.5 sacks and one forced fumble.
The Tigers have three key reserves returning from last year in seniors Ernesto Martinez and Justin Glenn and sophomore Aaron Burton. Martinez played in 10 games last year and had four tackles and a half sack to his credit. Glenn appeared in six games, recording six tackles and one sack in his first season on the defensive line after converting from fullback. Burton suffered a season-ending injury in the second game of the season last year, but still managed to record three tackles.
Newcomers looking to make an immediate impact include junior transfers Edwin Herbert and Cameron Shelton, and true freshman Derrick Shaw. Herbert, a native of Fairfield, Calif., comes to the program from the University of Florida. He did not play last year, but was a standout at the City College of San Francisco for two years. He was among the top 30 overall junior college prospects in the nation in 2009. Shelton played junior college ball for two years in his hometown of Bakersfield, Calif., at Bakersfield College. Shaw, a native of Garland, Texas, was an all-state selection at South Garland High School.
The Tigers have all three starting linebackers returning from last year in juniors Nick Dreitz and Brock Einspahr, and sophomore Layton Hickel. Dreitz led the team in tackles last year with 89 and started all 11 games. He recorded one interception, a half sack, 3.5 tackles for loss, and reached double digits in tackles in three games. Einspahr and Hickel split the starting role at the second linebacker position in 2009. Einspahr started the first six games. He finished 11th on the team in tackles with 34, which included two tackles for loss. Hickel started the final five games as a redshirt-freshman and finished third on the team in tackles with 79. He reached double digits in tackles in four games and also recorded four tackles for loss, one sack, one interception, and one forced fumble.
Fort Hays State has five other returners at linebacker, including seniors Brian Humphrey and Andy Brunner, junior Alex Whitehill, and sophomores A.J. Woodall and Kyle Perry. Humphrey finished 13th on the team in tackles last year with 29. He ranked second on the team in tackles for loss with 6.5 and led the team in forced fumbles with two. Brunner finished with 11 tackles in his first year with the Tigers. Whitehill was a key reserve in 2009, ranking seventh on the team in tackles with 42. Woodall appeared in seven games as a true freshman last year, recording three tackles. Perry, a redshirt-freshman last year, recorded eight tackles in six games played.
The Tigers return two of their regular starting defensive backs from last year, including seniors Seth Blackwell and Michael Walker. Blackwell ranked second on the team in tackles with 82 in 2009. He recorded 5.0 tackles for loss, one interception and one forced fumble. Blackwell was an All-MIAA Honorable Mention selection in 2008 as a sophomore. Walker ranked fourth on the team in tackles with 65 in 2009, but appeared in just eight games after an injury shortened his season. He had two interceptions, 3.0 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks.
Three other returners, including senior Wayne Shepheard, and sophomores Taylor Bersuch and Timothy Parker, made starts last season in the defensive secondary. Shepheard made three starts as a safety. He ranked 10th on the team in tackles with 37 in nine games played. Bersuch made six starts at safety, ranking 15th on the team in tackles with 25 and a pair of interceptions. Parker made three starts as a true freshman, two as a cornerback and one as a safety. He finished the year with 20 tackles.
Sophomores Austin Hubert and Stephen Marcotte both played in all 11 games last year. Hubert recorded six tackles and Marcotte recorded four.
Several newcomers make this one of the deepest positions on the team. The Tigers have three transfers looking to make an immediate impact, which includes senior Roderick Jenrette and juniors Korey Allison and Thomas Walker. Jenrette, a native of Tampa, Fla., comes to the program from Michigan State University, where he played for three seasons and made two starts before suffering a broken foot in his fifth game of 2009. Walker, a native of Compton, Calif., comes to the program from Compton College, where he played for two years. Allison, a native of Martinez, Calif., comes to the program from Laney College.
