Troy defensive ends Brandon Lang and Cameron Sheffield are both pinned as future NFL draft picks.
And the senior pass rushing duo will be part of the first defensive line the Falcons will see this season.
BG will counter that attack with senior Brady Minturn and first-year starter Tyler Donahue, a junior, to try to block them out and keep quarterback Tyler Sheehan on his feet rather than his back.
Coach Dave Clawson was asked yesterday how to stop them, and he simply said, ‘Pick your poison,’ as both players are likely to be pressuring Sheehan frequently throughout the game.
Last season, Lang led the Trojans with 10.5 sacks and Sheffield added 5.5 of his own. In total, the duo dropped quarterbacks for a loss of 141 yards.
The Falcons do return the left side of their offensive line, which allowed 21 sacks last season, with Minturn, fellow senior Shane Steffy and sophomore center Ben Bojicic. Donahue and senior Scott Albert replace the right half.
But they will have quite the assignment in stopping Troy’s ends.
‘They’re good, aren’t they?’ Clawson said, later adding, ‘We’re going to have find ways to slow them down, but at the end of the day, [tackles] Brady Minturn and Tyler Donahue are going to have to block them.’
Depth chart On the Falcon defense, there isn’t nearly as much experience or as many expectations as the line’s four starters have a combined eight career starts.
And with the release of the depth chart yesterday, senior Brandon Jackson beat out projected starter Darius Smith, a junior, for the second defensive end position.
‘We felt Angelo Magnone had won the one defensive end position, and the other one, we thought, would be a two or three-way battle,’ Clawson said. ‘Brandon really had the best camp. He knows what he’s doing and plays really hard.’
Clawson later said he will be playing lots of players at the position so Smith will still get playing time in a rotation of seven or eight players who the first year coach feels confident can produce.
Geter time Junior Willie Geter is poised for a breakout year.
As the team’s starting running back and punt returner, Clawson is expecting Geter to produce not only with the ball but in blocking situations.
‘He can do everything for us. Willie can carry the ball and catch the ball,’ Clawson said. ‘He’s not the tallest of guys or the biggest of guys, but he’s tough. He’ll stick his nose in there. He really has no fear.’
The 5-foot-7, 175-pound Geter fought injuries last season but managed 45 carries for 315 yards in eight games. He also caught 10 passes for 96 yards.
Two seasons ago, Geter started four games and rushed for 432 yards on 71 carries, averaging 6.1 yards per carry. He had a breakout game against Kent State when he rushed for 203 yards while earning the Mid-American Conference East Division Offensive Player of the Week award.
P.J.’s back Senior safety P.J. Mahone sat out the team’s final scrimmage last weekend as a precaution after feeling sore that week in practice.But all was well this week as Mahone practiced all week without any issues.
‘He’s been out at practice with no red jersey on, and he’s been able to do everything,’ Clawson said.
Mahone is expected to be a big part of the Falcon defense as he is one of three returning starters and has put up big numbers his entire career.
As a freshman, Mahone started two games and had 11 tackles in his first collegiate start. He was named to Second Team All-MAC his sophomore year when he had 90 tackles and led the MAC in interceptions with seven. Mahone averaged 31.2 return yards on his interceptions.
Last season, Mahone led the team with 95 tackles and had three interceptions.
Lorenzi free Last season, then-coach Gregg Brandon suspended cornerback Robert Lorenzi for one game after he and a couple teammates were found misusing a credit card.
But Lorenzi also sat out the season because of an injury. Now healthy, Clawson said that suspension will not be enforced.
‘Robert Lorenzi is cleared to play,’ he said.
The junior is a transfer from Laney Junior College where he had 14 interceptions in two seasons.’
