Friday – Defensive Preview
Saturday – Offensive Preview
Sunday – Special Teams Preview
Monday – Week 1 Preview
Thursday – #7 Eastern Oregon at #25 Southern Oregon – Live Stream | Live Stats | Tickets
 
ASHLAND – Much of the chatter coming out of Southern Oregon University's fall camp has been about the dynamic play of the defense. In what has become widely regarded as an offense-first program – even when the defense has performed – that in and of itself qualifies as news.

From the moment the Raiders ended 2016 with four losses in their last five games, a stretch that sunk their record to 5-5 in the Frontier Conference, three words have been repeated ad nauseam: pressure, pursuit and penalties. Second-year defensive coordinator James Gravelle knew there was no single quick fix that would lead the Raiders back up the standings; they allowed the second-most points per game in the Frontier (31.8), generated 12 fewer takeaways than their opponents (18) and were the eighth-most penalized team in the NAIA (88.2 yards per game).

But if any group was capable of turning words and months of focus into reformed action, it was one with eight returning starters pushed by their all-conference leaders – lineman Sam Woods, linebackers Isiah Carter and Devvon Gage, and safety Keegan Lawrence. Starting with next Thursday's matchup against seventh-ranked Eastern Oregon at Raider Stadium, they'll set out to prove they've done it.

"Their drive to get the work done is unmatched by any camp I've been a part of in 20 years," Gravelle said. "They're eager to be taught and carry out the game plan, and we're getting to where we need to be."

POSITION BY POSITION
DEFENSIVE LINE: A primary emphasis for SOU's 4-3 base defense during camp has been put on the ability to pressure without having to send extra pressure. The presence at tackle of third-year starter Sam Woods and his ability to demand double teams is a good starting point: Over the last two seasons, the senior has gone for 97 tackles and 9 ½ sacks over the last two seasons. And he'll get some help on the interior from true freshman Tre Holmes – a 6-foot, 265-pound North Medford product who has come on as the favorite to win a starting job.

"Sam is just a powerhouse who is ready to have a big senior year, and we know what we can expect from him," Gravelle said. "But Tre Holmes has been a great surprise. He's done anything and everything to hold onto a starting spot – getting the workouts done here all summer, learning the system and putting himself in a situation where he can be out there in his first game as a true freshman."

Junior Masi Tunoa, a redshirt last year, and James Porter, who has packed on nearly 35 pounds since appearing sparingly as a freshman last year, are in the interior rotation. So too is Josiah Maglente-Tonu, a 6-6 transfer who played the last two seasons as a tight end at Arizona Western College, but who now is proving he can play on the inside and outside of the line.

At the ends, SOU boasts more experience with two incumbent starters, senior Armando Gauger and junior Sean Rogers. Described by Gravelle as a "big and physical as an outside pass-rusher," Gauger became a full-time starter last year and totaled 38 tackles with three sacks. Rogers went for 34 tackles, made five for losses and was in on four sacks, but he's being challenged for a starting spot after an impressive camp showing by sophomore August Forrest III.

Two transfers, sophomore Noah Johnson and junior Kashiem Poland, could give the Raiders third-down speed to the quarterback from the end positions. Johnson was an all-conference performer in 2016 at Lincoln University (Mo.) with 42 tackles and 5 ½ sacks, and Poland was all-state at San Beranardino Valley College with 58 tackles, 15 for losses, six sacks and four interceptions.

"I think it's the most depth we've had on the line in years," Gravelle said. "We have a lot of guys who can bring a lot of different looks to the table."

LINEBACKERS: Gravelle stated last year that the linebacker corps was the strength of the defense and has reason to believe it again now with starters Isiah Carter, Tyson Cooper and Devvon Gage all back.

In the middle, the 6-2, 225-pound Gage was a breakout performer as a sophomore in 2016, when he ranked third in the Frontier in both tackles (100) and tackles for losses (13) to earn first-team all-conference recognition. Carter, who will be a fourth-year starter, was a second-team honoree after going for 80 tackles (67 solo) while starting all 11 games.

"Devvon has turned into a defensive leader and Isiah plays behind his pads, wants to win and never takes a play off like no player I've ever seen," Gravelle said. "Those guys just want to win."

Their athleticism is complemented at the other OLB spot by Cooper, who started chunks of each of his first two seasons and was third on the team with 74 tackles and 3 ½ sacks in 2016. Among the rest of the interchangeable cast are freshmen Collin Crown and Riley Teeters, who spent last year as redshirts; Stanford Toloke, a former receiver who converted to linebacker during the spring; and junior Nick Mitchell, the former Oregon State quarterback. Mitchell was also a quarterback last year at Cerritos College (Calif.) but moved to linebacker upon joining the Raiders in the spring, giving them a veteran presence who has already put himself in the conversation to win a starting job at 6-3, 205 pounds.

"Our linebacker group is probably the deepest group we have," Gravelle said. "They're deep, talented and can move. We're asking them to cover in man-to-man a lot to free up our safeties, and we feel like we have the right guys to do it."

DEFENSIVE BACKS: The Raiders have adopted another term of emphasis since last year: "The ball is the program." Translation: It's time to generate some turnovers.

After every practice they chart their takeaway progress, and have to this point exceeded hopes of tallying three per day. One category in which they could have used a boost last year was interceptions; compared to the 23 logged by their opponents, the Raiders collected nine.

Senior free safety Keegan Lawrence was responsible for two of those to go with 68 tackles – the most of any non-linebacker on the team. He was an All-Frontier pick as a result despite having never played defense collegiately before the season and not becoming a starter until the fourth game.

"Keegan is one of the best in the conference, if not the country," Gravelle said. "He's one of the most knowledgeable kids I've coached and it showed last year with how fast he adjusted to the position."

Senior Oshay Dunmore was a key contributor as a linebacker (56 tackles, 7 TFL) for SOU's 2015 team that reached the NAIA championship game, but sat out last season with an injury. He has since moved to safety and is likely to figure in as a starter alongside Lawrence, but will be unavailable for the opener. In the meantime the Raiders will depend on first-year players: Luke Goins, Nate Kuratli and Jeret Musser, all redshirts last season, and junior transfer Tyler Dean.

"Our safeties are long and lengthy and can cover a lot of ground with the speed to make up for mistakes that are made in front of them," Gravelle said. "We feel very good about that position."

At cornerback, the Raiders bring back their top cover man in junior AJ Cooper, a 5-9 third-year starter who amassed 58 tackles and a team-high three interceptions last year.

Next to him, the Raiders believe they've strengthened a past weakness with sophomore CJ Jones, senior Zay Taylor and junior transfer Dareion Bell in the mix. Jones served mostly as a backup in 2016, while Taylor redshirted after transferring from the University of Idaho. Bell is new to the mix, coming from College of the Redwoods (Calif.) where he was an all-state corner. William Brown, a redshirt last year, could also figure in.

"The main thing from a year ago is we had to foster competition, and we've done that," Gravelle said. "The effort wasn't always good enough last year and that had a lot to do with depth. These guys are competing and making each other better every day."