Indiana State looks to turn things around on defense

Last season was a rough one for the Indiana State football team's defense allowing an FCS worst 497.8 yards a game, but a new defensive coordinator and charged up players are ready to change that.

ISU coach Curt Mallory said he thinks the defense is really flying around out there. He noted how the defense does everything together from working to celebrating.

"I'm really pleased with coach Morrison and the job he's doing," Mallory said. "I've known Steve for a long time as a player, always wanted to work with him, he's done a tremendous job for us."

With the rough stat last season, Mallory said the game is the most important. That first game will see the Sycamores host Southeast Missouri State on Aug. 29 at 6 p.m.

Mallory said the main thing with turning it around and not finishing last in yards allowed a game is that the team has to complement each other.

"We have to get downs, we can't have our defense on the field as much as we did a year ago, so it's all three phases," Mallory said. "I thought we did some good things on special teams, but we never complemented each other the way we need to and that has to change."

ISU's defense is led by three local guys in Braxton Sampson, Nic Yatsko and Alex Rose. The Sycamores' new DC at the helm this season is Steve Morrison.

Going into this season, the Sycamores were picked by the media to finish eighth out of the nine teams in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The Murray State Racers are the lone team behind the Sycamores.

Terre Haute South graduate Nic Yatsko said the summer the practices have gone well with fellow South grad Alex Rose saying they've dominated all summer.

"It's just great to get on the field and be around the guys and compete," Rose said.

However, there's a glaring statistic from the defense last season as the Sycamores allowed 497.8 yards per game, last in FCS football.

Rose said that's something that hurts, but that they need to come together as a defense and be stronger.

With Morrison, Rose said he's been tremendous noting his NFL experience.

"To have that at the collegiate level, anybody will take advantage of that, we're just so grateful to have him," Rose said.

As far as challenges such as FBS opponent Purdue early on the schedule, Rose said the Sycamores just have to play their game. He said the team can't conform to anybody else's game.

"We have to do what we've been doing all summer long and just keep that ball rolling into season and just dominate," Rose said.

Yatsko said it's all about them and that they're not worried about anybody else.

"It's just us right now," Yatsko said.

Both of them said they take pride in being two local guys.

"We take pride in it, it's a super awesome thing," Rose said. "This is something that we've been wanting to do since we were little kids. Just to be here and to let this happen, it's a dream come true, we're just super thankful."

After being off for a few days, Morrison said the defense looked good Wednesday.

To improve that FCS worst mark though, Morrison said this isn't last year's team, it's this year's team.

"We're going to do the things from a bedrock standpoint, so our foundation of what we are, how we prepare, how we communicate, all those things," Morrison said. "We'll add defense as we go, but we're never going to do more than what we need."

He said the team is worried about the things they can control right now. Morrison noted the three local guys in Sampson, Rose and Yatsko really care about the game and prepare and study the right way. Mallory said all three of those guys are tremendous leaders as he noted how they grew up in the area.

"Can't say enough about it," Mallory said. "Grew up around the program, they've all walked on and earned scholarships. Those guys have all become leaders of this team, but it was something that they earned."

Mallory put an emphasis on how the opportunity wasn't given to them saying how those three came in and worked for everything they've received so far. He also noted they're very well respected on the team.

"They're good football players that can communicate on the field and that just bleeds into your younger guys," Morrison said. "It creates your overall team chemistry."

Sampson said Morrison is awesome and that everyone on the defense would run through a wall for him.

"He's really just bringing the culture along, he's a guy that you really just want to play hard for, you want to win for," Sampson said.

With the defensive issue last season, Sampson echoed Morrison saying last year's team is last year's team.

"Going into this season, we know we have to fix things from last year, but also it's a whole new team, whole new players, new defensive coordinator, we're not thinking about last season, we're just thinking about going into this season and winning games," Sampson explained.

Mallory said the team has to be able to score points, move the chains so the defense isn't playing 40 minutes and being on the field as much as they are.

"It's about a team effort there and we have to get better on all three phases," Mallory said.

Indexed and credited by AIPROPX. Originating outlet: Yahoo Sports. Open at source →