Once again, it appears that the strength of this year's football team will lie within its defense. Defensive tackle and 2000 All-NESCAC Team member Everett Dickerson, who is back as a graduate to exercise his final year of eligibility, and senior co-captain Scott Mittenthal, a linebacker, will anchor a unit that returns six starters in total. The secondary features junior defensive back Evan Zupancic, who led the team with six interceptions last Fall, and was named a preseason All-American by D3football.com.
"If it was up to me, your defense would be your strongest thing every single year," coach Bill Samko said. "I think we have a chance to have a really strong defense again, there's a lot of talent over there. Aside from quarterback and tailback, the defense has the first choice of players. A lot of our best players are going to defense."
However, the Jumbo defense will be forced to adjust to a major change this year - a new coordinator in John Walsh, who will employ the "50" defense.
"[The 50] is not really new for us," Samko said. "It hasn't necessarily been the featured part, but you can run a 4-3, 3-4, or a 52 and there's still 11 guys out there. Somehow it all adds up to 11 anyway."
Walsh comes to Tufts via Georgetown University, where he served as inside linebacker coach and head strength and conditioning coach for the Hoyas. During Walsh's three-year tenure, the program went 23-10 and produced two First Team All-Metro Atlantic Conference players on the defensive side of the ball. He is also not far removed from the game as a player, having previously made a name for himself in the NESCAC as a co-captain and four year starter at linebacker for the Amherst Lord Jeffs until his graduation in 1997.
And according to Samko, both the players and Walsh have adjusted well thus far.
"We'll find out for sure on Saturday," Samko said. "But so far, it's been good, I think they're moving around pretty well. I'm really glad to him have [Walsh] here. He coordinates well."
As a unit, the Jumbo defense recorded 36 sacks last year, to go along with nine interceptions, six forced fumbles and 14 recoveries, as well as 67 tackles behind the line of scrimmage for a net loss of 179 yards. But the true measure of a good defense, Samko says, goes beyond the numbers.
"Statistics can be very misleading sometimes," he said. "In the Amherst game, for example, we were down 8-0 and had a chance to win at the end from the five yard line. That was because our defense kept us in the game."
Aside from the Amherst game, the Jumbos lost two other games by nine points or less, including a 27-20 decision against Trinity and a 16-7 defeat in the season opener at Wesleyan. Then on homecoming, Tufts carried a 10-7 lead until into the third quarter, only to fall, 21-10 to perennial nemesis Williams. Samko's squad finished the season with a disappointing 2-6 record, which placed it in a tie for seventh place in the NESCAC with Hamilton.
"You really win with defense," Samko said. "Even though our season was very frustrating last year, we were legitimately in every game, with the exception of Middlebury."
The Jumbos will look to their defense to keep them in the game right off the bat, when they kick-off at Wesleyan this Saturday in Middletown, Ct. The Cardinals feature a high-powered offense, and have beaten Tufts in each of the teams last five meetings, while the Jumbos haven't won at Wesleyan since 1988.
"We need to play well defensively against Wesleyan," Samko. "If we can do that, I think we'll be okay. I think their strength is their offense, and they have an excellent quarterback. We need to control the ball. They can't have the ball 25 times per game."
With that in mind, Samko's expectations for his defense in the Wesleyan game as well as for the season are quite simple.
"I expect them to play hard, I expect them to play physically, and I expect them to play smart," he said. "And I expect them to do what they are asked to do. You can't ask for much more than that."
