Ready to Breakout: Defense

Every team relies on younger players to step up and perform.  Three years ago it was Zach Lujan and Jake Wieneke against Missouri.  Two years ago it was Dallas Goedert against Southern Utah.  Last season it was Kellen Soulek, Christian Rozeboom, and Charlie Harmon emerging.  This year it is safe to say that someone will make a big jump and raise their play to a new level.  Yesterday we looked at breakout candidates for the offense.

Here are my guesses as to who might be breakout players for the defense after observing a number of practices.
Logan Backhaus (Photo courtesy of Matt Holland)

  • #12 Logan Backhaus had a great spring season and has continued to excel during camp.  He's a very smart player that is in the right spot at the right time.  As a red-shirt freshman, Backhaus will be asked to fill the shoes of multi-year standout Dallas Brown, who has graduated.  Backhaus is fast and moves well in space.  His fellow Iowan, Christian Rozeboom will be tasked with helping him diagnose what is coming at them.
  • #96 Spencer Hildahl is sophomore and only played in two games last year.  However, he has parlayed a good spring into a great summer and fall.  Spencer is a powerful guy who seems to also have good quickness off the line.  Spencer has looked really disruptive in 1-on-1 and 11-on-11 drills.  He will need to be a force, with teams likely to double-team Soulek.
  • #90 Ryan Earith is another sophomore that has had an excellent camp.  Earith was injured his true freshman year, and then spent most of last season recovering.  The coaches have shared that Earith is now back to 100% and has shown good power and quickness off the edge.  Watch for Ryan to take a big step this year.
  • #34 Austin Smenda is yet another sophomore that looks to have a big season.  Not only has he shown great quickness and bend, but he has also increased his strength.  The game has slowed down for Smenda compared to last year and he now understands his position better and is able to cut it loose. 
  • #17 Alex Romenesko has always been a physical talent for the Jacks, but the junior now seems to have a grasp of his role as a leader in the secondary and on the team.  In camp, he seems to be around the ball showcasing his instincts.  His intelligence for the route concepts the offense is trying to hide have also been on full display.  
This list isn't the end-all-be-all.  There are lots of other players who could have easily been on this list.  It will be excited to watch each players performance as the season moves along. 

Go Jacks!
-Matt

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