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2009 DEFENSE
2009 WILL BE GLORIOUS
Going into the 2009 season we feel we are in a position to really do some good things. Last year we took some major steps towards becoming the kind of football team that we want to be. After three years of mediocrity, we elevated ourselves at least in my mind to the level of respectability. We contended for the divisional title right down to the end and finished in second place, one game behind the Rivals. This year second place will not cut it.
Defensively, we feel we have one of the stingiest units in the league. We play hard and, for the most part, we play smart. Andy McIntyre did a fine job of handling our defense in 2008. And we expect him to do an even better job in 2009. What was probably the most impressive thing about Andy in '08 was the fact that he did an outstanding job of tempering his emotions. We don't call him "Mad Dog" just because it sounds good. He is a fiery and intense player. But as the leader of our defensive unit, there is no room to be overly emotional. You must remain clear-headed and stay focused on what is going on on the field, and Andy did that last year.
Carlos Aquino and Marlan McIntyre played outside of Mad Dog in 2008 and they played at a very high level. Carlos led our squad with 31 tackles. It was the first time in his career that he led the team in tackles. So he deserves a lot of credit for that accomplishment. Marlan split his year on offense and defense. The first part of the season he was an offensive starter, and the latter part of the campaign he played outside linebacker. Marlan is a versatile performer. He has desire and he applies himself to whatever task he is assigned. Our linebacking corp is the heart of our defense and we feel it is one of the best in the league. And it certainly doesn't hurt when you have Chris Parks, Martin Polsenski and Steve Chiaravalloti on your bench to come in if needed. Not many squads can boast of having players of that caliber on their benches.
On the perimeters, we have great speed and athleticism. Gabriel Davis is a budding superstar in this league. He has all the tools to be a force in this league for years to come. He's young and smart and can run with anyone. Last year, Gabriel played like a seasoned veteran, no matter where we lined him up at. As one of our starting cornerbacks, he finished third on our team with 26 tackles and, when James Lee missed time, he posted seven sacks as a part-time rusher. Gabriel was our youngest player last year and he was our Most Valuable Player. The truth of the matter is that he could very well be our MVP again this year.
Opposite him we have Enrique Simpson. Like Gabriel, Enrique was a rookie last year, and we expect him to be even better than he was last season. Enrique is tall and deceptively fast. He has good hands and instincts as evidenced by the timely interceptions that he came up with last year. Who can forget the game-clinching interception Enrique came up with in our big win over the Rivals? With another year under his belt, Enrique will be even better. I'm sure that's the last thing our opponent's want to hear.
Much of our success on defense can be attributed to the play of Rob Davis at the middle safety position. Rob has been a consistent performer for us since he joined the team in 2004. In 2008 he led the team with eight interceptions and finished second on the team with 29.5 tackles. His size and speed serve him well. Having Rob lurking in the middle of the field makes opposing teams more than a little hesitant to throw the ball down the middle. Baytree has always had a dominant player fortifying the back end of our defense - from Matt Libby to Drew Lucas to Steve Chiaravalloti -and Rob proudly carries on that tradition for us.
However, the player who makes everything work for us on defense is the man we call "Lightning." James Lee established himself as an exciting player the first time he set foot on the field five years ago. He broke Carlos' record for most sacks in a season when he posted 23 in 2006. Last year he recorded 19 more and set the tone for us on defense. Obviously, you have to put pressure on the other team's quarterback. You're basically committing suicide if you fail to get adequate pressure. The other team will dictate what happens on the field by exploiting your mismatches or weaknesses. James is a tiger who rises to the challenge. His motor is always running and don't doubt it, other teams fear him.
Defensively, 2008 was one of our greatest seasons ever. We allowed 12.7 points per game on the average which is second-best all-time to our 1997 squad which surrender 12.4 points-per-game. This season we will take it to the next level because our defense will keep us in every game and because we will work hard in practice to eliminate any weaknesses that we have. Last year we did a great job of taking the center out of the equation and we did a pretty good job of shutting down the backfield. This year we will do an even better job of disrupting the opposing quarterback's "comfort zone" and that will yield huge dividends for our team.
I'm looking forward to this season. I love playing and I love this squad. I think we have all the pieces in place to make a serious run at our first title. 2008 will be glorious for the Baytree Bombers!!!
KING BOMBER
Oct. 6, 2009
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Copyright © 2009 Steve Poindexter. All Rights Reserved