Published: August 29, 2007 02:20 pm            

Bearcats defense looks to replace key starters

ALEDO — In 2006, the Aledo Bearcats defense had a stretch of over 288 minutes without allowing a score.

That scoreless stretch included a five-game shutout streak which lasted the entire second half of the regular season. In the Bearcats’ seven district games, the Bearcats defense allowed an average of seven points.

But graduation claimed several components of Aledo’s defense, including all the defensive line starters and their backups.

“That is our biggest problem right now, just trying to find replacements for Michael [Wilcoxon] and Blake Whisnand and then Bobby [Whan] and Anson [Kelton],” said Aledo head football coach Tim Buchanan. “Those four guys were pretty special football players and their backups were pretty special football players. We have some big shoes to fill there. I think our kids are going to be OK. They are just young and have had very few snaps as varsity football players.”

The Bearcats are looking to players like Aaron Ates, Jon Koontz, Patrick Henrietta and Forrest Cook to fill the void left by the departure of the 2006 seniors.

Last year, with Buchanan having a solid crew on the defensive line, his main concern was developing his linebacker corps. This year, the Aledo coach has the opposite problem, as he has all of his starting linebackers back, but no returning defensive linemen.

“It is a little more difficult to develop those defensive linemen than it is really for linebackers,” Buchanan said. “If you have got a good defensive line, you can protect those linebackers and they can go make plays. If the defensive line is not drawing double-teams and doing a good job attacking the line of scrimmage, those linebackers are going to be blocked all night long.”

Buchanan knows a major strength the Bearcats defense this year is the linebacker corps, which features seniors Calvin Jones, Kyle Stitle and Blane Cheatham.

“That is what made our defense that much better last year — how much better Calvin, Kyle and Blane got week by week,” Buchanan said. “We were not very good at linebacker early in the season. We made a lot of mistakes and were not very good tacklers, but by the time we got to the playoffs, we were pretty good.”

Danny Heiss, Kyle Bottom and Joey Christie will be used as backups at linebacker.

Last season, Buchanan did not want to have to play Cole Loftin on both offense and in the defensive backfield at safety. Fortunately for Buchanan, he did not have to, as Logan Armstrong moved in from Brewer and filled that role. With Armstrong graduating, Buchanan was left with the possibility of having to put Loftin back as a starting safety. But, once again, a transfer student from another school on the Bearcats’ schedule has moved in to fill that role.

“Jesse Wright, who moved in from Mineral Wells this summer, going to be a junior, is going to try and fill in for Logan [Armstrong],” Buchanan said. “I don’t know if he is going to be as good as Logan was, as a senior, but I think he is going to be pretty good. He is going to the pretty good junior. I think he will probably be better, as a junior than Logan was, as a junior.”

The rest of the defensive secondary will consist of cornerbacks Kenton Day, Kyle Golden and Joel Hasley. Jack Bryant will start the other safety spot beside Wright. Ryan McGuire and Loftin also could both see time in the defensive backfield along with Nick Byrd and Carson Bennett.

        

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