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Aug. 15—NOTE — This is the second in a series of position previews heading into UNM’s Aug. 24 home opener against Montana State. Already completed: Running backs and specialists. Today: Defensive line and edge.
Donte Wilkins knows what the guys in his room are going though: Enough to know you can’t sympathize too much.
“I had to tell them that, ‘hey, I was in your shoes so I know exactly what you’re going through,'” New Mexico’s defensive line coach told the Journal last week. “‘I’ve been through it. No, I do not feel sorry for you — because I understand exactly what’s going to happen on the other side of this thing.'”
Because before the former Virginia defensive tackle entered coaching, he played out his senior season under Bronco Mendenhall in 2016 — the latter’s first year coaching the Cavaliers. The changes Wilkins saw then, he said, are well underway at UNM.
As are the expectations — the same ones Wilkins eagerly embraced on the defensive line eight years ago.
“My thing right now is I want to stop the run,” Wilkins said. “That’s what I’m focused on right now: Just fundamentals, being able to have people come into our stadium and understand that they cannot, and will not, run the ball. That’s all we’re focused on right now, just getting better with our mindset every day, attacking the run game and understanding that the teams with all the sacks are the teams with the best run defense — because people have to pass the ball.”
Experience always plays up front and Wilkins returns plenty on the defensive line: redshirt senior Kyler Drake, redshirt junior Tyler Kiehne and redshirt senior Bryce Santana have largely anchored UNM’s top line throughout fall camp in what Drake feels is a “simpler” defense than last year.
“That allows to not us to have think so much about where we’re going, but actually (focus) on…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/unm-football-position-preview-defensive-030100285.html
Author : Albuquerque Journal, N.M.
Publish date : 2024-08-16 03:01:00
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