The Ball State football team's defense lost seven starters to graduation, most notably outside linebackers Lorenzo Scott and Justin Riley, and they will have to fill those voids for 2004.
"You lost some good leadership and you lost some guys who really played a lot of football here," head coach Brady Hoke said.
The defense will look to sophomore Anthony Corpuz to fill the strong side vacancy left by Riley. On the weak side, sophomore Brad Seiss was projected to start until he suffered a broken wrist earlier in the month. While Seiss could miss the first four games, sophomore Jason Sieman and redshirt freshman Mike Dorulla are among the contenders to start instead.
Junior Donta Smith will return as the middle linebacker and be the leader of that group. Smith registered 57 tackles in 2003, second-highest among the returnees.
The defense will be led by senior strong safety Justin Beriault, who Hoke thinks is as good as any safety in the MAC.
"I think Justin will do a good job for us in leading," Hoke said. "He's been a great leader in the off-season."
Beriault led the team in tackles last season with 145 and was named to the All-MAC First Team.
"I've played more than anybody on the defense and that brings leadership on its own," Beriault said. "I think the guys look up to me I think they're responding to what I have to say and how I feel about how our defense needs to play this season."
The biggest issue for the defense this season is stopping the run. In 2003 the Cardinals ranked 11th in the league at stopping the run, allowing 197.6 yards per game.
Hoke believes increased speed will help the team stop the run.
"I think we're a faster defense," he said. "I think in some ways we're more athletic as a defense, I think in some ways that we've got to continue to work on being great run players."
Beriault believes that having a full year of coaching under Hoke has helped the line, which in turn helps all facets of the game. It not only helps stop the run but provides a pass rush, which helps the secondary and linebackers.
"I think our big difference is going to be our defensive line. They've had a year with coach Hoke," Beriault said. "Coach Hoke's resume as far as working with defensive lineman is as good as it can get at the college level."
Along the line, Hoke said Monday that Conrad Slaughter will be starting at tackle for a third year, with junior Blair Kramer and redshirt freshman Temidayo McCarthy the probable ends. At the other tackle should be one of two sophomores -- Tom Kellar or Riley Larimore, who started 10 games at end last year.
"They're hungry and they're young," Hoke said of his linemen. "I think we've made improvement, but we're not where we need to be yet. They've shown good gap integrity, and we're deeper than we were last year."
Another player should help the defense before that group even steps on the field -- senior punter Reggie Hodges. After sitting out last season to concentrate on academics, Hodges will return to the field after he punted averaging of 40.3 yards on 57 punts in 2002.
Last season, BSU punters averaged just 36.2 yards.
"When you look at a guy who can change field position and be a weapon for you defensively, I think those are all tremendous issues that he brings to the table," Hoke said.
No matter where they're at on the field, Beriault thinks the defense will be improved, even with seven starters gone.
"We've had a lot of younger guys step up and guys that wanted to play in the past are going to get their chance this year," Beriault said. "We have a bright future as far as our defense goes."
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