Spring Football Hot Topics: ULM Defense

Football Mar 10

By ULMWarhawks.com Online Columnist Paul Letlow

ULM's second-year coordinator Vic Koenning maintains a checklist of qualities he seeks in defensive recruits. Two characteristics are high priorities. "Two of the many things we look for are, 'Can he run and will he hit?'" Koenning said. "We had to check that box before we sign somebody." After joining head coach Terry Bowden's staff in early 2022, Koenning didn't have a huge hand in selecting the players that made up his first ULM defense. A year later, the veteran assistant can already see the differences as the Warhawks work through spring ball. "I do know that when we watched film of the first few practices," Koenning said, "and then we watched cutups of last year, we look more like a Division I football team running to the ball, than what we did at times last year." ULM restocked Koenning's kitchen with 22 defensive signees and transfers since the end of the 2022 season. "If you can't run, then you can't get to the ball," Koenning said. "And you can't make the play if you can't get to the ball. It doesn't matter how good of a tackler you are. There's other things that go along with it. You can't take somebody who's a track star, who's scared to put his face on something." The infusion of new players has helped refresh the locker room chemistry too. "We made addition by deletion," Koenning said. "By not having some of the personalities that were holding us back, we've gotten better." Man in the middle: After coaching more than 50 players who reached the NFL, Koenning knows what a future pro looks like. In Kent State transfer defensive tackle Adin Huntington, ULM added a player who may be tracking in that direction. "The first thing with him is, it seems like he's always got a smile," Koenning said. "He's always positive. He's one of those guys that you see over here in the morning and then you see him over here in the afternoon doing stuff on his own. He's kind of got that it factor." Huntington (6-1, 280) recorded 45 tackles over the last three seasons, eight for losses, including three sacks. Koenning, who identified that 'It Factor" in his former players like DeMarcus Ware at Troy, sees special qualities in Huntington too. "I'm not saying he's DeMarcus Ware," Koenning said. "I'm just saying that they've got that personality and awareness and that sharpness to 'em as a person where they can pick stuff up. They seem like they've got it going on." Attack, attack, attack: The first spring practice in pads saw ULM defenders making big plays. Outside linebacker Ja'Terious Evans, a transfer from Stephen F. Austin, had a pair of pick six returns while rover Austin Goffney, added from Lamar, also pulled in an interception. It's a positive sign for a team that finished tied for last in the Sun Belt Conference with six picks and 20 sacks all of last season. "The first thing that jumps out is that I think we're going to be able to attack a little bit better because we have guys who can run and close down distances," Koenning said. "We've got more guys that can cover on the back end.

"If it takes 2.7 seconds for most teams that are in five-man protection to throw the ball, we might be able to get there if we get cut loose. If they're in six-man protection, it takes 3.3 seconds to get rid of the ball; I think we can still get there before they throw the ball. Last year, we couldn't get there if we were wide open sometimes." Defensive end Joseph Bakhole, who joined the program from Coffeyville Community College, is a new pass rusher to watch. "One of the guys up there called me on a Thursday and said that Nebraska had just cancelled his visit," Koenning said. "We were able to get him in that weekend and he's done a great job. He's very explosive." Bakhole made 46 tackles with five sacks, eight tackles for loss and three pass break-ups at the junior college level. Back for more: Beyond his newcomers, the coach mentioned returnees like cornerbacks Car'lin Vigers and Lucius Tillery, nose guard Cooper Webb, defensive end Kenard Snyder and linebacker Michael Batton as showing improvement. "Vigers at corner is doing a good job," he said. "Lu is starting to get back a little to where he was last year. Cooper Webb at nose guard is way better than he was at any point last year. Kenard Snyder, we need him to be a dynamic player, which he's capable of being. Batton had one game he played a bunch in and made me seem like a bad coach. He was conference player of the week. But he's playing a different position now that's his.

"We've got a fair number of guys coming back."

Joseph Bakhole participates in pass-rushing drills during spring practice.

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Spring Football Hot Topics: ULM Defense