4. College Football News Preview 2020: Georgia Southern Eagles Defense 3 Things To Know
– The defense gets the break from not having to be on the field all that much, but it still has to produce. It led the Sun Belt in tackles for loss and was terrific against the run, and now it gets back the top four tacklers and seven of the top nine.
– There’s no replacing Kindle Vidor at one corner, and has to replace the other two starters, but the secondary returns good-tackling safety Kenderick Duncan.
The corners get some help with Louisiana Tech transfer Ephraim Kitchen ready right away and with senior Darrell Baker needing to step up into a bigger role after a 27-tackle season. Duke transfer Javon Jackson should fill in immediately need to Duncan.
– The linebacking corps has the potential to be among the Sun Belt’s best. This is a very good, very active, very deep group.
Reynard Ellis led the team with 86 stops in the middle, Rashad Byrd made 85 stops in an all-star season on the weakside, and Randy Wade is a big 275-pound hybrid who led the team with four sacks and 12 tackles for loss.
The line needs junior CJ Wright to come up with another great year in the rotation on the nose – he was seventh n the team with 35 tackles – and all-star end Raymond Johnson is back after a three-sack season with the upside to be a much bigger pass rushing factor.