DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake University football team is a week into fall camp and just completed its ninth practice Wednesday morning.
This week's practice report spotlights the Bulldog defense. Drake returns four starters but welcome back plenty of players that saw significant playing time last year.
In the front seven, the Bulldogs bring back linebackers
Taylor Coleman and
Michael Roane and defensive end
Mack Marrin. Roane and Coleman have stepped up as leaders for not only the linebackers squad but also for the whole unit. Coleman battled injury last year after leading the team in tackles in 2014 with 95. Roane tallied 40 tackles a season ago as the weak side linebacker. Marrin is the unit's top returning tackler with 49 stops, including a PFL-best 8.5 sacks. Also on the defensive line the Bulldogs anticipate more production from junior
Nathan Clayberg, who ranked third-best on the team with 3.5 sacks.
In the secondary, Drake only returns one starter, fifth-year senior
Caz Zyks. Despite just one starter returning, the Bulldogs welcome back fifth-year senior
Grant Krueger, senior
Kyrell Newell and juniors
Jabari Butler,
Austin Dismond,
Sean Lynch and
Terry Wallen, who all saw significant playing time last fall and rotated in as starters in the spring.
The Bulldogs open the 2016 season on Sept. 3 when they host Quincy at Drake Stadium.
