2014 Fall Camp - Defensive Line

One of the major storylines heading into the 2014 season for the Lamar Cardinals was the fact that the defense returns only two starters from last year. A lot of the questions asked of head coach Ray Woodard at the Southland Media Days event last month centered around the number of players Lamar lost due to attrition. When a team is forced to replace so many starters, the majority of folks, whether it be die-hard fans or the media, tend to focus solely on the losses, making any success the following season seem like a bit of a surprise.

 

If you take a closer look at the numbers, they may actually tell a different story. At first glance, the obvious stat is the return of only two starters, but a closer look will show that Lamar returns nine players who made at least one start for the Red and White in 2013. Upon first glance of Lamar's defensive line it shows that Lamar lost both defensive ends, returning only their nose tackle. But a closer look at the numbers will show that sophomore Omar Tebo posted four starts over center last season which has forced the LU coaching staff to move senior Joe Okafor from tackle (where he started eight games last season) to end. So, it can be argued that Lamar returns two starters on the defensive line.

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