Stout defense still a Bucs key

The ABCs of Boyd-Buchanan football begin with “D.”

The 2010 Buccaneers’ defense is right in line with the ones coach Grant Reynolds has helped mold over the last 15 years and will play a pivotal role Friday if they’re to get past Signal Mountain (12-0) in one of the TSSAA Class 2A semifinals. Kickoff at Signal Mountain is set for 7 p.m.

Reynolds is in his fifth season as the Bucs’ head coach after spending the previous 10 as defensive coordinator. They’ve worked primarily from a 4-4, single-safety set during that time.

Boyd-Buchanan’s stinginess has been particularly prevalent lately. Under the guidance of current defensive coordinator Steve Robbins, the Bucs have played 39 games the last three seasons and given up seven points or less 25 times with seven shutouts.

“If we want to be successful going into a season,” Reynolds said, “we know it’s going to take a lot of effort and time to make the defense fundamentally sound and disciplined.”

Reynolds said unselfishness has played a key role with this year’s defense. For instance, defensive end Phillip Kincer, a senior and first-year starter, hasn’t piled up big statistics, but his occupying of blockers has helped the group behind him with theirs.

“He makes it easier on the linebackers,” Reynolds said. “He makes sacrifices doing his job so others can make tackles.”

The main beneficiary has been 6-foot-1, 190-pound senior Ross Keasler, whose 133 tackles — 80 solo — lead the team.

Boyd-Buchanan (9-4) was state runner-up last season but graduated a lot of that talent. This year’s stop unit isn’t surrendering an average of seven points per game like last season’s, but with Keasler and fellow inside linebacker Hayden Meadows the only returning defensive starters, its average allowed is 12. That’s against a schedule that included four nondistrict state-playoff teams during the regular season.

“We knew we were going to be tough on defense,” said Meadows, who’s second with 69 stops. “Offenses are going to have to work to get points against us.”

Cornerback Kyle Thomas is part of secondary coach Todd Roland’s new starting group, along with fellow junior Andrew Peace and seniors Rock Hood and Taylor Eldridge. Thomas said they learned a lot from the previous defensive backs.

“They always coached us up in practice,” he said. “They taught us how to do what, and when to do what. They always helped us out.”

Even though they posted three shutouts within the first six games, the Bucs started 4-4 this season. Reynolds said there were some issues to work through early on, as well as learning who was capable of playing where.

With ongoing improvement, particularly from the secondary, Boyd-Buchanan’s defense has sparked the current five-game winning streak by allowing 10 points or less each game.

“I think we’ve matured and grown a lot since the beginning of the seasøn,” said Meadows, a 5-11, 215-pounder who also plays fullback. “We’re like two totally different teams.”

Now comes the defensive players’ greatest challenge of the season, facing a team that has scored at least 40 points every game. Therefore, some help from their companions would be welcomed.

Sometimes the best defense is a good offense.

“We feel like we’ve finally come together as a team,” Thomas said. “We’ve all learned how to play together — finally.”