Last season, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga led Southern Conference football programs in scoring defense, total defense, rush defense, pass defense, pass efficiency defense, interceptions, sacks, first downs allowed and third-down percentage.
In other words, the Mocs were the best in basically everything when it comes to team statistics on that side of the ball.
From a national standpoint, the Mocs were in the top 10 in the Football Championship Subdivision in pass efficiency defense (second), total defense (ninth) and third-down conversion percentage (10th).
The best part for defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward? He returns the majority of that unit, and the experience is especially rich in the front seven, where only two players who logged 10 tackles or more last fall - linebacker Christian Snyder and defensive lineman Tavi McLean - didn't return for the 2022 season.
That's why, during a recent practice, it wasn't a surprise to see veteran outside linebacker and former Bradley Central star Jay Person standing to the side to watch a shell drill as the Mocs' offensive skill players went up against the defense's linebackers and secondary.
"We've got depth up front, and that's the biggest key," Ward said after Wednesday's practice. "We don't have just four defensive linemen; we've got eight or nine that can play, and so if you've got that many guys that can play, it makes you excited as a coordinator because if a team can't run the football, they have to throw it - then it's in our favor.
"We know we can stop the run with the guys we've got up front, so it just creates excitement for you."
Staff file photo by Robin Rudd / UTC defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward is working with a lot of returning experience on that side of the ball this year, which has allowed the group to use spring practices to build even more depth.There has been a fair amount of standing and watching for many of the returning defenders this spring, as Ward noted Wednesday that he "doesn't need to see what those guys can do." There's been a lot of observing by guys such as All-America defensive lineman Devonnsha Maxwell, defensive tackle Christian Smith, defensive end Ben Brewton and All-SoCon linebackers Ty Boeck and Person.
Can this unit be even better than last year? That could depend on the secondary, which lost four seniors from the fall roster and returns only one starter in rising senior CaMiron Smith.
"This spring, we've been able to see some new leaders emerge," said Boeck, the former Soddy-Daisy standout who led the Mocs with 90 tackles and was an All-SoCon selection in 2021. "We're going to see a new dynamic in the secondary because we have some fresh faces back there, but I think we've got the talent to be really good again this season."
When asked how good the team could be, Boeck noted "a lot better than 6-5." That was UTC's record for the 2021 schedule, and it's been a bit of sore spot for the Mocs after their season began with high expectations - from inside and outside the program - but ended without reaching goals that included the SoCon championship and the FCS playoffs.
Players have talked about how there is a bit of a redemption feel around practices now, with everyone ready to get the bad taste out of their mouths.
If that's going to be the case, the defense is going to lead the way.
"We've definitely got to prove a lot of people wrong, because last year we had the team," Person said. "Talent was all around the board, and I guess we got big heads and let it get to us, so this year we've definitely got to come out and work and prove to everybody what this team really is about."
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenley3.