MOORHEAD, Minn. (8/27/06)--The main reason the Cobber defense will be much improved in 2007 will be the years’ experience of the secondary.

In 2006, the Concordia defensive backfield was the proverbial “chicken with its head cut off.” Three of the four starting corners and safeties were completely new in 2006 and by the time the season ended; defensive coordinator Scott Lucier had trotted out five different starting combinations in the secondary. The experience gained by a variety of players in both positions will help CC improve on the league’s sixth-ranked pass defense. It will also mean that team’s won’t be able to pick on a specific player or position all game long.

The four players that all have starting experience from 2006 are Wes Johnson (Sr., Big Lake, Minn./Monticello), Jason Jude (Sr., Monticello, Minn.), Levi DeVries (Jr., Bejou, Minn./Mahnomen HS) and Tom Flynn (Jr., Shelby, Mont.). All four are at the back end of their collegiate careers and will have a more mature attitude towards pressure situations. All four are also extremely athletic and can stay with the top receivers in the conference. Of the four, DeVries will benefit the most from having a year’s experience on the defensive side of the field. He is a converted running back that possesses outstanding speed.

The fifth player in the secondary that saw extensive time in 2006 is sophomore Levi Pole (Sioux Falls, S.D./O’Gorman HS). Poll led the team in interceptions (3) and is penciled in to start at free safety in 2007. Like DeVries, he is a convert from the offense and continues to improve with every snap taken in the secondary.

If Concordia has a chance to get through its tough early-season test, the defensive backfield will need to play at a very high level. The Cobbers will face returning starting quarterbacks against MSU Moorhead, Bethel and St. John’s and all three signal callers will be looking to see if the CC defensive backfield has learned anything from last year.

Sleepers in the secondary: Darin Bergeson, Cortez Galmore, Xavier Carroll

Bet You Didn’t Know: Senior Jason Jude caught a tiger shark off the coast of South Africa.

If the Cobber defensive backs were:

A Theme Song from a Classic Movie:

“I’m Alright” by Kenny Loggins from Caddyshack
A 1970’s Pop Hit:

“Feeling Stronger Every Day” by Chicago
A Dave Matthews Band song:

“Last Stop”