ST. PAUL, Minn. – This Saturday at 6 p.m., the Golden Bears will kickoff the 2024 campaign at Harms-Eischeid Stadium at Upper Iowa (0-1) in a non-conference contest on the road.
 
This is the second of a three-part season preview series, and will be followed by part three (offense) tomorrow. Yesterday, part one with a look at the offseason, coaching staff and special teams was released.
 
The Peacocks opened the season last Thursday night in Division II's week zero, falling on the road at a Division I opponent 40-7 at Butler University in Indianapolis. The Peacocks, entering their second year as members of the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC), were picked seventh of nine teams in the GLVC Preseason Poll. Last year, UIU was 3-8 overall, going 1-6 in their first year as members of the GLVC to tie for seventh in last year's eight-team league. They return 19 starters.
 
Meanwhile, the Golden Bears return 17 starters from a team that also finished 3-8 overall and 2-8 in the NSIC while being picked 10^th in the 13-team NSIC. Last year, Concordia scored a 43-20 season-opening win at home over Upper Iowa to improve to 12-4 in the all-time series with the Peacocks including an 8-1 home record. CSP will travel to UIU for the seventh time in the all-time series where the teams have split the previous six meetings.
 
In last year's opener, CSP running backs Jaylin Richardson (16-108) and Daniel Hornacek (10-100) each topped 100 yards on the ground, combining for three rushing touchdowns led by Richardson's two while quarterback Conner Cordts completed 21-30 for 191 yards and two touchdowns, adding 5-42 rushing and another score as CSP rushed for 281 yards at 7.8 per carry while holding UIU to 73 rushing yards at 2.8 per rush. Cordts wasn't sacked and didn't turn the ball over while CSP had a pair of sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery defensively.
 
MEET THE BEARS: DEFENSIVE PREVIEW
The 2023 Golden Bears took a number of steps forward over the previous season, allowing 3.2 fewer first downs per game, 35 fewer rushing yards per game, 38 fewer passing yards per game, an improvement over 72 yards per game in total defense, were 14 percent better in third down defense and combined with the offense to improve the red zone scoring margin by 17, going from a -24 to -7, scoring in 33 of 40 trips to the red zone while the opposition scored in 40 of 46 trips on the season.
 
Making similar gains in 2024 across the board would vault the Golden Bear defense to a top-five unit in the conference.
 
"We will be better on defense, we will stop the run more effectively and put teams in tougher passing situations, and when teams are in the situations, we have the tools to tap into to help us make some big plays in those spots," said head coach Shannon Currier, now in his eighth season (ninth year) back in his second term leading Golden Bear football, and his 12^th season (13^th year) overall including his first term from 2000-03.
 
MEET THE BEARS: DEFENSIVE LINE
The Golden Bears return three of their four starting defensive linemen from the 2024 campaign, although they'll presumably be without standout tackle Koffi Gbekle for much of the season as he recovers from an offseason injury.
 
In addition to returning starters Brad Walker at the other defensive tackle position and Drake Teal on the end, three more players picked up starts on the defensive front led by Islee Cassidy's three starts as a versatile interior lineman who also picked up one start at end, along with tackle Keyshawn Pettis, and end DJ Jones.
 
A number of other key contributors to last year's front return to the mix, as well, while Currier and the staff bolstered the line with several additions to provide the position group with needed depth to withstand not only the season, but a physical four quarters of play for defensive coordinator Craig Stern.
 
"I think we have better defined what a successful play and performance is for our defensive line position group, which has helped to make adjustments to their technique and overall game. With those improvements applied to our returners, and some new players in the mix, it's an up-and-coming unit on our team."
 
On the outside, Currier expects a number of players to compete for playing time and important game action, noting that "we're bigger and playing with better technique."
 
He continued, "Isaiah Wray and Ryan Martin have had great camps, while Jason Harris and Capri Wilson are newcomers to the unit, and we also return starter Drake Teal. The group is rounded out by Elijah Wray, Marquis Coleman and Jared Barden."
 
Martin has played in 27 games for the Golden Bears, making 28 tackles with 4.0 tackles for loss and a pair of sacks. Last year was his top season with 12 tackles, 3.0 for loss and two sacks. Teal has played in 22 games the last two seasons with 46 tackles, 6.0 for loss and 2.5 sacks, producing 3.0 TFLs in each of the last two seasons.
 
Isaiah Wray and Elijah Wray, identical twin brothers, were true freshmen last year with Isaiah making a pair of tackles in his debut in week 11 against Wayne State while both secured a redshirt season.
 
Wilson is a junior transfer from Iowa Western Community College where he competed in all 12 games last year and secured 4.5 tackles for loss among his 18 total tackles. Harris comes to Concordia after a pair of stops in the Pac-12, most recently at Arizona where he made his debut against the other Golden Bears, making a pair of tackles at California. He also had a redshirt season for Colorado.
 
On the interior, there is a lot of returning game experience led by Brad Walker and Islee Cassidy along with the return of Lucas Becker, while McKinley Neville, Percy Robertson and Keyshawn Pettis all bring important size and game experience. The unit is bolstered by Riley Heller's position switch from tight end to the defensive line, and a pair of freshmen are making a name for themselves in the middle in Fela McConnell and Danny Coffey.
 
"Like the defensive ends, there is a lot of improvement on the interior and getting Lucas Becker back after missing last year is a big boost. Brad (Walker) is a dominant, powerful player and McConnell and Coffey will be good players for us well into the future."
 
Walker has been a mainstay up front for Concordia, competing in 21 games the last three years with last year's 19 tackles being a new career high. Becker had 18 tackles, 4.5 for loss and 1.5 sacks two years ago while playing in 10 games, and Cassidy played all 11 games last year with 12 tackles, 1.5 for loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Pettis adds 37 career tackles in 19 games with 5.0 for loss, and Neville had a nose for the ball last year with a pair of fumble recoveries in nine games.
 
MEET THE BEARS: LINEBACKERS
"One of the best positions we have here is the linebackers, not only because of the quality of play, but also the mindset, leadership and desire for greatness from the group. We have a lot of leaders in the room: Caden Baarts, Brayden Hilgemann, Richard Wauer, Jawon Carr, Ben Rehl and Abe Schwinn are all great leaders and good football players."
 
On the outside, the group features Caden Baarts, Brayden Hilgemann, Carter Otto and Ben Rehl as key returning contributors while Curriers notes the development of Dominic Stencel and that incoming freshman Tez Jones is a newcomer to watch.
 
Baarts has worked hard to overcome injuries in previous seasons, but has always found a way to the field, competing in 19 contests the past three seasons while making 42 tackles with three for loss and a pair of pass breakups. Hilgemann is approaching the 100-career tackle plateau with 97 in 28 games including last year's 44 tackles and 3.5 for loss. He's had a knack for making big plays with 6.0 career tackles for loss, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and a pair of interceptions with one in each of the last two years.
 
Otto has increased his tackle output the last two years from 17 to 24 and has 41 tackles with 3.0 for loss in 20 career games, and Rehl emerged last year with a breakout season for 60 tackles in 11 games including 6.0 for loss and a pair of sacks. He had a 12-tackle, 3.0 TFL, 2.0 sack performance against UMary for his breakout game.
 
The inside linebacker group has a ton of experience led by Richard Wauer, Jawon Carr and Abe Schwinn. Wauer has made 89 tackles in 21 games the last two years including a 54-tackle breakout season in 2022. Carr has 62 tackles the last two seasons including last year's career-high of 44 tackles and 3.0 for loss with 2.0 sacks. Schwinn was a steady performer for the team a year ago with 41 tackles in 10 games, adding 1.5 for loss and a pair of interceptions.
 
"We also have a good group of young players to give us a really bright future at the position with Talan Summers, Jonas Barros, Bo Kenney and Mike King," noted Currier.
 
MEET THE BEARS: SECONDARY
A number of key returners are featured in the secondary led by safety Cyrus McClure, but the group will also see new faces in big spots.
 
"Our secondary is more athletic and more experienced than we were a year ago. We have newcomers at the corner who have enhanced the group, and allowing us to strengthen the safeties with Hudson (Jean) transitioning to safety," said Currier.
 
The corners feature a pair of new faces in transfers Jordan Johnson and Garian Denson. Johnson played in 11 games as a true freshman for Chowan University, a Division II school in North Carolina, picking up 26 tackles while ranking among the top-10 in the Gulf South Conference with eight pass breakups. Denson, originally from Alabama and a transfer from Bethel University in Tennessee, redshirted last season before joining the Golden Bears for the 2024 campaign.
 
The corners also feature returning starter McKinley Egland-Young and third-year sophomore Dilan Williamson. Egland-Young has played in 30 games the last three years, making 62 career tackles with 11 pass breakups including a career-high six last season.
 
Returners Peter Ladu and Basit Adesanya will also be competing for playing time at the corner position, while newcomers CJ Jackson and Jameson Jean are making an early impact.
 
At the safety position, Cyrus McClure has carved out a reputation as one of the top players at the position in the league, performing consistently with 144 tackles in 30 games in his career including a career-high 61 stops last year following a 57-tackle sophomore season. He's amassed 14 pass breakups with six in each of the last two years and has four career interceptions.
 
He'll be joined by Hudson Jean, making the switch from corner to safety, having played 19 games the last two seasons with 33 career tackles. The group also features experience with Anthony Ukofia and Machai Campbell, who both offer a number of starts in their careers.
 
Ukofia has played in 30 games, collecting 48 tackles along the way. Last year, he had a nose for the ball with two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble. Campbell was a consistent starter last year, picking up 37 tackles, 2.5 for loss, three pass breakups and a forced fumble in his redshirt freshman campaign.