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Linebacker Payton Atchley, front, lines up during drills at a recent Duncan practice. Ben Whitehead
Duncan head coach Jim Holloway, middle, talks with his team following the Red/White Preview. Ben Whitehead

September 3, 2010

Fresh faces laminate tough defense

Ben Whitehead The Duncan Banner The Duncan Banner Fri Sep 03, 2010, 07:05 AM CDT

DUNCAN — It’s taken six years for Jim Holloway’s defensive mindset to set in with his players, but they’ve finally got it.

When Holloway came to Duncan, he wanted to restore a program steeped in tradition. In order to do so, he had to get the Demons tougher.

Much tougher.

“The first year I got here, this year’s group of seniors was in seventh grade,” Holloway said. “They’ve had time to go through our Summer Pride program. We really introduce them to the program when they’re in seventh and eighth grade so they have the opportunity to start at an early age. They get the same style of teaching, stability and being in the program for six years. It’s been a process of development, but they have the continuity now, especially the freshman group on up.”

It’s that process that has helped Duncan climb to the top of the polls in Class 5A, despite returning just four defensive starters and one part-time player.

Gone are Devante Harris, Tyler Wickard, Dane Steil, Kale Thaxton, Chris Gilbert and Randal Snider. Returning are Tyler Wilkins (strong safety), Domonique Petties (outside linebacker), Bradley Wilson (outside linebacker) and Payton Atchley (inside linebacker). Also back is defensive tackle Dylan Dismuke, who will play sparingly because he’s a full-time starter on offense.

Stepping in will be Dylan Laurens and Corey Hamilton on the defensive line, and Christian Thaxton, Daniel McCoy and Christian Archer in the defensive backfield. Jeff Ervin, Michael Rice and Johnathan Berry will likely see some time at the linebacker position, as well as Michael Buben at defensive end.

“We won’t be as flexible defensively,” said Holloway. “Where we’ve had 13 to 14 guys rotating in and out in the past, we’ll be closer to 11, maybe a max of 13. We’re not very deep, though. We’re really thin. A lot of our guys are going to play both ways, but they won’t play both ways the whole time.

“So far, this group has meshed together pretty good. We’re going to have bumps and bruises, but I think they can step up and overcome them.”

Holloway said the coaches have seen a great amount of improvement from a lot of the defensive starters. He said there’s not one particular group that is ahead of the other, but that they are all competing at a high level.

“I think guys like Bradley Wilson and Tyler Wilkins are much improved,” said Holloway. “Bradley does a good job of helping out our younger linebackers and Tyler is a three-year starter who’s been communicating a lot out there. They do a good job of getting everybody lined up and making adjustments.

“We tell our guys we want to make the game a little bit faster than the other team and stretch them out of their comfort zone. There’s just a lot of confidence with this particular group.”

That confidence has to carry over to the season, Holloway said. If it does, the Duncan defense will look more like a brick wall than football players in red jerseys.

— Ben Whitehead is the sports editor for The Duncan Banner. He can be reached at 255-5354, Ext. 165, or via e-mail at ben.whitehead@duncanbanner.com.

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