Photo Gallery Bronx, N.Y. – As mentioned last week, Fordham University head football coach
Joe Moorhead has told his team that "at this level, championships are won by the offensive and defensive lines." So we continue our position-by-position breakdown of the 2015 Rams by moving to the defensive side of the ball and taking a peek at the defensive line.
The Rams lost all four starters from 2014, including All-Patriot League selections
Brett Biestek and
DeAndre Slate, who helped the Rams ranked second in total defense and in sacks in the Patriot last fall but that doesn't mean Fordham has no experience returning to the line. The Rams return six players, led by senior
David Conroy and juniors
Marlon Crook, Jr., Manny Adeyeye,
Alex Washington,
Brandon Weir and
Justin Vaughn.
Conroy appeared in six games as a junior on the defensive line last year after moving over from tight end, recording two solo tackles, including one for loss, while Crook, a preseason All-Patriot League selection, played in all 14 games as a sophomore on the defensive line, recording 25 total tackles, 17 solo, including ten for loss and 7.5 sacks, second best on team. Vaughn saw action in 13 games on the defensive line as a sophomore, notching 24 tackles, 14 solo, including six for loss and one sack, while Weir appeared in four games in 2014. Washington appeared in five games last year, missing the rest due to injury after appearing in all 14 as a freshman, while Adeyeye missed last year with an injury after leading all freshmen with 21 total tackles, 15 solo, in 2013.
Others who will be fighting for time on the defensive line include junior
Josh Klecko, who missed the 2014 season with an injury after transferring to Fordham from Rutgers, along with sophomores
Tony Fox,
Ty Green,
John O'Boyle,
Nick Angeli and
Jonathan Dimon.
Freshmen
Ryan Kroeger, a First Team All-Metro pick and First Team MSG All-State selection at Red Bank Catholic, and
Kevin Coyne, a two-time All-League selection at Chaminade High School on Long Island, are the newcomers to the line.
Here are some notes from camp today:
The practice was the final one-a-day of the 2015 camp. Tomorrow's practice will be the final two-a-day before camp ends with a scrimmage on Tuesday night.
Former Ram Carlton Koonce was at practice and spoke to the team following the session. When introduced by Coach Moorhead, Koonce was described as someone who is an example of the former players that the current team should look up, a group who established the culture of success the team is currently enjoying.
Koonce, who graduated with the school's single season rushing record thanked sophomore running back
Chase Edmonds for letting him hold that mark for two years before breaking it last fall.
The Winning Edge point was a winner-take-all third down and seven call with the defense taking the point as they forced an incomplete pass.
Coach Moorhead's quotes of the day:
"What we fail to give is truly lost forever."
"Failure to prepare is preparing to fail."
