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After checking out the offense last week, this week it's time to take a look at the 2013 Fordham defense, starting with the defensive line which returns 2012 starter DeAndre Slate along with seniors Brett Biestek Eli Tenuta and George Apostolopoulos.
 
The line took a hit from graduation, losing three starters, but the 2013 line has something that was lacking last year: depth.
 
Slate, a junior who started all eleven games at defensive end last year for the Rams, recorded 46 total tackles, 30 solo, on the year, including 5.0 for loss and 1.5 sacks. He also broke up two passes and had one forced fumble and one blocked kick. His top game was a six-tackle performance, including five solo, 1.5 for loss and 0.5 sacks, versus Lock Haven while he also had six stops, two solo, at Columbia.
 
Biestek appeared in nine games as a junior on the defensive line, finishing the season with 22 total tackles, 15 solo, including 5.5 for loss and 3.0 sacks. He tied for third in team in tackles for loss and also broke up six passes, tied for the team lead. Biestek closed out season with four tackles, three solo and 1.5 for loss, against Colgate and he also made four tackles, including 0.5 sacks, and broke up three passes in the win over Georgetown.
 
Tenuta, who moved to the defensive line from tight end last year, appeared in ten games in 2013, making five starts. He recorded 23 total tackles, 12 solo, including 2.0 for loss and 1.5 sacks and also had two fumble recoveries. Tenuta finished with five tackles, including four solo and one sack, at Villanova and he recorded four tackles, two solo, against Lafayette.
 
Apostolopoulos returns after missing the 2012 season with an injury. He saw action in seven games for the Rams as a sophomore, starting one.
 
Also returning to the defensive line in 2013 are senior Anthony Pesanello, juniors Nick Merino and Roman Herman and sophomores David Conroy and Nick Krejci.
 
Pesanello appeared in nine games at linebacker and on special teams as a junior, finishing the year with six total tackles, four solo. He made three stops, two solo, in the win over Lafayette and recorded a pair of tackles at Cincinnati.
 
Merino played in all eleven games as a sophomore, both at linebacker and on special teams, making one solo stop, that coming at Bucknell, while Krejci appeared in two games last fall, being credited with an assisted sack in the season opener with Lock Haven.
 
The line will also be strengthened by the addition of six newcomers, including sophomore Lorenz Piper and freshmen Emmanuel Adeyeye, Kevin Henry, Justin Vaughn, Alex Washington and Brandon Weir.
 
Piper is a graduate of Peabody Magnet High School in Alexandria, Virginia, where he earned Honorable Mention All-State accolades along with First Team All-District and First Team All-Cenla honors.
 
Adeyeye is from Malverne High School in Malverne, N.Y., earning First Team All-Area honors as well as being named a Nassau County All-Star and Senior Bowl Defensive MVP, while Henry is a product of Brother Rice High School in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, where he was a First Team All-League selection and First Team All-County pick.
 
Vaughn, a native of Canada, is a graduate of Sir Allen MacNab High School in Hamilton, Ontario, and attended Niagara Academy in 2012-13. He was ranked as a top 100 player in Ontario.
 
Washington graduated from St. Francis De Sales High School in Columbus, Ohio, in 2012 before attending the Naval Academy Prep School in Newport, R.I., in 2012-13. He earned All-Metro and All-League honors in high school.
 
Weir, a graduate of Poughkeepsie High School in Poughkeepsie, New York, was named Second Team All-State in 2011 and 2012 and was a three-time First Team All-League Player.