Sante Parker, a senior defensive end, has anchored the Cru defense while younger starters have worked their way into the lineup. Mary Hardin-Baylor athletics photo by CJ Halloran

By Riley Zayas
Special to D3sports.com

BELTON, Texas - There were questions about UMHB’s defense as August turned into September and the 2022 season kicked off. 

But not anymore. 

UMHB’s defense was built on a core of fifth-year seniors in its 15-0 run to a 57-24 Stagg Bowl title from the game’s MVP, linebacker Mikkah Hackett, to Gagliardi finalist Jefferson Fritz. In total, seven of the 11 starters in the Crusaders’ final game of 2021 graduated following last season, which meant plenty of youth had been inserted into the rotation. 

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“We still need some guys to step up at defensive end and linebacker,” UMHB head coach Larry Harmon said at the conclusion of spring practice. ”That’s where we lost a lot of experience. The kids that are there are very athletic. One thing that you can see with what we did in the spring, is we can run fast, jump high and catch footballs. We’re not quite sure just how physical we are on the defensive side of the ball, but we’ll find that out in August.” 

The Crusader defense, in turn, has answered those questions over the span of 13 games thus far, going from a unit that surrendered a game-winning 99-yard touchdown drive in Week 2 at UW-Whitewater to one that has stepped up under pressure time and time again. 

“Early on in the season, we had a bunch of guys, including me, who hadn’t started a bunch of games for us yet,” senior defensive back Tommy Bowden said following the win vs. Trinity. “We went through our growing pains, but now we’re trying to get better every week and live up to the standard UMHB has for their defenses.”

It’s a standard the Cru has lived up to in this postseason. Whether it be the 54-0 shutout of Huntingdon in the first round, the late defensive stand on Trinity’s attempted game-tying drive in the second, or the dominance in the fourth quarter in Saturday’s quarterfinal win over Bethel, UMHB’s defense is looking, and playing, with an increased confidence. 

“We’re now week 14 into this thing and they’ve played a lot more, they’ve had game situation type experiences,” Harmon said Monday of the development of the defense. “Every time you make plays, you get a little more confidence. I think it’s nothing more than that.”

Sante Parker attests to that. As UMHB’s lone captain on that side of the ball, the senior defensive end has the vantage point of a veteran, leading the confidence-building defensive stops that have given the Crusaders a reason to feel confident heading into their matchup with North Central’s potent offense. And oddly enough, it took being tested, and coming up short in a 28-24 loss at Whitewater for that cohesiveness to build.

“Ever since that loss to Whitewater, we as a defense have grown closer together,” Parker said. “That game really taught us the importance of a bond and trust. Our D-line will continue to fight with all its passion, knowing that the secondary will have our backs when necessary. The feeling is mutual.” 

Though they lost key cogs on the field heading into 2022, the majority of the defensive coaching staff returned, a perhaps under-mentioned aspect of the increased development. Harmon, the program’s defensive coordinator for the previous 20 seasons, shifted into the role of head coach, and Jack Johnson, whose time in Belton began during the inaugural 1998 season, was promoted to defensive coordinator. If anything, it proved to be one small aspect in aiding the new starters. 

“Coach Johnson has done an excellent job in using the same terminology and keeping our base philosophies,” Harmon said. “Everything we did under the defense with myself is the same. There’s a continuity there, and it’s easy communication between me and Coach Johnson, Coach [Mark] Carey, Coach [Nick] Brace because of that.” 

It has not taken long for that work behind the scenes to be displayed on gameday. Replacing players to Fritz and Hackett’s caliber is not a simple pull-and-plug operation, but Harmon’s assessment of the up-and-comers in the spring proved true come the fall. 

Linebackers Johnny Smith-Rider and Durand Hill, who saw limited playing time in 2021 stepped up as perhaps the best linebacker duo in the American Southwest Conference, combining for 197 total tackles, 24.0 tackles for loss and 15 pass breakups. Bowden, in his first full season as a defensive back, has shown his hard-hitting ability and awareness in the secondary more than once, coming up with the key pass breakup that preceded Trinity’s final play in the second round. On the defensive line, Trey Belyeu-Witcher has stepped into a starting role after seeing action in just five games a year ago. The list goes on. 

Johnny Smith-Rider made a name for himself for the Cru with a forced fumble and fumble return for a touchdown in a midseason win against conference rival Hardin-Simmons. UMHB athletics photo by David Morris

 “What I’m proud of is they’ve taken ownership in it,” Harmon said. “They’ve gone from just watching film to studying it. There’s a difference in how they go about getting prepared. They’re starting to gain knowledge in football 101 stuff so they know what to look for. That’s the biggest step, is that they’ve taken ownership.” 

The early weeks, and some of the struggles that went along with them, are far in the past now for the Crusader defense. 

“Teams that play us Week 5 or 6, we aren’t the same team we are in Week 11, 12 or 13,” Harmon added. “We get better each week and that’s a big goal for us. Sundays aren’t fun here. It doesn’t matter if we win by 60 or win by three, [Sundays] are all about the same. We’re critical, because we know when we get to games like this on Saturday, one mistake could cost you the entire game.”

Indeed, Bethel gave the Cru a run through three quarters in the quarterfinal round, taking a 28-17 lead in the opening minute of the fourth. In a display of just how far this defense has come, however, UMHB responded by stopping Bethel in its tracks, sacking quarterback Jaran Roste twice, intercepting him once, and coming up with three stops that gave way to 24 answered points from the offense and a 13-point victory. 

“That win over Bethel really proved that our team has some resilience to overcome adversity,” Parker said. “Whereas most people would fold under the pressure of falling behind in score and making mistakes, we chose to ignore our odds and push through towards a victory.” 

They’ll have another top-tier quarterback and high-caliber offense as a whole to prepare for on Saturday, when UMHB visits NCC. Quarterback Luke Lehnen is fourth in the nation, and first amongst the four quarterbacks in the semifinals, in passing efficiency. Running back Ethan Greenfield ranks second nationally in rushing yards per carry. And the offensive line, who has four of its five starters back from 2021, is anchoring D-III’s highest-scoring offense while allowing just .62 sacks per game, good enough for sixth in the division. 

“I don’t think there’s any question that this is a title game,” Harmon noted Monday. 

And the Crusader defense feels more than ready for what the Cardinals are bound to throw their way. 

“We will always fight through no matter the competition,” Parker said. “We’re all on a mission and we won’t stop till we see it through till the end.”