Rock solid up front
SLIPPERY ROCK — Jeff Marx figures he’s just paying it forward.
As a result, Slippery Rock University’s defensive line keeps moving people backward.
SRU’s defensive front put together another huge effort Saturday in the team’s 40-14 victory over Gannon at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. Known for a dangerous running attack, the visiting Golden Knights had negative 9 yards on 22 attempts in the loss.
The Rock also generated six quarterback sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss on the day. The defensive line now has 60 tackles for loss and 24 sacks through seven games this season.
“Just a bunch of dudes playing at a high level right now,” SRU coach Shawn Lutz said of the line. “I have to give a lot of credit to (defensive line coach) Zach Bader, too. He was a player himself not too long ago and he is a player’s coach.
“He’s got these guys getting after it.”
The two seniors up front — tackle Marx and end D.J. Adediwura — are coming off injuries. A foot injury shortened Marx’s 2021 campaign and Adediwura, a transfer from Fairmont State, was coming off knee surgery.
Adediwura has 8.5 sacks this season, 11.5 tackles for loss. Marx has 6.5 sacks and eight tackles for loss. They are playing alongside underclassmen this year and that suits Marx just fine.
“I remember when I was a younger player here,” Marx said. “Guys like Trey Blandford, Chad Kuhn, Garrett (de Bien), they took me under their wing, showed me how it’s done here. They taught me what being a defensive lineman at The Rock is all about.
“Now it’s my time to pass that along to the younger linemen we have. There’s a standard that’s expected here.”
Adediwura said he transferred to The Rock because he had one season left to play “and I wanted to make it count.”
But he didn’t know who his teammates were going to be up front.
“I knew Jeff Marx was here, but nobody else,” Adediwura said. “This whole line, we just built it up after I got here. I love the way we’re playing as a group.”
SRU rarely blitzes. It doesn’t have to.
The Rock entered the Gannon game ranking first in the PSAC in total defense and scoring defense. It did nothing to endanger that ranking. SRU ranks seventh nationally in total defense, allowing 241.7 yards per game. It ranks 10th in the nation in scoring defense, allowing 12.8 points per game.
SRU has allowed only three rushing touchdowns in seven games. Only one running back — Indiana’s Dayjure Stewart at 92 on 30 casrries — has rushed for more than 62 yards against the Rock defense.
“As a competitor, you always want to rank No. 1 in the country at what you do,” Marx said. “We’re aware of those numbers. We want to make them better.”
“There’s just a bunch of talented people trying to win here,” Adediwura said. “I love it.”
Daniel Toosen, a freshman, has cracked the starting lineup at defensive tackle. Munchie Johnson and Cottrell Hatchett are having productive seasons as sophomores.
“Toosen will be an All-American here someday. He’s that good,” Marx said.
Lutz credits a practice drill with helping to put his defensive line in shut-down mode.
“We end every practice with a two-minute drill where we go live, like we're playing an actual game,” the coach said. “It’s intense and the guys get after each other. Our D-line goes at it hard with our offensive line and that carries over to game day.
“As an overall group, with their consistency, this is as staunch a line as we’ve had here in a long time. These guys bring it every week.”
