Date: 8/23
Position: Defensive line
Position Coach: Landius Wilkerson

Returning Letterwinners (Key stats): Zeke Chapman (10 games played, 0-3—3 TT); Charles Coleman III (11 GP, 4-5—9 TT, 2 TFL, 1 sack, 3 PBU, 2 QBH); Jamall Hickbottom (9 GP, 2-2—4 TT); Brock Higdon (9 GP, no statistics recorded); Gi'Narious Johnson (11 GP, 11-12—23 TT, 3 TFL, 1 sack, 1 PBU); Jamie Sheriff (11 GP, 11-10—21 TT, 1 TFL, 1 sack); Maurice Strong Jr. (11 GP, 8-6—14 TT, 3 TFL, 1 FR, 2 QBH); Wy'Kevious Thomas (11 GP, 5-7—12 TT, 1½ TFL, 1 sack)

Letterwinners lost (Key stats): Jeremiah Littles (9 GP, 19-13—32 TT, 5½ TFL, 3 sacks)

Returning Redshirts/Squad Members (Yr., Hometown, Previous school): Terry Perry (So., Birmingham, Ala., Lindsey Wilson [Ky.]); Carlos Johnson Jr. (Fr., Spanish Fort [Ala.] HS); Zyon Walker (Fr., Memphis [Tenn.] Whitehaven HS)

Newcomers (Yr., Hometown, Previous school): Ethan Rinke (R-Fr., Athens, Ala., Tennessee); Lamondre Brooks (Fr., Birmingham [Ala.] Huffman HS); Cole Daniels (Fr., Sumrall [Miss.] HS); Ed Smith IV (Fr., Tuscaloosa [Ala.] Central HS)

Miscellaneous Notes
-The lone letterwinner at the position from a year ago who is not returning, Littles ended his career by earning third-team all-Sun Belt Conference honors after leading the team in sacks and finishing second in tackles for loss.
-Gi'Narious Johnson was an honorable mention all-league selection after recording career-high totals in both stops and tackles behind the line of scrimmage.
-In his first season with the program, Sheriff posted a career-best four tackles in a season-opening victory at Southern Miss; he would match that total later in the year at nationally-ranked Louisiana and in a win at Arkansas State.
-All three of Strong's stops behind the line came in South's first four games of the year highlighted by a career-high 1½ in a defeat of Texas State to open Sun Belt play.
-In addition to beginning the year with a pair of tackles against Southern Miss and Tulane, Coleman III had a sack that resulted in a forced fumble at No. 15 Coastal Carolina later in the year.
-Thomas contributed multiple tackles on three occasions in his first season of action for the Jags, including recording three — a career-best total — in match-ups with both Georgia Southern and Troy.
- The duo of Chapman and Hickbottom made their Jaguar debuts last fall, combining to post seven stops in reserve roles.
-Higdon has appeared in 11 contests primarily as a pass-rush specialist his first two years with the program.
-Both Carlos Johnson Jr. and Walker sat out their first season at South last fall after earning all-state and all-region honors their final year at the prep level.
-Daniels and Smith enrolled in school at the beginning of the spring semester after posting 40-plus tackles as high school seniors.
-Both Rivals.com and 247Sports.com considered Brooks a three-star prospect coming out of high school even though he was limited to just three appearances last fall due to injury.

Landius Wilkerson
-On what the group needs to do well for the defense to be successful this year: "We need to play fast and physical with sound fundamentals and technique, we need to play hard every week.  We have a good group who can lead a defense."
-On what he has liked most about the group since arriving in the spring: "Their ability to listen and pay attention, and their willingness to want to learn the game.  I also like their attitude and effort."
-On what area he has focused on improving during preseason camp: "The biggest thing for me was working on their individual physicality and hands.  What we have to get better at as a group is the pass rush."

Charles Coleman III
-On his expectations for the upcoming season: "Personally I want to be more of a vocal leader — both on and off the field — and set the expectations and standards for not just our young defensive linemen but our young players in general.  We want to win more games than we have before.  We have better team chemistry, we all get along and communicate well; we're not just players who come to see each other here [on the practice field] but we actually do things and bond outside of football."
-On what he does well that will help the position group in the fall: "Pass rush.  I feel I can rush the passer from the three technique and let Jamie [Sheriff] take over on the outside."
-On what area of his game he has worked to improve the most under the new coaching staff: "It's the run game.  Last year I didn't do well defending the run so I took time in the offseason to get a little bit bigger and stronger to be able to take on and handle double teams that come my way."

Gi'Narious Johnson
-On his role in the Jaguars' new defense and how that differs from the past: "My role in this defense is kind of the same as last year, I need to take on double teams, but now I have more freedom to get off blocks and make more plays.  I am the guy who is supposed to create havoc in the backfield to help out my linebackers."
-On what he things the position group can accomplish this year: "I feel like we can get a lot more sacks and tackles for loss.  We can be a more dominant line that can create a lot of plays not only for ourselves but for the rest of the defense.  Last year they always told us it starts with us, and that's something I've tried to carry over into this year because whenever you see a defense get off to a fast start the line is involved."
-On where he believes he has made the most improvement since the end of last season: "I have made my biggest improvements with my hand placement and my agility.  Coach Wilkerson has been working with our hands every day, which has really helped because in the past I would lead with my helmet and I noticed in the spring that it was preventing me from making the plays that I need to make."

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