Jim Panagos had a blend of returning players and newcomers from the transfer portal on the defensive line this spring. He had to integrate everyone into the mix and find new combinations on the interior of the defensive line.
Gone from last season are Sam Burt, Caleb Sampson, and Eddie Wilson. They accounted for a lot of snaps at defensive tackle and during spring football he started to mold a new group.
One theme from Lance Leipold on down the program at every position was playing more physical. Panagos liked what he saw from his group.
“I've been really pleased with their physicality,” Panagos said. “I think this group is really coachable. They want to be really good, and they hold each other to a higher standard. And that's been the biggest change in year two for me.”
In the offseason Panagos had to shore up a unit that needed to fill gaps left from graduation. He went to the transfer portal to land Devin Phillips and Gage Keys. Phillips started every game at Colorado State in his career and finished with 11 sacks.
Panagos recruited Keys out of high school when he was coaching at Minnesota. Keys has three years to play and develop in the system.
Panagos was familiar with Keys and liked what he saw from Phillips in the spring.
“Devin played a lot of football, and when you start every game in your career, that's really impressive,” he said. “He's exactly who I thought he was. Really stout, really strong, and really physical.”
At 6-foot-3, 310 pounds Phillips had the tag as someone who can plug the middle and stop the run. But Panagos was impressed with his ability to get in the backfield.
“He’s played a lot of football, so he's got a high football IQ,” Panagos said. “He understands splits, he understands stances, he understands back full sets. He just knows it because he's played a long time. So, he's able to take the next step. And I've been impressed with some of his pass rushing. I was not expecting him to pass rush.”
Help will also come from returning players Tommy Dunn, DJ Withers, Kenean Caldwell, Ron McGee, and Caleb Taylor.
Dunn could bring the most upside after showing flashes last year and turning in a good performance in the Liberty Bowl.
“I've been really pleased with Tommy Dunn,” Panagos said. “He's taken the next step off the field, and he has shown on the field. Took him a long time to figure it out. His second half of the bowl game he was the best player on the field. That gave him the confidence to do it, and he took that and ran with it. And I've been really pleased with him.”
Panagos wants the physicality they played with in the spring carries over into summer and fall camp.
“It's physical and mental toughness,” he said. “That's every day, every play. You can't take a play off. And that's what I want to see from them as we continue. Physical and mental toughness in every single play. It's not okay to be blocked anymore. That's the mentality and they understand that.”
