With insights from Lavell Gibson, defensive lineman; Nate Rosario Santos, linebacker; and Ajayi Ajaga , defensive lineman.
The Notre Dame College football defense has been a big part of what they are doing this season.
"Ever since my first year here it was drilled in my head that our defense was fast and physical no matter what," NDC defensive lineman Lavell Gibson mentioned. "I worked hard to understand all the positions of the defensive line so I can help everyone on the field be on the same page. I feel this year we have amazing team chemistry between the linebackers and the defensive line, we all hang out outside of football. We do not just get off the field and go our separate ways. We take out time during the offseason and even in season to hang out with one another. I feel having a relationship with each other off the field allows for a stronger bond on the field. It makes you fight and work harder for someone when you have a close bond. The way our defense is set up we all must trust each other and do our job. I can 100 percent feel the difference between the bond the defense has this year compared to last year. I feel the bond we all have is a major component to our success this season," he added.
"At a couple points in the season the offense has been missing a few important pieces due to injury which obviously takes a toll on everyone, the defense is learning to adjust and play with one another all over again," linebacker Nate Rosario-Santos explained. "I was talking about it with some of the defensive players and we were taking the Fairmont State game for example, we came to the conclusion that our defense had its part in the loss as well because the offense did indeed put up 14 points. If the defense had only held FSU to 7, that's a win in my book. I say this to say we are one team, its not just the defense or just the offense. With that being said I feel like we need to take more pride in special teams and handle business on that side of things. Many times we have started with the ball on our side of the field on defense and vice versa for the offense. If everybody just cleans up their individual performance and stops worrying about the next guy, then we will get back on stride to where we were in week one and week two."
Then Gibson gave this thought:
"I have told the defense numerous times that we do not point fingers. I have stressed that as a defense we need to go out every week and get a shutout. If we can hold a team to zero points, I am confident that our offense will score some points. I put the pressure on the defensive line every week. It all starts up front with us and I would not want it any other way."
Gibson then talked about coming to NDC:
I got an offer to play football at NDC, but COVID then broke out towards the middle of my junior year. This meant that in person visits were limited. I met players on zoom. I toured the campus with nobody on it which felt weird. After considering all my offers I made the decision to come to NDC. This helped my family be able to come and support me in my games, which means a lot to me. My family has supported me throughout my athletic career so being able to have my family support me at this level is a wonderful experience. NDC is also far enough away from home where I can go home if needed. Being local helps me stay involved in my siblings lives and not just wander off on another path. Another advantage when it comes to being local is the ability to plan for my future ahead of time. Things such as where I want to live and where I want to work as I build connections."
Rosario-Santos spoke on his recruitment:
"My recruitment process throughout high school was stressful. NDC came into the picture at the beginning of my senior year. After that first phone call with (Defensive Line) Coach (Jake) Chestnut, they were on top of my list. Coach Chestnut and I had an immediate connection since he went to my high school (at Lakota East in Cincinnati) and got coached by the same head coach. When I came up to visit, it was like no other visit that my family had been on. At NDC, they were extremely respectful to my parents, answered their questions very politely and held open every door which was the detail that my father had appreciated the most. My official visit came down to me making a verbal commitment to this school on the spot and I have been here ever since."
Gibson talked about meeting a pair of teammates:
"I met both AJ and Nate in their freshman year. I remember seeing Nate's work ethic, his ability to be a sponge and not come in as that cocky freshman. Same deal with AJ. I could tell they were dedicated, and they wanted to be great. I took AJ under my wing and tried to just help him on and off the field. I remember coming in as a freshman and my mind was blown. A new team, new coaching staff, new playbook, and different defense. I had some older guys help and guide me in the right direction. That was my goal as new people came on the team was to just motivate them and teach them what I know."
Then Rosario-Santos talked about the coaching staff:
"Working with the coaching staff as a whole has been smooth since most of them try to connect with me outside of the field by asking me about classes and how things are going in my personal life. When speaking about Coach Mack's coaching style, I can almost say that I was prepared for it in high school since my high school head coach coached just like him. When I make a mistake, he understands that we are grown men so he will address it while keeping that in mind. With that being said, I am not one to get in trouble off the field. I was taught growing up that your actions outside of the field will reflect on your play on the field. On the other hand, Coach Mack has always talked about keeping a level head. Never get too low on your low's as well as too high on your high's so when I make a big play, he is the first to come and say 'Good play. Great play, but next play' which motivates me to just go out there and make another one. When talking about Coach Chestnut, one thing that is for sure is that you will be forced to learn football schemes and terminology. You will learn the ins and outs of the defense and will have to not only learn your responsibility but others as well and know how your responsibility affects others and vice-versa. It might seem like a lot but one thing he stresses, play with the defensive scheme that is set, but at the end of the day, be a football player, if you sit there and start thinking too much, that will naturally slow your play down and reduce your chances to help affect the play."
Gibson agreed:
"Playing for Coach Chestnut and Coach Mack has been a fun experience. They have both been my coaches on the defensive side of the ball since my first year. They motivate and push people on the team, and I can tell they coach with passion. The ability for me to build a bond with both coaches has allowed me to become a better football player, leader, and man. The trust that I have built with the coaches has allowed me to help lead the defense confidently and be a leader of the defensive line specifically."
Ajaga talked about the coaches:
"Coach Mack and Coach Chestnut are really good coaches, they push me to be the best player I can be, and they hold me to a very high standard. They gave me a chance to play right away as a redshirt freshman. Without them I wouldn't be playing college football."
Then Gibson talked about pressure as a defense:
"I feel like we don't have any added pressure as a defense, we just can't beat ourselves, we just have to do our jobs and play hard."
Then Gibson talked about the defense as a whole:
"We as a defense focus on playing hard, fast, and physical on a play to play basis. Our goal in the field is to get our offense the ball as soon as possible so they can go down and score points. As a defensive line we want the quarterback to feel our pressure, this leads to interceptions, fumbles and other plays we can capitalize on."
Then he talked chemistry:
"Everybody on our defense wants to make plays. Just as I want to get a sack every time, I also want the other guy next to me to get a sack as well. We all push and motivate each other constantly. I feel that when one guy makes a play it puts a drive in your head like I want to go make the next big play. When our defense is all operating on the same page, we cannot be stopped causing everyone to make big time plays."
Rosario-Santos then said this:
"In my opinion, collectively, we are a young group and we produce our own energy on the field, We are also an extremely unselfish group and we know how to celebrate with each other and get extremely excited when somebody makes a play. Our defense is built around the fact that everybody has one job to do and as soon as one person does not complete their individual job and tries to do someone else's, things can go left very quickly and that's when opponents get explosive plays or even gets a score in. We can see when the defensive line gets a sack, you see the defensive backs run up to the playmaker celebrating with him and vice-versa. If a DB gets an interception, linebackers are right there celebrating with him."
Ajaga talked chemistry also:
"Me and my guy, Nate Santos, we feed off each other a lot, ever since we lost to Ashland last year we promised each other that this year we're going to dominate and that's what we're doing right now."
Gibson talked about a life lesson that he has learned at NDC:
"The biggest life lesson I have learned from my professors and coaches at NDC is that time does not stop for anybody. If you get a bad grade on a test, you can't fix it since it already happened. You have to focus on the next test or quiz. Same deal with football, if you make a bad play you cannot go back you have to focus on the next play. I feel this lesson relates to life as well. Things will go wrong in life, but you cannot shut down and freeze in the moment. You got to get up and keep walking because at the end of the day the sun is going to rise tomorrow. You're going to have a family to take care of, kids to feed, bills to pay so you don't have time to shut down and quit. That lesson has stuck with me especially from my life growing up."
Rosario-Santos gave this thought:
"This lesson for me is time management. Being proactive instead of reactive. Once I learned and took this attitude in, my grades started to increase, my performance on the field started to increase, and my life overall went uphill. When I became proactive, I started to watch more film, I started to study, and prepare more for my classes, and I started to go to the trainer to take care of my body."
Then Ajaga continued with this thought:
"I think the reason why we get a lot of timely turnovers and such on defense is because we're doing our jobs at a high level, which is causing us to make big plays defensively."
Rosario-Santos provided the next thoughts:
"Obviously the playbook and the game plan is a huge part of all of this, so shoutout to the coaches on that but like I said, we are extremely hungry and we also have an exaggerated amount of pride which is why it seems as if we tighten up in crucial moments like when the games are tight, third or fourth downs. We take pride in being the aggressor and taking the will out of our opponents. Across the board on defense, when we look at the players on the field, we have a lot of ballers that possess an extreme amount of skill and talent but not only that, they are students of the game so their knowledge of the game is elevated which allows us to put ourselves in positions before the play even starts to increase the chances of our individual job getting done."
These are the thoughts of the trio of players about the competition in the MEC this season:
"As a team we know that every team in our conference has circled us on their schedule,"Gibson mentioned. "We knew that every game we were going to take the opposing teams best shot. Then with Alderson Broaddus (AB) closing down we knew that teams were going to game plan for us even more. This gives teams more time to watch film on us, especially at the beginning of the season. It also gives them more time to rehab and take a break from playing to treat injuries. At the end of the day, we still have to go out every week and work. Regardless of the other team we focus on ourselves and the product that we put on that field."
Gibson stated:
"I feel the biggest challenge with the schedule and each team having two weeks to prepare for us is were going to get everyone's best shot to beat us since we have won the conference five straight years. The competition in the MEC has gotten tougher. Teams have had more chances and more tape to look at when it comes to planning for us. I feel the entire game of football has been challenging and there are much better strength programs these days. This relates to bigger, faster, stronger players which leads to a better team overall. The transfer portal has also allowed teams to pick up experienced players to help build up their team. Overall, the MEC has gotten more competitive with stronger teams."
Ajaga said this:
"I feel like the guys in the past have established the foundation, we just gotta keep building and keep going up."
Rosario-Santos then told me this:
"AJ and I were two of the upcoming freshman that the team was excited for. We knew that in our second year here, we would have an immediate impact in helping the team. From there we based our brotherhood on the grind for our sophomore season. We would hit the field in the early mornings before the sun came up, in the afternoons, and late at night with the stars whether whether there was rain pouring down on us, snow, and on occasion, even hail. Turns out that all of the work that I put in with AJ during our freshman season and all throughout the off-season paid off because we are both starting and having a huge impact on the defensive of the ball. When talking about Lavell, we have a good connection off the field. On a different note, a shout out goes to him for taking on multiple double teams this season so I can be the one to make the play."
Then Rosario-Santos talked about following a pair of legendary linebackers at NDC:
"Following the great names like (Former NDC linebacker and current Lenoir Rhyne Graduate Assistant) Guam (Lee) and Nate (Moore) has definitely been a high standard to uphold. I was put in an interesting position off the jump since they gave me Guam's number which is #10. As a freshman, I remember getting asked what number I received by upperclassmen and when they heard the number 10, their reaction made their eyes get big and they would begin to tell me all of these things and goals that I would have to achieve throughout my time here in order to uphold the number to its original standard immediately after telling me all of his accolades, of course. Playing with Nate for one year taught me how to be a student of the game. The way he would call the play and put himself in position to make the play before the play even started was insane to me but it was something to strive towards. I always saw how he was a leader on and off the field.
He was vocal only when he needed to be but he always led by his actions."
Rosario-Santos talked about who he modelled his game after:
"As a linebacker I feel like it is a necessity to model your game after the best to ever do it, Ray Lewis. His intelligence and power combo are top tier. He was extremely vocal and would let you know the very first play of the game, how to be (or feel.) I took this idea and made it my own and this is why I try to set the tone right away when I run down on the kickoff team. With that being said, growing up I was in a weird position because I was always too small to be a linebacker, but too big to be a safety. Therefore, my coaches put me at safety so I at least had a 12 yard head start until I had to collide with somebody, I remember watching a Seattle Seahawks game and really focusing on the Legion of Boom, which consisted of Earl Thomas, Richard Sherman, Bryon Maxwell, and Kam Chancellor. Kam had a body type bigger than the average safety. His teammates described him as a small linebacker who played at safety depth. When I heard that I instantly made that statement personal and relatable to me. I knew instantly that I wanted to model my game after him. The way he came down from that deep ready to eliminate any opponent in his way was instilled in my mindset from just watching him play."
"Then he talked about the team as a whole:
"Throughout the season we have seen glimpses of can happen when we play complementary football as one team. We have seen an offense that put up almost 90 points in a game and we have also seen a defense that has only given up 10 points in the second half in a five week stretch collectively. We have also seen special teams that have put the team in great field position. Once we put all of these together and play one full game with great defense, great offense, and great special teams, I can see us going a long way. When we look across the team, we don't have the problem of having one weak position group. We don't have problems with depth either. The coaches did a great job during the off-season of bringing in ballplayers to help out with that problem that we had last year."
Rosario-Santos elaborated about the situation with AB:
"The situation with AB obviously gives opponents extra time to prepare and plan for us. To be honest, we as a team are not worried about that. We 100 percent believe that if we play our own game and worry about us, nobody can mess with us. The defense already knows that the opponents offense will have new schemes and new plays to present us. When that happens, we can't panic, just follow our rules, and we will be fine. Another huge part of getting the win is the physicality level from the first play of the game to the last. Football is a game that involves schemes and game planning but at the end of the day, if you execute that plan but don't bring any level of physicality behind it, you will get beat every time. We are extremely smart and prepared but at the same time, we will bring it every play. For this reason, I feel like that's what makes this team so hard to beat even with two weeks on your hands to prepare."
Rosario-Santos talked fundamentals:
"If you are a defensive player, tackling is everything because that is how stops are made in this sport, Since I was a young kid, I always played both sides of the ball but I always knew that I was going to focus on defense, because I never liked getting thrown to the ground and getting tackled. My little league coach knowing that, started to teach me the basics of defense and what it means to be a defensive player. He was a defensive tackle for the New Orleans Saints back when he played so when he talked about defense he got a little excited which also had me excited. He taught me how to tackle properly by wrapping up and twisting, everything of that nature. However, one thing he always said to me was that if I had a chance to make a big play or a big hit, to shoot my shot, and if I missed, I should have 10 helmets running to the ball to have my
back and tackle the ball carrier. This is the mentality that I have carried throughout my whole football career. It is extremely important to know the balance, I have been presented with many opportunities to hit an opponent extremely hard, especially on the kickoff team. There also might be times when it is vital to use good technique and take the guy down just to leave zero chance of him somehow breaking the tackle."
Then he talked about the standard:
"The first thing you see as a recruit coming on whether your visit is in person or online, is a picture of all of the consecutive trophies that NDC has won over the years. With that being said, ever since your first contact with the NDC football program, you know that there is most definitely a standard to uphold and if you fail to do so, you will be letting down a whole group of football ballers that came before you. This year has been a roller-coaster for sure."
Ajaga gave a different thought about the extra preparation for the opposition:
"I feel like the competition in the MEC is kind of the same as last year, only difference is every team is getting two weeks to prepare for us."
Then Rosario-Santos talked MEC:
"Teams in the MEC have definitely gotten better from last year and we do acknowledge that. We attack every game knowing that. This year we already took down one of the top dogs in the conference in Frostburg State. I don't say this to say that we will not attack every game."
Rosario-Santos gave the final thought:
"As stated before, big and great things can happen for this group of ballers if we play a complete game. With that being said, I truly believe that this team is not afraid of the challenge and in fact, accepts and embraces it. We play with a chip on our shoulder. You can feel it in practices, we don't just practice to practice and get the day over with. We practice to prove people wrong. We hear the 'they are a young team and they don't have a lot of in game experience.' We hear all of the noise but Coach Mack has a saying that says 'Worry about us.'In my opinion, if we worry about ourselves and how each of us can improve both individually and as a team. The critics are going to correct themselves."
Rosario-Santos, Gibson, Ajaga, and the rest of the Notre Dame College Falcons (6-3 5-3 MEC) will travel to Athens, West Virginia to wrap up the season and take on the Concord Mountain Lions (1-8 1-7 MEC.) Kickoff from Callaghan Stadium is set for Saturday (11/4) at the 12 PM.
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