Senior defensive end Joseph Wims and senior defensive tackle Cameron Houston look to become more consistent in their desire to make the defense better.
“There’s always room for improvement because we want to be consistent and consistency allows us to be a dangerous team,” Wims said.
The team’s defense is allowing opponents to score 21.9 points per-game. According to Houston, there have been certain factors that have helped the defense believe they can make improvements for the remainder of the football season.
“Workouts and time on the practice field give us that trust in each other,” Houston said. “The coaches also put us in a position where we are able to execute the game plan. As a senior I feel like I have an obligation to the set the tone for the defense so we can be as consistent as possible. With things being so intense in practice and in the game you gotta’ stay focused and always be ready.”
Wims has 20 tackles and two fumble recoveries on the season and says he is motivated by the success of his teammates. He believes that big plays made by the defense in practice will pay off during the three remaining games on the regular season schedule.
“When you are out on the field with guys you trust and who you know have got your back, you are ready to go out there and, to say it in a nice way, crush some heads,” Wims said.
Seriousness on the field does not mean that team does not enjoy eachother’s company.
“It’s like a brotherhood on this team, because we are all out there for each other from workouts to the time on the practice field,” Houston said. “It’s like you put in all the hard work together and you want to do good because you don’t want to let your brothers down.”
The coaching staff always looks for ways to improve on different aspects of the defense. Florida A&M head coach Joe Taylor explained the number one aspect of the defense in a concept he calls 1-11. The system requires trust, as all defenders on the field are responsible for their own space.
“This team is always together, that’s the underlining factor in the kind of success that we are having,” Taylor said. “They enjoy each other as people, then as athletes. This is a very close knit group as a team, they’ve been working hard together going back through January at 5:45 a.m. There’s a great amount of respect involved.”
Houston said that the team’s main goal is to stay focused and try and set the tone from the start of the game on the defensive side of the ball.
“As long as we stay consistent and do our part on defense we have faith that the offense can do their jobs so we can be in the position to win every time,” Houston said.