Vandals' D-line will be key to red-zone improvement

MOSCOW - Vandals coach Paul Petrino has accentuated a clear-cut assignment to his team throughout fall camp - master the red-zone craft, because it oftentimes decides each game.

And even though Petrino's coaching style centralizes more so on the offensive side of the ball, it's the defense, particularly the box, which the pressure has fallen on.

Last year, UI played a school-record seven one-score games and won two of them. If more touchdowns were transformed into field goals, the 2017 Vandals would likely have found themselves in a bowl game.

"(Red zone) is usually what it comes down to in games," Petrino said. "Defensively, if you make them settle for field goals, that's how we can usually win some games."

As the defensive staff has stressed throughout fall camp, it all starts up front, and that unit - at one time marred with question marks - seems to be advancing in both capability and on the depth chart.

Just take the scrimmage for example: The big guys on the defensive line were highlighted as one of the more impressive groups. And even though Mason Petrino and several wideouts boasted swollen numbers, a good chunk of that could be chalked up to the considerable amount of red-zone reps.

So what'd defensive line coach Luther Elliss think of his bunch's execution on the goal line?

"I think we did OK. We gave up some, we won some, but I think it was a good balance, a good fight," Elliss said. "Up front we've gotta continue working on our pad level and staying in our gaps."

Right now, it's a five-man rotation: Rahsaan Crawford - the captain thus far, according to Elliss - DJ Henderson, Aaron Boatright, Ben Taliulu and freshman Michael Maafu are each vying for playing time (not counting the "Buck" end-rushing linebacker position).

Elliss added that redshirt sophomore Dylan Beeler will throw his hat in the mix when he returns shortly from an unspecified injury.

Supported by the linebacking core, which has been acclaimed throughout the preseason, the security-blanket hogs have begun to come into their own.

They forced some key three-and-outs in the scrimmage, notched about five sacks and did it without getting too fancy. A lot of it was plain bull-rushing, or plugging up the lanes so the running backs ran into walls and Mason Petrino couldn't scramble forward and find a man on the run.

Petrino noted that the defense has been dialing up stunts and blitzes all of camp, but to Elliss, playing an unflavored front hits on the "F" in UI's "FIST" acronym - it's all about the fundamentals.

"We believe you've got to be able to play base defense without moving stuff, you've got to be able to play your technique," Elliss said. "I don't care if you're 250 and the other guy's 330 - the low man wins. The low-man technique, getting your hand placement right, all that helps you to win the battle."

But in UI's three-man front, abetted by a walk-up linebacker, size might not be a nagging issue. Sure, Henderson is listed at 270, but he hasn't played undersized. Boatright, tabbed a vocal leader by Elliss, weighs about 240 pounds, but he's more of a pass deflector and outside-contain guy. Crawford checks in at a hulking 330.

It may be one of the more intriguing groups to watch as camp progresses, and Elliss thinks it'll keep evolving.

"We've got a good little mix, for sure. I feel like we have more depth this year than we did last year," he said. "I think it could actually even get better as the season progresses."

---

Clark be reached at cclark@lmtribune.com, on Twitter @coltonclark95 or at (208) 848-2260.