BEAUMONT, Texas – There is probably no position group at Lamar University more excited to start the season than the defensive backs. At this time last season, first-year DB coach Ben Beasley was working to piece together a starting unit, having lost all four starters from the previous year. Fast forward to August 2015, and the Cardinals are just days away from the season opener with the confidence of returning three of four starters from its record-setting 2014 season. The one corner spot where LU is looking to replace departed starter Montez Hunter, has his backup, Lloyd Julian, returning after a season that saw him play in every game recording 27 stops and one interception.
 
"It was fun watching those guys grow last year," said Beasley, who is entering his second season on the LU coaching staff. "We really had no starters coming back last year, and this year we return basically everyone. As we enter fall practice this season, you could see those guys acting as one unit, instead of a bunch of talented individuals running all over the field."
 
"We have built a great bond over the course of the past season," said senior corner Seth Ellis. "We know each other, we can trust each other and we know what has to be done to get better every day. I feel like we are a family."
 
Entering last season, very few believed the Cardinals secondary could reach the same level of success as the two previous seasons – leading the Southland in pass defense during that stretch. The Cardinals surprised everyone, but themselves, by finishing second in the league in pass defense in 2014. LU was one of only three league teams to surrender fewer than 200 passing yards per game last year. The Cards also picked off 13 passes in 2014.
 
The headliner of the group is 2014 second-team All-SLC selection Xavier Bethany at safety. Bethany, a junior from Burton, Texas, is joined by DaQuan Stewart at the other safety position.
 
"Those guys give us a corner stone to work with," said Beasley. "But, like I tell them, 'you can't live in the past. It's what you do today.' It does give you a sense of confidence because other teams in the conference know us and know what we're capable of, but everything that happened last year was last year. This is a new season."
 
Bethany finished season second on the team, and eighth in the SLC, with 98 tackles. He also picked off two passes, including one returned for a score.
 
Stewart finished sixth on the team recording 39 tackles, including 16 solo stops. He also picked off two passes last season.
 
Also figuring into the mix at safety will be junior Treston Ridge (5-9, 185 pounds) and Navasota, Texas product Davon Jernigan (6-0, 185). Ridge was solid for the Cardinals in a reserve role posting 14 tackles, while Jernigan has impressed the coaching staff during preseason camp.
 
The team's No. 1 overall draft choice for the 2015 Crawfish Bowl, Ellis returns for his senior season as one of the league's top corners. He finished the season fourth on the squad with 62 tackles, including 40 solo stops and nine pass breaks ups. He will be joined at the other corner position by Julian. Also figuring into the mix at corner are senior Michael Sheridan and Beaumont Ozen product Rodney Randle.
 
"What makes this year more fun than last is the fact that we have a lot of depth on the field," said Beasley. "We have a lot of competition for every position which adds to the tempo of practice as well as the focus everyone has."
 
In addition to the competition on the field is Big Red's ability to move players around to multiple positions.
 
"It is very similar this year to last, beecause we can move guys around and have them play several positions," said Beasley. "Tommie Barrett has been at corner pretty much his whole career and two weeks ago we moved him to safety and now he is our starting nickel. Because these guys are such students of the game, we have the ability to move them around."
 
Having the versatility to move players around and play in multiple spots on the field may be the biggest asset this position group brings to the field.
 
"Everyone plays a critical role in our defense," said Ellis. "We have so many guys who can play many different positions in the secondary that it is hard to pinpoint just one individual. Even our freshmen have come in and picked things up real quick, which is encouraging to see. Heaven forbid someone goes down with an injury, but it's nice to know we have plenty of guys we can move into fill the void."
 
The Cardinals will step on the field for the 2015 season opener Saturday, Sept. 5 against Bacone College. The game against the Warriors is slated to begin at 7 p.m. from Provost Umphrey Stadium. Tickets can be purchased for all LU home sporting events by calling the ticket office at (409) 880-1715, or by logging onto www.LamarCardinals.com.
 
-LU CARDINALS-