MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - Steve Sweeney has experienced it all. A redshirt season, a COVID season, an All-PSAC East season, game-winning interceptions, fumble returns for touchdowns, graduation with a bachelor's degree, and soon, he'll have a master's degree, too. He's seen his defense give up zero points, and he's seen his defense surrender 55. As a safety, Sweeney is the eyes of the defense, and as a three-year starter who enters 2023 with 33 consecutive starts and six career interceptions, there isn't anything he hasn't seen on Saturdays.

In Sweeney's first season as a starter, the Marauders ranked 15th in the 16th-team league in total defense, but with Sweeney and fellow three-year starter Isaiah Onuschak leading the way, the unit has steadily improved, ranking 10th overall in 2022. Sweeney's part in the rise of the Millersville defense epitomizes the importance of experience and continuity. In 2019, Millersville fielded seven first-time starters on defense. This year, Millersville returns eight starters, including three former All-PSAC East players—Sweeney, Onsuchak and linebacker Garrett Cox.
 
"The biggest difference between four years ago and now is the continuity and experience," said Millersville head coach J.C. Morgan. "When you look at our starting lineup, not only is it a group with veteran players, but they're a group of veteran players who have been in the system for years and that makes a big difference when preseason camp starts. You're picking up where you left off as opposed to trying to introduce, and that's all the difference."
 
Matt Sutjak has served as the Marauders' defensive coordinator since 2016, and he's produced All-PSAC East performers at a rate not seen at Millersville in decades while elevating the overall performance of the unit on the field. Sutjak's voice, scheme and coaching are significant aspects of the continuity prized by Morgan. An earned working relationship between an established coach and veteran players can finely tune a unit.
 
"Our guys are very familiar with the schemes, and not only have they learned the schemes, but they're also becoming a group that have taken ownership of the schemes," said Morgan. "Now they can come in and have suggestions, and they can have input on what makes them comfortable. I feel like we've always had good young men here and solid football players that have come through this program, but having a group that's experienced, that is tested and has had some success, I think that's when you get to a higher level."
 
Sweeney, Onsuchak, Cox, linebacker Keshaun Jones, safeties Alex Pelegrin and Omar Ba, corners Imir Lilliston and Gus Ross and defensive linemen Conner Snyder and Randy Okungu have all started or played in 10 or more career games. The experience is there, the continuity is there, and the talent is there. But what may be most important is the mentality that Morgan started to see in the week four game at West Chester in 2022. The Millersville defense smothered West Chester's offense, allowing 16 yards rushing, six first downs and a measily 111 yards of total offense. But three lost fumbles resulting in short fields, a pick six and two safeties led to 24 unanswered points and a loss for the Marauders.
 
"That's when I really started to sense that this group had something to it," said Morgan. "We didn't win that game, of course, but they showed that no matter the circumstance, they were the type of group that will come out each week and fight and play their hearts out… When you have that mentality and you're developing that over the course of a few years, it starts to match up with some success on the field. I think that's where you start to see the results."
 
In the next seven weeks, Millersville won five games thanks in large part to the defense that allowed more than 20 points just once. The unit held five of the final eight opponents to fewer than 100 yards rushing as well, and outside of the Oct. 15 game against NCAA Semifinalist Shepherd, the Marauders gave up only three rushing touchdowns in a seven-game stretch. Not only maintaining but building upon that run of stellar play is vital for the Millersville defense as the team seeks to play complimentary football in all three phases.
 
Sweeney's leadership in the back end of a defense gives Sutjak essentially a coach on the field. In 2022, Sweeney became the first Marauder since 1991 to earn Academic All-America honors, and with three interceptions, he was the first Marauder since 2007 to lead the team in picks in back-to-back seasons.
 
"A lot of experience and guys who have played a lot of football," said Morgan of his safeties. "They are among the hardest workers in the program. They could draw up the defense inside out. They have a great approach to the game. Sweeney has been in command since 2019, and we are very happy he came back."
 
Millersville deploys three safeties in the 3-3-5 scheme. All three must cover and fill against the run. Ba started all 11 games in 2022 and is third among returning leading tacklers, having totaled 45 with three pass breakups last season. Pelegrin also started 11 games with 42 tackles last season and is a four-time PSAC Scholar-Athlete. Millersville also returns Jevon Thompson, a player who started 20 games in 2019 and 2021 but missed all of 2022 with a knee injury. He is back in practice and looking to get back into the starting lineup.
 
"Pelegrin started to emerge and be somebody who can make plays and get around the football," said Morgan. "I believe Jevon has a great football mind and will be a heck of a coach someday if he wants to go that direction. Coming off that injury year last year, he started to see the game differently. That will help him out as he should be fully recovered. Omar is somebody who will be around the football. Those guys are great young men and have a great approach and will set the example for the younger guys behind."
 
 
On the outside of the defense, the Marauders return a pair of quality corners in Lilliston and Ross. Lilliston logged 20 starts over the last two seasons, broke up five passes in 2022, and developed into one of the top corners in the league.
 
"I felt like he had a strong year," said Morgan. "The one thing that stood out was the physical part of his game. He plays the run as well as anybody around. He has that confidence. He carries himself as a No. 1 corner. I think he can still get better."
 
Ross seemingly came out of nowhere as a true freshman, debuting with a handful of snaps at West Chester in week four and then making his presence felt with an interception and three tackles the next week at Lock Haven. That performance cemented his place in the starting lineup. He also picked off former Harlon Hill Trophy winner Tyson Bagent at Shepherd and proved to be a willing tackler, recording three tackles for loss.
 
"We knew Gus had ability," said Morgan. "Coming out of high school he was battling a knee injury. He had just gotten back at the end of that season, so we knew it would take him a little bit of time to get him right. I was impressed with how quickly he picked up everything from the playbook that was thrown at him. When he got on the field and started feeling comfortable, he did the things he showed when he was a junior in high school before the injury. He came in at a time when we needed somebody to step up and did a good job."
 
Morgan is comfortable with the depth at cornerback, pointing out the offseasons turned in by transfer Makai Self—a grad student from Towson—and redshirt freshman Jontae Morris, who is the younger brother of Jaheim.
 
"Two guys that stood out in spring ball were Makai Self and Jontae Morris," said Morgan. "Makai developed nicely in our scheme. We expect him to compete for a lot of playing time. Jontae has a lot of athleticism. He's been building his body and looks like a guy who belongs in the conference. We have a good amount of guys that we would be fine playing."
 
In the center of Millersville's defense is a special group of linebackers. The Marauders did lose leading tackler Rafael Lozada, but Onuschak enters his fifth season with the program trending toward the Millersville Athletics Hall of Fame, and Cox established himself as one of the best defensive players in the PSAC in 2022.
 
Onuschak is already a three-time All-PSAC East performer with 24 TFL, 13 ½ sacks and five forced fumbles. He already ranks eighth in career solo tackles. Onuschak, however, suffered a serious injury in the final game of the 2022 season that required surgery. A testament to his athleticism and work ethic, Onuschak was cleared for preseason camp just nine months removed from the injury. He participated in drills on day one of practice and continues to work toward being the Onuschak that has anchored the middle of Millersville's defense for three seasons.
 
"What's remarkable is that we are talking about him now after he finished with the injury and that going to participate in camp," said Morgan. "It says a lot about his determination. He set out a goal of being ready for camp, and he's going to be ready. He's done that throughout his career from setting a goal to learn the playbook to setting a goal to be a force in the conference. He's done that. There's nothing that he has to prove other than going out with a bang, and he's put himself in position to do that."
 
Cox has been undeniable since his arrival on campus. As a redshirt freshman, he played his way into the lineup and recorded 7 ½ tackles for loss and 59 tackles in 10 games. Last season, he totaled five sacks, 12 TFL and five passes defended. He plays with speed and violence and is somewhat of a throwback in that regard.
 
"He has that classic inside linebacker mentality," said Morgan. "He just goes to work. He'll run through a wall if you ask him to. He's always a guy that's around the football. He's a complete ball player. You talk about three-down linebackers, and Cox is definitely one of those guys."
 
Keshaun Jones made numerous impact plays in his first season with the Marauders. It was his interception that sealed a win over East Stroudsburg, and he also recorded a key sack late in the close win over Shippensburg. He's a talented pass rusher who was used situationally in 2022, but he'll be on the field much more in 2023.
 
"I do expect KeShaun to have that year where he continues to make plays," said Morgan. "He finds his way to the football and covers."
 
Morgan expects a breakout season for redshirt sophomore Hez Faison as well. Faison made his way into a crowded linebacker two-deep last season, and he played outstanding football in the season finale victory over Seton Hill filling in for Onuschak. He made six stops and a tackle for loss.
 
"He's a guy we are very excited about," said Morgan. "At the end of the season he started to play. We thought a lot of Hez coming out of high school. He was just banged up and had injuries that got him off to a slow start. At the end of last season plus the spring this year, he's shown he will be a playmaker and a guy a lot of people will talk about."
 
There is no lack of depth at linebacker. Judah Rock is a veteran who will play snaps. Redshirt sophomore Ryan Aument is also a key special teamer.
 
If there is a question about the Millersville defense, it is on the defensive line where it lost the supremely talented and productive Tyler Tate and the high-motor veteran Chase Alisauckas. The two ranked among the team's top five tacklers and combined for 22 ½ tackles for loss. It isn't easy to replace that production, but Morgan sees it not as a question but as an opportunity.
 
 "The biggest thing is having guys in the system with experience and getting them to improve," said Morgan. "Even with Chase and Tyler, you saw gradual improvement to the point where they stood out. I think we have guys with high motors, guys that fly around the football field. They are tough, they're strong, they're physical. They just need to improve and continue to grow."
 
The one returning starter is Conner Snyder, who started 11 games, played well against the run, and pushed the pocket as a defensive tackle. He ranked sixth on the team in tackles and tallied 7 ½ tackles for loss.
 
 "He was a guy that in the second half of preseason camp last year everything started to click, and he went from 'here's a guy who may play,' to 'here's a guy who's going to play a lot.' He did a great job, and you go back and watch film, and he's making a lot of plays. He's chasing plays down side to side with a nonstop motor throughout the game. He doesn't wear down."
 
Randy Okungu is an edge player with 20 career games played and has had some success as a pass rusher. Not lacking strength but always a bit undersized to play all three downs for 60 minutes, Okungu has put on weight and should be one of the Marauders' starters on the edge.

On the interior, Cross Douglas is junior who Morgan says, "has that dog mentality you want out of a defensive lineman."
 
Morgan is also hoping for a healthy season for Austin Heiser, a fourth-year junior who opened 2021 as a starter but missed the finale seven games and then lost all of 2022 with a different injury. He's been snake bitten, but he's a player when healthy.
 
Redshirt sophomore Quadir Jacobs and Darius Williams are the run-stuffing nose tackles of the group.
 
SPECIAL TEAMS
The defense's best friend might just be punter Zach Banta. A former walk-on who grew up in Millersville and played his high school football for Penn Manor at Biemesderfer Stadium, developed into an All-Atlantic Region First Team pick in 2022 by breaking the Millersville single season record for punting average. He led all PSAC East punters in average. Along with a big leg (eight punts of 50-plus yards), he exhibited the ability to bury opponents in less-than-ideal field position. Only four of his 74 punts went for touchbacks.
 
"Banta has a very strong leg. He can change the game," said Morgan. "He changes how we coach the game and how we manage the game because of how he can flip the field from booming punts and changing field position to pinning the opponent deep in their territory. It's great to have confidence in that. We don't want him out there too much, but when he goes out there, he performs well."
 
Morgan noted Jack Hamm's potential at punter as well.
 
Special teams coordinator Dan Beard must find a new kicker, and the special teams unit enters camp with a competition between transfer Trent McDowell and freshman Gryffin Mitstifer. McDowell, a Solanco High School grad, punted and attempted five field goals for Clarion in 2022. Morgan describes Mitstifer as having a "very live leg."
 
"Trent is a local guy, and we are glad he came back to the area to compete," said Morgan. "We will get a good look at Mitstifer and see how the competition shakes out. We feel good about the special teams unit. You need a strong kicking game, and we hope they can produce like they've shown they can do. It will be a valuable third unit to compliment the defense and offense."