Briar Cliff aims for consistent defensive play all season

The Chargers lost some pivotal games last season, including four of their last six. Briar Cliff lost an overtime game to Dordt University and its season finale to Northwestern.

However, the Chargers did end up with a winning season, but Bailey, a senior linebacker, doesn’t want a repeat of how the season almost fell apart.

“I feel like for our defense to improve on what we did last year, we have to come together a lot more,” Bailey said. “We need to play more as one than just 11 guys on the field doing their own part. As long as we get closer and get bigger, faster, stronger, I feel we can be even better than we were last year.”

When the losses started to pile up last season, Bailey said the team started to grow apart. It’s his responsibility as a senior to make sure that doesn’t happen in 2019. He says it’s his mission to keep everyone closely knit even when times get tough.

“I hope we can completely avoid that,” Bailey said. “It’s just a different way to approach things. A lot of people lose, and they just get down on themselves and others, but we just have to be there for each other and pick each other up when we’re down.”

[From 2018: Historic Briar Cliff football season comes to an end.]

The Chargers’ defense brings back eight men who started a season ago, including Bailey. Bailey is the team captain and was an honorable-mention recipient on the All-GPAC team this season.

Even though Bailey amassed 73 tackles last season, he knows there’s room to improve daily and makes sure he sees the daily progress through a checklist.

It’s something every Chargers player does, and Bailey is glad there is such a thing for him to keep track where he is daily.

“Everyone during practice, we try to get better at that one thing that we’re focusing on,” Bailey said. “(On my checklist), honestly, it’s setting my hands. I have short arms, so I let (my opponent) get into me easily. I’ve been working on that all summer. That’s my biggest thing and play free, play aggressively.”

Even defensive lineman Omar Dyles has a checklist. The No. 1 thing on that checklist: Becoming an All-American.

“That’s definitely what I want,” Dyles said. “I just want to win.”

Dyles was a standout performer last season, as he had a program-best eight sacks. He had 3½ sacks in a single game last year — a school record — against Concordia.

[From GPAC media day: Briar Cliff hopes to continue ascension up the conference.]

“This year, I’m looking to do what I can, and hopefully the Lord blesses me,” Dyles said. “It’s just exciting. All the guys are comfortable with one another, getting comfortable with the defense. (Chargers first-year defensive coordinator) Jody Owens has done a good job bringing us all together. He’s really brought it down on all of us, making sure we get all the little things right.”

Markel Roby returns as the main man on secondary in the defensive back position. He will try to receive all-conference accolades for the third straight year.

Chargers coach Dennis Wagner appreciates the depth on the defense.

“We think we’re solid two-deep,” Wagner said. “We’ve got eight DBs that have played a lot of college football. Again, Omar is a special player. He’s got to play within the unit. Payten makes a ton of tackles and he’s definitely the vocal leader.”

On the offensive side of the ball, Wagner has tabbed true freshman Preston Mulligan as the starting quarterback for the Chargers. 

It was supposed to be senior Brad Cagle, and Wagner even said such on July 30 at GPAC media day in South Sioux City. 

Since then, Cagle has been dismissed from the team for disciplinary reasons, according to Wagner, and he has turned to Mulligan for game No. 1 against Waldorf. 

Mulligan comes from Harlan, Iowa, where he had just one season under his belt as starting quarterback. 

That came last year, and Mulligan had one of the best seasons among Iowa high school quarterbacks. 

Mulligan had 2,676 passing yards and threw for 30 touchdowns. 

In the first few days as Briar Cliff's play caller, Wagner has been impressed what he has seen out of Mulligan. 

“For the most part, he’s done a tremendous job,” Wagner added. “If he doesn’t understand, he asks questions. He’s very good about that. He knows he’s going to work his way in and learn different things. There’s different route concepts that he has to progress through. Every day, our goal is to get a little bit better.”

Mulligan has some help out in the receiver corps, as well as in the running back department. 

Elijah Brown returns for his senior season. As a junior, Brown had 35 catches for 704 yards along with 10 touchdowns. 

The Chargers have also welcomed transfers Orlando Haymon and Greg Henry, and they will be the two main running backs.