Football | 09/16/20 | 7:14 PM

HELENA, Mont. -- Defense wins championships.

That's how the saying goes.

For the Fighting Saints football team in 2021, the defense starts with its big fellas up front on the line. 

Continuing our coverage of Carroll football's "fling ball," we'll take a closer look at the defensive line. 

The trench war is always a gritty affair on Saturdays. Saints coach Troy Purcell knows his d-linemen will need to win matchups to give the rest of the Carroll defense a chance to shine.

"They have to win their 1-on-1s," Purcell said. "We have to be able to put the defensive backs in a situation where they're not on an island, and if the d-line creates pressure, our entire defense benefits. That group should be a positive on the defensive side. We'll keep them healthy and then they have to win 1-on-1s."

The defensive line will have some familiar faces back in town for the 2021 season, albeit led by a new position coach in Riley Martello and assistant coach Arie Anderson. 

Martello takes lead of the group in 2021 and will have a strong position to oversee. Returning difference makers  in 2021 are Garrett Kocab, the second team all-conference d-lineman in 2019 as well as David Petersen, who's been a factor on the Saints' d-line for the past three seasons. 

Kocab finished as the No. 9 tackler on the Saints from the nose position. His 2019 campaign included 31 tackles, 5.5 tackles for a loss, two sacks and two blocked kicks. 

"He's big, fast and physical," Martello said. "He's a very tough dude to block. I think he can improve this year. The sky's the limit."

Petersen, another mainstay on the line, finished with 17 tackles, three for a loss, and one sack. 

"David Petersen knows how to play and compete in the Frontier Conference," Martello said. "Being that edge guy, he does his job. Having a guy like that to lead the guys in practice for technique is crucial. He's doing a great job."

The 2021 season will also give room for new players to make a name for themselves. Players like Michael Maafu, Garrett Worden and Jake Medders all figure to be a part of the defensive gameplan. Others like Jake Walk, Corbin Walker and Trent Durfey are making the most of their opportunities in fling ball. 

Purcell sees the youngest members of his roster as future depth, too. All told, the defensive line could be an exciting position group for the foreseeable future at Carroll. 

The first glimpse of what that could look like comes in February. 

Martello is familiar with what it takes to win in the Frontier Conference after his playing days down the road in Dillon. 

"In my eyes, to win in this conference, you have to stop the run," Martello said. "To do that, you have to get off the ball and be violent."

It's with that mentality that Martello is teaching technique to the defensive linemen, a group that features some top-end veterans flanked by a lot of talented youth. 

"That's one thing we've really harped on and worked on is pad level," Martello said. "To win in the trenches you have to have great pad level, you have to get off the ball and then you have to strike." 

Martello is also ensuring his linemen fit new defensive coordinator Wes Nurse's system.  

"We're a young group that's competing and working hard within our system," Martello said. "Coach Nurse has done a good job giving these guys their expectations." 

The Saints defense finished in the top-half of the Frontier Conference  in most statistical categories in 2019. The defensive line helped the Saints defensive unit rank as the No. 21 rushing defense per game in the NAIA (123 yards allowed). 

The Saints defense figures to improve those numbers in 2021. 

And that starts up front. 

KEY RETURNERS: DT Garrett Kocab, DE David Petersen, DT Corbin Walker 

KEY ADDITIONS: DE Garrett Worden, DT Michael Maafu, DE Jake Medders

NOTES: Carroll has a fall scrimmage scheduled for September 26 to conclude the fall practice session.