Princeton’s defense featured a lot of newcomers last season, with plenty of talent returning to the defensive line.

The only major loss on the line of scrimmage this summer was seniors Zay Norvell and Camden Mansanales. Replacing the two players at defensive end and defensive tackle will be tough, but Princeton built plenty of depth last season.

“We like the options we have heading into this year,” head coach Ervin Chandler said. “We got a lot of experience and some returning starters coming back this season.”

Leading the way as one of Princeton’s top players last season is Pedro Nzungazi, who had 42 tackles, eight tackles for loss, a sack and nine quarterback pressures last season. Coach Chandler said he’s got some of the highest upside on the team heading into his senior season and was impressed with his production in 2022.

“He’s going to be a leader in that group,” Chandler said. “He’s got the talent and now the experience and we believe in what he can do. His work ethic is second to none. He’s always in the weight room and he’s always working to get stronger and working to get better. His first step is one of the best on the team and he gets off the line of scrimmage quickly.”

He’ll be flanked at the other defensive end position by Teziah Patterson, a rising junior who got plenty of reps as a sophomore last season.

Patterson is one of the most physically impressive kids on the team, standing at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, and coach Chandler has been impressed with his development as a football player this summer. He’ll play both defensive end and defensive tackle.

“He’s got some size and plays hard so he’s going to be expected to do big things for us,” Chandler said. “He’s going to surprise some people this year because he is very powerful on the football field. He’s gotten better over the summer and is stronger than ever heading into the summer.”

Princeton also has Yadiel Martinez and offensive linemen Caesar Garcia and Javian Smith competing for reps on the defensive side of the ball. With those five players, Princeton has a little bit of depth and talent heading into next season.

With the talented offenses and quarterbacks the Panthers are poised to face next season, the onus will be on the linemen to provide pressure and help the secondary succeed.

“We’ve got some tough teams on our schedule, and our defense, in general, has to be up to the challenge,” Chandler said. “We have to get pressure and I believe guys like Pedro and Teziah can do that.”

With multiple offensive linemen featuring on the defensive line, Princeton has some challenges in balancing their workloads. It’s a tough line to manage as a coaching staff, especially on the offensive and defensive lines.

“We need to prioritize certain times when we need them to contribute,” Chandler said. “It’s tough playing O-line and defensive line. It’s a boxing match in the trenches almost every play, so we need them to be effective on both sides of the football and we’ll monitor that as coaches.”

As the team prepares for its first game on Aug. 25 and with just a week and a half until the beginning of fall camp, the defensive line will be one of the biggest keys to Princeton’s defensive success next season. The Panthers are eager to take the field, and coach Chandler knows they have to put the work in now to get ready for week one.

“We have a lot to cover this fall and it’ll help us get better in the long run,” Chandler said. “It’s all about getting stronger and then managing that rotation as coaches. We have talented players, but we want to make sure they’re effective as possible on the field. We’re going to look a little different defensively and we have to find the best group to run our scheme.”

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