Ashland University 2005 Spring Football Preview: Defensive Line
April 29, 2005

Defensive Line (Position Coach- John Saccomen)

Key Losses – Jason Reynolds (23 tackles/10 solo).

Top Returnees – Kyle Zelazny (22 tackles/16 solo).

Flu season can bring a stuffy nose. So can the start of football season and the presence of Kyle Zelazny (Westerville, OH/Westerville South).

Zelazny is AU’s starting nose guard and he’s accomplished at stuffing the run. The 6-1, 245-pound junior-to-be figures to be the anchor for the defensive line in 2005.

“He’s our best lineman,” praised defensive coordinator Jim Meyer. “We’ll look to him to be a leader on our defensive line. Kyle is our swing guy. He could also play either end. He will be in the game all the time. He’s intense. Kyle’s shown he can play every position effectively.”

When Zelazny moves to end, the Eagles have two more options inside. Jonathan Frost (Cummings, GA) and Jonathan Long (Ravenna, OH), a pair of freshmen, have played well this spring. Frost is 5-11, 255 and Long is 6-4, 250. Frost had 12 tackles and four sacks last season.

“Jonathan Frost is the biggest surprise of last year,” said Meyer. “Jonathan Long has gotten a lot of reps this spring and has gotten better.”

The Eagles have five players they can rotate at the end spots and that’s not counting Zelazny. Chris Meyer (Akron, OH/Walsh Jesuit) had a solid season in 2004 when he posted 14 tackles. The 6-2, 215-pound Meyer will be a sophomore in the fall. Jarrett Fuller (Tiffin, OH/Columbian) a 6-1, 240-pound senior, is making the move to end from linebacker.

“He’s a sleeping giant,” Meyer said. “He has strength and speed, he just has to adapt to the position. He’s shown signs of greatness.”

Meyer and Fuller figure to see most of their time at left end. At right end, the Eagles list 6-5, 245-pound Matt Baughman (Massillon, OH/Perry), 6-1, 240-pound Jake Grove (Shelby, OH) and 6-3, 230-pound Kyle Clark (Sullivan, OH/Black River).

Baughman will be a junior in the fall.

“He’s matured a lot,” noted Meyer.

Grove, who will be a junior in 2005, has gotten the attention of the coaches with his work ethic.

“He’s had one of the best offseasons of anyone on the team,” Meyer said.

Clark, a freshman, has made definite strides in the offseason and could force his way into the AU’s plans.

“He’s really shown improvement,” Meyer reported. “He’s shown us a lot more than in the fall.”

No matter who’s playing up front, their job is to hold the line and open the way for AU linebackers to put pressure on the quarterback. That plan worked well last season when linebacker Allen Lattimore (Dayton, OH/Colonel White) had nine sacks and Chris Campbell got to the quarterback five times. Meyer believes the line will be deeper and more experienced this season.

“They (line) open it up for our linebackers to get in there,” explained Meyer. “When all’s said and done, I think we’ll have a good pass rush.”