Mike Needham did not hear much news from his fellow Thunderbirds, good or bad, during his time away. But when he returned stateside, the Southern Utah sophomore could see in his teammates an aggressive hunger and desire to regain respect.
Needham spent two years living in Monterrey, Mexico serving on a Mormon mission. While Needham was serving along the Gulf Coast, Southern Utah put together one of its most successful campaigns in 2013, qualifying for the FCS playoffs only to fall mightily last season.
SUU linebacker Mike Needham
When Needham returned in February of this year and rejoined the team, the work ethic and drive he saw amongst his peers was striking. He knew the Thunderbirds were determined to right the wrong that occurred.
“I didn’t hear much while I was away but I could definitely see it in the weight room when I returned,” Needham said in an interview earlier this season. “You could see in everyone’s eyes and in everyone’s work ethic that they wanted to be better, they didn’t want to repeat what happened last year. I could feel it.”
In 2012, Southern Utah’s first season in the Big Sky Conference, SUU used a young but talented defense to hang close in games. Wins such as a 30-20 victory over Montana, a 30-27 win over Eastern Washington and a 35-29 overtime win over rival Northern Arizona were off-set by a one-score loss to Montana State, a five-point loss to Sacramento State, a two-point loss to Weber State and a four-point loss at North Dakota. Still, with a defense featuring a freshman version of Needham along with other young and talented players like defensive end James Cowser, strong safety Miles Killebrew, outside linebacker Matt Holley and cornerback LeShaun Sims, the future looked bright.
Following that season, Needham and middle linebacker Zak Browning, the 2012 Big Sky Freshman of the Year, left on missions.
In 2013, despite the defections, Southern Utah put it all together, using a swarming defense led by a similar cast of characters to pull out a slew of close wins as the team earned its first-ever FCS playoff berth.
With a core that included Cowser, Killebrew, Holley and Sims still in tact, hopes were high in 2014. But Holley suffered a season-ending knee injury during fall camp. And a brutal early schedule led to an 0-4 start, injuries mounted, confidence faded and Southern Utah found itself in a nosedive that reached rock bottom. Despite Cowser’s efforts — the high-motor defensive end set a Big Sky record with 28.5 tackles for loss — the Thunderbirds ended 2015 as the worst statistical defense in the FCS.
“I had such high hopes for the year, especially after just making the playoffs for the first time,” Holley said in an interview earlier this season. “It was very disappointing watching because I felt like I could’ve helped. It was hard for everyone but it humbled us.”
SUU defensive end James Cowser in 2014
SUU posted a 3-9 record behind a defense that allowed almost 36 points and an FCS-worst 526 yards per game. Southern Utah was last in the Big Sky by allowing 239 rushing yards per game and the pass defense wasn’t much better, allowing 287 yards per outing, 11th in the 13-team Big Sky.
“We took offense to how we played last year,” said Cowser, who needs one tackle for loss to break Jared Allen’s all-time Big Sky record for a career. “We thought it was really bad. Horrible. Just embarrassing.”
“We didn’t want to be there again,” added Killbrew. “We did not want to be a losing team and we did not want to contribute to a losing season by failing on defense.”
Southern Utah went to work. Head coach Ed Lamb, a former BYU linebacker who spent three seasons on Jim Harbaugh’s staff at San Diego before taking over at SUU in 2008, has long billed his Thunderbirds as “a group of weight lifters who like to play football.” To hear the strapping 6-foot-5 coach say the most recent off-season was his team’s best by a large margin is a lofty statement. Other coaches could see it, too.
“It started last year as we finished strong against Northern Arizona (a 22-14 SUU win) and I think the guys really stuck together and banded together at the end and that has led us to a great off-season,” second-year defensive coordinator Demario Warren said. “I knew if we could stay together during the tough times, we would stay together during the good times.”
“You go through what we went through last year, it will definitely build your character as a coach, a person and a player.
Southern Utah also returned a collection of key pieces. Cowser, Sims and Killebrew are all seniors. Needham returned from his mission to solidify one outside linebacker spot. His return allowed a now healthy Holley to shift to middle linebacker. And the SUU coaches decided to shift a 6-foot-3, 355-pound 29-year-old named Fesi Vaa’ivaka from offensive line to nose tackle.
SUU safety Miles Killebrew makes a tackle against Cal
Although the off-season work was apparent — Killebrew said he has never seen a group of players so close to their optimal body weights while also possessing elite strength — the T-Birds were faced with doubt early. SUU smothered Utah State’s explosive offense to the tune of just 250 yards but an 88-yard punt return by Andre Rodriguez with 4:54 left lifted the Aggies to a 12-9 victory.
The next week, Jake Wieneke caught 11 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns, South Dakota State rolled up almost 600 yards of offense and the Thunderbirds found themselves on the wrong side of a 55-10 beat down. For a moment, it looked like the same demons that haunted SUU in 2014 were present this season.
“We really took South Dakota State hard,” Killebrew said. “Starting off the season 0-2, we took it personal and we really knew we had to come together as a defense.”
As Southern Utah prepares to head to Bozeman to take on Montana State, the Thunderbird defense has transformed into the unit Lamb and Warren hoped it would. Southern Utah leads the league in scoring defense (15 points per game), total defense (336.6 yards allowed per game), pass defense (160.6 ypg allowed), passer efficiency defense (93.1) and interceptions (14). SUU did not give up a touchdown in its first four conference games and has allowed just 49 points total to Big Sky opponents in surging to a 5-0 start in conference play. SUU is second in the league with 20 sacks, led by Cowser’s seven, and the unit has scored six times on defense, including three defensive touchdowns last week alone.
“Since we didn’t play them last year, I didn’t study them last year,” said MSU head coach Rob Ash, whose team lost 22-14 to SUU in Bozeman in 2013. “But it seems like all the same guys are still playing for them. I don’t know if they had injuries or what happened but it seems like the same cast of characters that played us two years ago are still on this team.”
SUU defense celebrates at home
The defensive resurgence has been largely due to the standout play of SUU’s veterans. The 6-foot-4, 258-pound Cowser is a menace on the edge. He is currently ranked as the No. 8 NFL prospect among college defensive ends by NFL.com. The 6-foot-3, 223-pound Killebrew is a two-time All-Big Sky selection who is the best safety in the league supporting the run. He has run under 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash and his 84 tackles lead the team. NFL.com currently ranks him as the No. 8 NFL prospect among NFL safeties.
“When I turn on the film, I see two really, really, really good players in Cowser and Killebrew,” MSU third-year offensive coordinator Tim Cramsey said. “The other guys are solid football players doing their jobs and filling their roles. In this league, if you get a couple of good players like that and everyone else does their jobs and you play with confidence and you play with effort, you are going to be a really good defense.”
The 6-foot, 205-pound Sims is also a two-time All-Big Sky selection and a borderline pro prospect. He’s ranked among the top 30 cornerback prospects for next year’s NFL Draft and if he can equal the 4.34 seconds in the 40 that he’s run before, he will certainly get into a camp.
Perhaps the most key to SUU’s resurgence, at least in terms of personnel, has been the return of Holley and Needham. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound Holley was a third-team All-Big Sky outside linebacker in 2013 and a dynamic leader for the Thunderbirds. The rangy 6-foot-4, 210-pound Needham is still raw but his ability to track the football and his excellent recovery speed make him a game-changer. He is tied for the team lead with three interceptions and he has scored three times on defense. He also has a nose for ball carriers, notching 20 tackles last week against Cal Poly to bring his total to 61 tackles, including six tackles for loss this season.
SUU defensive end James Cowser makes a tackle vs. Utah State
The sum of the parts has equaled one of the hottest defensive teams in the league. Critics will point to SUU’s strength of schedule — only four Big Sky teams have not been in the FCS Top 25 poll at some time this season and SUU has defeated all four — but the dominant fashion in which Southern Utah is executing has earned national attention. SUU comes to Bozeman with a No. 20 national ranking and a Big Sky title in its sights. Southern Utah controls its own destiny with games at No. 10 Portland State and at home against Northern Arizona. The charge toward a Big Sky title begins Saturday at Bobcat Stadium.
“Mostly, we’ve been trying to ignore the noise,” Cowser said. “Coach said there will be people talking and to get ready for everyone’s best shot now. People won’t be looking past Southern Utah. And we have want to have that 0-2 mentality, getting down to work and doing what we’ve got to do. What happened last year still sits with us and we want to make it right because this is our last chance.”
Photos courtesy of Southern Utah Media Relation. All Rights Reserved.
