Some questions on defense heading into the 2024 season:
1. How Good Is The Defensive Line? For a school which normally has some good defensive talent, the 2025 could be one of Georgetown's best in years, and that's saying something.
The Hoyas finished as the best defensive team in the Patriot League in 2023, which may be a first, if ever. Georgetown led the league in total defense (324.1 yards allowed), passing (171.7) and passing efficiency (110.9), the latter of which was fourth nationally, a stat that got little or no attention in local or league media. To put this into perspective, Georgetown's passing defense finished just behind national champion South Dakota State and just ahead of perennial Top 20 entrant Montana.
The good... no, the great news, is that eight of 11 starters and 15 of its top 20 tacklers in 2023 return in 2024. The one area where the Hoyas were not as productive was run defense, finishing third in the Patriot League and 57th nationally. Two of the three non-returnees from 2023 were on the defensive line, including Ibri Harrell (40 tackles in 2023, 7.5 TFL), and Mateen Ibrigoba (29 tackles, 5.5 TFL), the latter of whom will play at Wake Forest via the transfer portal. Adding in graduating senior Noah Gick (9 tackles, 0.5 TFL), there are some gaps to fill.
There are some interesting names to watch for in these battles, and it is likely the same on the two-deep in Week 1 may not be the same at season's end. Juniors Matthew Plunkett (14 tackles) and John Caramanico (11.0 tackles) have some experience up front in reserve capacity, while sophomore Mouhammed Sow was moved into the two deep at season's end despite just one tackle in five games. at 300 pounds, an uncommon size for an FCS lineman, Sow could surprise up front as he gains experience, and could see action as early as the Davidson game against a team ranked first nationally in offense, averaging 308.7 yards on the ground per game.
Six freshman enter the discussion on the line, with Hilton Hebert as one to watch. The 6-3, 240 pound lineman from Morgan City, LA, led the Louisiana 4A rankings in sacks and tackles.
2. How Do The Hoyas Address Defensive Pressure? While Georgetown held its opponents in check for much of the season, it struggled in pass pressure. The Hoyas were last in the PL in sacks with 15, with just 10 of these in league play, five of which came against Bucknell.
This doesn't figure to be a concern as much early in the season as schools like Davidson and Marist will stay to the run. Mid-season games at Lafayette and at Colgate could test the Hoyas' ability to control the line and exert pressure on now veteran passers to hurry up their throws.
3. Can the Linebackers Dominate? Yes, they can. Georgetown's 4-2-5 lineup last summer placed a premium on its linebackers, and they delivered. Fifth year graduate David Ealey led the team with 68 tackles and 7.5 TFL's while sophomore GianCarlo Rufo (38 tackles, 5.5 TFL) was not far behind.
4. What Is One Area of Improvement for the Defense? The red zone. Georgetown gave up 24 touchdowns in 2023 from 29 opponent red zone possessions, 19 of the 24 coming on the ground. By contrast, PL champion Lafayette gave up only 13 rushing touchdowns in the red zone.
For a Georgetown team that was six points removed from a potential 7-4 record, trading a field goal instead of a touchdown can be crucial.
5. What Is One Area of Improvement for the Special Teams? The kickoff. Georgetown was last in the league in net kickoff returns, allowing 30.9 yards per return and just one touchback all season.
Freshman Thomas Anderson, an Australian kicker by way of St. Ignatius HS in Chicago, figures to compete for kickoff duties with senior Patrick Ryan, whose leg strength was not as strong later in the season. At his signing, head coach Rob Sgarlata said that Anderson "will impact our special teams in all three phases of our place kicking, punting and especially our kick off coverage," and should have ample opportunity to do so.
