In part two of our pre-season series, five questions for the defense heading into the 2026 season:
1. How Deep Is The Defensive Rebuilding Effort? Very.
Georgetown returns just one starter, senior Chigozie Oge-Evans, from the 2025 defensive line and none of its starting linebackers. While not as potentially dire as the gaps on offense, it's something the staff needs to address at the start of the season.
The loss of lineman Cooper Blomstrom (47 tackles, 7.5 sacks) to Arizona is one setback, but the loss of linebacker Giancarlo Rufo in the transfer portal to USC may be even more impactful. Rufo anchored a Georgetown linebacker corps that was vital to keeping the Hoyas close in games last season and led the defense with 103 tackles, 57 solo, and that won't be easily replaced.
Only two underclassmen were on the two-deep at season's end on the defensive line: sophomores Jack Casey (eight games, 11 tackles) and Dean Mangiocavallo (12 games, 11 tackles, 1.5 sacks), with sophomore Folu Shobowale (six games, six tackles) and senior Mohammed Sow (seven games, four tackles) likely to compete for a starting role. Junior Isaac Saffold returns from an injury in 2025, appearing in all 11 games in 2024 with 24 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
Experience counts, however, and the Hoyas need some game experience. Five of the 16 linemen on the roster are freshmen and another four had no prior game stats in 2025.
Ten linebackers are competing for two starting positions, with senior Cody Pham (11 games, 40 tackles), senior Raden Waweru (nine games, seven tackles) and junior Joel Mireles (eight games, 13 tackles) as major contenders. After a strong start, the Hoya defense limped to a sixth place finish in rushing defense in 2025, and open the 2026 season with opponents that represented the top two PL rushing offenses from last year. Lafayette put up 289 yards on the ground against Georgetown last season, Lehigh 193 yards. We'll see how the new lineup will fare early in the season.
Injuries notwithstanding, this figures to be a better defense at the end of the season than at the beginning, and the development of Casey and Mangiocavallo could be key in that growth. The first three or four weeks will feel some growing pains, however.
2. How Good Is The Georgetown Secondary? As PL teams go, very.
The Hoyas return all five secondary starters from 2025, including one perhaps less expected but no less valuable: senior safety Quincy Briggs. The honorable mention All-America selection (12 games, 33 tackles; five INT) entered the transfer portal at season's end, but found no home and resurfaced on the training camp roster in early August. He will provide leadership and impact speed on the corner and allow sophomore Chris Martin (12 games, 46 tackles), sophomore Damon Narcisse (11 games, 19 tackles), senior Braylon Wise (11 games, 32 tackles, two INT) and sophomore Bryan Lloyd (12 games, 28 tackles) to excel as the deepest starting five in the Patriot League.
There are 11 defensive backs and safeties on the pre-season roster and three upperclassmen seeking that run in the lineup: grad student Wedner Cadet, who lost eight games in the 2025 season to injury but had 55 tackles over his first two seasons, junior Michael Bonsu (11 games, 11 tackles) and junior transfer Benjamin Bruce, a two year preferred walk-on at Texas A&M, Seven of the 16 secondary members are freshmen and theirs is a learning year in 2026, but the key returnees should be Georgetown's best path to improving upon its ranked fifth in the PL and fifth in defensive pass efficiency.
3. What's An Area To Build Upon? Georgetown ranked 21st nationally in time of possession, and led the Patriot League. The defense generally did a good job limiting opponents on long drives and gave its offense a net of 61 more plays over the course of the season.
4. What's The Single Greatest Area For Improvement? Depth aside, the Hoyas ranked just 108th nationally in red zone defense, allowing points in 32 of 36 defensive possessions last season. Fifteen of those 32 possessions ended in a rushing touchdown, and this illustrates the pressure the defensive line will face early this season.
5. How Will Special Teams Fare In 2026? It's difficult to say, but likely more of the same. The Hoyas hold up well on kick and punt returns, enjoyed a sterling 17 for 17 in PAT's in conference play last season on the foot of junior Thomas Anderson, but just 6 for 13 in field goals across the season overall, with misses in five of eight attempts beyond 40 yards. Three newcomers will join the team at kicker, but this is still a role for Anderson and punter Josh Leff until further notice.
Coming next Friday: Expectations for the 2026 season.
