Jared Keyte Wants UMass Defense To Play As One Unit
Defensive coordinator Jared Keyte believes communication and complementary play between the defensive line, linebackers and secondary will drive improvement this season.
Defense is the ultimate team game, at least in Jared Keyte’s eyes.
That’s why the UMass defensive coordinator believes the relationship between the defensive line, linebackers and secondary, could ultimately determine just how much the Minutemen improve this season.
“One offensive player can make 10 guys look good,” Keyte said. “One defensive player can make 10 guys look bad.”
For Keyte, that's why the Minutemen don't view the defense as a collection of separate position groups. Every run fit, every pass rush and every coverage call depends on defenders trusting the players around them to do their jobs.
“It’s all one unit,” Keyte said. “It starts up front, holding their gaps and gap ownership and straining with violence through the play, but it’s up to the linebackers and the run scheme to pull off those combos. And then it’s up to the safeties to fit off the linebacker. So that all goes into play.
“Then when you’re talking about the pass game, well, the coverage relies on the rush and the rush relies on the coverage. So it is an all-11 unit type mentality.”
The encouraging part for UMass is that Keyte believes the front seven has quickly become one of the strengths of the defense.
The linebacker group has set the tone early in preseason camp, but Keyte was quick to point out that much of that success begins with the players lining up in front of them.
“Right now, the group that sticks out in my mind is that linebacker group with the experience and the level of violence that they’re playing with,” Keyte said. “But they wouldn’t be able to play with that level of violence without the four guys in front of them.
“Really happy with our d-line and their violence and their approach and mindset into this camp. And I think that front seven right now for us is the focal point and it starts with them.”
That optimism has been fueled in part by an overhauled defensive line.
UMass returns veterans Josh Nobles and Tim Passmore Jr. while adding transfers Andrew DePaepe, William DePaepe and multiple others to dramatically increase both the talent and depth of the position group.
Keyte expects that depth to show up on Saturdays.
The growth of the unit has been aided by defensive line coach Nyeem Wartman and assistant defensive ends coach Kayon Whitaker, who Keyte credited with helping establish the mentality he wants from the group.
“I think you can see a heavy rotation of guys,” Keyte said. “We’ve had a lot of guys in our pass rushes look better, credit to Coach Wart and Coach Kay on what they’re doing. But I think the mindset of the d-line is an attack mentality right now.
“We tried to instill that with the guys that have been here like Timmy Passmore, guys that are back into the program. Josh Nobles, they’re the leaders, the catalysts, but the guys who came in that we brought in really buy into what our message is. So we’re really excited about that front and I think you’re going to see a lot of faces there.”
Keyte believes that rotation will be important not only for keeping players fresh, but also in preparing the defense for the inevitable attrition of a college football season.
“It’s always the depth,” Keyte said. “You’re preparing the guys who are stacking in those twos, those three spots, because you always get to those guys and there’s always going to be a rotation. So giving them the mindset that you are going to have an opportunity. So you have to prepare to win and be in that position, so when you get called on, you’re ready.
“We coach everybody in that unit with the same mentality. From the guys who go out there first to the guys who just got here in the program who might be young freshmen, but those guys got to be ready. And I think our coaching staff, especially our d-line coaches, are preparing them for that.”
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