By Bill Huber
For D3sports.com

What would be scarier than the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater having a tougher defense than last year's star-studded championship cast?

The thought that this year's defense hasn't reached its potential.

Even without eight starters from last year, the Warhawks' defense enters Saturday's semifinal game at Mary Hardin-Baylor allowing 12.2 points per game. That's an improvement over last year's 13.9, even though Whitewater lost All-Americans Ryan Ogrizovich (16 sacks), A.J. Raebel (111 tackles) and Ben Farley (eight interceptions) to graduation.

"You know, I don't know," defensive coordinator Brian Borland said when asked if it was possible this year's defense was better than last year's. "We've played 13 games this year, and quite honestly, I don't think all of our questions are even answered yet about all of our guys that are playing. We've got a long ways to go at a number of positions before we have all the answers. We're still a work in progress in a lot of ways. To be 12-1 and be playing in the national semifinals yet still feel like there's a lot of improving to do, I guess that might speak well to what our potential is. We're still climbing the hill a little bit."

That theme – improve, improve, improve – has struck a chord with the players, particularly the new starters.

"Coach stresses a lot, ‘Hey, you guys have gotta get better, gotta continue to watch film, gotta continue to excel in playing your technique.' I think that's the biggest thing," said junior cornerback Troney Shumpert, a first-team all-WIAC selection as a first-year starter.

The coaches' demands were amplified when the Warhawks lost at home to UW-Stevens Point 17-16 on Oct. 25. The defeat, coming on a touchdown and gutsy two-point conversion with 15 seconds remaining, snapped Whitewater's 25-game WIAC winning streak. The loss was a turning point in the season, according to linebacker Jace Rindahl, one of the three returning starters along with defensive linemen Anthony White and Justin Ankley.

"I don't know if I want to say doubt, but it kind of opened our eyes and we realized that we weren't invincible," said Rindahl, a preseason All-American who was named first-team all-West Region on Tuesday. "We were rolling at a pretty high level there for awhile, and to lose that game the way we did, I think it worked out for the best for us. We found out that we could lose."

The Warhawks haven't lost since, taking a six-game winning streak to Belton, Texas. Even after allowing 27 points in a three-point victory at top-seeded Willamette in the second round, Whitewater is yielding only 14 points per game in those six contests.

It's a tribute to Borland, his staff and their players' desire to continue the school's winning ways. The fireworks aren't necessarily there – last year's defense recorded 15 more interceptions, recovered nine more fumbles and tallied a whopping 22 more sacks – but this year's defense enjoys slight advantages in terms of points allowed, yards allowed and on third down.

"We've just done a pretty good job of somehow ... like I told the guys the other day, I don't know that we always play the prettiest," Borland said. "I know that we always play hard. There becomes a pretty high sense of urgency when people get down in that scoring area. We've made it tough on our opponents that way."

Not that these Warhawks aren't capable of making a big play. Matt McCulloch's interception thwarted Eau Claire's final drive in a 16-14 victory in the conference opener. Rindahl, who leads the team in tackles and interceptions, picked off a pass and returned it 45 yards for the clinching score last week against Wartburg.

"It's something I'll never forget," he said of scoring his first career touchdown in the final home game of his career.

Borland said Rindahl has been the key to the defense staying so strong. He's been the type of steady, impact player that's so vital to a defense with so many new faces.

"You know he's going to be there," Borland said. "He knows how to get around the ball, whether they're running it or throwing it. It's a confidence thing for all of us. You know he's there, and that's one area that you don't have to worry about. His stats aren't as gaudy as some other players', but if you look at the impact when he's playing, he's as good as anybody."

It helps, too, that the defending national champions are playing with a chip on their shoulders rather than an inflated sense of self-worth. The Warhawks were predicted to win the WIAC, but all Shumpert heard were the skeptics.

"We looked at all of the negativity and we turned that into success," said Shumpert, a key reserve in the secondary last year. "It kind of motivated the team. We look at it as, ‘Hey, let's strive for excellence and prove to the nation that we are still Whitewater and we are still the powerhouse team that can compete for a national title despite losing 24 seniors.' "

The next hurdle is a formidable one. Mary Hardin-Baylor, like the Warhawks, is 12-1. The Crusaders are coming off of a 63-7 thrashing of Washington & Jefferson in which they rushed for 403 yards and five touchdowns.

Josh Saenz (742 yards, 10 touchdowns), Bryson Tucker (675, four), Matt Hurst (558, 10) and Roger Sanchez (534, three) have combined for 2,509 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns. Whitewater, on the other hand, has allowed 1,054 rushing yards, four touchdowns and 2.7 yards per attempt.

The Warhawks beat the Cru twice last year, including 16-7 in the semifinals, but both of those games were in Whitewater. This one is on the road. They know the challenge that awaits them.

"Offensively, they're going to come out and hit you right in the face," Rindahl said. "That's the game we're going to want to play. They're going to try running the ball, and what we love to do best is stop the run.

"It's going to be very physical, and we wouldn't want it any other way."