The Knights' defense has been lights-out so far this season, with only one opponent even scoring as many as 13 points. Wartburg athletics photo

By Brian Lester
D3sports.com

In Saturday's 36-3 win over Luther, Wartburg’s defense collected three sacks, an interception and safety while holding the Norse to 126 yards.

Filling out the box score, putting something in every stat line is great, but really it’s about something else.

“Honestly, we are just having fun out there,” senior linebacker Keenan Tyler said.

Don’t get the Knights wrong. They love forcing the offense to make mistakes, winning the turnover battle, and limiting points.

And for those scoring at home, they’ve given up only 30 points all season, have come through with 13 turnovers, including 10 interceptions, and have recorded 10 sacks.

“We want to win the turnover battle and negative-yardage-play battle, but it all falls back on trusting each other and pursuing the football every play,” senior defensive back Conner Grover said. “Big things happen when we are all pursuing the ball and playing hard.”

Teammate Mac Watts, a senior linebacker, agrees, and doesn’t spend too much time looking back at the stats.

“Our focus is on our 1/11 and doing our job. Sticking to the process,” Watts said. “If we have a great process, the end product is going to be really good. The stats are cool and all, but we just want to be the best 1/11 we can be for our defense.”

Wartburg head coach Chris Winter admits he doesn’t spend a whole lot of time admiring the stats.

Never mind that his team has given up just over 1,100 yards in five games (1,104), with only 153 of those coming on the ground, or that the unbeaten Knights (5-0) have held four opponents to single digits, pitching one shutout along the way.

“I don’t really sit back and look at the numbers, but obviously I look at the numbers on the scoreboard and we certainly keep points off the board,” Winter said. “It’s been impressive what this defense has done.”

There are a lot of reasons for the success. Having defensive coordinator Matt Tschetter on staff is a big help. He has been on staff for eight seasons and has been the defensive coordinator since the 2021 season.

“He’s a great coach. We think he’s the best defensive coach in the country,” Tyler said. “Just his philosophy on playing defense, he has instilled it in us from day one. We practice the fundamentals and the basics, and we get better at it as we get older in our careers. It’s really showing this year.”

That is the thing about Wartburg’s defense. It’s not complicated. And yet, it is so effective.

“Our defense is not overly complex,” Winter said. “It’s a matter of learning the fundamentals and competing at a high level. Our guys have a motor and they make it hard for people to move the football.”

Winter adds his team doesn’t really ‘surprise anyone’ by the way it lines up, but he points out the players play with a ton of confidence and can adjust on the fly because of the simplicity of the defense.

“We can make adjustments without having to go to the sideline,” Winter said. “There is enough simplicity to our defense that if a team comes out and does something we didn’t expect, the adjustments are built in.

“It gives our guys the freedom to play fast and physical, and not overthink,” Winter added.

Grover, whose older brother, Owen, was the D3football.com 2023 Defensive Player of the Year, loves it. And he loves that he and his teammates can count on each other.

“Its 100 percent effort on every play because we know everyone else is doing their job. We have each other’s backs,” Grover said. “If I miss a tackle or mess up, as long as it's within my leverage and assignment, there are 10 other guys running to the ball and playing hard to make you right.”

As far as Tyler is concerned, it’s a difference maker.

“It makes a big difference knowing your teammate is going to make a big play. It gives you a lot of confidence each game to play to your potential and fly around,” Tyler said.

Watts said the bond the defense shares plays into the defense’s ability to play up to its potential.

“We have a brotherhood here. All of us are really close,” Watts said. “We have no fear of making mistakes. We just play with 100 percent effort on every play and trust each other.”

Winter said the trust among the players, as well as the confidence they have in each other is obvious. It’s why he isn’t surprised by the success of the defense.

“If everyone is buying in and everyone is going out there and doing what they are coached to do, not trying to be a one-man show, good things are going to happen,” Winter said.

Practice is where it all starts. The defense benefits from getting to face a pretty good offense week in and week out.

“We are fortunate we make each other better,” Watts said. “We are all best friends, but we all compete hard in practice and fight for every play.”

Winter calls it iron sharpening iron and said it gets pretty competitive in practice.

“They challenge and push each other. There’s a lot of back and forth,” Winter said. “It’s a big deal when you have two units that are very competitive, and you have success when both sides challenge each other. I’d be concerned if they weren’t, and if there was no back and forth.”

As good as Wartburg has been, there is always room to be better. The players understand as much.

“With each win, there is always something to learn,” Grover said. “We watch film, learn from it, and work to get better. We work on our shortcomings from the week before.”

A year ago, the Knights made it to the third round of the NCAA playoffs, finishing 10-2. They have their sights set on another run this year, but no one is looking too far ahead.

“One week at a time,” Tyler said. “The next opponent is the most important. We embrace every opportunity we get. The season is short, so we are having fun as we go, and just want to keep doing what we do best.”

Wartburg has done a good job of that so far and have won 29 consecutive ARC games, tying a conference record. The Knights approach every game as if a trophy is on the line.

“Every week we are playing for a championship,” Winter said. “We’re not looking at a team’s record or how a game might look easy on paper. If we did that, we wouldn't be pushing ourselves to our standard. Every day is a chance to get better and we have to prepare every week like we are playing for a championship if we want to win and get to where we want to go.”