Lenoir-Rhyne and Johnson C. Smith have made it tough on opposing offenses so far this season.
Statistically speaking, the Bears and Golden Bulls have the best total defense numbers across North Carolina — by far — and both boast top five defenses nationally at the Division II level after three weeks of play.
Lenoir-Rhyne leads the state and ranks second in total defense and scoring defense at the D2 level, giving up just 119 yards and 5.7 points per game.
Johnson C. Smith sits second in North Carolina in both categories. The Bulls are fourth in Division II in total defense (166.3 yards per game) and sixth in scoring defense (10 ppg).
LR has won its first three games, while JCSU owns a 2-1 mark, the lone blemish a 14-9 loss to Walsh (Ohio).
“I am really proud of the effort and how well we’re executing,” Lenoir-Rhyne coach Mike Jacobs said of his squad. “We continue to be a tough outfit to run the football against.”
Case in point, this past Saturday. The Bears blanked Erskine 62-0. The visiting Flying Fleet literally were grounded — posting minus-20 rushing yards and a mere 56 total yards the whole night. Lenoir-Rhyne held defending CIAA champion Fayetteville State to 10 points and 263 yards in week two. The Bears beat St. Augustine’s 45-7 in week one, holding the Falcons to two rushing yards and 50 through the air.
“I think the truly incredible thing (against Erskine) is we played a ton of young guys in the second half,” Jacobs said. “I don’t know that our starters played much if at all in the second half on defense.”
Linebacker Jon Ross Maye already has 8.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Andre Jefferson and Zeke Nance have 4.5 TFLs apiece. As a team, the Bears have recorded 17 stops behind the line of scrimmage.
Only Benedict has had a stingier defense than Lenoir-Rhyne at the Division II level. The Tigers, who took down Shaw 52-0 on opening weekend, are allowing only 109 yards per game and have given up one total touchdown (with an extra point) thus far.
It has been a decade since Johnson C. Smith has started 2-1. The Golden Bulls have been building from the defensive side of the ball thus far. Opponents are gaining just 2.2 yards per rushing play and 56 yards on the ground per game. The Bulls have surrendered only one passing touchdown.
Benari Black and Jack Smith have been tackling machines for the Golden Bulls. Smith had 10 tackles, including three hits behind the line of scrimmage, in the win over Bluefield State on Saturday. Benari Black earned nine tackles and three TFLs the week before against Walsh and amassed an amazing 15 stops in week one against West Virginia Wesleyan.
“Last year, we had a lot of young guys,” Smith, a linebacker, told the Charlotte Post this week. “This year we put the pieces together, so this year everybody is more experienced. We work together, we work hard every day. Now that we know what we’ve got this year, all we’ve got to do is go out and play more physical than any other team we play.”
Interestingly, both Lenoir-Rhyne and Johnson C. Smith have blocked two punts this season. Both teams have multiple interceptions. The Bears picked off three passes Saturday against Erskine, bringing one back for a touchdown.
Lenoir-Rhyne will put its unbeaten record on the line at Carson-Newman (1-2) this Saturday at 1 p.m. JCSU will visit Lincoln (Pa.) in CIAA action. That contest has been moved to 1 p.m.
Here is where every team in North Carolina ranks in total defense and scoring defense after Sept. 16 games. Source: NCAA.com.
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Statewide Stats: Total Defense
| TEAM | DIVISION | GAMES | YARDS | YPG | OPP TD |
| Lenoir-Rhyne (3-0) | D2 | 3 | 357 | 119.0 | 2 |
| Johnson C. Smith (3-0) | D2 | 3 | 499 | 166.3 | 4 |
| Elizabeth City State (1-2) | D2 | 3 | 776 | 258.7 | 7 |
| Wingate (1-2) | D2 | 3 | 800 | 266.7 | 6 |
| Fayetteville State (1-2) | D2 | 3 | 872 | 290.7 | 6 |
| Duke (3-0) | FBS | 3 | 902 | 300.7 | 4 |
| NC State (2-1) | FBS | 3 | 920 | 306.7 | 9 |
| Mars Hill (2-0) | D2 | 2 | 635 | 317.5 | 4 |
| Wake Forest (3-0) | FBS | 3 | 974 | 324.7 | 8 |
| St. Augustine’s (0-3) | D2 | 3 | 987 | 329.0 | 16 |
| Catawba (2-1) | D2 | 3 | 994 | 331.3 | 10 |
| Elon (1-2) | FCS | 3 | 1007 | 335.7 | 8 |
| Winston-Salem State (1-2) | D2 | 3 | 1016 | 338.7 | 11 |
| Barton (3-0) | D2 | 3 | 1042 | 347.3 | 7 |
| Gardner-Webb (1-2) | FCS | 3 | 1064 | 354.7 | 12 |
| Greensboro (0-3) | D3 | 2 | 732 | 366.0 | 10 |
| Appalachian State (2-1) | FBS | 3 | 1127 | 375.7 | 12 |
| NC Central (2-1) | FCS | 3 | 1131 | 377.0 | 13 |
| St. Andrews (0-3) | NAIA | 3 | 1146 | 382.0 | N/A |
| North Carolina (3-0) | FBS | 3 | 1148 | 382.7 | 7 |
| NC A&T (0-3) | FCS | 3 | 1155 | 385.0 | 12 |
| Shaw (0-3) | D2 | 3 | 1169 | 389.7 | 13 |
| Chowan (0-3) | D2 | 3 | 1204 | 401.3 | 19 |
| Campbell (2-1) | FCS | 3 | 1207 | 402.3 | 9 |
| UNC Pembroke (1-2) | D2 | 3 | 1215 | 405.0 | 10 |
| Davidson (1-2) | FCS | 3 | 1225 | 408.3 | 10 |
| Guilford (2-1) | D3 | 3 | 1232 | 410.7 | 11 |
| Methodist (0-3) | D3 | 3 | 1233 | 411.0 | 19 |
| Western Carolina (2-1) | FCS | 3 | 1249 | 416.3 | 11 |
| East Carolina (0-3) | FBS | 3 | 1259 | 419.7 | 14 |
| Brevard (0-3) | D3 | 3 | 1260 | 420.0 | 10 |
| Charlotte (1-2) | FBS | 3 | 1266 | 422.0 | 9 |
| Livingstone (0-3) | D2 | 3 | 1308 | 436.0 | 18 |
| NC Wesleyan (0-3) | D3 | 3 | 1353 | 451.0 | 17 |
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Statewide Stats – Scoring Defense
| TEAM | DIVISION | GAMES | OPP PTS | PPG |
| Lenoir-Rhyne (3-0) | D2 | 3 | 17 | 5.7 |
| Duke (3-0) | FBS | 3 | 28 | 9.3 |
| Johnson C. Smith (3-0) | D2 | 3 | 33 | 11.0 |
| Mars Hill (2-0) | D2 | 2 | 30 | 15.0 |
| Wingate (1-2) | D2 | 3 | 45 | 15.0 |
| Barton (3-0) | D2 | 3 | 55 | 18.3 |
| Elizabeth City State (1-2) | D2 | 3 | 55 | 18.3 |
| Fayetteville State (1-2) | D2 | 3 | 60 | 20.0 |
| Wake Forest (3-0) | FBS | 3 | 61 | 20.3 |
| North Carolina (3-0) | FBS | 3 | 64 | 21.3 |
| Davidson (1-2) | FCS | 3 | 66 | 22.0 |
| NC State (2-1) | FBS | 3 | 66 | 22.0 |
| Campbell (2-1) | FCS | 3 | 72 | 24.0 |
| Catawba (2-1) | D2 | 3 | 73 | 24.3 |
| Elon (1-2) | FCS | 3 | 74 | 24.7 |
| Brevard (0-3) | D3 | 3 | 77 | 25.7 |
| Guilford (2-1) | D3 | 3 | 80 | 26.7 |
| Winston-Salem State (1-2) | D2 | 3 | 80 | 26.7 |
| Charlotte (1-2) | FBS | 3 | 82 | 27.3 |
| Western Carolina (2-1) | FCS | 3 | 87 | 29.0 |
| UNC Pembroke (1-2) | D2 | 3 | 91 | 30.3 |
| Appalachian State (2-1) | FBS | 3 | 92 | 30.7 |
| NC A&T (0-3) | FCS | 3 | 92 | 30.7 |
| NC Central (2-1) | FCS | 3 | 96 | 32.0 |
| Gardner-Webb (1-2) | FCS | 3 | 99 | 33.0 |
| Shaw (0-3) | D2 | 3 | 99 | 33.0 |
| St. Augustine’s (0-3) | D2 | 3 | 101 | 33.7 |
| East Carolina (0-3) | FBS | 3 | 104 | 34.7 |
| Greensboro (0-3) | D3 | 3 | 122 | 40.7 |
| Livingstone (0-3) | D2 | 3 | 124 | 41.3 |
| NC Wesleyan (0-3) | D3 | 3 | 126 | 42.0 |
| Methodist (0-3) | D3 | 3 | 137 | 45.7 |
| Chowan (0-3) | D2 | 3 | 140 | 46.7 |
