This is the sixth in a series of articles previewing the 2015 football season at Missouri S&T.  The daily stories will feature one position, or a set of positions, each weekday through August 6.  The stories will be available at 11 a.m., each day.

Today's story features the Miner linebackers.

ROLLA, Mo. -- Missouri S&T has had several standouts at linebacker over the course of the last decade, from Mario Gant to Justin Butler to Chris Emesih, who was the Great Lakes Valley Conference's defensive "Player of the Year" in 2013.

Last fall, the Miners may have found the next player to continue that tradition of excellence at the linebacker spot when they plugged true freshman Dillon Bowman (St. Peters, Mo./Fort Zumwalt South) into the lineup – and he responded with a season where he filled the stat sheet.

In the 2014 campaign, Bowman finished fourth on the team in tackles with 59, while also making a sack, intercepting a pass and blocking an extra point that proved to be the difference in the Miners' best win of the season, a 14-13 triumph at Saint Joseph's.

"Dillon was thrown into the mix when Rob Cidlik (Eureka, Mo./Eureka) was injured and he went out and had a great freshman season," Fenwick said.  "He's not only athletic and physical, but what's really been fun is watching him during spring practice and just knowing the defense and as a second year guy, being able the show the younger players what they need to do on the field.  He really understands our scheme – as far as what everyone needs to do – and is turning into a great leader for us."

S&T also returns Cidlik, who held that starting role early in the season before injuries kept him out of the lineup in the second half of the year.  While he was on the field, Cidlik had 23 tackles that included two for a loss.

"Rob is a relentless player who really loves the game of football," Fenwick said.  "We'll probably do some different things with him, like play him at the will linebacker spot to move him closer to the line to rush more as well as have him drop back in coverage.  This has been a good position move for him which would allow us to get our better players on the field."

However, S&T was hit hard by graduation at that position, losing two of its top three tacklers from last season from the linebacker corps.  But as Fenwick notes, there are plenty of experienced players back who could work their way either into the starting lineup or at least into the rotation.

S&T has several hybrid players – headed by Austin Truvillion (Kansas City, Mo./Park Hill), who played in all 11 games last fall and sophomore Nate Brown (Webb City, Mo./Webb City) -- who will also contend for the roles held by last year's leading tackler, Nick Kruse (Cuba, Mo./Cuba HS) and two-year starter Zach Melber (St. Louis, Mo./Oakville).  That group includes redshirt freshmen Gabe Marcantonio (Jefferson City, Mo./Jefferson CIty) and Landon Compton (Lamar, Mo./Lamar).

"We have a lot of guys that we're still trying to figure out where they fit in," Fenwick said.  "Our defense is unique in that we have a number of players that can play at a number of different positions.  This is a blue collar, hard-working group of players that just loves to play.

"Most of these players have some special teams experience, so at least they've been on the field," Fenwick said.  "Now we can get them more into a defensive role."

2015 MISSOURI S&T FOOTBALL PREVIEW SERIES
July 27 – Quarterbacks
July 28 – Running Backs
July 29 – Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
July 30 – Offensive Line
July 31 – GLVC Media Day/Pre-Season Poll
August 3 – Defensive Line
August 4 – Linebackers
August 5 – Defensive Backs
August 6 – Special Teams