DENNIS SILVA II | STAFF WRITER
MERCEDES — By the numbers, Mercedes’ defense is orchestrated through the linebackers. Roger Adame III, Sebastian De Leon, Bryan Smith and Eric Hinojosa account for 48.8 percent of the Tigers’ tackles per game and 66 percent of their total sacks.
But in truth, it’s the play of the defensive line that dictates that success. It’s the basic job of the three linemen — seniors Rolando Rincon and Ivan Zapata, and junior Jose Villarreal — to engage offensive linemen, allowing the linebackers to run free toward the quarterback.
Heading into this season, however, there was some unknown with a defensive line returning just one starter (Rincon). But over time, through a 0-3 start and now a 3-0 District 32-5A standing, the line has played above and beyond what was expected.
“Up front, we’ve been very fortunate that, even against double teams, they’re able to get off blocks,” coach Roger Adame Jr. said. “Physicality and speed to the ball is what we preach, and that starts with the D-line.”
Mercedes (3-3, 3-0 32-5A) finished last season as the best defense in the Rio Grande Valley, per average yards allowed. And while seven starters return from that unit, there was a big hole on the line at nose guard.
Not surprisingly, the Tigers looked at their linebackers for an answer and found Zapata, already a strong, brute attacker. Zapata refined his speed and quickness during the offseason, hungry to play a key role on the line. Under Adame, the nose guard requires an explosive athlete who is a good runner, someone who gets off blocks and has a knack for the ball after making initial contact.
“His background as a linebacker and his athletic ability led to that knack,” Adame said. “He’s powerful and strong. He had good speed for a linebacker, but now he has really good speed as a nose guard.”
The rest was easy to fill in. Villarreal had an impressive junior varsity season last year and simply needed more experience. Rincon had to grow into a leadership role, but already had proved his talent.
The Tigers’ line is faster, though not as big as last year’s. But Rincon, Villarreal and Zapata execute what Adame demands: they take on blocks, get off blocks and make plays when the opportunity approaches. They can play up-field on passing downs or take on blocks to open lanes for the linebackers.
“As soon as last season ended, we hit the weight room hard,” Villarreal said. “We were running sprints every day. We knew this would be a year to prove ourselves. We knew we had to earn the coaches’ trust.”
They’ve done that, and more. Adame has his line involved more in containment. The line has more coverage responsibilities instead of playing with hands on the ground.
“Last year, we’d take the blocks and the linebackers would move in,” Rincon said. “Now we’re doing more. We have to make more reads and make more decisions based on formations. It’s fun. It means more tackles and making more plays.”
Through Mercedes’ 0-3 start — against Calallen, McAllen Rowe and Weslaco High — the line went through baptism by fire.
“The No. 1 thing is they learned to make the play, not just wait for someone else to make the play,” Adame said.
Adame added they learned to get off blocks, running up against quality offensive lines in Calallen and Weslaco High that boast sound technique. They learned to recover from bad spots.
“Last year going into district, I felt like we weren’t hit hard,” Rincon said. “Our intensity and aggressiveness wasn’t right. Only Calallen gave us a run. But this year, we had Calallen, we had McAllen Rowe which is a lot better, we had Weslaco. We had to get our minds right quick.
“We’re all together now. We’re all on the same page. Teams know we have a good defense, we hear them say it. But they don’t really know. They think they do. But we’re coming and we’re going to hit them.”
The Tigers allow 15.3 points on 251.3 yards per game. They are not quite the best defense in 32-5A — Brownsville Lopez is — but they’re confident they will end up where they expected to be all along.
“We have faith,” Villarreal said, “that we’re getting back on track to being the best defense in the Valley.”