This is the fourth in an eight-part series previewing the Texas State Bobcats position by position.

July 28, 2007

SAN MARCOS - Nick Clark and Nate Langford have been starters since the first snap of the 2004 season. While he didn't become a starter until last fall, Ramel Borner has also seen significant playing time dating back to the '04 season.

Together, they all return to lead the Bobcat's defensive front. All three received preseason all-conference acknowledgement last week during the Southland Conference Media Days. Clark was named Preseason All-SLC First Team while both Borner and Clark are Preason All-SLC Second-Team selections.

Then there's the other piece of the front-four puzzle ... the defensive tackle position. Wellington Deshield began the 2006 season as the starter at the position. A knee injury in the Bobcats' opener against Tarleton State however would sideline him for the year. Now, Deshield returns following surgery last fall and is on the road to being back in a starting role this coming season.

"I am excited to see Wellington back," Texas State co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach Kyle Tietz said. "He is going to provide us something we did not have last year. He is a guy who has continually gotten better and better during spring ball. While he was still recovering from knee surgery, he continued to do impressing things daily."

Deshield actually played both sides of the ball as a freshman including time at fullback. He would move to the defensive side of the football fulltime as a sophomore and play defensive end. Then, he was asked to bulk up to play an interior line position. While last season was lost, Deshield was granted a medical red-shirt by the NCAA and will have two years of eligibility remaining.

It definitely set Texas State back when Deshield was injured the first week of the year because of his familiarity with the position. The Bobcats return others who have seen some playing time but developing players who can play in the trenches continues to be a goal heading into the fall.

"Our biggest question right now is depth," Tietz said. "We have some young defensive tackles who have had a taste of being in a game but they have not had the full baptism yet. And we need to see how they will perform in the heat of battle.

"Back up wise, we have true defensive tackle body types. It is just a matter of getting them out there and getting them used to the schemes and physicalness of the game."

Junior college transfer Ray Parker III wil vie for immediate playing time while walkon Juston Hargrove, who was a member of the scout team last year, could also figure in to the mix.

At defensive end behind Clark and Langford, Donovan King continues to be on pace to have a phenomenal year.

"Donovan is a versatile guy who we feel comfortable at end or tackle," Tietz said. "He will probably play at both positions."

Missing on the defensive line to begin August will be Travis Houston who is moving to linebacker to fill a void. Houston played last year as a true freshman and will be evaluated at middle linebacker in August.

"For Travis, it is a matter of how we can get him on the field as quickly as we can," Tietz said. "When we talk about decisions like the one affecting Travis, we visit as a group. I don't want to keep our players in the dark. Everybody agrees he is too good of a player not to have him on the field."

While depth will continue to be developed in August, the key is the returning nucleus formed by Borner, Clark and Langford who shaped the core of Texas State's defense.

With the threesome returning, it is actually allowing the Bobcats to simplify schemes. Their experience should allow the Bobcats to do more with four-man pressure on passing plays.

"We should be able to do that much more without having to add additional people into a pass rush," Tietz said. "It's phenomenal to have three players that bring their amount of experience to this team.

"They are all assistant coaches for me," Tietz added. "I have no problem starting a drill and letting one of them run it while I go start another drill with a couple other guys. They do a good job coaching the younger guys and the guys who are new to the program and help bring them along."

Clark has registered 121 tackles, 18 tackles for lost yards and 6.5 quarterback sacks in three seasons. Last year he registered 31 tackles. Langford was one of the Bobcats' leading tacklers in 2006 with 43 stops. Over his career he has tallied 99 total tackles, including nine for lost yards and 5.5 quarterback sacks. In his first year as a starter, Borner had 31 tackles. Through three seasons he has 75 career stops.