Glenville State defensive backfield should shine
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GLENVILLE -- The defensive secondary for Glenville State University head coach Mike Kellar should be a strong suit this season as the back end features senior nickel Dane Lynch, Jr. along with sophomores Shaun Sterling Jr. at strong safety and Brandon Penn at free safety.
Lynch, who is from Long Reach High School in Maryland and is about to graduate with a degree in athletic conditioning and coaching, said he first came to Glenville for a Pioneer football camp in 2017.
"Once you settle in you really start to enjoy it," Lynch said of Gilmer County. "I started to enjoy the quiet life. Not a lot of people. It's a small town, but there are great people around the community.
"It's really active and supportive of the football team and just the school in general. We get a lot of support at the games and in the community. Glenville is a great place to be."
The senior said he suffered a fractured right foot during the fourth game last year, but continued to play on it for a bit before taking himself out of the affair because he wasn't feeling 100%.
X-rays after the game confirmed the break, but he's fully recovered now.
"To guard the number two receiver, guard the slot receiver," explained Lynch of his defensive duties. "I blitz a lot and come off the edge. Be the voice, the leader of the defense.
"I say the formation of the offense coming out and their tendencies, where the running back is and make sure to keep an eye out and communicate and let everyone know what they are doing."
Sterling, a graduate of East St. John High School in Louisiana, landed in Glenville thanks to former Pioneer assistant coach Steve Adams.
"He recruited me since middle school," Sterling recalled of Adams who at the time was at Southern University. "He went to Glenville and he recruited me here."
Coming from Louisiana to West Virginia was indeed a little bit of a culture shock for Sterling.
"It's way different," he said. "Back home it's like everything is flat. We are below sea level. The air is different up here, more cleaner air and the heat is different back home.
"At first it took some time to get used to it. It's different from back home. I'm liking it and making some good friends. Teammates are nice and the classes are easy. I'm liking it."
Despite being picked to finish ninth in the Mountain East Conference, Sterling and company have higher hopes.
"We are coming back to have a better season this year," Sterling admitted. "Right now our team is very competitive. We are looking very strong. I try to set an example.
"I don't really talk much though. I let the game speak for me. I bring a lot of energy. Run, hit, get excited. That's what coach always says."
Penn, a Parkersburg South graduate who was named the 2019 JR House Award Winner for being the best quarterback in the Mountain State, is coming off a seven interception campaign where he earned first team honors in the MEC.
"The thing about practice is it's really easy to show your talents," Penn said. "There's only so much pressure. I just want to see how well people do when it comes to game time if they can play the same.
"We've always had good athletes on our team. I want to see how everyone plays during game time with the pressure of the crowd and the atmosphere and all that. If we keep doing what we've been doing I think we'll be straight."
As much as Penn likes to show off his talents with picking off passes, he wants to add forcing fumbles to his repertoire this season. He also enjoys doing his part on special teams.
"Those special teams plays where all I got to do is give max effort are one of my favorite positions to be in," explained Penn, who had a blocked punt last year against Notre Dame. "It's just me versus another guy and it makes it simple.
"The way his foot was aligned he obviously had inside leverage so I basically ran straight into the top of his toes and as soon as he tried to get a hand on me I dove underneath him and went for the punt. Plus he was backing up and that made it a lot easier."
Lynch added that he honestly feels it's "the best team atmosphere we've had. It feels like everyone locked in this summer. People came back bigger, faster, stronger. There's more of a team camaraderie. There's more of a family. When teams break it down and say family, I feel like we really mean it this time and everyone supports each other whether you are a starter or a backup. It's next man up mentality.
"We all have one goal in mind and we are all on that same page. It's (being part of the secondary) amazing. It's like a rush feeling. We all know where we are supposed to be and what to do. We're on the same page and we communicate. Knowing you have those other guys back there it gives you another sense, a trust feeling. I trust that guy next to me. He's going to make the play, especially Brandon Penn and Sterling. Those two guys are really great people."
Sterling definitely agreed with that assessment.
"Our biggest part together is trust. We all trust each other," Sterling said. "We plan on coming out strong."
The G-men open the season at 7 p.m. today in Illinois versus Quincy University.
Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com