This is the 26th of The Athlete's Connection's 30 football previews in 30 days leading up to the season-opening games Thursday. Today, Dave Purpura visits with several Eisenhower defensive players and new head coach Ray Evans.

It’s almost impossible to believe that any defensive unit featuring a 6-foot-3, 300-pound tackle can operate in relative anonymity.

That’s not to mention the defensive back who can’t even answer his phone and won’t divulge his e-mail address because recruiters continue to hound him despite a recent verbal commitment.

Six other starters are back, too, for an Eisenhower defense that allowed less than 10 points during an eight-game winning streak last year that earned the Eagles their first district championship in five years and an area-round playoff appearance.

But understandably, much of the attention from outsiders is focused on an Eagles offense that features Texas commit Greg Timmons at receiver and can’t-miss Division I signees in quarterback Kenneth Guiton, running back Curtis McGregor and receiver Jazz Reynolds.

They even have that defensive back, Craig Loston, a Clemson commit who doubles as a receiver and may play some quarterback.

Nonetheless …

“I’m really looking for those guys to dominate,” said head coach Ray Evans, defensive coordinator the past three years. “They have size, speed, they’re very aggressive … and our linebacking group behind them, that’s another group who should do real well.

“People are just so offensive-minded. When you have the skill kids we do and Craig at safety, people do tend to forget about the kids on defense. As the year went along, we got to be pretty good.”

The line is fueled by huge tackle Jay Guy and two more returners in seniors Drew Moore and Marcus Thompson. Thompson had a team-high 20 sacks last year and Moore added 13.

Left end Cqulin Hubert, a junior, came on during last season and has bulked up to 6-3 ½, 225 pounds.

Outside linebacker Brandon Boyd started every game in 2007. Even though he stands 5-11, 215, he won the district 100-meter run championship as a freshman and was second to Timmons in the same race last year.

“We have a good offense and a good defense. We play as a team,” Hubert said. “We don’t worry about what everyone else is saying.”

Eisenhower came of age after an 0-3 start against perennial powers Humble, North Shore and Lufkin. The Eagles roared through District 19-5A, recording their first unbeaten district title since 2003 and flashing a dominance unseen in the program since 1997-2003, during which time they went 74-17 and lost to Midland Lee in the 1999 state championship game.

Yet another addition is junior Robert Young, a 6-1, 225-pound converted fullback who moved across the field for several reasons.

“He was a find for us. He can really play linebacker,” Evans said. “He’s always had an offensive mentality. I told him before the spring game we were going to find a way to put him on the field, but in a spread offense at 6-1, 225 and with Curtis McGregor at running back, your chances at offense are limited. But he can do some wonderful things out on the field at linebacker. We sold him on it and he bought into it and had a great, great spring.”

A lifelong offensive player, Young said he’s had few troubles adjusting.

“Harder plays; it’s more complicated than offensive plays. I have to get used to that,” he said.

That’s probably one reason the Eagles are too busy focusing on improvement to listen to predictions.

“We hear a lot of people talking about Eisenhower … and a lot of people are saying ‘but they can’t do this,’ ‘but they can’t do that,’ ” said Loston, who committed to Clemson in April but has continued to entertain other offers – including from defending national champion LSU, to which first cousin Russell Shepard, the Cypress Ridge quarterback, committed in March. “We’re gonna try and take care of all of the ‘but’s.

“Our theme right now is 16 diamonds. It’s 16 games to the state championship so we have to win all of them to get what we want.”

EISENHOWER 2008 SCHEDULE
Aug. 29: at Fort Bend Hightower, 7:30 p.m. (at Mercer Stadium)

Sept. 5: North Shore, 7:30 p.m. (at Thorne Stadium)
Sept. 11: at Elsik, 7:30 p.m. (at Crump Stadium)

Sept. 19: Beaumont West Brook, 7:30 p.m. (at Thorne Stadium)
+Sept. 26: Kingwood, 7:30 p.m. (at Thorne Stadium)

+Oct. 4: MacArthur, 7:30 p.m. (at Thorne Stadium)

+Oct. 10: Humble, 7:30 p.m. (at Thorne Stadium)
+Oct. 18: Nimitz, 6 p.m. (at Thorne Stadium)
+Oct. 25: Aldine, 6 p.m. (at Thorne Stadium)
+Oct. 31: Atascocita, 7:30 p.m. (at Turner Stadium)
+ District 19-5A game

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