WASHINGTON – The Georgetown University football team is just eight days away from its season opener when the Hoyas play host to Marist on September 4 at Cooper Field. As the squad begins to wrap up preseason camp and focus solely on its Week One opponent, GUHoyas.com is taking an in-depth look at each of the team's position groups, with this edition featuring the defensive line.
 
Georgetown's defensive line unit has been among best in the Patriot League for the past several seasons, and led the whole conference in 2019 in total defense (295.1 ypg) and scoring defense (16.6 ppg), while ranking second in rushing defense (140.5 ypg). The front line of the Hoya defense allowed less than 100 rushing yards against four opponents and had at least 4.0 sacks in three contests. While the Blue & Gray bring in nine new faces into the position group this season, the squad returns a core group of veteran leaders that will look to keep the unit at the top of the Patriot League.
 
"Our defensive line group has been working hard through camp and is ready to continue the hard work as we start the season," said Assistant Coach Jamie Sharper. "The returning upperclassmen have previous game experience with all-conference ability. As a staff,we will look to maximize that ability while incorporating the deep interior talents of the underclassmen who have joined our program in the last two years." 
 
Veteran Returners

• Seniors Ibrahim Kamara and Quincy Chinwuko lead the returning upperclassmen as each appeared in all 11 games in 2019, registering 30 and 27 tackles, respectively.
• Kamara led the GU defense with 4.0 sacks to go along with 6.0 TFL, while Chinwuko chipped in 5.0 TFL.
• Senior Isaiah Byrd also appeared in all 11 games as a sophomore, finishing with six tackles and 1.0 TFL, while Brady Weas added a pair of tackles.
• Juniors Tony Gyimah Jr. and Tyler Jones each recorded 2.0 tackles as freshman in 2019, combining to appear in three games.

 
New Faces

• Sophomores Kwame Achampong and Stephen Brooks each come to the Hilltop after decorated high school careers where they were both multi-year captains.
• Noah Gick and Andrew Messineo were both all-state selections in high school, and Messineo set his school career record in tackles (292) and sacks (22).
• Arlingcove Paul was a two-time captain and twice earned team MVP honors, while Max Villar recorded 57 tackles, 19.0 TFL and 13.0 sacks as a senior in 2019 while forcing a fumble and recovering two others.
• VeRon Garrison leads a trio of freshman at the position, having earned all-region honors in 2020 after leading his league in tackles (58) and sacks (8) as a senior while also registering 18.0 TFL.
• Ibri Harrell helped lead his high school program to three district championships, recording 76 tackles, 13.0 sacks, 11.0 TFL and four forced fumbles as a junior.
• Ethan Hunt was a two-time all-state selection, finishing his career with 176 tackles and 12.5 sacks.

 
The Hoyas open the 2021 season on September 4 when the Blue & Gray welcomes Marist to Cooper Field. Georgetown will play five home games this fall, including three Patriot League matchups and a nonconference tilt against Harvard (September 18). Tickets for all five games at Cooper Field are now on sale and can be purchased HERE.