A season ago, the Valdosta State Blazers came crashing down from what had been their perch atop the Gulf South Conference.

The four-time national champions, who hadn’t had a losing season since 1998, limped to a 5-6 season, going just 2-5 in Gulf South games.

They were breaking in a new coach in Tremaine Jackson, whose background had been in defense, including being a defensive coordinator at the FBS level, before turning to head coaching at Colorado Mesa, then Valdosta State.

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Ironically, and unfortunately, for the Blazers, it was the defense that abandoned them in 2022. While the offense roared, scoring nearly 37 points per game and averaging over 475 yards every time they took the field, the defense allowed opponents to rack up nearly identical numbers. 

The Blazers yielded exactly 37 points per game, were torched on the ground for over 250 yards each week for 2,737 rushing yards allowed. They yielded 472 yards per game, and allowed 56 total touchdowns in their 11 games, more than five per game.

Outside a 55-7 win over Miles College, the Blazer defense gave up 28 points or more in its other 10 games, including four games where they allowed 40 or more points. The low point came against Delta State, giving up 70 and over 700 yards, then two weeks later against Mississippi College, who racked up 598 rushing yards in the game on the way to 49 points.

The season ended up wasting what was one of the best offenses in the country, simply because the defense couldn’t get off the field, forcing only 11 turnovers on the season, and allowing opposing offenses to convert on third down more than 50 percent of the time.

Jump to 2023, and the Blazers' defense is one of the most improved units in the country, and has the team back to its winning ways at 5-0, 2-0 in the Gulf South.

The offense, behind the stellar play of Sammy Edwards, who averages nearly 320 yards per game and has tossed 15 touchdown scores, has erupted to 42 points per game and almost 500 yards of offense each week. 

But a quick look at the defense shows just how improved Valdosta State has been on that side of the ball in every area.

Through five games, the Blazers' defense has allowed 90 points, 18 per game, less than half as many as they averaged last season. The passing defense is allowing a yard less per pass attempt, and fewer yards per game despite teams needing to throw the ball more frequently due to trailing the Blazers.

Where the Blazers have made the biggest change has been up front in the run defense.

In 2022, each time an opposing rusher got a carry, it was over 5.5 yards per carry, an elite number if you’re a running back. The opponents also found the end zone 31 times on the ground in 11 games, nearly three per week. So far in 2023, just 3.3 yards per carry and 103 yards per game, an almost 150 yards per game and over two yards per carry improvement. When the other team isn’t over halfway to a first down after every carry, that goes a long way in allowing the defense to rush the passer or defend the pass.

In a stat that seems almost impossible to believe, the Blazers had just 10 sacks last season. That improved defensive front has already racked up 12 in five games, and has nearly eclipsed last season’s total for tackles for loss, while forcing seven turnovers. Third-down defense has also been helped greatly, giving up first downs at just a 34 percent clip, a 17 percent improvement so far in 2023.

Add it all up, and it’s a 5-0 start where they’ve only had to sweat out one win.

The question now for Valdosta State becomes, can they keep it up? The highest scoring offenses in the Gulf South await, starting this weekend with Delta State, and with West Florida and West Georgia still on the schedule.

If the defense can continue to find enough stops while the offense keeps rolling, the Blazers hope to find themselves back in the playoffs and in the national title conversation.