With just one returning safety in Justin Dowers it may look like it could be a rough year for the secondary but safeties coach Will Giardina says otherwise.

“From top to bottom there is a total of 16 safeties and it is probably one the strongest (groups) since I have been here,” Giardina said. “We have always had 16 but we have not had 16 that know what is going on.

“They have done a great job and are working hard.”

Last season, Dowers started out on third string but with some strong play, he found himself in the starting role beginning with last year's game against Barbe. This why Giardina stresses to his players that they must always be ready.

“At the start of last season, he was probably about third string,” Giardina said. “Two years ago, we ended up using six safeties and last year we ended up using five.

“What I stress to them is that we need six guys that need to know everything from man-to-man defense to the several zone coverages that we have. They have to know all the blitzes off of each coverage. They have to know the strong side and the free side because they do not know who they are going to backup.”

With his knowledge of not only the safety position but also the cornerback position, Giardina said it is like having another coach on the field. As a senior, Dowers has even spent time before school started giving pointers to some of the younger players.

 “He came out and helped the freshmen in practice before school started and would be on the side giving them pointers,” Giardina said. “Mentally he knows were to go.

“He is not a fast guy but he plays fast and gets a good read and he is also excellent on defending the run. It is like having another coach on the field. He (Dowers) knows every coverage and he know the alignment for everyone and plus he knows the corners alignment. He is not a big 'rah-rah' guy. He is a blue collar guy.”

Dowers picked off two passes last year, recovered a fumble and had two tackles for a loss in just four games.

While Dowers will be at the strong safety position, another senior, Greg Conner is working at the free safety spot.

“Greg Conner took over at free safety,” Giardina said. “He is light but he plays heavier than he is.

“He has been playing safety for four years and he has been picking up schemes.”

Seniors Jeremy Crochet and Cory Kowarsch along with juniors Kyle Bourgeois and Justin Johnson are also in the mix.

Zach Owens will see time at both cornerback and safety when the Tors go to a three man defensive front and add another player in the secondary.

“Zach Owens who is also being looked at defensive end will be a big part of the nickel package,” Giardina said. “When we take out one of the defensive lineman we will bring in Zach to play the low safety position, the bandit.”

One thing that will be different this season is the possibility of some players going both ways, which is not common to Class 5A programs.

Corey Olsen and Will Buck will have to learn both the tailback and safety positions.

“Will Buck has come over and is learning the position. He is one of those guys that is doing both,” Giardina said. “One day he is with the running backs and the other day he goes with the safeties

“Corey Olsen goes opposite. When Buck is with the safeties, Corey goes to tailback. Depending on what is going on at tailback will determine how much they help us at safety”

With the many different coverage schemes the Tors plan to use this season, the safeties will have to become proficient in both stopping the run and the pass.

“It depends on the coverage because we usually have nine people in the back,” Giardina said. “If we are in our cover four package with the two safeties down low we get nine in the box to stop the run but we can adjust our coverage to play a little pass heavy.

“Our safeties have to stop the run but they also can't let anyone behind them. Sometimes they are going to play like a linebacker; sometimes they play like a corner. If we seal off the edges then Tahj (Jones) and (Keith) Lemelle can go crazy.”