Added Derrick Brown, "It's a challenge every week, right? For our edges, for our OLBs to be able to set the edge on us, to be able to help keep the flow inside contained. Teams try to run reverses, get the ball into the speedy guy's hands, get around us on the end. It's just a lot of moving factors right now, people trying to find a way to move the ball against us, and every single week, there's another challenge ahead."
Once the rusher is turned in, it's every hat to the ball.
It's a philosophy coaches preach all the time—everyone swarms to the ball—but it isn't always executed. As the Panthers have strengthened their run defense this season, swarming has become increasingly evident.
"One of our values on the team is effort," said Umanmielen. "Everybody just tries to give full-out effort, you know, we don't really, we try not to tolerate low effort, so whenever that ball gets out or whenever that ball is handed off, we try to get all 11 guys running to the ball."
It's an effort that has shown itself time and again in recent weeks, as the Panthers have established a new identity with their rush defense, from the trenches to the edges, and everyone in between.