TOWSON, Md. - When Brian Fleury, the Tigers' secondary coach, was a record-setting quarterback at Seneca Valley High School, it would have been hard to imagine that he would become a defensive coach at the collegiate level.
However, it is no surprise that he became a college football coach.
In high school, he played for his stepfather, Coach Terry Changuris. A first team All-State quarterback, he passed for a school record 2,025 yards and 26 touchdowns in his senior season. He also helped Seneca Valley win back-to-back Montgomery County championships.
During his college career as a quarterback at Towson, Fleury was known as a very smart player who had a thorough knowledge of the offense.
His coaching career began in 2003 when he was a graduate assistant coach at the University of Maryland.
By the time Rob Ambrose became the Tigers' head football coach in 2009, Fleury had built an impressive resume - as a defensive coach.
"Having played quarterback for as long as I did, I guess it's ironic that I am a defensive coach," Coach Fleury says. "But, my offensive experience has actually helped me understand defenses. For years, I was studying defensive secondaries. So, that knowledge has translated into knowing how to coach defensive backs. Plus, my offensive background enables me to bring a different dimension to our defensive staff meetings."
After spending three seasons as the defensive coordinator at Sacred Heart University, Coach Fleury returned to his alma mater when Coach Ambrose hired him as the Tigers' Secondary Coach and Special Teams Coordinator.
In his second season as a member of the Tigers' staff, Coach Fleury is very excited about the talent that makes up the Tigers' secondary this year.
He has also been impressed with the way the defensive backs have learned schemes and coverages.
"Things are much easier this year," he says. "There has been a level of trust established between the players and the coaches. In their defense, they had different coaches three years in a row before we came in.
"Every one of these players is a student of the game," he adds. "Their overall knowledge of the game has been outstanding. It's a credit to these guys how well they have learned. At this point, many of them know the entire defense."
The secondary may be the most experienced unit on the Tiger roster this season. Seniors Jeremy Gardner and Ollie Thomas are the starting cornerbacks for the fourth year in a row. In addition, senior Ray White is a two-year starter at safety.
"There is no substitution for experience," says Coach Fleury. "We have a very good combination of seniors and young guys. The seniors have provided excellent leadership and they have taught the younger players how we do things."
Gardner, who was bitten by the injury bug in 2007 and 2008, has started 28 of 29 games in his career. In 2009, he was third on the team with 64 tackles and was eighth in the Colonial Athletic Association in tackles by defensive backs. In his career, the Spotsylvania, Va. native has broken up 11 passes and has intercepted two passes.
A native of Oxon Hill, Md., Thomas has played in all 34 games of his career and he has started 27 times. He enters the 2010 season with a streak of 23 consecutive starts. In his career, he has made 135 tackles while breaking up 13 passes. The lone interception of his career came in the end zone of the Tigers' 31-24 win over Columbia in 2008. It was a key play and helped the Tigers edge Columbia.
"Jeremy and Ollie are very similar," says Coach Fleury. "They are very smart cornerbacks and they are among the fastest players on the team. Jeremy is a very talented athlete with a great understanding of our defense. Ollie is fearless. He plays much bigger than his size.
"Pound for pound, they both have tremendous strength and we're probably going to use them as return men on special teams," he added.
Sophomore Dwayne Price will be the top backup at both corner spots. As a first-year freshman, he appeared in ten games. He made 15 tackles and broke up three passes.
"Dwayne did very well as a first-year freshman last year," said Fleury. He is a very smart player and we're looking for him to mature and take a more active role on our defense this season."
A starter at free safety since his sophomore season, White has made 96 tackles in his career. He has also intercepted five passes. Last year, he had 48 tackles and led the team with five interceptions.
"Ray was a quarterback in high school," notes Coach Fleury. "That enables him to look at everything from a different perspective. He has the ability to anticipate what may happen."
At the strong safety position, the Tigers are very fortunate to have added a very talented newcomer, sophomore Jordan Dangerfield. A product of Royal Palm Beach, Fla., Dangerfield transferred to Towson from Hofstra when Hofstra eliminated its football program in December of 2009.
As a first-year freshman at Hofstra, he appeared in eight games and started once. He made 23 tackles in a reserve role. Dangerfield also led the team with two interceptions for 54 yards.
"Jordan is a great addition to our secondary," says Coach Fleury. "He is young but he has quality experience in the CAA. He did very well in the weight room once he arrived here. Since we will lose four seniors from the secondary, he will be a leader for us in the future."
Depth in the secondary will be also be provided by senior Chris Sheahin and junior Nick Oates. Sheahin is a converted wide receiver who has done very well at defensive back in the pre-season. He also serves as the long snapper on the Tigers' special teams.
Called "the most intense player in the secondary" by Coach Fleury, Oates has a tremendous amount of potential. However, he has been hindered by injuries the last two seasons.
"If Nick can stay healthy, he could help us a lot," added Fleury. "He is one of the fastest players on the team and he has a nasty streak in him. He loves to play football."
As the Tigers' Special Teams Coordinator, Coach Fleury utilizes many of the defensive backs.
"What we need on special teams are good football players who give a lot of effort and have aggressive attitudes," he says. "Most everyone in the secondary fits that description. We have invested a lot of time in improving our special teams."
He adds, "Although we use a number of defensive backs on special teams, I enjoy coaching special teams because it enables me to work with players with whom I don't normally interact ."
As part of the effort to improve special teams play, the Tigers have added three kickers to the roster this season, senior Nick Wallace and a pair of freshmen, D.J. Soven and Bryce Thompson.
A transfer from the University of Maryland where he never appeared in a game the last two years, Wallace enjoyed a spectacular freshman year at Indiana (Pa.). In his lone season at IUP, he made 11 of 13 field goal attempts and converted 30 of 33 conversion tries. Named as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year in 2006, he kicked the game-winning field goal in overtime against Edinboro. He also set a school record by kicking four field goals in a game.
"Nick is a huge addition to our special teams," says Fleury. "He is very accurate on his field goal tries and his kickoffs regularly travel inside the ten-yard line."
Although Soven and Thompson are also place kickers, they are staging a competitive battle for the job as the Tigers' regular punter. No matter who wins the competition, it is likely that the Tigers' punting game will be much improved.
One of Coach Fleury's major objectives this season is to have a Tiger return a kick for a touchdown. No Tiger has returned a punt for a TD since Dennis Cliggett returned one 71 yards against Fordham in 1998.
There have only been five kickoff returns for touchdowns in the history of Tiger football. Maurice Sydnor was the last Tiger to accomplish the feat when he went 86 yards for a TD in 1995.
"As a team, it is our goal to end the drought," says Coach Fleury. "It has been a long time since we scored on a kick return. We feel we have the people to do that this season."
Senior Hakeem Moore has been the Tigers' kickoff return specialist the last two years and he has come very close to returning a kickoff for a TD. Last year, he was third in the CAA as he averaged 22.5 yards per kickoff return. He also had three kickoff returns of more than 40 yards.
In his career, he has a 22.4 average.
"Hakeem came very close to bringing one all the way back last year," says Fleury. "There were several times he was only a block or two away. We hope we can give him those blocks this season."
Gardner will be the Tigers' punt return specialist this season.
Fleury says, "Jeremy feels very comfortable back there. He has good hands and he has excellent speed. We are going to use him there as much as we can."
The Tigers' secondary and their special teams will be making their 2010 debut when Towson opens its 2010 season at Indiana University next Thursday night.
