The Defensive End: Up or Down?

Chuck Martin is quite familiar with success. Martin will begin his third year as head football coach at Grand Valley State University, the winningest Division II football program in the country. He has led the Lakers to 23 wins, a D-II National Championship, a 13-game winning streak and a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) title. The Lakers’ success begins and ends with defense. Eleven of GVSU’s 13 opponents were held to 17 points or less and seven scored 10 points or fewer. The Lakers shut out opponents in 25 of 52 quarters during the 2006 season. Martin says the Lakers prefer playing their defensive ends down, but he certainly sees reasons why coaches might prefer the other option. “This is one of those interesting topics where there is a pro and a con,” Martin said. “We certainly understand why people are having their ends up. A lot of it has to do with