Richardson making most of his time with defense at Livingstone

Greg Richardson’s career has advanced quite nicely in the last seven years.

Richardson hasn’t forgotten his roots, though.

Richardson, Livingstone’s third-year head football coach, will also serve as the Blue Bears’ defensive coordinator this season.

Richardson filled that role from 1994-96 and will make his 2001 debut Saturday at 2 p.m. against Catawba.

His regression should help the progression of a once-proud but now-maligned defensive unit.

“Greg’s back in charge of that defense, so we’re trying to get ready for that pressure-cooker that he brings,” Catawba coach David Bennett said.

“Back in the hay-day when Livingstone was rolling, he’s the man that was their defensive coordinator, and he brought in all those players they had.”

The Blue Bears went a combined 18-11-1 during those three seasons Richardson led the defense.

Richardson left for Virginia Union before the 1997 season, and the talent he developed at Livingstone helped the Blue Bears win the next two CIAA titles.

Richardson helped turn Virginia Union’s defense from one of the worst in the CIAA to one of the best in Division II.

The Panthers had the conference’s worst run defense before Richardson arrived, but it ranked fifth in Division II in his first season.

Richardson’s defense led the CIAA in scoring defense and total defense one year later.

Richardson will face the difficult but desired task of rebuilding the Blue Bear defense in his second run at Livingstone.

“It’s been fun to get back to calling defenses, putting kids in place and getting them to do the things we want them to do,” Richardson said.

“That’s something I guess over the years I’ve been successful at, and it’ll be a challenge this year to see if we can do the same kinds of things.”

The Blue Bears allowed 29.3 points a game last season en route to a 2-8 finish. And even though six starters are returning, 15 of the remaining 18 defensive players on the two-deep depth chart are freshmen.

One senior (Michael Posey) and two juniors(Tramond Cobb and Demetires Rudolf) are listed as starters, but Livinstone will look for leadership out of standout sophomore Jason Ocean.

Ocean, the starting inside linebacker, had 119 tackles and two interceptions in eight games last season.

Richardson said there’s not a better linebacker around that Ocean.

“I haven’t seen a linebacker with better instincts,”he said. “We’re trying to get Jason now to be more technical, and that would enhance his tackles.”

The Blue Bears are young, but they will play an attacking style of defense. Bennett said he knows what to expect from Richardson’s group, but that hasn’t eased his concerns one bit.

Said Bennett, “We just keep hoping that somebody hires him up to a Division I job as a defensive coordinator and gets him out of there, cause I know what’s coming.”

Contact Bret Strelow at 704-797-4258 or bstrelow@salisburypost.com .