Eastern’s strength on defense this year, not unlike years past, is their linebackers.

But because all three starting linebackers will graduate at year’s end, a different part of the difference will have to become dominant in the future.

So far this season, red shirt sophomore Kory Lothe has made a case that the defensive line, and himself in particular, will be the next strong point of the Eastern defense.

The case for Lothe as the next great player on Eastern’s defense has become a solid one as he has progressed and improved over the past two years. During that time he has learned to play the game to improve his fundamentals, which has led to Lothe maximizing his potential.

“Being under Coach Roc (Bellantoni) for the last couple of years has got me to where I need to be,” Lothe said. “I have learned the defense and I am in the swing of what I need to do.”

Physically there has never been a doubt that Lothe has what it takes to be a force in college athletics. Standing at 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighing 258 pounds, Lothe has never had a problem overpowering opposing linemen. He also has the speed to be an effective pass rusher from the end.

“His size was awfully critical when we were recruiting him,” said Eastern head coach Bob Spoo. “Because of his size and speed he is probably going to be our next great defensive player, and possibly a professional prospect.”

The player also feels that the next level is definitely an option for the future.

“I have always thought about playing in the next level,” Lothe said. “I now have an idea of what my potential is and the NFL is one of my goals.”

While Lothe has all the tools to become an impact player for the Panther’s defense, he first had to adjust to the college game. To do that, he was inactive and red-shirted his freshmen year, something Spoo considers to be a real turning point for the young lineman.

“It was good for him to have that year to train,” Spoo said. “He got acclimated to the campus and started to work out for us, and became an even better player.”

Lothe also believes that the year off from official competition helped him adapt to the college life.

“I learned how to handle the classes while taking care of what I needed to off the field to improve,” Lothe said.

During that year, Lothe proved how hard of a worker he was. The habits that he started during that year have carried over throughout his time at Eastern. He has gained the respect of his teammates and is considered a leader despite being just a sophomore.

“We have begun to start counting on him out on the field,” Eastern defensive coordinator Roc Bellantoni said. “The guys respect him because of his work ethic and we hope he develops into a Nick Ricks-type of leader.”

Perhaps Lothe’s best game took place last Saturday against Tennessee Tech. In that game, he proved how important he is to a defense that has struggled the entire year to put pressure on the quarterback. Coming off the edge in that game, Lothe got into the backfield on a regular basis and sacked the Golden Eagles’ quarterback four times.

The four sacks last weekend raised his season total to seven, and could put him on pace to reach double figures in sacks by the end of the season.

The young defensive end has begun to make an impact on his team throughout this year. But the future could be Lothe’s time to shine as Eastern’s cornerstone on defense.

“To think that we have him for two more years is great for our defense,” Spoo said. “He should be causing opponents trouble for some time to come.”