EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first of a preseason series on UCA football, from the players’ perspectives. Interviews were conducted at the close of spring drills. A separate video package, with more player interviews, will be available online later in the summer

With significant growth among both experienced player and a promising group of newcomers, the University of Central Arkansas Bears appear solid and strong along the defensive front for 2013.

The bellcow appears to be junior noseguard Justin Williams (6-foot-3, 308), who was dominant during spring drills. Markeith Gaines (6-0, 260), appears to be the next in a series of strong defensive ends. Matt Hornbuckle another veteran who can assert himself while Jonathan Woodard seems to be an emerging young star.

Here’s how a select group of players analyze the situation:

JUSTIN WILLIAMS, SR. NOSEGUARD

“I took things one day at a time, one step at a time this spring and worked on the little things to get better — my eyes, my hands, my discipline, things like that. As a senior, I feel like being one of the older players, a lot of the younger guys look to me to do the right things”

Summer work: “I plan to work on conditioning, balance and flexibility.”

Overall defense: “I think it’s going to be just awesome. I’m ready for kickoff. Got a couple of younger players, particularly at linebacker, but they have really matured.”

Lessons learned last year: “I learned to keep fighting. If you want a different outcome, you have to change what you are doing yourself and work harder. I feel in the spring we fought through the hard practices to get that togetherness about us, one team, one unit.”

Key to the defense: “It’s gonna start with the d-line. That takes a lot of pressure off the linebackers. We have to play well every game. From last year, we are gonna have to get more discipline and all get on the same page and believe in ourselves and what the coaches have taught us so we can play to our full potential.”

JONATHAN WOODARD, RS FRESHMAN, DE

“I feel I’ve made a lot of progress. Coming out of high school, I didn’t think the defensive end position in college was that much, but actually it’s a lot. Going from fall to spring, I can focus more this year, knowing I will get a chance to play.”

Biggest thing to learn: “To play with low pad level and that leverage always wins.”

Overall defense: “We have a lot of redshirt freshman who will step up. We’re pretty solid on the linebacker corps, defensive front and secondary.”

Last year as a redshirt: “It taunts you a little bit because you put in the hard work but know you can’t play. But you need the extra year. I’ve put on about 30 pounds and I needed to do that.”

On help from Markeith Gaines: “It’s easy to be able to learn from him and have him give me advice on things like pass rushing, run-stop, anythng like that.”

JOE CARMICAL, SO., DE

Last year: “It (transferring from Texas Tech) has been quite a change in learning new technique. There’s a lot better team atmosphere here. It was a good feeling coming in and seeing the comraderie. It was good to learn where you fit and that if you do your job, everyone else will take care of theirs. I had to put on a little weight. Coach (Dan) Augustine understands technique and he has helped a lot. Being small you have to have more technique.”

Defensive end position: “As a group, I think our defense will really be a force this year. We’re making plays, coming together, fewer mistakes than last year and we have a lot of speed.”

Comraderie: “That’s one of the reasons I came here. Everyone gets along real well. In and out of practice, everyone seems to have a good time even though we are working hard. I was looking for a bunch of good guys to play the game with.”Lessons learned from last year: “The playoffs were interesting. Once you get in, everyone has the same opportunity ... Things went horribly wrong at Montana. I really think we were the better team, but it didn’t play out that way. Come the playoffs, you have to show up every week ... It was a fun experience. We traveled together and spent a little more time together and it was a great competitive atmosphere. It makes you hungry for more.”

PARKER CARPENTER, SO. D-LINE

Overall: “I think we came together pretty good in spring ball.”

Adjustments: “The biggest adjustments were learning the schemes and the technique they want us to use. In high school, we played a read defense. Here, we play more an attacking style. At tackle (he was a defensive end in high school), you have a lot more contact. It seems you can control the game a little bit more.”

Defensive front: “We should be solid; it should be one of the strong points of the defense.”

TJ RANDALL, SO. DL

Last year: “I transferred from DII school (Nebraska-Omaha, which dropped football) and the speed of the game was different than what I was used to. It was pretty eye-opening. It was good to get the experience.”

Progress: “I was pretty undersized when I first got here. Coach Briscoe and the defensive staff have gotten my weight and strength up. Matt Horbuckle took me under his wing a bit in learning the different aspects of the game.”

Defensive front: “A lot of our guys have stepped up. Defensively, we’re pretty sound. We were pretty young in some positions last year. I feel those spots have improved. I feel we’ve come together now and are really close. We are a lot tighter this year. During winter workouts, I got to know the guys better because you get really busy durng the season. I think the winter workouts brought us a lot closer. Spring ball came around and we started to click and play to each other’s strengths.”

Strengths: As defensive tackles as a unit, we all have the same strengths. Parker (Carpenter) and myself are pretty good at pass rush. Once we get our weight up, we ill play the run a little better. I struggled this spring using my hands. I’m going to be working this summer on getting more separation on blocks and being more explosive.”

Playoff experience last year: “It definitely makes us hungrier especially when a team from our conference (Sam Houston State) goes all the way to the national championship. One of my teammates at UNO transferred to North Dakota (national champions) and I saw a picture of his national championship ring on Facebook. It definitely made me want to have that experience.”