By Stephen Cooney

If you were to make a list of the biggest, strongest, most athletic, and most intimidating comic book characters odds are you would probably end up with two characters from the “X-Men” on the top of your list. The two characters are Beast and Juggernaut. Each character is a physical monster with unbelievable strength and quickness but have individual distinctions in their game plan.

Beast is a scientist that analyzes the situation he is presented with and then uses his physical nature to accompany his plan. On the other hand, Juggernaut is a physical force that chooses to skip the analysis and react by destroying everything in his path until he reaches his goal. Both these characters have their ups and downs.

If a football coach was allowed to choose one to play defensive tackle on their football team it, would be a difficult decision to make. Should the choice be Juggernaut who will destroy everything in his path, or Beast, the scientist with physical gifts to match his analytical mind?

Luckily for the Pride Coaching Staff they never had to make these decisions. They have them both in senior defensive tackles Shemiah LeGrande and Ken Sussman. Even better then having both the team’s defensive scheme allows both men to be on the field at the same time.

Described as a scientist by Defensive Line Coach Malik Hall, Sussman can take the characteristics of Beast. With the team’s blue uniform covering his 6-foot 3-inch, 292-pound body he almost resembles Beast. “Sussman knows his alignments and the schemes of the defense.” Hall said. “He picks up on what the other team is doing to get to the ball and can see pre-snap reads.” Sussman is able to analyze what the team is preparing to do and use this information to help make a play or figure out how he should approach a play.

Hall’s description of LeGrande was that of a bruiser. Underneath his football helmet and 6-foot 282 pound frame LeGrande can become Juggernaut a bruising force that looks to run over everything in his path. “Shemiah is more your kill and destroy type.” Hall said. “He is not concerned with what they are doing to him, just finding the football.” With this type of attitude LeGrande clearly personifies his character, searching through the offense, destroying would be blockers and hunting down the ball carrier.

Even with all their differences both players have a lot in common. Both LeGrande and Sussman played linebacker and fullback in high school but moved to the defensive tackle position in college. Both players are capable of playing a 1-technique (shoulder of the center), 2i-technique (inside shoulder of the guard), or a 3-technique (outside shoulder of the guard).

Every play the team sets a strong side of the formation and LeGrande aligns in a 3-technique to that side, while Sussman aligns in a 1 or 2i-technique to the weak side of the formation. If there is a shift in formation the players are forced to swap alignments but feel more comfortable in their natural alignments.

Even with all their character advantages both players are quick to point out areas where they feel the other is more dominant.

“Sussman reads blocks very well. ” LeGrande said. “He also has great endurance. I come off the field every six or seven plays and he is still in there. He also takes on double teams better then me. He is physical man.”

“Shemiah has a much better get off then me.” Sussman said. “He is one of the most dominant players in the conference and an athletic freak in terms of strength and speed. I’ve Seen Shemiah make plays I have never seen anyone else in our conference make.”

On top of pointing out the others advantage LeGrande and Sussman quickly credit each other for their success.

“We have chemistry.” LeGrande said. “Chemistry helps us a lot. We are like brothers. There is confidence in each other, we pick each other up.”

Chemistry is only natural for these two. They have been playing together for three years. First taking turns rotating in at the same position and then finally aligning next to each other in the middle of the defensive line.

“We play with each other pretty well.” Sussman said. “We feed off of each other, we push each other. We push each other to beat the other one and make plays.”

Not only do these two feed off each other they have the confidence of their team and coaches. They both are a big part of the scheme and the ability for the defense to make plays.

“The defense starts from them.” linebacker Stanley Gutierrez said. “Without them there is no us. They allow the linebackers to run free because the o-line has to account for them. If they don’t double them they will make plays and that frees us [the linebackers] up.”

This sentiment is also echoed by defensive line coach Malik Hall. Hall said that the team has had a lot of success with the pair keeping offensive lineman off of the linebackers and also being able to make plays. “They are able to make plays based off of our scheme. We never scheme anything for them.” Hall said. “They just make plays. We never bank on the defensive tackles making plays. What we get from them is all extra.” Hall also credits the two with being great pass rushers and helping the defense register sacks and generate quarterback pressure.

The way both men play reflects the characteristics of the two comic book characters they represent. Sussman approaches the defensive line like the scientist Beast and LeGrande like the bruiser Juggernaut. “The way they play is more of their style.” Hall said. “Both can do the same things but that is their styles. It gives us balance.”

The two are an important part of the defense and it was a good thing for the coaching staff that they never had to choose between Beast and Juggernaut. They have them both on the Pride defensive line and it gives them an edge. Having one defensive tackle with the ability to understand the defense and the other teams actions while also having a defensive tackle that is seeking to destroy everything in his path allows the defensive line to create havoc on the interior of the offensive line. “It is tough when they are both in the game,” Pride center Jason Goodman said.

With Shemiah LeGrande (pictured) taking on the role of Juggernaut, and Ken Sussman taking on the role of the Beast, the Pride have themselves a formidable offensive line to anchor an already strong and stifling defense (Stephen Cooney)