INDIANAPOLIS – Butler defensive coordinator Joe Cheshire will return five starters to the huddle in 2019. Luke Sennett, Mason Brunner, Dan DelGrosso, Mickey Kane and Devin Aguilar highlight this side of the ball for the Bulldogs. Both Sennett and Brunner were recognized by their peers as Preseason All-PFL selections.
 
Safeties
Luke Sennett played in 11 games and recorded a team-best 104 tackles in 2018 to rank second in the PFL. He will suit up at one safety position alongside Beau Snuggs. A redshirt-sophomore from Charlotte, Snuggs will see extensive time on the field for the first time at Butler. He made his 2018 season debut at Drake in October.
 
Joe Zuccari and Tommy Carlsen will add depth to the back end of the defensive unit. Zuccari played in six games as a redshirt-freshman and came away with six tackles and three pass break-ups. Carlsen will look to make his mark on the team after redshirting last year.
 
Cornerbacks
Devin Aguilar is slated to get the start on the outside at corner. Joining him on the opposite side will be Cameron Browning. Aguilar played in 10 games in 2018, ending the year with 28 tackles. He recorded an interception vs. Morehead State and collected a season-high seven tackles in the week-one upset victory at Youngstown State.
 
Browning took a redshirt year in 2018 and will make his BU debut in 2019. A stand-out high school player coming out of Fayetteville, Browning was an All-State selection that also earned All-County, All-Region and All-Conference accolades. He was a Georgia Southwest All-Star participant and a member of the 2018 USA World Championship team.
 
Backup corners on the two-deep include Thomas Rousseau and Ryan Smith. Rousseau is a redshirt freshman looking to make a statement early in his BU career. Smith carries more experience as a redshirt senior. In 2018, Smith finished the year with 14 tackles. He played in eight games and also broke up three passes.
 
Butler's pass defense ranked fourth in the PFL last season. They limited the opposition to just 217 yards through the air over 11 games.
 
Linebackers
Two talented veterans return to this unit in 2019. Mason Brunner and Dan DelGrosso are penciled in as returning starters with the regular season quickly approaching. Brunner is a 2019 Preseason All-PFL selection after recording 73 tackles in 2018. A two-time team captain, Brunner made 8.5 tackles for loss and was credited with two sacks. His season-high tackle total came in the win over Morehead State when he made 12 stops.
 
DelGrosso appeared in all 11 box scores a year ago and will line up next to Brunner for his senior season. In 2018, DelGrosso ranked fifth on the team with 67 total tackles. He got to the ball carrier five times behind the line of scrimmage and added one sack to his stat line. DelGrosso's season-high tackle total came against the top team in the conference. He squared up to make nine tackles against San Diego in 2018.
 
The new wrinkle to the linebacker core is redshirt-freshman Bradley Magee. Additional student-athletes on the roster pushing for playing time at this position include Max Wirth, Malachi Pike and Ryan Perkins.
 
Defensive Tackles
In the middle, Butler will have some new faces in the trenches. Joseph Camacho was a rotational player a year ago, but is now slated to start this year alongside Sammy Szames. Backups at the defensive tackle position include Holden Semancik and Joe Marra.
 
Defensive Ends
BU lost multiple starters up front on the defensive side of the ball, but will return the 2018 Pioneer Football League Co-Freshman Defensive Player of the Year in Mickey Kane. Kane was a 2018 Phil Steele FCS Freshman Second Team All-American after his rookie season. He posted 21 total tackles with 10 of those coming behind the line of scrimmage. Getting after the quarterback was Kane's top priority. He led the team with five sacks, three of which came at home vs. Morehead State. Setting the edge on the other side will be Nick Mahalak, Brian Macuga and Justin Markus.