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By David Boyce  |  Northwest at Missouri Southern  |  Thursday, Sept. 11  |  6:30 p.m.  |  Joplin, Mo.  |  Fred G. Hughes Stadium
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MARYVILLE, Mo. - For a defense to perform the way Northwest Missouri State's has the last 16 games, a trust among the players to do the right thing is essential.
 
The hard work junior nose tackle Brandon Yost has put in on the practice field and in the weight room is a prime example of it. His teammates see he is sweating and putting in the time to make himself better to help the team.
 
Yost changed his body, head coach Adam Dorrel said. He weighs about the same as last year but the weight is distributed better.
 
"Our staff and the strength staff really challenged him to be an everyday player," Dorrel said. "He has really proportioned his weight and it has helped with his pass rushing ability."
 
In a 31-7 victory in the season-opener against Nebraska-Kearney on Sept. 4 at Bearcat Stadium, Yost was among team leaders in tackles with five.
 
Yost did his part in a cohesive defensive unit that did not allow a point in the final three quarters.
 
The Bearcats realize they need to be prepared for a different type of offense this Thursday when they go on the road and play Missouri Southern.
 
Even though Southern lost its season opener, the Lions are dangerous. A year ago, they beat Pittsburg State in Pittsburg in the season finale, preventing the Gorillas from going to the NCAA Division II playoffs.
 
Yost said the Bearcats are focused on Missouri Southern. They are not looking ahead to their next home game, which is against Central Missouri, a game that is intense for many reasons.
 
"We can't look ahead to the next week because if we do, it is not going to look good for us," Yost said. "Right now it is Missouri Southern."
 
The thing that makes the Bearcat defense special is the way they communicate. Every defense gives up touchdowns from time to time. It happens, especially in this era of sophisticated offense.
 
The key is the way a defense reacts once they are scored upon.
 
"We talk all time," Yost said. "We tell each other what we are seeing out there and what we feel. We tell that to Coach (Rich)Wright and he does an amazing job of making adjustments for us. He puts us in the right place at the right time and everything works out for us.
 
"It is a huge trust factor that we have with our defense."
 
The Bearcats work at it. They watch film together in the coaches' office in their free time. They hang out together after practice. They have each other's backs, especially if a mistake happens.
 
"It is a really tight bond," Yost said. "We are always there for each other, always talking to each other."
 
Dorrel praised the play of the defense immediately after the season-opener, but the unit wasn't perfect. He wants to see them tackle better against Missouri Southern.
 
Most importantly, Dorrel wants to see his entire team enjoy competing and playing the game.
 
There is undoubtedly pressure when you are a defending national champion with a number of returning players. Dorrel doesn't want that pressure to blot out the joy of the journey of a football season.
 
"I want our team to come out excited to play football," Dorrel said. "I don't know what it was last Thursday. I don't know if we were caught up in the moment, great crowd, the opening. I want us to come out with more energy and have more fun.
 
"Life is too short. Last Thursday in the third quarter, I felt like we were having fun. We will try to build on that.