NEDERLAND — NEDERLAND – A lot of attention has been paid this season to how well the Nederland defensive line has done, but the four up front haven’t been alone in making the Bulldog defense hum. Senior linebacker Korbin Stampley has been one of those players this year and has even developed a nose for the end zone.



“I feel pretty good when I’m taking off,” Stampley said. “Usually, it’s inside the 50 (when I’ve caught the ball), which is good, because I’m not the fastest guy on the field.”



Stampley has now scored two touchdowns on the season, returning an interception against Little Cypress-Mauriceville that turned the momentum around in the fourth quarter of that game. The 6-foot, 200 pound Stampley also had 15 tackles, which is the highest single-game total for a Bulldog defender this season.



“I had a good game,” Stampley said. “I had a bunch of tackles because my d-line helped me get free of blockers. I scored, too, which was pretty cool.”



A three-year starter on defense, it is Stampley’s intensity that makes him stand out on the field to Nederland head coach Larry Neumann.



“He loves the game of football,” Neumann said. “That translates to him being a physical guy. He’s a coachable guy and a student of the game. He’s got a hot button and brings a lot of energy. At that position, that’s what you want. Our guys that have had that kind of temperament have played that position in the past. He’s fit the mold.”



While he was a solid player last season, one of Stampley’s biggest areas of improvement this year has been in diagnosing plays.



“It’s in reading keys,” Nederland defensive coordinator Delbert Spell said. “We change our keys, but whatever we ask him to do, he does a great job of focusing in on that and doing exactly what we ask. He’s physical and can get off blocks, but he can run. We’ve played him at defensive end last year against Livingston, that’s how physical he is.”



Inside linebackers are typically run-first types who bang down inside and rack up a lot of tackles. That’s what Stampley did last season, but said he worked hard in the offseason to improve his speed and ability to lock down areas in pass coverage.



“Last year, I was more of an inside run stopper,” Stampley said. “I really wanted to work on getting better and faster, so I could drop back into coverage and help out there. This whole defense tries to support each other from the defensive line to the secondary, which is great.”



In addition to being part of a stifling defense, Stampley also is the team’s deep snapper. He got the job partly because of his arm (he’s a pitcher on the baseball team) and partly because he just volunteered. The Bulldogs held a tryout and he stepped up to fill the spot.



“I just thought it’d be fun to do,” Stampley said. “I try to do what I can to help the team. They asked if anyone wanted to do it and I said, ‘Why not?’”



Stampley’s father, Kevin, played football for Nederland and graduated in 1991. According to Neumann, that has helped with Stampley’s all-out style of play on the field.



“He’s all in,” Neumann said. “He’s not perfect, but I’m not perfect. I like players who are all in. I’ll take guys like him every year. They can always play for Nederland, as far as I’m concerned. I know his dad is a proud former Bulldog. There’s a history in the family, and that tends to lend itself to a guy being a little more all in.”



While Stampley’s father went to Nederland, his mother Stephanie is from Port Neches, which could potentially make this Mid-County Madness week awkward. Not so, said Stampley, as his mom is firmly a Bulldog backer now.



“No, we haven’t had any trouble this week,” Stampley said. “We’ve turned my mom into a Bulldog now. I do have a cousin that’s a cheerleader at PN-G, so that could be a little weird, but it’s all good.”



BULLDOG BITES: Stampley would like to play football in college and is thinking about getting into coaching as a potential major. … The senior has 53 tackles this season with two interceptions. … Last week, the Bulldogs became just the second team all season to hold LC-M’s offense under 35 points in a game. The last was West Orange-Stark in Week Zero. … Nederland’s offensive line got a boost last week with the return of right tackle Dannis Latiolais. With his return, the Bulldogs are hoping to gain some more continuity on the offensive line moving forward, though the unit has been one of the team’s strong points the past few weeks. … Nederland extended its district winning streak to 13 games by beating LC-M. With a victory this week, the Bulldogs can also assure Larry Neumann and his staff a winning season for the 18th time in Neumann’s 20 seasons.



Five questions with Korbin Stampley

Who is your favorite musician? Led Zepplin

What is your favorite color? Orange

What is your favorite movie? Ace Ventura, Pet Detective

What is your favorite video game? NCAA Football ‘13

What is your favorite NFL team? Dallas Cowboys