Mike Bloomgren saw flashes of what he described as “momentary greatness” from the Owls’ defense during the spring game, a good jumping-off point for a unit that six times last year allowed more than 40 points a game and was rocked to its core by the death of one of its team leaders this spring.
Defensive end Blain Padgett, 21, died suddenly in early March, and his defensive brethren said they tried to carry his memory with them every day during spring practice.