WEST LONG BRANCH -- Spring practices are not the first chapter in a football season, they're more like a prologue. It is a time for experimentation and re-dedication to the process that ultimately leads to wins on Saturdays, even with game action still several months away. It's also introspective—competing against one's self—in principle at individual and team levels.

The final day of the mid-offseason practices, in Monmouth's case the Spring Showcase scrimmage on Sunday, can be the closest to full-speed action that a team's training can get. And for the Hawk defense, it was the opportunity to finally shift into gear.

There was little doubt about which side won more reps through the various 11-on-11 sessions at Kessler Field on Sunday. From the first play, the defense had the look of a bull ready to buck in any and every direction. That's to be expected with seven returning starters, but some of the most impressive standouts were rising players like redshirt freshman Mounir Keshen.

"Being versatile is just one of our biggest strengths. I feel like we have guys that can play anywhere," Keshen said. "We have a linebacker who can play maybe at safety or corner, or we can have a (defensive) end that can play linebacker. So I just think the versatility is definitely one of our biggest strengths."

Keshen embodied the principle of versatility throughout the spring, and was noted as one of the team's eight breakout players from spring practices. He validated that assessment with an explosive performance in the showcase on Saturday with multiple sacks and multiple tackles for loss.

More: Here are 8 breakout players from Monmouth football spring practices

The 6-foot-1 and 225-pound linebacker showed the ability to navigate traffic as an off-ball linebacker, but was electric as a pass rusher operating off the edge or in certain mug fronts. He has the coveted "heavy hands" trait that allows for swift disengagement from opposing blockers. Even on an experienced defense, Keshen has separated himself with his ability. And with two elite sack producers gone in the transfer portal, he brings plenty of juice of the edge.

"I feel like a lot of people just try and diminish me for my height, but I think I use my height to my strength because I'm so much lower than the offensive tackles," he said. "I can really get in there, try and work whatever I need to work. But yeah, guys like Lamont (Lester) and Josiah (Graham), they were all great last year. And hopefully, I could step into that role as a pass rusher and also linebacker and whatever my team needs me to be."

His outstanding play is particularly impressive given the experience across the front seven. Staple linebackers Charlie Sasso, Ryan Russo and Spencer Kishbaugh all were solid throughout the spring. But Keshen's versatility and talent would seemingly make him impossible to keep off the field. He was hardly the only riser pushing for playing time on the defense, as fellow edge/linebacker Donovon Rondeau was impressive prior to getting dinged up in the showcase and linebacker Chris Ulmer was all over the field.

Here's a look at three more takeaways as Monmouth football turns its attention to the summer and fall.

Two of the burgeoning trends in football broadly are teams coveting the ability to be multiple defensively and possessing depth—and variety—within the defensive line. A recent example of both trends is the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, a team that was tied for 7th in the NFL in sacks as a team but didn't have any player ranked in the top 25 in sacks individually (they did have three players tied for 29th with seven sacks).

Monmouth may not have two outstanding tentpole rushers like they did with Lamont Lester and Josiah Graham last year, but the Hawks should be able to produce similar production with versatile cast of playmakers. Hunter Watson has looked nearly unblockable as he enters his third year in the program, and his presence has created rushing opportunities for players like Keshen and Rondeau.

But the emergence of those two players also could allow Monmouth to be more multiple in mug fronts and other disguised looks to confuse offenses. The versatility goes beyond that with staple playmakers like Jaeden Jones, who can be impactful anywhere he lines up, and emerging players like Jah Reid in the hybrid safety role. Reid was consistently able to run with receivers out wide as a nickel, but is also a dynamo as a box defender.

With those novel concepts adding to the team's strong foundation with plenty of experience, the defense is trending towards being a strong point in 2026.

"Today is probably the worst we'll ever be, because we're always going to get better. Our defensive coordinator (Lou DiRienzo) says that a lot, and that really sticks with me every day because we have that growth mindset. Last year is last year—that's all old news," Keshen said. "We're going to be something special this year, and I'm just excited to just be a part of it.

Although the Monmouth offense didn't win the majority of reps against the defense, the victories were major. The Hawks struck gold with several chunk gains and finished the day with multiple long touchdowns.

And even with Frankie Weaver returning at quarterback after five starts last year, Monmouth allowed competition to heat up with redshirt freshman Brad Seiss pushing the presumed starter. It was Seiss who spearheaded the first touchdown drive of the afternoon, finishing it off with a touchdown pass to Christian Harrison on a dig route.

Seiss connected on another long gain to Keshawn Mister, but then it was Weaver's turn to show off his aerial explosiveness. The redshirt sophomore hit Kendall Dorsey on a back-shoulder deep ball for a touchdown as Dorsey eluded his defender, and Weaver then found Caleb Newsome on a corner route for another touchdown. It's a new role with Weaver taking firm control of the offense after filling in as the backup last year, but he looked comfortable directing traffic.

"It's just finding chemistry with those guys," Weaver said. "All those guys last year, they had chemistry with each other and then me coming in, they just brought me with them. And now it's my turn to bring guys with me as well. So I'm excited to do that."

A subtle testament to his experience was his ability to get things organized with the offensive line before the snap. Monmouth is experimenting with multiple different offensive line combinations as the Hawks must replace four starters, but those pockets seemed to be a lot cleaner with Weaver managing the offense.