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That work started in the summer, even before the 2016 signees arrived. Kiser said he and fourth-year middle linebacker Zach Bradshaw spent a lot of time getting that group ready for what was ahead of them. "In our meeting room, Zach and I were teaching the young guys all summer," he said. "We tried to make them see the little things like the pass to the back, slide steps, what kind of protections the O-line will be running. Those little things help the game slow down for you, but overall, it comes down to patience. "Zach and I can play off each other pretty well, but we've got young guys on the out- side like Jordan and Chris, who has devel- oped into a great pass rusher," Kiser added. "We just try to be patient with them, com- municate as much as possible, and allow them to be themselves. "I'll tell Jordan, 'If you just force it to me, I can come in and make the tackle.' That all comes with familiarity and experience. We'll get there as we keep moving forward. I think we went through some growing pains at the start of the season but now, we're coming together. I think people are going to keep seeing that." Despite the 1-3 start, Mendenhall re- mained convinced that the defense was mak- ing strides. "Mastery level leads to changing out- comes of the game," Mendenhall said. "Outside of doing your job and doing it ef- fectively, it means making the critical play at the critical time that allows the outcome of a game to change. As that production con- tinues to emerge, with sacks and tackles for loss and interceptions, it will simply reflect the next level of the players' development." "Position mastery comes down to know- ing what you're supposed to do, knowing where you're supposed to be and doing it," Kiser said. " I think we're taking good steps in that direction. As a defense, success will come with time." Kiser will not be surprised in the least when it does. In fact, he remembers one of his earliest conversations about the new staff and the defense that they would implement in Charlottesville. "I knew Coach Mendenhall's track record and that he always has top-25 defenses," Kiser said. "I was happy to get him here and get going. "One of our graduate assistants, Vic So'oto, told me in the spring that this de- fense was made for linebackers to make tackles. And that's exactly what I like to do. So far, it's been working out." Given the amount of work that the team still has to do, as it faces the rest of its 2016 schedule Kiser will clearly be an integral piece of the puzzle. "He's in the right place at the right time doing the right thing consistently," Menden- hall said. "And players who do that are typi- cally very good football players." ◆ "You have to have someone who can set the front and communicate every time. It's not too big of a stretch to say that the Mike linebacker is that position, and Micah is that player." HEAD COACH BRONCO MENDENHALL