If you were to look at Cooper’s defensive statistics, there’s nothing that would jump off the page at you as a cause for great alarm.

For the season, the Cougars (4-3 overall, 2-2 in District 3-5A Division I) are allowing just 296.6 yards per game and a respectable 25.9 points per contest.

Diving deeper into the numbers, you’ll find a solid 5.0 opponents yards per play, giving further indication that — on a down-to-down basis — the CHS defense is largely doing its job.

But the one thing that has been lacking for that unit is a desired level of consistency, as slow starts and big plays have at times undermined otherwise steady performances. And as the Coogs prepare for their final three games of the regular season, with a likely playoff appearance to follow, remedying that issue sits high on the list of priorities for coach Aaron Roan and his squad.