Given the blink-and-you-miss-it Canadian Football League preseason, it’s tough to judge how impressive the B.C. Lions defence is. But the fact the unit didn’t give up a touchdown and allowed just one field goal along with a few single points in two exhibition games gives you a pretty good idea why the Leos are so excited about their stop squad as the team gets set to kickoff the 2011 CFL season tonight (June 30) in Montreal.

Defence definitely appears to be the Lions’ strength, who are trying to forget their disastrous 1-7 start to last season, and are focusing on the 7-3 finish over the final 10 weeks. The midterm turnaround allowed the Lions to rescue their season and earned them a spot in the West Division semifinal (which they lost 41-38 in overtime in Saskatchewan). With Vancouver set to play host to the 99th Grey Cup game at the refurbished B.C. Place Stadium in November, there is no shortage of incentives for this year’s Lions. They’re the last team to win a Grey Cup on home turf, a feat they accomplished 17 years ago, so the opportunity to host and win the title doesn’t happen often. And if they go all the way, there’s a very good chance the Leos will be led by the defence, which looked razor sharp in 24-0 and 34-6 wins over Calgary and Saskatchewan in preseason action.

“We’re really pleased with the way camp went along, and obviously we’re seeing the fruits of our labour from a year ago, with some young guys who now understand the league and what we’re trying to get accomplished,” Mike Benevides, now in his fourth year as defensive coordinator and his ninth as an assistant coach with the Lions, tells the Straight. “We’re playing with an attitude, and our mantra is to run, hit, and be nasty. We’re playing with that attitude, and the guys have done an outstanding job of doing that the past few weeks.”

With veteran leaders like Brent Johnson, Korey Banks, Dante Marsh, Ryan Phillips, Davis Sanchez, Keron Williams, and Anton McKenzie, supported by up-and-coming heavy hitters Adam Leonard, David Hyland, and Solomon Elimimian (the CFL’s rookie of the year last season), the Lions appear to have a terrific blend of experience and youthful enthusiasm, and equal parts speed and skill.

Benevides was delighted with the nearly flawless performance he got from his defence in those two preseason outings, but he wasn’t the least bit surprised the group was on the same page and ready for action.

That was the result of a philosophical change in the way the Lions approached things from Day 1 of training camp in Kamloops, earlier in the month.

“We’ve got a veteran group, so we figured, ”˜Let’s work a little bit less and a little bit smarter, spend more time on film, and try to come out of camp a little fresher,’?” he explains. “If we practised twice one day, we practised only once the next. We tried to integrate more teaching and less banging and hitting, and I think the guys feel better for it. They look more mentally sharp from doing more film work earlier than usual. The approach early was we want to win right away and start hot. I remember coming back after the playoff loss in November and guys’ eyes were all saying the same thing: that we have to start hard, set the tempo, and let everyone know who we are. So the approach we have taken is to do a little bit less and start fast.”

The challenge now is to carry that over into a season that begins with a bang: the Lions open against the two-time defending Grey Cup champion Alouettes in Montreal.

It won’t be easy, but with his defence firing on all cylinders, Benevides figures the Lions might be able to get a jump on the Alouettes before they find their form of the past few years.

“If you’re going to be the champion, you’ve got to beat the champion, and that’s who they are,” he says. “And that will let you know exactly where you are. Let’s go play. The guys are extremely excited to get things started. For us to start against Montreal, and then we face Calgary [in the Lions’ home opener on July 8 at Empire Field], we can’t wait. Let’s get it on.”

With a defence that’s expected to swarm opponents and make life difficult for opposing quarterbacks, the Lions will likely have the luxury of allowing first-year starting signal caller Travis Lulay to ease into his season. He may not be required to put a ton of points on the board if the defence can hold up its end of the bargain by keeping other teams out of the end zone.

That was the way things worked in the preseason, but everyone in the Lions Den is keeping the exhibition performances in perspective, knowing that they’ll have to keep getting better now that they’re starting to play for keeps. “The good thing is the guys have a workmanlike attitude and they understand there is a lot of work to be done,” Benevides says of his crew. “When you look at your players and they take accountability and they take ownership of the defence, that’s what you love about these guys. I can’t tell you how much I admire the group we have together, and we’re looking for big things, for sure.”

And the biggest thing of all would be a Grey Cup championship—the Lions haven’t won one since Mike Benevides took the reins of the defence, but he’s confident his guys can deliver. Based on its two impressive preseason performances, the B.C. Lions defence definitely appears ready to roar.