"A huge challenge for us" - Storm ready for Semi Final

The Nordic Storm have enjoyed an impressive first season in the European League of Football. Under Defensive Coordinator Brandon Noble, the expansion franchise quickly became a strong competitor and earned a playoff spot. Now, they face their toughest task yet: a Semi Final matchup against the top-seeded Vienna Vikings.

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Building a foundation in year one

Noble’s work with the Storm defense has already been rewarded with a contract extension. For him, the decision to stay was about the people around him. “If I’m gonna be away from my family for six months, I wanna be surrounded by good people that I enjoy going to work with every day. I found that here in Copenhagen with the Nordic Storm,” he said.

Continuity is one of his main priorities: “The opportunity to come back and build off of our 2025 season is really exciting to me. Keeping our core group of homegrowns, imports, and coaches means we can go into 2026 with the defense already installed.”

Defensive philosophy and identity

A former NFL player with the San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, and Washington Redskins, Noble has always believed in aggressive defense. “As a player, I always preferred to be a part of an aggressive defense. A system that would challenge offensive coordinators, quarterbacks, and offensive lines. But most importantly, you have to build the defense around the players and their strengths.”

The Storm have adapted well to this style. With 30 sacks (4th in the league) and a league-high 14 forced fumbles, they constantly look for big plays to turn games around. “It’s year one, brand new teammates, new coaches, and a defensive system that not many of these guys had ever played in. Our guys show up and do the work, and it’s paid off.”

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Preparing for the Vikings

The Semi Final will be a true test. After losing their last two road games, the Storm know what lies ahead. “This is obviously a huge challenge for us. When you watch the tape, they are damn good!” Noble admitted.

He highlighted Vienna’s complete offense, which ranked 6th in passing and 6th in rushing this season. “You can’t really just take one thing away. If you load the box to stop the run, the quarterback and receivers will make you pay. If you sit back to stop the pass, they’ll run the ball right down your throat.”

The solution, Noble says, is about balance and simplicity: “We have to figure out how to allocate resources the best way possible, while keeping it simple enough for our guys to play fast.”

Discipline will also be key: “Eye discipline, making sure we’re looking at what we’re supposed to look at. And we need great pass rush discipline against a very good quarterback and offensive line.”

Looking ahead

From spring OTAs until now, the Storm defense has shown steady progress. Players have stepped up when injuries struck, and the mix of experienced veterans and young homegrowns gives Noble confidence for the future. “Our job as coaches is to develop all of them, make them just a little bit better every day for however long we get to coach them.”

The Nordic Storm have already surpassed expectations in their debut season. Now, with a Semi-Final against the Vienna Vikings, they have one more chance to surprise the league.

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