WORCESTER —  Senior linebacker Tyler Russell led Worcester State in tackles in each of the past two years and topped the entire New England Football Conference last fall, but he wouldn’t mind if his numbers dropped off this season.

That would probably mean the defense will be on the field less.

One reason Russell had compiled so many tackles the past two years is that the Lancers’ defense was on the field quite a bit. Worcester State finished 1-9 last season and 2-8 the year before.

“It was a great achievement what I did last year,” Russell said, “but I’d definitely take fewer tackles to have a better team.”

The Lancers expect things to change this fall. They have a new name — Worcester State University instead of Worcester State College — and a new outlook with many returning starters.

“Overall, we’re going to be pretty good,” Russell said.

The Division 3 Football Senior Classic and the Consensus Draft Services both named Russell a preseason All-American. Even though he tweaked his right hamstring in the fourth game last year, he led the NEFC with 122 total tackles — 71 more than anyone else — and 71 solo tackles. In NCAA Division 3, he ranked fourth in solo tackles and sixth in total tackles. His 122 tackles rank second in Lancer history, 10 behind the total of Lancer Hall of Famer Scott Holland in 1995.

“A lot of it,” Russell said, “is just knowing where you’ve got to be. Reading the defense, playing with the same guys and knowing they’re going to be in the position they’re supposed to be to free me up.”

But the 6-foot-1, 215-pound tri-captain from Princeton must still make the tackles.

“We do tackling form every day,” Russell said. “We go through drills, we break it down step by step on how to make the tackle, wrapping up the guy and holding on to him. The best way to do it is underneath the arms, grab behind the shoulder pads, plant your feet and drive through.”

Russell will shift from weak side linebacker to middle linebacker this fall.

“I’m sure (opposing) coaches are going to say, ‘We need to stop him,’ ” Russell said. “There might be an X on my back, but at the same time I believe the guys that we have in front of me are going to help me out and free me up a little more so I can still do my job.”

Russell is reserved off the field, but not on it.

“I’ve had people tell me when I put the pads on,” Russell said, “I’m a completely different person. Not that I’m crazy, but my demeanor goes to the next level. I’m really animated, a lot more vocal. I try to get the team up and get everybody going. I don’t snap, but I go wild, I guess.”

Russell helped Wachusett Regional win two Super Bowl titles, but the Lancers have won only three games the past two years.

“It’s tough to lose after winning while growing up,” Russell said, “but I wouldn’t replace it for anything, just being able to play college football.”

Russell attended Quinsigamond Community College for a year before transferring to WSU.

“The size of the playbook was pretty overwhelming,” Russell said. “It’s a big step going from high school to college. You’ve got to learn a lot of stuff. My freshman year was pretty confusing.”

Russell, a criminal justice major, plans to become a police officer, and his brother Gage could be playing linebacker for WSU next fall. Gage, a linebacker on Wachusett’s Super Bowl title team last fall, plans to attend Quinsigamond this fall, then transfer to WSU to play football.