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NCAA FB Week 1 report (8-31-19): DBs stand out

There were a number of defensive backs who stood out in Week 1 of the 2019 college football campaign.  We take a look at seven who made their respective marks.

Saeed Holt 6’0 195 DB-Sophomore Toledo

Notable stats vs. Kentucky, 8-31-19: 10 tackles, TFL

The Rockets used Holt in a number of ways around the line of scrimmage and in coverage.  He closed off the edge late in the first quarter to record a tackle for loss one play after coming up to deliver a shot versus Kentucky 6-foot-6, 247-pound freshman tight end Keaton Upshaw in the flats.  For a team that lost two of its better players from its 2018 secondary –CB Ka’dar Hollman (6th round, 185th overall, 2019 NFL Draft, Green Bay Packers) and S Josh Teachey– Holt’s 10 tackles and one tackle for loss provided relief for defensive coordinator Brian George.

Nevada Secondary

Notable stats vs. Purdue, 8-30-19:

  • 6 Tyson Williams 5’9 195 DB-Sophomore: 12 tackles
  • 25 Daniel Brown 5’11 185 DB-Senior: 5 tackles, TFL, 2 INTs and PBU
  • 1 Berdale Robins 5’9 185 DB-Junior: One tackle, 3 PBUs
  • 4 EJ Muhammed 5’11 190 DB-Senior: 10 tackles, FF
  • 5 Emany Johnson 6’2 210 DB-Freshman: 7 tackles
Nevada defensive backs Daniel Brown (No. 25 pictured) and EJ Muhammed (No. 4 pictured) both had big contributions in Nevada’s 34-31 victory over Purdue last Friday night.

The Wolf Pack defensive backs entered last Friday night’s contest against Purdue knowing that they would have a tough test.  Aside from having to slow down Boilermakers All-American sophomore receiver Rondale Moore, the team also had to slow down All-Big Ten tight end Brycen Hopkins and two four-star recruits in freshmen David Bell and Milton Wright.   Defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel’s 3-3-5 stack defensive requires multiple roles for a number of defensive backs.  Each of the five aforementioned names had big impacts.

Brown displayed good feet and eye discipline in zone coverage early in the game on a key red zone pass break-up off of a wheel concept to Purdue slot receiver Jackson Anthrop.   He matched his career interception total with a slick grab off of an ill-advised third down and 10 throw by Purdue quarterback Elijah Sindelar.   The senior cornerback then grabbed his second interception of the game with at the 0:38 mark of the fourth quarter to set up Nevada’s game-winning field goal.  Nevada used a three-deep zone where Johnson broke from the deep one-third to knock away a Sindelar pass intended for freshman receiver Bell.  The tip resulted in Brown’s second theft. 

Muhammed -who started two games in 2018 before going down to injury- tackled with intensity most of the night.  He forced and recovered his own strip off of Wright in the second quarter to stop a Purdue offensive drive.  The tackling of he, Robins and Williams helped stymie much of Purdue’s offensive attack in the second half.  Moore was limited to just three receptions for 10 yards in the second stanza of the game.  In addition, Sindelar completed just 3-of-9 passes for 10 yards and one interception in the fourth quarter.

Myles Wolfolk 5’11 205 DB-Junior North Carolina

Notable: 6 tackles, 2 INTs (33 yards)

New North Carolina defensive coordinator Jay Bateman knew he would need a big game from his secondary to slow down the South Carolina offensive attack led by quarterback Jake Bentley.  Wolfolk delivered in a big way.  After initially starting his career as a nickel corner/linebacker for the Tar Heels, he has since moved full-time to the safety position.  Coming off an injury-plagued 2018 campaign,  the junior safety twice earned the team’s new turnover championship belt with interceptions off Bentley.   On the game-winning pick, the former high school wideout displayed the ability to bait the Gamecock quarterback.   On a third down and 10 from the North Carolina 26-yard line, Bateman ran a version of a zone blitz (brought four rushers and dropped his strong defensive end into the middle hook area) which tasks Wolfolk with curl-flat responsibility towards the short side of the field.  After he took his initial drop, Bentley thought he had an open crossing route to his No. 4 receiver (coming from the strong side) because Wolfolk stayed outside the numbers to the weak side No. 1 X-receiver while reading the quarterback’s eyes.  As soon as Bentley let go of the ball, the former high school wideout took a B-line path to the crossing route and picked it off with ease.  The pick sealed the win for the Tar Heels and got the ACC a much-needed victory over an SEC opponent in head coach Mack Brown’s return to Chapel Hill. 

“We’re all aiming to get this (belt) every week,” Wolfolk explained while wearing the turnover belt in the locker room after the game. “This week was mine and I’m blessed to say it.” https://www.thestate.com/sports/college/acc/article234615997.html

 

 

 

 

DraftNasty lenses: Zack Moss 5’10 222 RB-Utah

Utah running back Zack Moss returns in 2019 with the hope of finishing what he started just three seasons ago.  The Hallandale, Florida native suffered a knee injury prior to the Oregon game and was lost for the remainder of his junior campaign.  Despite the injury, Moss managed to rush for over 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns in just nine games.   The school’s fourth all-time leading rusher’s health will go a long way in determining the Utes’ fate in the Pac-12 South. 

 

 

 

Week 1 Preview, 8-31-19: Auburn defense vs. Oregon offense

Oregon’s offense heads into the 2019 campaign with a huge contest looming versus an Auburn defense that ranked 30th in the nation in opponent third down conversions a season ago.  They are led by a defensive line that features three disruptive edge rushers in Marlon Davidson, Big Kat Bryant and Nick Coe.  Coe led the Tigers with seven quarterbacks sacks in 2018. 

Oregon QB Justin Herbert’s ability to throw under pressure will be key in the team’s Week 1 matchup versus Auburn.

Davidson has occasionally shown the ability to peel (come off of his pass rush to cover RBs) versus quick running back flares to the flats (see UGA ’18-third quarter).  As we spotlighted in the Tigers dominating 63-14 win in the 2018 Music City Bowl versus Purdue, even backup front seven personnel (i.e. Bryant) are capable of reacting to tipped passes.

Auburn OLB/DE Big Kat Bryant (No. 1 pictured) returned a tipped ball (by No. 94 Tyrone Truesdell, pictured) for a 20-yard TD interception return in the second quarter of the 2018 Music City Bowl.

It makes this a tough defensive line to puncture even if they aren’t recording sacks. The team’s front seven accounted for 15 of Auburn’s 54 pass break-ups (T-30th in the nation) in 2018.  Bryant, who stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 253 pounds, accounted for three of those pass break-ups despite starting just three games.

Derrick Brown vs. Oregon interior OL

Throckmorton, pictured, has started at four different positions on Oregon’s offensive line heading into 2019.

Auburn defensive lineman and 2020 NFL first-round draft prospect Derrick Brown can win on twists/stunts, displays range and is capable of using his vision versus double teams.  It will be important for 2018 second-team All-Pac-12 LG Shane Lemieux -a  38-game starter entering 2019- to win on his angle/cut-off blocks versus Brown’s quickness.  The Ducks have to take away snaps from the Tigers defensive front with some semblance of a running attack.  Brown  may match up slightly better with the Ducks’ most versatile lineman, right guard Calvin Throckmorton (has actually played more at the tackle spot).   In 2018, Oregon ran much more than they passed on first down.  Passing on that down early in this contest could halt Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele from hiding the defense’s intentions in obvious passing situations. 

Herbert vs. Auburn third down disguise

For Herbert to enjoy sustained success in this contest, he and his offensive line have to be cognizant of Auburn’s multiple disguises and line games on third downs.  Dating back to his freshman campaign, he has protected the football relatively well.  However, Auburn tied for 24th in the nation a season ago with 14 interceptions.  Eight of the players responsible for 11 of those picks return, led by senior cornerback Javaris Davis.  Davis -the team’s longtime nickel back- enters 2019 with six career interceptions and one touchdown, and his pre-snap identification on this all-important down could help Herbert decipher the team’s final coverage.

There are times when Steele will show a five or six-man pressure look in the pre-snap and then rush just four defenders with a two-or-three-deep zone behind it (see Purdue, Music City Bowl ’18, 3rd and 10, 2nd QTR/14:14).  In these instances, Herbert’s patience will be tested.

Oregon’s answer may be a dummy snap count that will attempt to force Auburn to show its hand.  Herbert often looks to the sideline for the pre-snap adjustment before running the play (3rd and 8, 1st QTR, SJSU ’18-defensive pass interference).   In Week 3 of the 2018 campaign, San Jose State DC Derrick Odum would sometimes keep his linebackers and defensive linemen in stationary positions prior to bringing six-man pressures (3rd and 15, 1st QTR, incomplete pass, QB hit).  In these instances, Herbert displayed pocket toughness to deliver the ball while getting hit by the unblocked blitz threat. 

On the next five Oregon third down attempts (San Jose State ’18), the Ducks posted a false start (3rd and 9, 2nd QTR), an incompletion to a tight end in the end zone while backed up (3rd and 13, 2nd QTR), a one-yard completion (3rd and 13, 2nd QTR), an 11-yard completion (3rd and 8, 2nd QTR) and an incompletion (3rd and 8, 2nd QTR).  Many of the coverage concepts included two-or-three-deep zones mixed with split safety looks.

So what was the common theme prior to these third downs?

San Jose State’s front seven (led by former NT Boogie Roberts) wreaked havoc on first and second down.  The team’s linebackers reacted to what they saw and forced the action.  An inability to create forward movement in the running game (2.7 yards per carry) caused Oregon to stay in third and long much of the afternoon.  For the game, the Ducks converted 39-percent (7-of-18) of its third down attempts.  To even reach that mark against the Tigers front seven, Oregon OC Marcus Arroyo has to create manageable third downs for Herbert and his offensive line. 

There will be many games for Auburn to study when attempting to corral one of the 2020 NFL Draft’s top quarterback prospects in Herbert.  One could argue that the Michigan State defensive performance in the 2018 Redbox Bowl ranks at or near the top of the list.  Surprisingly, however, the job done by San Jose State DC Derrick Odum in slowing down Oregon’s offense has some intriguing hints for Auburn DC Kevin Steele.

 

 

DraftNasty spotlights 2019 2nd Annual Silver Bluff HS Youth Football Camp

Silver Bluff High School head football coach De’Angelo Bryant stresses fun, competition, excitement, instruction, leadership and fundamentals in his youth football camps. His second annual camp featured intense campers being led by detailed coaching. DraftNasty went behind the scenes to take an in-depth snapshot.

2019 2nd Annual Silver Bluff HS Gridiron Golf Tournament, 6-28-19

Silver Bluff High School hosted its second annual Gridiron Golf tournament at the Midland Valley Golf Club in Graniteville, South Carolina on June 28, 2019. Here is a look at some of the images from the weekend.

DraftNasty spotlights Bol Bol C-Oregon (VIDEO): 2019 NBA Draft preview

Despite missing the majority of the 2018-19 campaign due to a foot injury, Bol averaged over 21 points per game, 9.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocks in nine games.  We got the opportunity to view Bol as a member of the Cal Supreme Elite AAU squad during the 2017 Nike EBYL tour.  Many of the characteristics that were on display during his short stint at Oregon shined regularly on the AAU circuit.  His father, the late Manute Bol, was one of the NBA’s top shot blockers during his career.  While not quite as tall as his 7’7″ father, the younger Bol does contain a 7’7″ wingspan. 

DraftNasty spotlights Missouri F Jontay Porter (VIDEO): 2019 NBA Draft preview

Despite going down to two knee injuries in 2018-19, former Missouri forward Jontay Porter still has an outside shot of hearing his name called in the 2019 NBA Draft.  Prior to his injury, Porter -the younger brother of Denver Nuggets 2018 first-round pick Michael Porter, Jr.- was considered a potential first-round pick in this year’s draft. Blessed with a seven-foot wingspan, the former Tiger displays range and above average footwork on the floor. As a freshman, he shot 36-percent from three-point range and 75-percent from the free throw line. We spotlight his matchup with Sacramento Kings forward Marvin Bagley during the 2017 Nike EBYL Peach Jam while a member of the Mokan Elite AAU squad.

DraftNasty spotlights Jalen Lecque, PG-NC State (VIDEO): 2019 NBA Draft preview

Lecque -a five-star recruit in the 2019 high school class- took a circuitous route to this year’s NBA Draft. Despite being able to have played in college this past season, he played an extra year at Brewster Academy (N.H.) in 2018-19. After committing to play for NC State in 2019-20, he entered the 2019 NBA Draft. His sterling athleticism was on display at the 2019 NBA Combine, when he posted an eye-opening 43 1/2-inch maximum vertical jump.  Lecque decided to stay in this year’s draft as the rare fifth-year high school senior.  We got an up close look at the Manhattan native and his New York Rensaissance AAU squad during the 2018 Nike EBYL Peach Jam.

DraftNasty’s 2019 NBA Draft preview (Video): Ignas Brazdeikis SF-Michigan

Brazdeikis -the 2019 Big Ten Freshman of the Year- proved his worth during his first season in Ann Arbor. The 2019 AP Newcomer of the Year averaged 14.8 PPG and 5.4 RPG while shooting 46.2-percent from the field.  He also shot 39.2-percent from beyond the arc and 77-percent from the foul line. Brazdeikis hopes to hear his name called at some point during the 2019 NBA Draft.

 

DraftNasty spotlight (video): Darius Garland, PG-Vanderbilt, 2019 NBA Draft preview

Despite missing the majority of his freshman campaign due to injury, Vanderbilt’s Darius Garland has a solid chance of hearing his name called in the 2019 NBA Draft’s Top 10 picks later this month. The former Brentwood Academy (TN.) and McDonald’s All-American provides deft ballhandling skills at the point guard spot. Prior to his time at Vandy, he earned his stripes playing against the likes of players such as Phoenix Suns center DeAndre Ayton and 2019 UNC signee Cole Anthony in the AAU circuit. In his five games as a Commodore, Garland averaged 16.2 PPG, 3.8 RPG and 2.6 APG. His father, Winston, spent seven seasons in the NBA after starring at Missouri State.