Tag Archives: 2018 East-West Shrine Game

NCAA FB, 2018, Articles

Q&A with Arizona Wildcats DB Dane Cruikshank: ‘Handling business’

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Q&A with Dane Cruikshank, Arizona Wildcats:

DN: Talk about the transition from the junior college ranks (Citrus College-Glendora, California).  You became such a consistent player for the ‘Cats.

Cruikshank: It was easy for me to adapt to it and everything. I had a great coaching staff that helped me out. It wasn’t that big of a difference. There’s a lot of good talent in JUCO that I’ve gone up against that doesn’t get out sometimes just cause they don’t handle their business in school. Luckily for me, I handled my business and actually matured and grew up. I ended up at Arizona and did my thing.

DN: Yeah, one of the big things that stood out not only throughout your career but also out here the in the first day of practice (East-West Shrine practices) is your ability to transition. You have your hips opened to the sidelines and still make the 45-and-90-degree breaks. What do you credit that to? Is it a lot of drill work or is it something that’s just always been natural?

Cruikshank: No, it’s a lot of drill work. I put in a lot of work. Coach Yates (Marcel Yates-2017 Arizona defensive coordinator/cornerbacks coach), Coach Donte Williams (2016 Arizona cornerbacks coach). They both coached me at the University of Arizona. I did a lot of offseason training with them before the season even started, both seasons…my junior season and my senior season. All the work that I put in is actually working out for me. I’m actually transitioning it to the field, just doing my thing out here and just having fun with it.

DN: You had a pretty competitive defensive backfield, in terms of Arizona.  (Demetrius) Flannigan-Fowles and some of the other guys. How did you feel about the competition? Did y’all have inner competition on who would make the most plays?

Cruikshank: Yeah, we went at it every day. Every day we came out with a goal. Who is going to come out with the most interceptions, who is going to come out with the most pass deflections, things like that. That just keeps our juices going, you know what I’m saying. That just keeps it more competitive every day at practice. So you’re not slouching around and getting used to everything. We’re competitors man, all those guys.

Cruikshank (seen picking off a pass during 2018 East-West Shrine practices) posted 76 tackles this past season. He intercepted both USC’s Sam Darnold and UCLA’s Josh Rosen in 2017.

DN: Looking at some of our notes, against Houston earlier this year. Your tackling coming off the edge, and tackling in general. You had 60 tackles in 2016 and quite a few this year.

Cruikshank: 76.

DN: 76 this year. So, run support, talk a little bit about that and what that means to you in terms of your game.

Cruikshank: Well I feel like I can play anywhere on the field in the secondary. I just feel like I can just get the job done no matter where you put me at: strong safety, free safety, corner, nickel. So, I’m a physical player. I like to come up and tackle. I’m not afraid to put my nose in the hole and hit someone. I give that credit to my Dad. He made me a rough player growing up.

DN: That’s what up man. What position do you want to play at the next level? What do you think is your best position?

Cruikshank: Cornerback. I feel like corner is just the best position for me. Don’t get me wrong, I feel like I can play anywhere on the field like I said.

DN: If you had to look at one player that you pattern your game after at the next level who would that be?

Cruikshank: Xavier Rhodes (Minnesota Vikings). Guys with longer arms, Marcus Peters (Los Angeles Rams) guys like that. I look at a lot of film on those guys and I just try to take after them.

DN: No doubt man, thanks a lot for your time and good luck the rest of the year and in the NFL Draft.

Cruikshank: Thank you. I appreciate it.

—2018 East-West Shrine practices, West Team, Day 1, DraftNasty staff reports

UPDATE: Cruikshank was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the 5th Round (152nd overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft.

NCAA FB, 2018, Articles

Q&A with Army OL Brett Toth: ‘It’s all about the repetitions’

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Army offensive lineman Brett Toth improved his NFL Draft stock this  postseason after receiving invites to both the 2018 East-West Shrine Game and 2018 Senior Bowl.  We talked with Toth about Army’s resurgence during his tenure and the transition from an option-based offense in the postseason.

Army OT Brett Toth (No. 78 pictured) blocking during Day 3 of 2018 Senior Bowl practices in Mobile, Alabama.

DN: We’ve had a chance to do a couple of your games the last couple of years. The upset over Temple.

Toth: In 2016.

DN: Yeah, the first game of the season. Some of your fellow offensive linemen, like Rick Kurz, had to be happy for you (getting selected for the East-West Shrine). Army has had some defensive backs that have been in some all-star games (Caleb Campbell-2008 East-West Shrine) but you’re one of the more recent offensive lineman. Talk a little bit about being here in the East-West Shrine.

Toth: Definitely I want to say thank you to the Shrine Game. Big statement here at the Shrine Game is that it’s more than just a game. I love that aspect of it, going out and kind of doing community service. The outreach programs -like with Shriners Hospital- it’s amazing, it’s unbelievable. It’s taken the game itself, which is a game we all love, everyone here you gotta love it, being here. It’s taken that and putting the bigger message out there. I’m here representing my school. If we didn’t have the success we’ve had the past two years, who knows if I’d be here. The senior class, the junior class, as you mentioned Rick Kurz. Up front, our offensive line, we were just determined the past two seasons. We were determined to make Army great again. And I’d like to say that we did that following that last win out in Texas (2017 Armed Forces bowl victory over San Diego State).

DN: You definitely have made Army great again. Let’s talk a little bit about you. Very versatile in terms of your mobility getting up to the second level. You’ve gained weight while you’ve been in school. At one point, you were starting at around the 270-pound range. What is your weight up to now and how has it felt having to pass set so much out here this week (played in an option-based offense at Army)?

Toth: I just weighed in at 305.

DN: Wow, that’s pretty awesome man.

Toth: Yeah, I was 315 over the break.  Got some of my Mom’s home cooking….(laughs). That was nice. Transitioning to the pass set. Again, it’s the raw attributes. It’s the mobility and the kind of stuff that I excelled with.

DN: Well, you’ve seemed pretty comfortable so far.

Toth: I’ve just gotta tweak a few things. Fundamentals. Watching guys like Zach (Crabtree) over there at right tackle from Oklahoma State. He’s unbelievable with the pass set. So I’m trying to learn as much as possible from him. I feel like I’ve already got the run scheme down out here with the zone, it’s just the pass set is just so much of the game. I need to keep reppin’ it, reppin’ it, reppin’ it and get better with it.

DN: We were talking about your mobility and your foot speed, which has always shown up on tape. But it was noticeable when the offensive linemen were racing earlier in practice, that you beat everybody. Do you take that personal, being faster than everybody else (laughs…)?

Toth: (Laughs)…Uh, I would actually say it’s pretty close. You get Greg (Senat) from Wagner, he was giving me a run for my money.

DN: Best of luck man and congratulations on a great career.

Toth: Yes sir, thank you.

DN: Thank you.

-DN Staff reports, East-West Shrine practices, Day 2