DB Recruiting Philosophy

Discussion in 'Recruiting' started by Chop, Jan 27, 2019.

  1. Chop

    Chop 10,000+ Posts

    Back in the Mack Brown/Duane Akina era, recruiting-wise we tended to be very heavy on cornerbacks ("CBs") and light on safeties. Mack/Akina would take HS CBs and coach them up to be safeties. In effect, some years we would trot out an all CB defensive backfield. I believe this was by design. The thinking (as far as this fan could decipher) was that "natural" CBs were typically just better at coverage and could be taught the run support, play diagnosis, and 'field general' aspects of the safety positions. In the pass-happy Big 12, perhaps this made some sense.

    Now, we've recruited and find ourselves with a plethora of top-notch safeties, but we're relatively light on CBs. This is either: (i) by design, or (ii) the safeties in recent recruiting cycles just happen to be the best DB athletes that want to come to UT. If by design, then perhaps the thinking is that the top-notch safeties are usually just as fast and quick as the top CBs coming out of high school, have a better 'big picture' understanding of defense, tackle a lot harder, and can be taught by our position coach(es) the nuts and bolts skills/mechanics of one-on-one coverage that CBs must be good at.

    Another possibility is that HS coaches may be putting their best DB athletes at the safety positions.

    Also, it's got to be difficult to evaluate top-notch HS CBs who project as the same in college. The problem is that it's not too hard for a good (but not great) HS CB to lock-down a bunch of slower, less-talented HS receivers. Also, a true HS lock-down corner is hard to evaluate because: (i) the other teams won't throw it his way, or (ii) the other teams rely mostly on a running attack and don't throw much anyway (not as much a problem now that spread-type offenses are so common in HS). The camps, the drills, etc. may be more important for evaluating this position (CB) than most.

    IMHO, a lock-down CB is good as gold.

    Any thoughts?
     
  2. ViperHorn

    ViperHorn 10,000+ Posts

    However in the Big XII a lockdown Safety (example E. Thomas) is also as good as gold due to the pressures that the offenses' pose. A lockdown CB with the remainder of the DB's just average will be thrown away from; so the offenses change focus and keep on trucking.
     
  3. Sangre Naranjada

    Sangre Naranjada 10,000+ Posts

    Safeties also have the benefit of potentially spinning down to quicker OLB that can cover backs releasing into the pattern, while still bringing enough size to avoid being a liability in run defense.
     
  4. I35

    I35 5,000+ Posts

    I agree with everything you said. I do remember CB’s during the Brown era would be moved to safety’s. We are so deep at safety right now that I’m hoping with Tyler Owens athletic ability with his spend and quickness that we move him over to CB. He could be that shutdown corner that def coordinators try to stay away from. He seems to be the total package at any DB position. Plus he has record breaking standing broadjump and add his height to it, he won’t be having fade passes throw his way on goal line situations. He needs to be on the field ASAP.
     
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    Last edited: Jan 27, 2019
  5. Chop

    Chop 10,000+ Posts

    Something else to think about in DB recruiting philosophy is the rise of the tall receiver. Tall DBs (or at least high-jumping DBs) are in high demand.

    I seem to recall reading one time about Jerry Gray and/or Mossy Cade taunting an opponent for throwing a high ball endzone pass against the state high jump champion. With all these tall receivers in the game these days, the DBs have got to be able to match this physical aspect with height or jumping ability.
     
    Last edited: Jan 28, 2019
  6. X Misn Tx

    X Misn Tx 2,500+ Posts

    Mack was like a washing machine on defense. He spun down everyone he could! CBs to Ss, Ss to LBs, LBs to DEs, DEs to DTs.
     
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  7. Sangre Naranjada

    Sangre Naranjada 10,000+ Posts

    The high jump champ was James Lott from Refugio. He went something like 7'2" at the state meet.
     
  8. Chop

    Chop 10,000+ Posts

    That's it, James Lott (not Gray or Cade). Just the type for defending tall receivers and 'jump ball' passes to the endzone. Thanks for the fix.

    The DB talent level around here is getting absurd again. DBU.
     
  9. Chop

    Chop 10,000+ Posts

    I only lament that B.J. Foster was born about 10 years too late. The advent of the targeting rule has made the value of the 'headhunter'-type safety relatively lower than in the past. That being said, he's still my favorite DB on the team.
     
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  10. SabreHorn

    SabreHorn 10,000+ Posts

    Who was it that threw four fades on James Lott which resulted in one of our players quipping after the game about the intelligence behind those attempts?
     
  11. WJHorn

    WJHorn 25+ Posts

    It was SMU during the 1983 season (coached by Bobby Collins, I believe, with Lance McIlhenny at QB) that tried 4 times in a row to complete a fade route over Lott. Basically decided the game, a 15-12 Texas win, as SMU was down inside our 10 yard line deep in the 4th quarter when we turned them away.

    Sad footnote is that was the only time I ever saw the Horns win a game in person in the metroplex (all other games were at the Cotton Bowl, including '82 loss to OU, '84 loss to UGa, '84 OU tie, '87 loss to OU, '88 loss to OU, and '91 Miami blowout, which is when I said "I ain't never coming back to watch a game in this damn town...")
     
  12. #2is#1

    #2is#1 1,000+ Posts

    Just my opinion, but I think we are recruiting the best players at every position.
    The state was very deep last year, and we had the unique situation of getting the best group ever.
    I agree it would be great to get a lockdown guy.
    Quentin Jammer, and Aaron Williams are out there.
     
  13. Sangre Naranjada

    Sangre Naranjada 10,000+ Posts

  14. Chop

    Chop 10,000+ Posts

    Note to self--put Bobby Collins' photo by that oft-repeated definition of insanity: doing the same thing over-and-over again expecting different results.

    Inside Collins' head: We're going to run this play over-and-over again until we get it right and score a TD.

    Reality against the UT D-Backfield: You're going to run this play over-and-over again until you turn the ball over on downs.
     

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