Texas Football 2011 Preseason Position by Position: Cornerback

by Scipio Tex on Jul 29, 2011 5:27 PM CDT in Texas Longhorns and Other Football

We wrap up our look at the defense at a position where we have the most question marks: cornerback.

If you haven't read Longhorn Scott's post on Diaz's defense, do it now. What we're going to ask of our cornerbacks is slightly different from before and some of the characteristics that we used to almost singularly value (can we put this guy on an island with minimal responsibility and expectation of help?) will be blended with other considerations (understanding team coverage concepts, reliable tackling on underneath routes, pattern recognition). The Diaz defense is like a basketball defense where you have to trust that your teammates will switch and hedge correctly - it's not about you vs. receiver so much as team coverage vs. their routes.

The good news is that we have nine guys vying for two jobs (or three, if you include the nickel) and most of them are talented athletes, several with NFL potential. The bad news is that we have almost no experience, youngsters in the secondary don't mature in a predictable ways (remember when Michael Huff, Curtis Brown, Stanley Richard, and Cedric Griffin were fan whipping boys?) and they're going to be playing in new schemes in a league where they'll be facing the likes of Fuller, Broyles, Blackmon, Stills, and Moe. Not to mention an early baptism under fire against BYU.

Let's break up the corners into depth chart knowns:

Adrian Phillips
Carrington Byndom
AJ White
Quandre Diggs

And unknowns:

Sheroid Evans
Bryant Jackson
Josh Turner
Mykkele Thompson
Leroy Scott

Two guys in this latter group of five will playing safety by the end of summer camp and we'll see at least one redshirt.

First, the knowns (and that's a relative statement to say the least):

Adrian Phillips has been a favorite of mine since I saw his jack-of-all-trades high school film at Garland where he, not Tevin Jackson, was the best player on the field every week. He's physical (5-11, 195), has good quickness, ball skills, and he's a quick study. His speed is adequate but you won't mistake him for Sheroid Evans. He's a corner in the mold of OU's Derrick Strait - physical, competitive, adept at challenging receivers in their preferred spots. He's also a true sophomore and we're going to have to live with some growing pains there. Stick with him - he's going to be a player. He has the physical mentality to play safety as well (expect run support with gusto at corner) and that gives us some flexibility down the road if someone from the unknowns group proves to be a unique talent and post-Gideon graduation.

Carrington Byndom is a different body type from the powerfully built Phillips - he's a long corner with a lithe frame (6-0, 175). Think Curtis Brown less some quicks. He will stick his head in there though. No finesse mentality - the mind is willing even if the body is weak. Like a surprising number of the guys on this defense he's a bright guy and that should help his learning curve when he gets thrown into the fire. He's particularly good at going after a ball in the air. I expect strong, physical receivers to give him some trouble simply because of the strength disparity, but that will work itself out as he matures his way to 190+. Carrington Byndom has far too cool a name not to be good eventually, right?

AJ White looked to be a probable starter if you were predicting depth charts pre-Spring until Phillips and Byndom came on. That's more a credit to those two than a slight to White. The sophomore appeared in spot special duty last year and he's a scrappy competitor who, like Byndom, isn't afraid to put his head in there despite his slight build. He's listed at a hopeful 6-0 175, but I suspect he's more like 5-10, 170. AJ can run and he has good quickness but he can be posted up and muscled by bigger receivers. He doesn't have the power to get off of a strong receiver's hip on deep balls either. White will get much better as he matures physically and the battle at cornerback may not be conceded just yet.

It's funny to list a true freshman Quandre Diggs as a known, but his spring performance means that in the land of the blind the one-eyed man is king. Quandre (5-10, 190) is built in the mold of Adrian Phillips - powerful, strong hips, ball skills, nasty disposition. Like Phillips he played the "Son, Just Win The Fucking Game" position in high school which included quarterback, receiver, kick returner, cornerback, safety, and probably nose tackle when required. He's quicker than fast, but he reaches his top speed in half the steps it takes striders. So his game speed is much better than his track times. Diggs' career will likely answer the question: What if Quan Cosby had played defensive back instead of receiver at Texas? Quandre is a true freshman and he's not playing Angleton's rivals anymore - expect a steep learning curve whether as our #3 CB, nickel, or anything else. He's physically ready for the college game, but skill, experience, and a polish all need to catch up.

Now, let's talk about the unknowns. Why would our coaches try guys who appear to have safety bodies - Evans, Jackson, Thompson - at cornerback first?

Consider this.

About 75% of the cornerbacks in the college game are under 6'. Of the 14 cornerbacks (or guys who played corner early in their career like Lott and Renfro) in the NFL Hall of Fame, exactly one of them is under 6 feet. Run that math. And, by the way, that midget is a veritable freak of nature: the Redskins' Darrell Green. Start to ponder the implications there and you realize that a player can be a very good cornerback at 5-9 or 5-10, but the ultimate determinant of greatness - all other things being equal - isn't another 1/10 of a second on your forty time - it's your size. A 6-2 guy who can play cornerback is gunpowder in the Bronze Age.

Freshman Sheroid Evans is the fastest guy on the team, but it's not clear if he has cornerback skills or where he is best suited. His injury history makes him a bit of a blank slate and we can project whatever we want on him. Huge upside obviously.

Bryant Jackson is our biggest corner prospect at 6-2, 190 and he has ball skills. Obviously, whether he can stick at cornerback will be determined by his ability to turn his hips and break on balls. He has good range and wingspan to cover a lot of ground. He's a redshirt freshman, still maturing physically (East Texas rule applies here) and it's not unreasonable to think that he can be a 6-2 205 pound free safety down the line. He will win more than his share of jump balls, but he needs to get stronger.

I expect Josh Turner to redshirt and to remain at cornerback for the time being. He needs strength and maturity.

Freshman Mykkele Thompson is nothing but upside - a dominant athlete on the field, an elite track competitor, smart, tough, great hands, still improving athletically, with a frame (6-2, 185) that defensive backfield coaches and wide receiver coaches fight staff civil wars for. Absolutely anything is possible for Mykkele and if he has the hips to play cornerback and can learn the nuances of the trade, he's sitting on a goldmine.

Freshman Leroy Scott is physically ready for the college game - he's a sturdy 5-10, 190 and likes physical play, but he has skillets for hands and he gives me the vibe of someone who matured early and has already maxed out a number of his physical attributes. We'll watch and see.

Summary:

If any of the five youngsters above (and I expect it would be from Evans, Thompson, or Jackson) shows during summer drills as a natural cornerback, our situation there is greatly improved with legitimate depth and competition.

We're going to have to some rocky times at cornerback, but I expect improvement over the course of the year. Can't have steel without tempering. Several of these guys will be playing other positions a year from now, but for now we get the satisfaction of watching young players grow at their position over the course of their careers. That process is pretty rewarding, whatever the short term lows.

This is a group that will peak in 2013 - not September, 2011.

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Comments

Big fan of both Byndom and Phillips. They want to be out there, they are heady, and they will mix it up even if they are over matched. Maybe they don’t have the ideal measurables or apparent pedigree of prototypical elite corners, but they’re real football players.

One of my favorite things from all of last season was seeing Byndom sprint out to replace a hurt Curtis Brown and immediately press Fuller on the goal line against aTm. Not a fair fight, but he didn’t give an inch.

Diggs strikes me as the same kind of kid, and I am pumped up about 3-4 years of watching him ball. Like you, I expect some youthful mistakes, but I feel like the corner position is in capable hands if we can stay healthy.

by Bobby Time on Jul 29, 2011 6:22 PM CDT reply actions

This sounds crazy but I like Diggs as a safety. You put your best athletes at CB and you put your playmakers at safety. If you have a guy who’s both, you have Earl Thomas. I think Diggs has the same nose for the ball and he will strike you. I am worried his height will negate some of that playmaking ability at corner. So, to get your best 4 on the field, I like corners of Byndom and Phillips, with safeties of Diggs and Vacarro. Nickel would be the best of the rest. Will this happen? No. So in practice what I am saying is put Diggs at nickel.

by Football Fan on Jul 29, 2011 6:46 PM CDT reply actions

If UT has a Derrick Strait on the their hands, watch out. Strait was good from the first gun if I recall.

by quigley on Jul 29, 2011 8:37 PM CDT reply actions

Bobby Time -

Agree with you. And I thought the same of Byndom. Very game.

Football Fan -

Not crazy at all. Diggs can play any position in the secondary. Which is why he probably will be our nickel. It will keep things simple for him and let him either man up on a guy in the slot or play Cover 3 with his eyes on QB. We like him in either task.

quigley -

Strait was very competitive and a good player within OU’s schemes. Similar high school athletic profile and build to Phillips too.

by Scipio Tex on Jul 29, 2011 8:41 PM CDT reply actions

Thanks for the usual thorough run-down.

Part of the fun of following a program like ours is watching green, talented kids mature into outstanding players. What do you think the chances are that this group becomes anything like the Griffin, Huff, Griffin, Ross, Brown group of the early 2000’s?

by hopefulhorn on Jul 29, 2011 9:10 PM CDT reply actions

Another reason to remain optimistic about the longer term projections for these players is Duane Akina. The man knows what the fuck he is doing. He scouts the correct players and develops them properly.

It is no wonder we are talking about all kinds of talent and how they will replace all of the guys just drafted in the NFL. The person over this group actually knows what he is doing.

Unlike say, tight end or offensive tackle for the previous 5 years.

by Newy25 on Jul 29, 2011 9:51 PM CDT reply actions

So, we have our known knowns, and our known unknowns on these lists. What about our unknown knowns and unknown unknowns?

Oh wait, I guess that’s the area covered by Recruitocosm. Never mind.

Thanks for these great posts, btw. The long dark teatime of the soul is nearly over. And i agree, Newy25, our Hawaiian is a reason to recover some of our natural optimism. If you were a top high school defensive back, who the hell could you pick to give you a better chance of becoming a great college DB and getting drafted in the first couple of rounds?

by Longhorn in Canada on Jul 29, 2011 10:10 PM CDT reply actions

Teatime becomes tee time.

by RomaVicta on Jul 29, 2011 11:42 PM CDT reply actions

I think I might rather have my inexperienced corners play “you’ve got him” rather than “pattern recognition”, but maybe I don’t understand the terminology. Byndom stood out at the end of last season. Maybe he has the “it” factor, or maybe just any enthusiasm in that backfield full of sour guys stood out. And Stanley Richard was not half the whipping boy Mark Berry was.

by Juice on Jul 30, 2011 12:04 AM CDT reply actions

After reading the position by position breakdown I understand why Coach Boom moved to Florida. Your defense looks to be built on hope and some great linebackers. Looks like ou, A&M, and osu should give you guys fits not to mention Baylor and the Purple Kryptonite.

by Aggie Lurking on Jul 30, 2011 9:29 AM CDT reply actions

And here I thought he left because he got offered a massive pay raise and the opportunity to be the head coach at arguably the best program in the country.

by bigdukesix on Jul 30, 2011 10:00 AM CDT reply actions

A person of intelligence would truly get that from reading these breakdowns. The Texas defense is just a couple of good linebackers. Jeffcoat, Randall, Orakpo, Wilson and Vaccarro are just pipe dreams. Thanks for the outsider, unbiased insight. I suppose Sherman would have turned down the Florida job as well as any other Aggies coaches. I didn’t specificallly say DeRuyter because he was too busy deciding on the big prize at Tulsa to bother with small potatoes like Florida.

by RomaVicta on Jul 30, 2011 10:53 AM CDT reply actions

“And here I thought he left because he got offered a massive pay raise and the opportunity to be the head coach at arguably the best program in the country.”

Now, now. Do not burst his bubble. This is the pinnacle of Aggie football (off season with high expectations before the inevitable disappointment).

Let him have his moment.

by Newy25 on Jul 30, 2011 11:14 AM CDT reply actions

I’m surprised he was able to talk about anything but the LHN not being fair and crying about moving to the SEC.

by Jefe on Jul 30, 2011 12:11 PM CDT reply actions

An intelligent person would not have substituted Orakpo for Okafor. Dang.

by RomaVicta on Jul 30, 2011 1:37 PM CDT reply actions

“This is a group that will peak in 2013 – not September, 2011.”

It’s likely to be another couple of tough years for the defense in the pass-happy Big 12….

by dookie on Jul 30, 2011 3:15 PM CDT reply actions

I suppose Sherman would have turned down the Florida job as well as any other Aggies coaches.

Speaking of “other agy coaches”… back in about 19 and 85, Mack lured the agy QB coach away. I heard tell that same coach is available again, in case agy needs help with any or all aspects of the offense.

by Tex Long on Jul 30, 2011 3:48 PM CDT reply actions

I’m not concerned about my offense. I doubt you can make the same statement.

by Aggie Lurking on Jul 30, 2011 3:54 PM CDT reply actions

Aggie Lurking has revealed himself to actually be Mike Sherman with that first-person noun usage. DUN DUN DUNNNNNN!

by Garry Crowbar on Jul 30, 2011 6:12 PM CDT reply actions

Worry about winning a bowl game. Or not having a highly touted upperclassman QB shit the bed.

Aggy is the gift that keeps on giving.

by Randy Watson on Jul 30, 2011 7:30 PM CDT reply actions

dookie – I wouldn’t be more concerned about CB than, let’s say DT2. In past years we’d want to put our corners on an island; whatever their assignment did pattern-wise, if the throw arrived closer than 12 yards to the line of scrimmage the corner would be the only one responsible to break it up. So whether it’s a wheel route, or a hook, or a slant, or an out, etc., the corner would need to respond instantaneously with the correct position and technique for each of those routes.

In this system the corners have much simpler responsibilities. Basically, the CB covers the vertical pattern closest to the sideline unless all the receivers on your side run short routes. Whether you play them outside-in or inside-out is determined before the snap, based on where the WR lines up. So most of the time they’ll be reading position early and adopting the same technique, play after play, unless the other team abandons vert routes altogether. And if that happens, it’s because we’re getting to the QB quickly and stopping the run, so we’re all good. The inexperience will show but it probably won’t be as bad as watching Curtis and Chykie in their first year.

by Dagga Roosta on Jul 30, 2011 9:01 PM CDT reply actions

Akina is terrific at turning out NFL caliber CB’s, but in all but one case (Ross) it has taken 3 years on campus for the results to show up. Expecting true sophs, redshirt freshmen and true freshmen to play well under him definitely goes against the trend.

No skipping the paint the fence, sand the deck and wax the car steps in his dojo.

Expect alot of CBs running stride for stride with WRs, but giving up completions when they don’t turn to look for the ball.

by Horncasting on Jul 30, 2011 10:49 PM CDT reply actions

Akina has value in giving a wet willie to Mike Stoops.

by Drew Dunlevie on Jul 31, 2011 2:05 AM CDT reply actions

Can’t have steel without tempering.
Well said, good Sir. Great write up as always, Scip. I can live with the inevitable rookie mistakes as long as the attitude and effort are there and the improvement becomes manifest over time.

Last year all were notably absent—so in that regard, at least, I’m looking for much improvement this year.

by Orange Marrow on Jul 31, 2011 12:58 PM CDT reply actions

When should we start getting clips from practices?

by ut-06 on Jul 31, 2011 4:39 PM CDT reply actions

The smartest thing these youngsters can do is start carrying should pads & meal trays for Wilson, Jeffcoat, etc.

by Matt Cotcher on Aug 1, 2011 12:15 PM CDT reply actions

I’m a little surprised Harsin hasn’t kidnapped Diggs. We seem to be on the hunt for a scatback a la Daniel Brooks/Dontre Wilson — Diggs’ film with the ball in his hands was better than anyone else I saw last year.

by Texastough on Aug 1, 2011 12:46 PM CDT reply actions

I don’t think Harsin would be allowed to kidnap a guy who’s set to play major minutes at nickel as a true frosh. I could see Diggs contributing occasionally on offense eventually, maybe. But probably not this year.

by Dagga Roosta on Aug 1, 2011 5:04 PM CDT reply actions

Harsin will be prevented from even making eye contact with Quandre Diggs.

by Scipio Tex on Aug 2, 2011 1:46 AM CDT reply actions

I have visions of Phillips being Texas’ version of Ed Reed. Pity we have to wait until Gideon graduates.

You underestimate Josh Turner. He’s already better than AJ White and will play some this year.

by Gata on Aug 2, 2011 2:45 AM CDT reply actions

I have a lot of respect for Akina but our experienced secondary sure blew last year. part of me expects this group of youngsters to do better than last year’s senior laden group. Everyone will be fighting for what they get in terms of playing time. That is a good thing …. I hope.

by papadev on Aug 2, 2011 8:29 AM CDT reply actions

Gata -

I can’t underestimate Josh Turner because I have no estimation of Josh Turner.

papadev-

I think Akina is a very good individual developer of talent. He really makes players tougher and challenges them to be their best. From a unit standpoint, I don’t think he’s proven that adept at teaching higher concept stuff.

by Scipio Tex on Aug 2, 2011 12:35 PM CDT reply actions

Heavy pressure on the opposing QB is a DB’s best friend. While these CBs are young and lack game experience, I expect they’ll get a boost from an increased pass rush courtesy of the law firm of Jeffcoat, Okafor & Randall, as well as Diaz’s crazy blitz schemes.

by CalHorn on Aug 2, 2011 3:46 PM CDT reply actions

“remember when Michael Huff, Curtis Brown, Stanley Richard, and Cedric Griffin they were fan whipping boys?”

No, I don’t. I wasn’t reading your stuff back then. Were you writing? Are their any archives of the team and position breakdowns for previous years? I started reading here about 2-3 years ago and cannot believe I watched Texas football without this extra knowledge and insight. I still throw the sponge brick at the TV, but now I know which fucking player to aim at.

Would love to read back about the earlier years.I don’t remember Huff until his last two years. That would be good reading.

by ethorn on Aug 3, 2011 6:27 PM CDT reply actions