MOBILE, Ala. – There are a few questions that University of South Alabama assistant coach Duwan Walker feels need to be answered in the secondary this season. Fortunately for the fourth-year member of the Jaguar staff, he will not lack for options as 28 individuals on the preseason roster are set to enter fall camp as members of the defensive backfield.
“We still feel that there are a lot of unanswered questions in the secondary, which is something we want to get answered,” he stated. “The first thing we don’t have is a true starting lineup we really feel comfortable with, so that’s what we need to answer early in the fall. The next thing we want to start doing after that is stacking depth behind the guys we eventually go with, and that’s where these guys come in.”
At cornerback, the Jags enter the fall with four experienced options, all of whom are at least two seasons removed from the high-school level. Jonathan Cameron and Damond Smith ended spring practice listed as the starters, with Anton Graphenreed and Eddy Cabrera expected to contribute as well.
Cameron began last fall at corner after transferring from Mississippi Gulf Coast C.C., but was moved to safety in the middle of the campaign. He would go on to tie for the team lead with five passes broken up, collecting 21 tackles and intercepting a pass in USA’s three-point victory at UC Davis. He also had a season-best four stops against the Aggies, matching that total in each of the next two weeks in wins over Georgia State and Henderson (Ark.) State. Smith joined the program in the spring after spending his first two collegiate seasons at Western Michigan, where he recorded 29 tackles in seven games a year ago.
The two also bring size to the position for the Jaguars, with Cameron measuring 6-foot-1 and Smith 6 feet, and both at 185 pounds.
“Their experience is very important,” Walker commented. “Jonathan got some experience in junior college and went through his first season with us last year, and playing all those games provides experience you just can’t buy. He’s been through the wars, we love having him here. He’s definitely a versatile defensive back, if we need a safety he’s a guy we know can go there. Anybody who can play both safety and corner can be your nickel, but he would like to settle on one position and be great at it; not be good at everything but be great at one thing, so I think it fits him best to be there.”
“Damond came from a great conference, and has shown in just one spring how valuable he was to his team; that had to be a loss for them, but what a pick up for us,” he continued. “That was something we didn’t have, someone from that kind of program at the level of football we’re going to.
“He was hungry when he got here, he was always asking when we were going to start spring ball. He knows what it takes to be great, so his work ethic coming in elevated the rest of the guys. They saw the high expectations that he has, which helps him make everyone around him better.”
A pair of two-year letterwinners will push for playing time behind the duo. The 6-foot, 170-pound Graphenreed started seven games in 2010, making 16 stops, picking off two passes and breaking up four others, while Cabrera — a 5-foot-9, 170-pound native of Weston, Fla. — posted a pair of interceptions as a true freshman in 2009 during the Jags’ inaugural season. And, Graphenreed qualified for the preliminary round of the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in the 200-meter dash in the spring after placing second in that event as well as the 100 meters at the Sun Belt Conference Championships.
“Anton has broken a school record in track and is the fastest guy on the team, so obviously there’s a place for him,” said Walker. “He’s a great cover corner who is really looking forward to his senior season, he has great expectations for the fall.”
Ken Barefield, a 6-foot, 200-pound junior from Hoover, Ala., has lettered the last two seasons and enters the 2011 campaign slated to start at strong safety. Last year, he led the secondary with 37 total stops — pacing USA in the category in its wins over Georgia State and Pikeville (Ky.) — while also breaking up three pass attempts and forcing a pair of fumbles.
“Ken has come on, he’s one of those guys who is very coachable and learns from his mistakes. Fortunately, when he’s had things happen in games he has only gotten better from those experiences,” observed Walker. “You could see a big difference in his play from the beginning to the end of last season and how much better he had gotten, and he was even better this spring. He’s another kid who has played in a lot of football games, which will be vital.
“We still have a lot of question marks at the safety position to see who is going to fit in where; Ken understands that he will have to continue to get better to have a spot on the field.”
Another transfer — this one from a Southeastern Conference school — will look to make in immediate impact for the Jaguars too. Former Vigor High standout B.J. Scott is returning to the Mobile area after spending the last three years at Alabama, and although the 5-foot-11, 205-pound Prichard native was limited in spring drills due to an injury suffered in the middle of season, he has the chance to start alongside Barefield at free safety. Scott posted six stops and an interception in six games for the Crimson Tide last fall before seeing his campaign cut short.
“Without a doubt, B.J. is probably one of the most talented players on the team,” Walker said. “We were limited in what we could see him do on the field in the spring, but we are hoping that his ankle will hold up. He is very smart and mature, you can tell he has been in a Nick Saban system. He has ball savvy, and is another player we believe can help us at any position on the field — he has all the tools.
“We’re thinking he will play safety right now, and I would love to have that answered early in camp. But he could easily be that utility guy and play a different position every game. He understands that and feels good knowing he will be a vital part of our game plan.”
Terrell Brigham, Davin Hawkins, Alonzo Long and Rodger Sims all played as freshmen last season and should push for playing time at safety. Brigham paced the group with seven tackles and a fumble recovery, while Long contributed five stops.
“They need to continue to grow, they are still young and really green,” Walker explained. “We tell all our kids that the most productive person is who will be on the field. And that’s not just on special teams, but contributing on defense.”
Ameriol Finley quarterbacked Spanish Fort (Ala.) H.S. to the state 5A title last fall, but since enrolling in school prior to the start of the spring semester has switched to defense and ended spring drills listed as the back-up free safety. Three other incoming freshmen add depth on the back line, with E.J. May at corner, and Dionté McDuffy and Carl Williams added to the roster at safety.
“It was big getting Ameriol in for the spring, he’ll be leaps and bounds ahead of some of these guys because he’s already been through it and pretty much knows what is expected and some of our schemes,” observed Walker. “We have raised the bar in recruiting, so we feel that we have some really good recruits coming in who will probably have more of an impact than a normal freshman would. I know they are going to come in and make a big push for some playing time.”
But it could be one or two junior-college transfers who ends up getting on the field in the secondary. Charles Harris, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound Charleston, Miss., native, led Coahoma (Miss.) C.C. with 89 tackles a year ago while also intercepting two passes, while Gabe Loper — who is the same size and hails from Meridian, Miss. — was credited with 39 stops and three passes defensed in ’10 at East Central (Miss.) C.C.; Loper was with the program in the spring but unable to practice.
“We’re looking forward to getting Charles in and making a tremendous impact immediately, since he has been in junior college is someone who is bringing a little more experience in,” stated Walker. “Unfortunately, Gabe was not able to get through the [NCAA] Clearinghouse as quick as we wanted him to in the spring, but I think he will make a big-time impact early on.”
With Walker knowing he has questions that need to be addressed in preseason practice, it’s too early for him to set stated goals for the secondary. But he knows that whatever those end up being, for the Jags to have a chance to be successful they will need to be met. “We’re going to set our goals early in the fall; we don’t want to sit there and judge ourselves at the beginning of the season, we want to get better as the season goes on,” he said. “If we can continue to be productive and meet our goals as we go along, I think we will be a very successful football team.
“You can make mistakes anywhere on the football field, but when you make them in the secondary it could be six points. We want to eliminate those mistakes.”
With the influx of experienced talent in the secondary, that is one concern that should be addressed sooner rather than later.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
—USA—
