WMU Football breaks camp and looks great.
The defensive backfield is filled with personalities and characters, much like their counterparts, the wide receivers unit. Each wants the same thing ... the ball thrown to them. But the defensive back wants all the same things as a receiver for many different reasons.
A defensive back, who can either be a corner, free safey or strong safety, has an area of the field or a particular receiver they are responsible for during a game. For the entire 60 minutes, that DB is glued to that man or guarding that area of turf. They want the ball to come their way because it gives them the opportunity to do one of three things. They will either be able to break up the pass, apply a mind-numbing hit to the receiver if he does catch it or break on the route and intercept the ball. The back then becomes what he competes against - a receiver.
The Western Michigan defensive backfield is deep with talent but it is young talent. None of the scheduled starters are over sophomore eligibility but that does not matter because they make up for this in early experience on the field as freshmen and red-shirt freshmen a year ago.
Louis Delmas, the leader of the defensive backfield moved from corner to safety after an All-Mid-American Conference performance during his rookie campaign. He will be joined by C.J. Wilson who has hard a hitter as they come and also has a nose for the ball as he showed when he intercepted a pass deep in Bronco territory in a Nov. 5 victory win over Eastern Michigan.
The corners, E.J. Biggers and Londen Fryar, have the speed and agility to hang man-to-man with a receiver but also drop into a zone if needed. The defensive backfield, as a unit is willing and able to adjust. That is something they have worked on throughout preseason camp.
The one they all look to is senior captain Jimmie Vincent. Vincent has been there. He has been out on that island for four seasons and now, as a fifth-year senior, he is able to impart his leadership and knowledge on his younger mates, something that has not gone unnoticed by his teammates or coaches.
Every day, the defensive backs work on speed drills. They work against each other, they work against the receivers. They also work on catching the ball. Many analysts say that a defensive back is at that position because he did not possess the hands to be a receiver. Defensive coordinator Scott Shafer and secondary coach Clayton White want to disprove that myth. They throw the defensive backs footballs over and over. When the back makes a move with his back to the ball and turns around, he needs to be ready - just as the receiver does - to catch the ball.
There is a saying that is usually tied to defensive back. "Sixty-five percent of the world is covered by water, the rest is covered by me." That is quite brash and you would never hear that level of taunting coming from a Bronco player but defensive backs must have the confidence and the coaches must have it as well. The confidence to go out on the island and wait, watch and react.
The Western Michigan football team has ended camp. The schemes are in, the plays are ready and the depth chart is almost set. The players will receive a much-deserved day off on Saturday and then it is back to work on Sunday. The Indiana Hoosiers await as does the 11 other teams on WMU's schedule in 2006. It is the 101st season of Bronco football and hopefully one that will add to the tradition so many have worked so hard to build.
There is only one thing lef to say regarding 2006 WMU Football Preseason Camp - Ready, BREAK!
Here is a great link to a photo album of camp!
http://www.wmubroncos.com/PhotoAlbum.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=4600&PALBID=4733
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Courtesy of the WMU SID
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