Position Preview: Are Texas DBs Defensive Strength?
The Texas Longhorns secondary struggled often in coverage and run support in 2021. The safeties were attacked on the ground and through the air time and time again. A position that is supposed to be the last line of defense was anything but for Texas a season ago.
The corners were not much better. They were often burned for big plays, but much of that can be attributed to the amount of time opposing receivers had to get open due to a lack of a pass rush up front. The Texas defense in 2021 gave up 224.0 YPG through the air and 202.4 YPG on the ground.
The bright spot of the Texas secondary was the “STAR” nickel position which was primarily manned by veteran DB Anthony Cook. Cook was arguably the best defenseman on the Texas roster in 2021. He was solid in coverage and he was rarely out of place when he needed to make a tackle.
The Texas safeties may be better off following the departures of BJ Foster and Brenden Schooler, the 2021 starting safeties. An improvement would likely not be possible if last year’s starting safeties retained their roles. In 2022, the Texas safety position is largely made up of players who have been moved from other positions due to a lack of depth.
Anthony Cook moved from nickel to safety at the start of spring. He now projects to solidify one of the starting jobs. The other safety position is a battle between returning safety Jerrin Thompson and Kitan Crawford, who moved from cornerback to safety at the start of spring.
Both Cook and Crawford excelled in their newfound positions, per spring practice reports. Crawford is one of the fastest players on the team. He hasn’t had the opportunity to prove his talent until now.
JD Coffey, Bryan Allen Jr., Larry Turner-Gooden, and Morice Blackwell round out the remaining safety group. Blackwell moved from linebacker to safety at the beginning of spring. He may be the hardest hitter on the team. The Longhorns will welcome freshman Austin Jordan to the group this summer.
Coach Sarkisian spoke highly of Cook and Crawford’s move to safety in a recent press conference.
“Cook has played a lot of football, so he’s seen a lot of football,” Sarkisian said. “So I think it comes really, really natural to him. I think the perspective of the game for Kitan, what I’ve been impressed with, is it’s grown. It’s improved.
The Texas coaching staff looked for safety help through the transfer portal all offseason in order to add experience and depth to the group. They were specifically after safeties who had a proven ability to run downhill and help in run support. Unfortunately, the Texas staff was unsuccessful in adding a safety to their secondary and will have to make do with what they currently have on their roster.
Cornerback is one of the deepest position groups on the Texas roster. Texas said goodbye to veteran Josh Thompson who signed as a UFDA with the Jacksonville Jaguars. They return three-year starter D’Shawn Jamison, Jahdae Barron, Jamier Johnson, and Ishameal Ibraheem. Ibraheem was away from the team in spring following a suspension in December, but he has since returned.
Barron moved to the nickel position at the start of spring. He is currently the favorite to be the starting nickel for Texas in 2022. Barron was arguably the best player in the Texas secondary during spring camp. Jerrin Thompson is expected to rotate in at nickel with Barron.
D’Shawn Jamison looks to lock down one of the starting corner jobs for the fourth year in a row. Jamison is a veteran presence in the Texas secondary, but he has a tendency to get lost in space and get burned on the perimeter.
The Texas coaching staff immediately jumped in the portal for cornerback help following the conclusion of the 2021 season. They landed Ryan Watts from Ohio State in December. Watts took hold of the starting cornerback position vacated by Josh Thompson early this spring, and he has not let go. The Texas native is big and fast and should be the Longhorns’ best option to lock up one-on-one with opposing receivers.
On top of Watts, the Longhorns welcomed talented freshmen Jaylon Guilbeau and Terrance Brooks to the cornerback room. Guilbeau was suspended mid-spring, but he has since returned to the team. Prior to Guilbeau’s suspension, he and Brooks were the second-team corners in spring behind Jamison and Watts. If they continue on the trajectory they saw in spring, they will see significant playing time as freshmen this fall. Freshman Xavion Brice will join the group this summer.
Despite an influx of talent into the cornerback room, the Longhorn defense could face the same issue it saw in 2021. In 2021, often times no matter how well the corners played their position, eventually receivers were able to get open because opposing quarterbacks had no pressure in their face.
So long as the new safeties, Cook and Crawford, continue to take to the position well, the Texas safeties should be in better shape than they were a season ago. The cornerbacks and nickel position have potential to be a strength of the Texas defense if Watts, Barron, Brooks, and Guilbeau further the development they saw in spring into fall camp. If nothing else, the leadership of Cook and Jamison should allow the Longhorns to field a secondary that displays a lot more effort and fight than it did a season ago. Texas fans will find out what the secondary is made of when the Longhorns host UL-Monroe on September 3rd.
You can follow Michael Gresser on Twitter @gresser_michael
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