Constructing A Team – Cornerbacks
Posted on: July 16, 2014
We are about two weeks away from fall camp and that’s when players will really get the chance to prove themselves and earn their spot. But as we patiently wait, we thought we’d take all the information we’ve received from our sources and try to construct an early and very speculative depth chart.
As we get more information during fall camp we’ll update this for y’all. For now though, let’s start with the cornerback position:
Tito Windham – Words we’ve heard associated with Tito Windham out of summer camp are “scrappy”, “athletic”, and “won’t back down.” Tito has the speed and athleticism to be an excellent corner. He has great instincts and closes quickly in the run game. Actually had one source tell us he felt Tito may already be better than some of the other CBs on campus. We’re going to reserve judgment until we got a lot more feedback out of fall camp, but the general word on Tito early has been positive.
Dakota Austin – Austin has great feet and within a short area may be the quickest corner on campus. We’ve been told he’s been taking reps with the 1st team, but obviously it’s 7-on-7 without coaches supervision so it won’t mean a ton until fall camp. While Austin is tenacious and showed, in the little film available from last season, that he is willing to come up in the run game. That said, his size (or lack thereof) is a problem. He’s got decent length, but he’s going to need more weight (he’s currently listed as just 164 pounds).
I went back and looked at some film of him from the spring game, and he does a great job defending dig routes. But I do question Dakota’s long speed. We don’t have much film on him, but you can see him leaving a lot of space when a WR stems hard…too much space…the kind of space that makes you think either he’s reading a go, or he doesn’t trust his speed. In the spring game, he got caught on a comeback (or curl – can’t recall) leaving too much space. But we’ve heard that Dakota has been working very hard in the offseason and is confident in what he brings to the table.
Julian Wilson – We recently posted a breakdown of Julian’s game and our thoughts on his ability to transition from nickel to the cornerback position. As we’ve been saying for months now, Julian will get his opportunity to win this spot. And don’t be surprised if he does it. Julian brings some things the others do not…(1) a lot of playing experience and (2) size. Additionally, there really isn’t a complete, younger corner on the roster right now.
Julian has more length and size than every corner on the spot. He has experience. He has speed. And anyone who understands the cornerback position knows just what hard work can do in terms of developing the necessary tools to help someone cover the short and intermediate routes. Even if Wilson is outmatched by some of the other CBs on the roster with respect to fluidity, hard work can keep his footwork clean enough to save him valuable moments as he turns or steps and drives, etc.
Stanvon Taylor – I’d like to really go through the Tulsa film and break down Stanvon’s game in more detail, but my general impressions right now are that he has a lot of great natural qualities. He’s got good speed, he’s twitchy and flexible. The biggest issue I see with Stanvon is that he’s still pretty raw. We’ve been told he’s taking a serious approach to the summer, but again with so many other corners recognizing the opportunity in front of them can he close that gap?
Stanvon is a victim of the same thing that plagues a lot of Oklahoma kids, namely they don’t get as much technical development at the high school level. Technique at cornerback is paramount. It’s critical at every position, but fractions of a second make the difference between a TD and an INT at this level. And the DBs are the last line of defense.
Zack Sanchez – Sanchez looked better in every way during the spring game. Clearly has more confidence in his game. Really noticed that he was triggering quicker than he was last year (could attribute part that to the offense he was facing). Inexperienced corners or unsure corners tend to give too much ground or not read plays in the run game quick enough – or too quick. Sanchez is obviously a lock for a starting CB spot.
Depth Chart Speculation:
We will update this as fall camp starts, but for now we are betting the depth chart could look as follows:
LCB (1) Zack Sanchez (2) Stanvon Taylor
RCB (1) Julian Wilson (2) Dakota Austin
58 Comments
Super K,
Another great breakdown. I really appreciate the effort and dedication you all put into your site.
My one question is that I didn’t see Cortez Johnson mentioned. I think he’s a senior this year. Do you think he’s totally out of the picture?
Cortez is a redshirt Junior I believe
Correct according to his Sooner Sports bio:
2011 – Played (in 8 games, started 2) as freshman at Arizona;
2012 – did not play after transferring;
2013 – played (in 10 games; started 2) as Redshirt Sophomore.
I think he’s in the mix but we haven’t heard a lot about him out of summer camp. He’s probably not one of the favorites to win the spot but I really have this sense that a lot of Cortez’s issues are in his mind…I think he plays tight and it makes him look athletically stiff and makes it look like he’s breaking on the ball late. It could simply be a physical thing and I know why people have made that argument – it appears that way. But I just have this hunch that he’s in his head and hasn’t figured out how to cut loose on the field.
Nice group, looking forward to the fall evaluations.
Is Johnson still on the team?
yes
Yeah…Obviously, there has been no announcement of Cortez Johnson leaving, but is he absolutely not in the mix?
He’ll be in the mix. We just haven’t heard a lot of buzz about him out of summer camp.
so who plays nickel if Julian Wilson is our other CB?
I think the idea is for striker to play some at nickel but I would think Byrd or Thomas might as well. If everyone has success with the new positions mike is trying them out at then this defense will be impressive.
In obvious passing downs I can see Byrd/Thomas subbing for Striker, Striker back to the Jack, and Geneo back to end.
I agree he will go with guys he trusts in coverage on obvious passing downs. we won’t see as many all out blitz’ like we did against bama. Most big 12 teams always have 4 or 5 guys running routes bama and sec country like to run 2 man routes with one check down so it was easy to bring 7 or 8.
On obvious passing down they’ll prob go with a safety corner hybrid much like Wilson is…maybe Johnson or Parker…or slide Wilson down (if he wins outside job) and bring third corner in…bunch of unknowns but I doubt they would use Thomas or Byrd when they are more know as hitters…but Byrd does have the better coverage skills of the two
But that deafets the whole purpose of Striker moving to Nickel. Is to disguise when he is and isn’t gonna blitz. When you sub striker out then he can’t “blitz” making him one dimensional again. The whole idea was to have Striker almost completely every down player but having I’m decoy as a blitzes in offenses heads but really he drops back in a zone or a slot reciever. That’s the key. If striker can prove he can cover man in the slot he will be an every down player. But if he struggles the whole idea of him confusing the defense more is ruined and then you will see, like you said, Byrd and definitely Thomas. Love both of them.
With Wilson moving to CB Eric Striker has been playing strictly nickel back “Roy spot”. Now defenses will not sit knowing he is gonna blitz at the lb position he can either blitz or drop into coverage. Opening up the different looks for OU. That’s why striker has been working so hard on his pass coverage. And Geno Grissom has been playing strikers old spot. Grissom is gonna be an OLB to add size and speed on edge. It’s gonna be a CRAZZZZZY Defense.
I’m looking forward to it
I was really hoping to see Mr. Stephen Parker at the nickel. Guy can cover.
He may I’m sure he won’t redshirt but you never know. It’s just going to depend on what mike stoops feels like doing. Basically the nickel position should just be changed to joker for this defense. At times he will have 3 safeties on the field or 3 corners, sometimes 4 linebackers. He may stand everyone up and leave Phillips as the one down lineman.
I have to firmly disagree. Steven Parker is tooooo valuable at the safety spot especially in the Big12. With his coverage skills we want to “cover” the field not “cover” just one slot receiver. You know? The safety position in this day and age is about coverage and reading not being able to lay the wood at the LOS. Those days are behind us. Sure you want the man to hit but just being that EXTRA cover guy out there that can flat out patrol. A player like Parker is a birth child of the new Safety make-up. Need him every down. Nickel also has to take time in possibly blitz. Way more occasionally than a FS especially in M. Stoops’ D. He wants his nickel to wreak havoc. So when Parker blitzes that’s thus wreaking our “coverage” unit.
Will break down the nickel and safety spots soon. Been hearing a lot about those positions.
Awesome, really looking forward to that. I would also like to hear Truelove’s evaluation of the 2015 OU targets at those positions, including Whitfield.
We’ve got Trulove and Tony Jefferson working on a “Blind Tape Test” of Will Sunderland, McKinley Whitfield and Justin Reid.
Yes, please!
Love the article!
What happened to Cortez Johnson? I think he is being overlooked. Just as big as Julian and more physical, maybe not as fast. I think he would be better suited playing close to the line at the NB spot while Juilan moves to the CB spot.
Remember this is a guy that was beating out Zach Sanchez last year b4 the season b4 the injury forced Sanchez into a starting role. I could Cortex being the starting NB this year.
I was thinking along the same lines. Perhaps Ahmed Thomas fits that role too.
Good points. Have been thinking along the same line. That and as blaster pointed out, hasn’t Thomas been working some at NB?
Probably should have added Cortez in there. I still can’t get a good read on Cortez because while others feel he is stiff or lacks athleticsm or technical development…there is a part of me that has this gut feeling as I watch him that he’s just incredibly timid in games…that he lacks experience and needs to get beat deep a couple times to show him that it’s not the end of the world so just play football.
I like how you said that.
Thank you TFB for all the hours you guys put in. This is the Best site for Sooner football. I would like to see if you have ever heard of Bear Hope out of Claremore oklahoma, he’s a senior middle linebacker 6’2 220. Not sure if he has any film out there, but in my eyes is severely under recruited. Once again thank you for your fabulous site.
Mike has been to Claremore to look at Dakota Basks, at that time I mentioned Bear, and the RB Reliford. I mentioned that these guys, had received some of the best coaching as youngsters from Bailie Basks, and Bears dad. Because Bears dad played at osu, I think Bear might lean that way.
If you’re his coach…could you send us some film [email protected] ? Thanks!
Here’s his hudl film if that helps… http://www.hudl.com/athlete/1630726/highlights/141516673
I am not a coach, but my wife and Dustin mom are first cousins. so I will ask Dustin if Bear has any film. they were coached by Dustin uncle. sorry I typed Dakota instead of Dustin earlier. Dakota is the older brother.
Thank you for reading! Will try to see if I can find some film on the player you mentioned.
At the Tulsa U camp today Dustin ran a 4.28. Bear ran a 5.1. LSU, and TU, offered Dustin today.
Nice breakdown. I watched the spring game again. The influence of Colvin on Sanchez is noticeable; Sanchez has emulated him in all the right ways. Wilson strikes me as a really smart guy translating into a player who understands what the coaches are telling him and how to apply it to his game. The pass rush is going to be extremely necessary to help out the secondary (that’s a captain obvious statement) with it’s many new parts.
I am really confident that by the middle of the season it is going to be very hard to pass against this defense. SCARY GOOD!
Agree.
I have been rooting for Dakota Austin since his commitment but he definitely needs to add 20 more LBs. I think Julian gets the job this fall for his final year.
We’ve liked Dakota for a while as well. In fact we posted some notes about him last season praising him.
Did I miss something? Is Jordan Thomas still on the roster? I went to look and didnt see him and no mention was made here on potential CBs either
He’s on the team and he’s a good kid from Houston. He arrived for summer workouts but don’t know how he is doing.
Thanks Boom and good, I think he might be one of those underrated kids whos does very well at OU.
More than likely he redshirts but I think he’s got a chance to be used the way Colvin was throughout his career. You may see him play nickel his first year and safety at some point. He has the ability to line up at any of the secondary positions.
Very bright young man. I’d expect he learns Coach Mike’s defense fast.
Yes he is. We actually need to ask around about him and see how he’s doing.
Sanchez is great and has nothing left to prove in coverage.
However, he has a lot left to show in the run support/tackle after the catch department. The book on him is run right at him and make him make tackles on the edge. Run bubble screens to his side of the field. His cover responsibility should run short routes knowing he likes to jump them, but that if Sanchez doesn’t break up the pass, it could go the distance.
He needs to not get beat on the double move so often, but other than that he is good to go.
Bingo! Covers very well and tackles like he weighs 150 lb.
good evaluation.
Good notes T. He was triggering well in the spring game and to me being a good run defender is in a lot of ways about reading your keys quickly and breaking quickly. Also looked more physical overall. Got his a** chewed out for nearly sidelining Flowers.
Anybody know when the Depth Chart will be (or normally is) updated?
The current depth chart on Sooner Sports is dated (12/16/13) before the Sugar Bowl. I thought (or hoped) that there would have been a post-spring or summer version. I seem to recall old stories of OU coaches producing pre-season depth charts with “motivational” adjustments. Or was that just the non-public version?
For many years the official updated depth chart hasn’t come out until near the start of the season.
Thanks! I guess we’re left with hearsay & speculation until the first game. Thank goodness for TFB!
yeah they usually don’t come out until game week prep at the earliest…keeps all of the guys practicing hard if they pushing for a spot…some positions are locked down but others are in heavy competition
I must sound like a broken record but God I love this place. You guys are the best. Thanx again! Can’t wait to read your analysis of the DL.