Senior corner back Thomas Bates is expected to become a leader in the secondary. | File photo The Daily Cougar
Head coach Tony Levine said the issues facing a secondary that struggled at times last season could be resolved by opening day.
The squad has its work cut out for them.
In 2012, the Cougars’ pass defense ranked dead last in Conference USA, allowing more than 290 pass yards per game. They also gave up more than 36 points per game — the most since the 2001-02 campaign, when they finished with a 0-11 record.
With the departure of former cornerback D.J. Hayden, who was a two-year starter and had four interceptions in 2012, Levine said the secondary is still a work in progress, but is confident because of the players that are returning from a season ago.
“We’ve got to develop some more depth into our secondary,” Levine said. “The good thing is that we’re seeing that with our veteran players and our younger players as well.”
He said sophomore safety Adrian McDonald, who grabbed two interceptions last season, played strong in the second half of last season. Senior corner Zachary McMillian recorded 51 tackles and led the team with five interceptions, which also tied for first in C-USA. Sophomore safety Trevon Stewart became a starter in the third game of the season and remained it for the remaining 10. He was named on the Freshman All-American team and led all freshmen nationally with 126 total tackles.
McMillian said they struggled last season because they were unable to build chemistry.
“As a secondary, I feel like we made a lot of mental errors,” he said. “We had about six or seven DBs that were constantly shuffled in and out during the game. … We’re trying to build continuity of the whole defensive back corp. … We have to play as one unit, not single performers. We’re trying to build a team as far as the defensive backfield.”
Defensive backs coach Zac Spavital said he agrees with McMillian. He also said injuries inhibited the Cougars last season because knowing the tendencies of the other players in the secondary is something they’re trying to build in spring practice. Spavital is confident with his group because many of them got their feet wet from last season.
He said McMillian and senior defensive back Thomas Bates both performed well with greater experience last season.
“It was good and I was impressed because those two really stepped up last season for us when D.J. was hurt,” Spavital said. ”I think they did a real good job of that.”
Spavital also said junior defensive back Turon Walker has played well in practice. In Monday’s team scrimmage, Walker made a big hit on a receiver that forced an incomplete pass. He also jumped a route and returned an interception the other way for a touchdown.
After McMillian’s performance last season, he said he embraces the role of filling Hayden’s position at corner. Hayden was a two-year starter and caught four interceptions in 2012.
“I’m trying to do that at the best of my ability,” McMillian said. “What D.J. did was lead by example and I just try to do the exact same thing by working hard every day. I’ll continue to better my skill, and when the young guys see that, they’ll rise to the occasion.”
Spavital said the Cougars are going switch coverages more this season. He said it’ll give the secondary the initiative and the opportunity to dictate the game.
Spavital, a former defensive back at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, said to be a great defensive back, you have to have an understanding of what’s going on at all times.
“They’ve got to have great awareness and be fundamentally sound,” Spavital said. “At the end of the day, they’ve got to rely on their technique and how to anticipate what’s going to happen on the field at all times. To me, those are the traits I think a good DB needs to have, and I think we’ve got guys that are headed in that direction.”
