TUSCALOOSA, Ala. _ When they made the switch it had already been a long day for the University of Alabama secondary. Everyone knew coming in that West Virginia would run numerous screens and quick passes to try and get the defense on its heels, but time and time again the Mountaineers got a big play from wide receiver Kevin White.
He had seven receptions for 133 yards early in the fourth quarter when Alabama’s coaches made the switch, putting junior Cyrus Jones on him even though he had almost exclusively been playing the other cornerback position since training camp opened.
“I knew what they were going to do,” Jones said, and sure enough West Virginia went for a fade to the 6-foot-3 senior receiver who had been giving Bradley Sylve problems. At 5-10, Jones was at a height disadvantage as well, but able to break up the pass.
The threat had finally been nullified.
“It’s definitely different,” Jones said about going from facing a smaller receiver in the game to the bigger one. “A bigger receiver is trying to run by you, using physical ability to box you out and get position on you. Smaller guys, it’s tougher to get a handle on you, so you definitely have to be real focused on your feet and your hands and keep your balance.”
From that point on, White only had two receptions, one for 7 yards and the other for 3, with Jones making the tackle both times. Although West Virginia finished with 365 passing yards, its final three possessions were three-and-out, three-and-out, and five-and-out, with just one first down and 26 total yards to show for it.
“He had a really good camp and really matured as a player, much more confident this year than a year ago – and has played really well,” Coach Nick Saban said about Jones. “I think he has a good understanding, and a smart guy. Has the poise to adjust.”
Consequently, Jones was named one of the Crimson Tide’s three defensive players of the week along with safety Landon Collins and defensive end Jonathan Allen. Even though he didn’t exactly have a shutdown performance in terms of team production points no one was higher.
He’s also the player Saban singled out as having improved the most over the past year.
“I just think I matured a lot as a player,” he said. “I just go about my preparation a lot more vigorously and I’m more comfortable with the playbook. I think anytime you’re comfortable with the playbook it helps you play fast on the field because you’re not really thinking as much. I think the fact I don’t have to think about it as much is definitely helping me.”
Actually, Jones’ performance may have been the first sign that the cornerback spot is on the rebound.
Since Saban arrived in 2007, Alabama’s defensive backs have been mostly exemplary, which has been reflected by the numerous selections in he NFL Draft. Although cornerback Deion Belue signed as a free agent with the Jacksonville Jaguars after struggling with a painful turf-toe injury last season, safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix was the 21st-overall selection by Green Bay and safety Vinnie Sunseri went in the fifth round to New Orleans despite coming off knee surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Last year cornerback Dee Milliner was a first-round pick, and the year before so were safety Mark Barron and cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick, while cornerback DeQuan Menzie was a firth-round selection. In 2010 cornerback Kareem Jackson was a first-round selection and Javier Arenas went in the second round. Even in 2009, former walk-on Rashad Johnson was a third-round pick and a team even took a chance on Marquis Johnson in the seventh round even though he hadn’t been a regular starter for Alabama.
But in 2013 the Crimson Tide had huge problems at the position, with four players making their first starts: Jones (five), Eddie Jackson (four), Sylve (three), and Maurice Smith (one). Two were converted wide receivers, Jones and Sylve, and the other two true freshmen.
“It was pretty difficult at the beginning, just kind of bringing myself back into a defensive mentality,” Jones said of the switch. “I played defense in high school, so it wasn’t that much of a transition. But definitely coming from offensive side and learning all the plays on defense was the most difficult part.”
Further hampering things were that coaches didn’t want to overload the players by having them learn more than one spot in the secondary, including the positions called “star” and money” when the Crimson Tide uses a fifth and sixth defensive back.
In the spring, through, Jones, like all of the other defensive backs, learned more roles, and with the addition of prize prospects Tony Brown and Marlon Humphrey coaches now have a lot more options … like switching roles against West Virginia, which didn’t work as well last year against Texas A&M.
“Having been a receiver definitely helps you, just knowing releases and things like that,” said Jones, who appeared in 11 games as a true freshman in 2012, with four catches for 51 yards and also was a regular on special teams.
With the younger players developing – and not being thrown in against a confusing offense like West Virginia’s – Jackson returning from knee injury, and Jones’ improvement, the unit’s confidence is on the rise even if White did have big game last week.
“Confidence is definitely a big thing for a corner because you’re out there so far from anyone else and you’re in the spotlight against some of the best receivers in the country,” Jones said. “I think definitely when you get plays made on you you’ve got to have confidence to say, ‘Okay, I’ll get him next time,’ and keep fighting throughout the game.”
Christopher Walsh has covered Alabama football since 2004 and is the author of 19 books. In his free time, he writes about college football.
