Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Versatile defensive backs ready for any position
8/28/2020 6:00:00 PM | Football
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Head coach Rick Stockstill has preached for the entirety of fall camp about the need for Middle Tennessee to be adaptable and deep at every position.
For its defensive backs, that was the aim for defensive coordinator Scott Shafer even before COVID-19 made the 2020 season a unique campaign.
In his four seasons at MT, Shafer has made it a point to bring in defensive backs who can alternate between every position, from safety to corner and even nickel corner. That might be even more important this year with uncertainty surrounding the pandemic and players coming in and out of the lineup.
"I feel like we're going to be more than two deep at every position," redshirt sophomore Decorian Patterson said. "We feel really good about it."
The Blue Raiders will have a talented group of safeties led by Preseason All-Conference USA member Reed Blankenship and fellow senior Kylan Stribling.
Both are coming off injuries, but, when in the lineup, will be one of the most talented safety duos in the league.
Blankenship owns 233 career tackles, 15.5 TFLs, 18 pass breakups, eight interceptions and two blocked kicks. He's been on the All-C-USA First Team, Second Team and Honorable Mention in his career, as well as the All-Freshman Team in 2017. He missed the last five games of 2019 with an injury.
Having Blankenship back in the fold will be a blessing for Stribling, who filled in for Blankenship in the starting lineup the last five games last season. Stribling had a career year in 2019 with 41 tackles, including a TFL, an interception and four pass breakups
"When you have a special player like Reed coming back, it's always great to have him playing alongside you," Stribling said. "It's great to have another smart player out there to check adjustments and stuff."
When Blankenship went down in 2019, it showed how crucial it is to have defensive backs who can move around the lineup to fill in wherever necessary.
Two of those guys the last few years have been Patterson and junior Gregory Grate Jr.
Patterson is listed presently as a cornerback, but after spring drills in 2019 was named the team's most improved safety. He finished 2019 with 39 tackles, including 3.0 TFLs, and had a team-high six pass breakups.
Grate started six games a season ago at cornerback, registering 43 tackles, 2.0 TFLs, three pass breakups and a forced fumble, but is currently listed as a safety.
The defensive backs group is pretty young, with eight true or redshirt freshmen, and Patterson has preached to them during camp that they have to be versatile. Luckily, he's noticed they're all eager to get better at either spot.
"All of them are just athletes," Patterson said. "I also see all of them working every day to just get better."
With players possibly going in and out of the lineup this season, Shafer's strategy of bringing in defensive backs who can play multiple positions looks to be the right move. He's preparing them to be ready no matter when or where their number is called.
"Coach Shafer has got us right getting us practice with pursuit drills and everything," Stribling said. "We have people interchanging and stuff like that, and that helps us out."
For its defensive backs, that was the aim for defensive coordinator Scott Shafer even before COVID-19 made the 2020 season a unique campaign.
In his four seasons at MT, Shafer has made it a point to bring in defensive backs who can alternate between every position, from safety to corner and even nickel corner. That might be even more important this year with uncertainty surrounding the pandemic and players coming in and out of the lineup.
"I feel like we're going to be more than two deep at every position," redshirt sophomore Decorian Patterson said. "We feel really good about it."
The Blue Raiders will have a talented group of safeties led by Preseason All-Conference USA member Reed Blankenship and fellow senior Kylan Stribling.
Both are coming off injuries, but, when in the lineup, will be one of the most talented safety duos in the league.
Blankenship owns 233 career tackles, 15.5 TFLs, 18 pass breakups, eight interceptions and two blocked kicks. He's been on the All-C-USA First Team, Second Team and Honorable Mention in his career, as well as the All-Freshman Team in 2017. He missed the last five games of 2019 with an injury.
Having Blankenship back in the fold will be a blessing for Stribling, who filled in for Blankenship in the starting lineup the last five games last season. Stribling had a career year in 2019 with 41 tackles, including a TFL, an interception and four pass breakups
"When you have a special player like Reed coming back, it's always great to have him playing alongside you," Stribling said. "It's great to have another smart player out there to check adjustments and stuff."
When Blankenship went down in 2019, it showed how crucial it is to have defensive backs who can move around the lineup to fill in wherever necessary.
Two of those guys the last few years have been Patterson and junior Gregory Grate Jr.
Patterson is listed presently as a cornerback, but after spring drills in 2019 was named the team's most improved safety. He finished 2019 with 39 tackles, including 3.0 TFLs, and had a team-high six pass breakups.
Grate started six games a season ago at cornerback, registering 43 tackles, 2.0 TFLs, three pass breakups and a forced fumble, but is currently listed as a safety.
The defensive backs group is pretty young, with eight true or redshirt freshmen, and Patterson has preached to them during camp that they have to be versatile. Luckily, he's noticed they're all eager to get better at either spot.
"All of them are just athletes," Patterson said. "I also see all of them working every day to just get better."
With players possibly going in and out of the lineup this season, Shafer's strategy of bringing in defensive backs who can play multiple positions looks to be the right move. He's preparing them to be ready no matter when or where their number is called.
"Coach Shafer has got us right getting us practice with pursuit drills and everything," Stribling said. "We have people interchanging and stuff like that, and that helps us out."
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