Stopping the aerial attack
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| AWC defensive backs Bryce Beekman (11) and Elijah Blades |
The Arizona Western football team has plenty of new and young faces this season, but one spot where there are some recognizable names is in the secondary.
With 17 players listed as defensive backs the Matadors will have some depth when it comes to defending the pass.
The team will be led by the two returning starters, Bryce Beekman and Elijah Blades, who will look to fill the roles left open by Kaleel Gaines and Luca Vartic in the secondary.Beekman finished with 26 tackles and seven interceptions in 2017, while Blades had 22 tackles and one pick. Beekman is still weighing some of his options for where he goes after AWC, but Blades is committed to Oregon.
“It’s our job to pull together with the new guys to show them what the route is and to show them how it was last year,” Blades said. “We’ll just continue to get better.”
Other returners include Willie Burns (6-3, 195) and DaQuirs Griffin (6-1, 185).
The Mats will also bring in a slew of transfers again starting with Tobias Gilliam (5-11, 190), who spent last season at Kentucky.
“He’s doing a real good job,” AWC defensive coordinator Jerry Dominguez said. “He’s been going with the ones and twos. He’s with the ones. I think he’ll fill in really good.”
Freshman Jhevon Hill (6-2, 180) was originally committed to the University of Arizona, but he switched to AWC after some academic issues as a late qualifier. He was a three-star recruit out of high school. Dominguez thinks that it’s possible Hill could only be here for one season.
Zaire Webb (5-11, 180), formerly of Washington State, and Jaylen Moore (5-11, 165), who redshirted last season, will also mix into the rotation.
The depth will allow AWC to use a variety of third-down packages through the season.
“He (Webb) was here for spring ball, Dominguez said. “He’s giving us some good experience, and he’s fighting for the starting position.”
“He (Moore) knows his stuff really well,” Dominguez said. “It now just comes down to executing for him. That will help us in our sub packages. We’re obviously going to be bring a lot of guys in on third down.
A big part of the adjustment for new players has to do with adjusting to the speed of the college game. In high school nearly every player on the roster was the best player on their team.
Both Beekman and Blades remember what the transition was like for them when they first showed up.
“We have to be ready for the first one, especially with these youngsters who are fresh out of high school,” Beekman said. “They don’t really know what the college game is like yet. In practice we’re trying to get them as close to the game as possible.”
“Both of us can say that coming out there is a transition than high school,” Blades said. “In college you see bigger and faster players.”
The Matadors will open the season on Friday, August 24 at home against New Mexico Military.
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