But the addition of a few new members and the return of senior safety Kurtis Drummond and junior cornerback Trae Waynes to the starting secondary still pose a difficult matchup for offenses across the country.
“The coaches do a great job with recruiting, so I mean, we were already deep last year so it’s just now for those young guys to step up,” said Drummond, who also is aware of himself needing to step up into a senior leadership role. “Guys are competing, which is making everything better, and our chemistry back there is real good.”
Sophomore cornerback Darian Hicks is the number one option opposite of Waynes in the starting lineup, but head coach Mark Dantonio said there are a few other options emerging. Dantonio said junior Arjen Colquhoun, sophomore Ezra Robinson and sophomore Jermaine Edmondson all are improving throughout the spring as other viable options at cornerback.
Junior RJ Williamson currently is leading the race for the open strong safety position, but Dantonio said sophomore Demetrious Cox is not far behind for the starting gig. Williamson has more experience at the position with two starts at safety last year, where Cox saw a majority of his playing time on special teams.
Despite knowing a year ago he wouldn’t have a larger role than special teams, Hicks isn’t making any changes to his preparation from last year. Hicks said he has entered this spring with the same mindset of competing and proving he deserves to be on the field.
“It doesn’t really change for me, now it’s just an open spot and it’s a competition between me and three other guys,” said Hicks, who recorded two tackles last season as a true freshman. “I have to compete everyday and show the coaches why I should be the first guy.”
He said that he has learned a lot from Dennard and still keeps in touch with the 2013 Jim Thorpe Award winner, who was at Tuesday’s practice.
Waynes will be another veteran who will be stepping into an enhanced spotlight. Waynes started all 14 games at cornerback last season and finished with 50 tackles and three interceptions, but now he won’t have the benefit of a potential NFL first-rounder opposite of him.
“I got to step up into that leadership role and stuff like that,” Waynes said. “Darqueze definitely emphasized that before he left and he definitely showed me how to be a leader last year when he was here so I’m just trying to fill that role.”
