Can Hicks improve the way Shelton did?
MADISON – Paul Chryst had a frontrow seat for cornerback Sojourn Shelton’s final two seasons at Wisconsin, 2015 and ’16.
Shelton played well enough in ’15, Chryst’s first season, to be named honorable mention all-Big Ten. His best overall season came in ’16, when he was a first-team, all-league pick by the media and a second-team pick by the coaches.
Chryst sees similar potential in redshirt sophomore Faion Hicks.
“I’ve loved how Faion Hicks has been throughout the offseason and spring,” Chryst said on the eve of preseason camp. “I think that is why we’re excited about him. He reminds me a little bit like Sojourn’s growth.
“It seems to me that there are fewer highs and lows. And he is trusting himself. He is trusting the technique. I think when you do that you start to play. And he is playing.”
Hicks enrolled a semester early but wound up redshirting as a freshman in 2017, largely because he suffered a shoulder injury during spring practice.
He played in 12 of 13 games last season, with 11 starts. Although his aggressive play led to too many penalties and he surrendered more completions than he would ahve preferred, Hicks led the cornerbacks in tackles with 35.
“I think we love where Faion is,” defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard said. “With what he did last year, he was the most consistent corner.”
That cursory scouting report might surprise some UW fans who believe Hicks needed to wear a fire-retardant uniform last season. Leonhard explained Hicks was beaten for fewer big plays than it appeared.
“Not to say he was perfect,” Leonhard said. “He made mistakes. He had penalties. He gave up touchdowns.”
But?
“I’ve said it a couple times – he was the victim of being on the screen last on some big plays,” Leonhard explained. “People outside of our building … he was getting some heat for giving up some big plays where he really saved us.”
One such play came in the third quarter of the Big Ten opener at Iowa.
Tight end T.J. Hockenson, lined up on the right side of the Hawkeyes’ formation, split safeties Eric Burrell and D’Cota Dixon near the line of scrimmage and ran a deep route toward the left hash. Hicks, seeing Hockenson was well behind the defense, came off his man and tried to make a play. Hockenson made the catch for a 45yard gain but was brought down by Hicks at the UW 6.
The Badgers, thanks to a terrific play by linebacker Ryan Connelly on third and goal from the 2, held the Hawekeyes to a field goal. Instead of facing a 14-7 deficit, UW trailed by only 10-7.
“There were a couple different ones during the course of the season where he ran it down and honestly allowed us to play another play, made a tackle inside the 10,” Leonhard said. “Or maybe a broken play and the quarterback gets out of the pocket and scrambles and (Faion) ends up getting him on the ground.”
Hicks has worked with the No. 1 defense in camp this month and, barring injury, is set to open the season as a starter.
“He puts the work in, so I think he can trust the work and the preparation,” Chryst said. “I like where he is at and you appreciate all he has done to get to that point. But there is still – every guy on this team – there is still great room for growth.”
Hicks knows better than anyone the growth he can and must make. Meeting with reporters after practice on Thursday, Hicks talked about needing to be more physical, needing to do a better job at the line of scrimmage when asked to play press coverage and needing to cut down on pass interference calls.
“It was a learning experience, learning how to put myself in position not to get the PI calls,” he said of last season.
“I definitely feel I am more consistent with my technique. Now I’ve just got to translate that into making plays.”
The low point for Hicks last season came in a 47-44 victory over Purdue in three overtimes.
Hicks was called for pass interference in first quarter; gave up a 39-yard completion down the sideline to the UW 22 in the second quarter, which led to a field goal; gave up a 35-yard completion to the UW 40 with 2:45 left in regulation in a tie game, though UW’s defense held; and gave up a 25yard touchdown pass in the second overtime, shortly after UW had taken a 41-34 lead.
“I don’t want to have that feeling again,” Hicks said. “That is a big moment and as a corner you’ve got to step up.”
Leonhard noted that Hicks, after evaluating his play in 2018, is eager to shore up his deficiencies.
“We really saw a different guy in the spring,” Leonhard said. “I was really pleased with the way he ended up spring ball and now we’re pushing him as a leader. He has earned the right to be a leader in our room. He has accepted that challenge.”