Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
One position doesn’t fit all as ASU builds depth
JONESBORO — Joe Cauthen vividly remembers the end of the 2014 season, when Arkansas State had suffered so many injuries it couldn’t field a competitive defense in losses to Texas State and Toledo.
He also won’t forget last year’s New Orleans Bowl loss, when injuries at key spots made it hard to keep up with a Louisiana Tech offense that had two players who now are on NFL rosters.
The thirdyear defensive coordinator has decided to get creative to pre-emptively address depth concerns that may pop up this year.
That’s why in Saturday’s scrimmage, all-Sun Belt Conference linebacker Xavier Woodson-Luster was starting at nickelback; senior safety Chris Humes was playing cornerback; and sophomore nickelback Justin Clifton spent time at safety.
It’s not a luxury Cauthen is afforded often. But with nine returning starters, he’s comfortable adding responsibilities
to his experienced players’ plate.
“Just trying to create depth with the people that we have,” Cauthen said. “There’s no reason, with our depth at linebacker, for Khari Lain or Xavier Woodson to be on the sideline and us having to put a true freshman on the field.”
Lain started eight games at weakside linebacker last year and three at nickel, and although he’s likely to play behind Woodson-Luster this year, he’ll get plenty of time on the field. Especially if something happens to Clifton at nickelback, which would move Woodson-Luster over to that spot. And, if something happened to one of ASU’s corners — its thinnest position on defense — Humes slides over, which would create a hole at safety.
That’s why Clifton has been taking reps there. Just in case.
“The whole purpose of this is to give us some depth, to give us some other thoughts about where we can get to,” Cauthen said. “We got caught in those situations our first year, and we got caught in the end of the situation last year in the bowl game.”
Similar experiments weren’t possible a year ago, when linebacker Tajhea Chambers was lost for the season with an ACL tear and safety Bo Sentimore suffered a broken ankle, both in the second game, and Lain was still a sophomore learning his way. Now, Chambers and Sentimore are back, transfer Kyle Wilson has impressed since arriving in January, and pieces at linebacker and safety are a
lot more flexible.
“It allows us to do some things that you normally don’t have an opportunity to do,” Coach Blake Anderson said.
The players have embraced the plan. Woodson-Luster, who has started 24 games as a linebacker, said nickelback isn’t much different than what he’s been doing the past three years. The only differences are that he’s typically over a faster receiver and there’s more running involved.
“It helps me see the defense as a whole instead of just one position,” Woodson-Luster said. “Everything fits together, from the D-line to the linebackers to the secondary.
Every piece has a part, just learning the whole picture. My IQ has raised since being here with coach C.”
Humes, who has played both safety spots over the past four years, has seen the benefits, too. He first got the test of cornerback in the spring, and he took some snaps there during player workouts this summer. When he works out for pro scouts in the spring, it could pay off.
“If you get to the next level, they can say, ‘Hey, man, we can put him anywhere. He knows all these different positions,’ ” Humes said.
But Humes stressed that his first concern is with his
current team, which has high expectations defensively because of the returning talent. He’s the most experienced player on that side, having started 26 games since 2012, and having a hand in at least a share of three Sun Belt titles.
Humes was given a medical hardship after tearing a bicep muscle in 2014, and he wants another title — no matter where Cauthen decides to put him.
“I’m versatile enough to start at corner or safety or do whatever,” he said. “I just want to really help this team win. I’ve watched this program just grow and grow and grow, and I’m down for whatever.”