Missouri football coach Eliah Drinkwitz knew there was a lot of change coming for the safety position after the Tigers lost four people from a mainly six-man rotation.
So as he hit the transfer portal looking for new additions, he was focused on a couple of key factors that could make players stand out.
“(It’s a) premium for us on letting those guys, you know, those three positions try to be interchangable and find the best combination,” Drinkwitz said.
With the Tigers’ three-safety sets on defense, including the ‘Star’ position they have used the past few seasons as, essentially, a hybrid linebacker/safety, being able to move around and play different positions has become a key.
And that positional versatility can be seen by looing at the positioning the transfer additions played last season.
Jalen Catalon, the most senior addition in the group who played at UNLV last season after a year at Texas and four at Arkansas,, played 888 total snaps last season. The majority came at free safety (playing farther than 10 yards off the line of scrimmage) where he played 415 snaps. Next up was in the box (starting within 8 yards of the line of scrimmage and often dealing more with one-on-one coverage or helping in run defense. Think primarly strong safety) where he played 314 snaps. Then he played 137 in the slot.
“All across the middle, I would hate to be the wide receiver with him around,” Drinkwitz said of Catalon.
Mose Phillips, who joined the team after spending the past two seasons at Virginia Tech, split his 703 defensive snaps last season in a similar way. He played at free safety on 286 snaps, in the box for 275 more and in the slot for 131 snaps.
And Santana Banner, who spent two seasons at Northern Illinois, played 545 snaps last season. He spent the majority in the box with 344 coming close to the line, then played 91 at free safety and 58 in the slot.
“All those guys found ways to impact the defense,” Drinkwitz said of his full group of safeties as he recounted spring camp.
That positional vesatility can be seen with how the Tigers used their safeties last season as well.
Rising graduate Daylan Carnell played 568 total snaps with 333 played in the slot as his main position. He added 133 in the box and 81 at free safety as he manned the ‘Star’ position.
Joseph Charleston, who ran out of eligibility after last season, played 450 total snaps with 287 at free safety, 88 in the box and 74 in the slot.
Rising junior Marvin Burks played 552 total snaps. He spent 279 of those at free safety, 199 in the box and 60 in the slot.
Each member of the Tigers’ primary trio moved around the field often, never having one spot truly dominate their positioning.
But along with positional versatility, the Tigers were chasing physicality.
Missouri’s secondary has become a spot for big hitters the past couple of years.
“JC (Carlies), obviously, was a big-time hitter at the safety position,” Drinkwitz said. “I think Joe Charleston had several, obviously, Daylan Carnell was able to knock a few players out of games this past year.”
And, especially with Catalon, Drinkwitz feels like the Tigers can continue that this season.
“That’s always been a brand of football we have played with,” Drinkwitz said. “But I think Jalen added some more to it.”
Now the Tigers will go into the season trying to find not just the best three players to fit into the safety positions, but the best places for them to play, all while emphasizing the physicality the defense has focused on the past few years.
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