Two defensive backs that need to step up for Tech
Jerrard Tarrant didn’t play last fall. Mario Butler played almost exclusively on special teams.
Both must take a big step forward for Georgia Tech to succeed on defense in 2008.
One of them is likely to start at cornerback opposite Jahi Word-Daniels, and both are likely to play when the Yellow Jackets use five defensive backs. Getting them ready for those jobs has been Charles Kelly’s first big task as cornerbacks coach. It hasn’t always been an easy one.
Just count the number of times “dadgummit” escapes Kelly’s mouth and you get a feel for how that day’s practice is going for Tarrant and Butler.
Butler began the spring working with the first team. Tarrant passed him last week. On Monday, Tarrant started out with the first team, but one too many “dadgummits” led to another swap of first-team and second-team roles.
“I think it’s a good competition,” Kelly said. “They know we’re going to play the guy that’s playing the best.
“Job No. 1 is getting them to play with confidence, learn the techniques, play through a certain number of reps and compete, compete every snap. They’ve got to step it up.”
Both can look good one play only to get burned the next. They’re not too slow or too short or too weak; they’re just too inconsistent, and that’s something they say they can fix.
Butler said special teams experience last fall helped him learn the speed of the college game but didn’t prepare him for the play-after-play concentration he has to maintain if he wants to start on Tech’s defense.
“I think it’s more mental than physical,” Butler said. “I know I have the physical tools. It’s just staying mentally focused the whole time instead of veering off and coming back to make the play.
“I feel like if I’m mentally prepared and mentally tough, I can do anything.”
Rivals.com rated Butler the No. 34 cornerback in the nation, and he was a consensus pick as one of the top 100 2007 signees from Florida. His Nease High School team played in the Class 4-A title game.
Tarrant, from Carrollton, made The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Top 50 in Georgia and was first-team all-state in Class AAA.
“They’re both in the same boat. They’ve got to do a lot of the same things [to get better],” Kelly said.
Tarrant has been all over the practice field this spring, at punt returner, at kick returner and on the field goal block team as well as at cornerback and nickel back.
“The only way you’re going to know if they can handle it is to put them in it and see if they can,” said Kelly, who was Tech’s special teams coordinator last season.
Tarrant returned punts and kickoffs in high school and is happy to be getting the chance at Tech.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution By MIKE KNOBLER