Colorado University Athletics
Brooks: As Camp Crawls On, Crawley Keeps The Bar High
August 14, 2012 | Football, B.G. Brooks
"I'm learning a lot; everything I've been asked to do has been very helpful," he said after Tuesday's practice. "I'm tweaking my game from the high school level and learning at a lot faster pace."
Mountain weather - toss in the altitude here - is much different from what he was accustomed to in D.C., where he excelled for H.D. Woodson High School. Boulder's thinner air has required an adjustment, as well as a practice pace he called "way, way faster" than the tempo of his high school workouts.
Crawley is fast enough - his last 40-yard dash timing was a 4.45 in high school - to keep up with practically anyone he lines up against. But speed alone doesn't guarantee lock-down coverage for a corner. Fitting into defensive coordinator/secondary coach Greg Brown's schemes has sent Crawley and the Buffs' other young defensive backs into the film room and into their playbooks on a more regular basis than they might have imagined.
"I think I'm improving in my coverage, getting better with every practice . . . Coach Cha'pelle (Brown, defensive graduate assistant) is always in my ear," said Crawley, who was a receiver and return specialist in addition to being corner at Woodson. He had eight pass receptions for touchdowns in high school, as well as scoring on one punt return, one kickoff return and taking a blocked punt back for a TD.
But CU saw him as a corner - a very good one - and he's solidified that scouting report thus far in camp. He and his fellow secondary signees are learning at an accelerated pace, trying to correctly assemble their X's and O's while being assimilated into CU football.
"For now, it's all technique and little things for them," coach Jon Embree said of his "Fab Five" DB signees. "We've got to get them out of some of their high school habits. When you're the best or the fastest one out there, you aren't worried about a guy running by you. We've got some guys that will go by you. We have some things (offensively) that will put you in a bad position.
"For coach (Greg) Brown, that's great because he can focus on technique and that says a lot. I tell the players that their job is to know what to do. Our job as coaches is to teach them how to do it. When we can get to the point where we're teaching you that, we're teaching you the game within the game. Then you're playing at a higher level. The fact that these guys have come in at a point where they understand what to do, coach Brown is more focused on how to do things, and that says a lot about coach Brown."
Working against a two-minute offense at this level was new to Crawley, as was working against offensive players as physical as those he sees on a daily basis. But he seems to be coping nicely.
"It's a lot more physical, but I think I'm holding up to it pretty well . . . I can deal with the big boys," he said with a grin.
Crawley's speed has been apparent to his new teammates. Rushing from the edge, he blocked a field goal attempt in Tuesday's practice and said he can envision himself getting more opportunities in that role.
"I can myself going against some bigger, slower linemen and being able to squeeze my way around them and go past them," he said.
Crawley's athleticism wasn't lost on his teammates when he arrived earlier this summer and began participating in seven-on-seven passing work. Senior safety Ray Polk called Crawley "an exceptional athlete and exceptional player . . . he's really coming along well, really learning a lot. All of those young DBs are.
"Crawley's got great feet and knows where he's supposed to be and when. He's a well-disciplined corner and that's what we're looking for."
Crawley initially committed to Tennessee but had CU as his "backup." He said he took the Western route after developing "a close relationship" with Embree and his staff and listening to their approach in getting Buffs football back on course. He was one of three H.D. Woodson players to sign with CU last February, the others being fellow DB John Walker and defensive end De'Jon Wilson.
The Buffs' No. 1 goal this season is winning at least six games and returning to a bowl game for the first time in five years. From what he's seen through nine days of camp, Crawley called the goal realistic.
"I think we can do it," he said. "We've got a strong defense . . . I think we can get after some teams. We've got a bunch of good receivers - a really good receiving corps. The freshmen I've seen have stepped up."
On Media Day last weekend, Embree said the five secondary signees in his 2012 recruiting class might be unparalleled at CU. In addition to Crawley, the Buffs got Yuri Wright, Jeffery Hall, Marques Mosley and Walker, who will redshirt this season after undergoing surgery on a torn finger ligament.
"Those other four guys, they all get it," Embree said. "If you play for coach Brown, you're going to be prepared to play on Sunday. If you're going to play on Sunday, you can't play one coverage. There are different ways you are going to play man, different ways you are going to play cover two, different zone pressures - these guys all get it. I hate using coaching clich+¬s, but they get it."
The expected boost in coverage provided by Crawley and the other DB newcomers, said Embree, "will continue to help us improve. They allow us to blitz. They free up a lot of stuff, just from a defensive standpoint, when you know you can cover longer than two seconds. You know you won't have to sit back there with your fingers crossed and hope."
Greg Brown characterized his incoming DBs as a group with "size, speed, athleticism - and some confidence . . . Yuri and Kenneth were the more highly recruited of the group and rightfully so. They're big kids with ability. But I feel good about all of them. So far in camp, Marques has been stellar. He's going to be an extremely good player."
None of Brown's newcomers initially were scheduled to redshirt, but Walker's finger injury changed that during week one of camp. Brown said a decision on any of the others sitting out their freshman years "is still a few weeks away. But the majority looks like they won't. We don't have that luxury; for us, it's all hands on deck."
Crawley is learning to play both corners, which he said was no hardship. "It's just getting comfortable with both," he said. "In high school I played left, but I'm getting the feel for the right side now, too. I feel good about what's going on here."
Make no mistake, Embree, Brown & Co. feel good about having him here.
CONCUSSIONS END HARLOS' CAREER: On-going concussion issues have ended the CU career of safety Will Harlos. Embree spoke with Harlos and his family Tuesday morning and said the 6-3, 210-pound sophomore was considering staying at CU and running track, among other options.
Embree said even if Harlos decided against pursuing a track career at CU, he could "medically retire" and remain on scholarship and continue his education. Medical retirees can remain on scholarship without counting against a school's 85 total.
"We're waiting to see what he wants to do . . . I know the initial shock of everything he's going through," said Embree, adding that Harlos "had a pretty good collision (Monday) and was wobbly. We had to come get him, so that was it. I felt it was in the best of him not to participate in football."
Harlos suffered "at least one pretty bad" concussion last season, Embree said. Harlos also told the Boulder Daily Camera that he believed he had another two concussions last fall that he did not immediately report to the CU medical staff.
"When you're talking about your head . . . I take it seriously," Embree said. "He's a great kid; he's been on all four (special) teams for us. He was getting comfortable there in the back end but the way he plays, he's a violent, physical guy. It was unfortunate, but there's more at stake than trying to play for us."
Harlos, of Somerset, Texas, participated in three games last season and earned five special teams points.
"He's taking it hard and rightfully so," Embree said, noting that Harlos was among the players he knew was passionate about football. "It was important to him, it is important to him. He was upset (Tuesday) morning. Like I said, it's unfortunate, but as I explained to him, we all go out at some point, and for him, it's not like we're saying, 'Oh hey, it's an elbow or a knee and you're not going to walk good.'
BUFF BITS: The Buffs shifted to a morning practice/afternoon walk-through on Tuesday, with the morning session including "teaching, then some situational scrimmaging" that included two-minute and four-minute work, Embree said. "Guys are separating themselves; you start seeing some guys making plays and gaining confidence. We got a lot of good work done." He said the biggest challenge through nine consecutive days of camp - five in full pads, four in "shells" - was coping with a "very physical" tone thus far. "It was good to see them come out and not flinch or blink and just get after it." With a major scrimmage set for Saturday, Embree said the next couple of days would be tempered with the scrimmage in mind . . . . Sophomore receiver Tyler McCulloch suffered a hip pointer during Monday's work and sat out Tuesday. He said he likely would be out no longer than one more day, if that . . . . The third of five two-a-days is scheduled for Wednesday, with a split squad practice in the morning and full team work in the afternoon.
Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU
