Buffs Practice Report: Rakestraw In Mix At Safety; Johnson Talks RB Rotation
August 13, 2019 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — It has taken a couple of years, but Colorado junior Derrion Rakestraw is finally feeling fully comfortable as a defensive back.
Rakestraw, from Woodstock, Ga., was recruited to Colorado as a wide receiver, a position he played his first year in Boulder as a true freshman in 2016. But in fall camp of 2017, he moved to defensive back, where he began relearning a position he hadn't played since high school.
Rakestraw made a couple brief appearances on defense in 2017 as a redshirt freshman, then gained more experience last year, playing in seven games with two starts, totaling 262 plays. He finished with 19 tackles, three quarterback pressures and an interception.
But now, after a spring ball session under new head coach Mel Tucker and defensive coordinator Tyson Summers, Rakestraw is truly feeling at home at safety.Â
"I'm finally getting comfortable, a 'This is where I belong' type of feeling," Rakestraw said earlier this week after practice. "It took a while. It was hard to go through all those changes, but I'm here now. It's definitely been worth it. We have great defensive minds back there as coaches and you learn something every day. I'm just trying to listen, learn and do it on the field."
Thus far in fall camp, Rakestraw has been a regular with the No. 1 unit at a position that lost both starters from last year's team — and is thus wide open when it comes to competition. Others who have been getting regular reps include graduate transfer Mikial Onu, junior Aaron Maddox, sophomore Isaiah Lewis and true freshman Mark Perry.
"It's really competitive back there," Rakestraw said. "Everybody can play. We have a lot of good safeties and we have to keep it up until game week. Everybody back there can make plays."
Along with making plays, safeties must also help make defensive calls, meaning they have to be extremely comfortable with the defensive playbook. CU's new defense, Rakestraw said, is more far more intricate than in previous years.
"It's a huge playbook," Rakestras said. "Knowing what to do, knowing the personnel, knowing who's supposed to be where is huge."
But as he has become more and more familiar with the scheme, it has allowed him to play more instinctively.
"It's getting a little bit easier to play faster," he said. "I feel like I'm having a good camp and getting better every day. I'm getting coached hard and I'm listening to my coaches. That's a big part of it right there."
Tucker said depth will be a key at safety, especially when the Buffs need to play their nickel and dime packages that require extra defensive backs.
"We have to have a cohesive, sound playmaking secondary that attacks the football," he said. "Right now we have to have more communication. I talked to you last week about perimeter run force, which is something that we have to improve on. We're working on that, and being able to make plays in space. Space tackling in the secondary is huge. It's not the easiest thing to do in the world. We do a lot of drills for that. We don't need just two guys, we need four or five guys to play those positions."
JOHNSON ON RB ROTATION: Throughout camp, Tucker has stressed that he could utilize a running back rotation this year, especially early in the season.
Tuesday, offensive coordinator Jay Johnson said developing a rotation isn't an easy undertaking.
"I've been involved in that in the past and it is hard," Johnson said. "As you know, some guys get hot a little bit after they've been going and when you're in a constant rotation, that's a challenge. I think as we continue to go this week I think some things will reveal themselves."
Johnson stressed that no matter who lines up in the backfield, they will have to prove they can do more than "just" run with the ball. They must also be solid in pass protection and above all, take care of the ball.
"At that position, the number one thing I'm concerned about is the ball," Johnson said. "We have to show good ball security. That's always being evaluated with those guys. Then when they don't have the ball, that's what I want to know what they can do. I think we've got very talented guys that are showing some really good big play potential, but what do they do when they don't have the ball?"
Thus far in camp, sophomore Alex Fontenot, redshirt freshmen Deion Smith and Jarek Broussard, and true freshman Jaren Mangham have been fairly consistent. Johnson said next Saturday's scrimmage, the Buffs' second of camp, could provide a little more separation.
"It will be interesting to see once we get through this week, another scrimmage opportunity, if it is still more by committee because we're very parallel, or if one begins to shine a little bit more," he said.
PRACTICE REPORT: The Buffs were in full pads Tuesday morning … True freshman Tarik Luckett, who just last week moved from wide receiver to cornerback, continues to show a nose for the ball. It wouldn't be a surprise if Luckett sees some time in the secondary this year … True freshman Mark Perry made a nice move on a ball to the sidelines, breaking in front of the receiver to knock it away ... Safety Aaron Maddox had a big stop on the goal line, then came up with an interception a couple of plays later … True freshman Marvin Ham II took some snaps at inside linebacker alongside Nate Landman …Â
On offense, quarterback Steven Montez hooked up with tight end Brady Russell for a big gain down the sidelines in team drills … Running backs Fontenot, Smith and Broussard all had solid days … Tight end Jalen Harris had a nice catch at the goal line … Wide receiver K.D. Nixon has consistently come up with some difficult catches over the last week.
WATCH LISTS: Quarterback Steven Montez and wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. have been named to the preseason watch list for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award. The award honors the top Division I offensive player who has a connection to the state of Texas (born there and/or graduated from a Texas high school and/or played college ball in the state). Also, CU redshirt freshman nose tackle Jalen Sami has been named to the Polynesian Player of the Year watch list. The award was won by CU's Sefo Liufau after the 2016 season.
SCHEDULE: The Buffs will be back in shells Wednesday, full pads Thursday and shells again on Friday before Saturday's second scrimmage of camp.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
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