Sylvonta Oliver was on the Memphis intensity board for the Arkansas State game, however, the junior play discovered earlier last week that he started as a corner.
Jacobi Francis did not show up for Saturday’s victory, so Oliver, in his first game with the Tigers, made his first start and scored to the fullest of the game. He kept him in the third room with an interception.
“Coaches almost managed to educate me,” said Oliver, who played at Itawamba Community College last season. “It strengthened my confidence even more knowing that my coaches had confidence in me even though I (fought) in the first two games. “
The new truth of school football is also the COVID-19 pandemic. This requires coaches to adjust the lists on the fly when they would possibly notice a few days before a match that an opener will have to sit down due to positive control or tap search.
Memphis played without two defensive openers on Saturday, Francis’ eaves and supporter Thomas Pickens. Safe La’Andre Thomas, who started 14 games last season, isn’t on the depths table either.
While coach Ryan Silverfield doesn’t talk about players who are absent from games due to COVID-19 issues, he said the contact search presented a variety of disruptions for his team and in school football. It happened to the state of Texas, which lost its entire tight finishing unit at SMU.
“Now I keep a list with me at night and I carry an intensity chart in case I get one of the night calls, someone might not be with us for a few weeks,” Silverfield said. “It allows me to do it”. to go through the intensity chart in each and every phase of our team and say, ‘Okay, where can we move the boys?'”.
Silverfield added that he is also preparing players for various roles. Whether his offensive linemen are informed about more than one position or second- and third-row players are informed about what front-row players want to do, he ensures that certain players are in a position for an unforeseen role.
Defensive coordinator Mike MacIntyre said he had to rotate players at other times for a cornerer to simply play or the deep one to play nickel. It’s a strategy he learned as a defensive back coach in the NFL, with groups as just 7-8. consistent with the game.
“You’re doing more this year than I would have done in the past. You usually did it with two boys,” MacIntyre said. “You have to be able to adapt and allow them to be informed in various places. We prepare”. practice this way and write it in our scripts that come on other occasions to give them the essays they can do. . “
Oliver, who had seven tackles, is not the only Tigers player called to play life trials. Youth protector Rodney Owens is not in the draw for Saturday’s game and ended up with five tackles and a break pass.
SIlverfield said it’s just another detail of the tension that should endure being tested several times a week and waiting for the results, but it’s also another challenge not only to keep your players safe, but also to have more of your team in one position. Play.
“We’re all going to have to adapt and adjust and thank the young people for their wonderful determination,” Silverfield said.
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