The Joker Report

VERSUS: SOUTH FLORIDA @ AUBURN Mike Jenkins vs. Jerraud Powers

Mike Jenkins (South Florida)
5'11", 194  Junior

POSITIVES:

1. Good feel for man, comfortable in turn and run
2. Tight coverage on comeback
3. Adapts to what offense gives him; played soft coverage early, switched to tight press and backed off before snap, then played mostly press as game went on
4. Very attentive out there
5. Though on an island on the flank, QB never really looks his way
6. He's the one-assignment cover corner: blanket your man and let your teammates take care of the rest
7. At press, good hands at point of attack, moves smoothly with man
8. Good sportsmanship shown, playfully slapping helmet of opposition; there for the competition
9. Good recovery on WR block
10. Will somewhat tackle when forced to do so
11. When AU showed odd lineup, USF countered without Jenkins; AU tried to take advantage of his absence throwing deep (shows opponent is always aware of his presence)
12. Good recovery to keep up with man after beaten
13. Again, even when man beats and gets position on him, has good close to be there for a play
14. Again, pass plays in his direction when he's out of game
15. Heads up timeout on AU 4th and 4; showing good awareness
16. Excellent read and react on toss to his side
17. Good block shed
18. Confidence getting higher as game progresses
19. Awesome coverage on deep post route, made perfect play from outside position to bat ball away
20. Though playing soft around 1st down marker, showed great close and pop for tackle to force opponent to punt
21. When forced to be the only guy in run support, he came up to put a decent lick to drop man for short gain

NEGATIVES:

1. Bit on play action and let man run free
2. "Obviously he's no threat in run support"
3. Looks scared to support run, "walks" up to pile after play
4. "Ha.  No man to cover, forced into run support, got blocked and then run over like a rag doll."
5. Nowhere to be found on long run as if it's not his responsibility
6. Literally gets pushed 5 yards downfield in bump and run
7. Will miss at point of attack in press coverage occasionally
8. Disappointing; Yet another "oh I see him but someone else tackle him" play
9. Easily blocked on run to his side
10. Though he read toss well, unfortunately he can't tackle and "got run over hardcore"
11. Gets subbed out in goal line situations; assuming because of the above problems
12. No factor on run to his side
13. Forced to cover slot, looks unsure of himself, playing soft and safe, lets man get reception
14. Blocked out of position to help in run support

Jerraud Powers  (Auburn)
5'9", 183  Sophomore

POSITIVES:

1. Smart, adapted to play and took deep man as safety pushed up, cut off route to make tackle underneath
2. Lines up mostly in the slot; good coverage forced QB eslewhere
3. Easy transition with to deep corner/safety with teammate
4. Step for step with man across middle
5. Looks to have healthy appetite for run support
6. Good awareness on special teams; downed punt at 1 yard line
7. Good hands on WR block, finally showing aggression halfway through game
8. Good squat and light feet anticipating tackle in run support
9. Though blocked out of quick screen, shows good effort to fight block towards man
10. Good read on run, in position to make tackle
11. Seemingly plays as a nickelback/linebacker
12. Nice squat in zone, laid off man perfectly trying to bait throw
13. Cheated in on run play, good tackle on QB for short gain
14. Good block shed, showing great awareness out there
15. Covered TWO guys on trips wide, good quick close and pop for tackle
16. Excellent coverage in slot forced QB to look elsewhere
17. I like this: first time in the game he covered flank, but he still showed up in run support on other side of the field.  Shows effort and will.
18. Decent read and react on swing pass...little late to the party but there nonetheless
19. Shadowing man well after losing inside position

NEGATIVES:

1. Though lined up directly across man on LOS, just lets him take reverse hand off.  Basically gave his assignment to someone else
2. Lax coverage in slot, unsure whether to blitz or cover, loafed after man who made long 3rd down catch
3. Step for step in pursuit but getting blocked the entire time?  "Make a damn play!"  Allowed 1st down.
4. Pulled in goal line situations
5. Almost got thrown on his butt on WR block, forced way out of play
6. Needs to tighten up and focus more before snap; stance indicates average passion
7. Had to be told where to lineup by safety, no will to pursue plays not directed at him
8. Put head down for weak tackle, not wrapping up
9. Not in position to make tackle on his side
10. Bit hard on fake reverse
11. Sometimes shows casual reaction even if read correctly
12. Slow turn at deep point of attack, can be weakness as season goes on
13. Though one could blame coaches on short zone call, he needs to adapt on 4 wide when man goes deep; after all, two safeties can't cover four men
14. Stiff hips, lets man get inside position
15. Playing soft in slot, slow to react and close, hesitant chase on man and pass completed for 1st down across middle

RESULT:

Here we have a case of a veteran cover corner in Jenkins versus a young run-stopping nickelback in Powers.  Jenkins has better height and size for his frame while Powers is small and thick in stature, which reflects in his hip turn.  Though Powers is surprisingly consistent as a sophomore and a good asset in run support, Jenkins has next-level coverage skills as he's asked to do one thing, which he does well---stay on your island and cover your man.  The only time he was tested in the air, he had the speed to be there on a deep ball to deflect the pass.  He is a liability at stopping the run and tackling ball carriers, but when forced to he'll grudgingly do the job.  Personally, I'm not a fan of finesse, one-job-only cornerbacks, but he does his job and he does it well.  Powers, on the other hand, is a willing participant in run support and shows good aggression in tackling, but he neither has the size nor the speed to be a consistent cover corner, and he still has the usual mistakes shown on the field reflected by lack of experience.  I see him better suited as a strong safety in Auburn's future, however---he plays the slot BETTER than Simeon Castille does at Alabama, and he is an above-average all-around cornerback (including special teams) who can be "teached up" to better himself in the coming years.

The winner of the second VERSUS battle is Mike Jenkins.

VERSUS: LSU@SOUTH CAROLINA Chevis Jackson vs. Captain Munnerlyn

Chevis Jackson (LSU)

POSITIVES:

1. Great coverage downfield, jump ball and pass breakup showing smart hands
2. Often two yard cushion, brimming with energy and confidence
3. Playing 10 yards off man, quick screen, chipped on block, great effort to assist tackle
4. Occasional sideways stance, "attacks" block to aid in run support
5. Good speed on corner blitz, let up on QB to avoid penalty
6. Quick turn and run with man
7. Playing safety on 3rd and 4, got to inside man and popped him to keep out of end zone (also gave pre-snap signal to teammates)
8. On goal line, good penetration from slot to stop ball carrier
9. Hates being blocked, wants so badly to make plays, aggression shown
10. Again giving pre-snap directions, there for run support
11. Shows hip and feet quickness on corner blitz, adapts to the play instead of blindly blitzing
12. Good squat on press, asking for a challenge
13. Barking orders pre-snap, made good adjustment on deep ball for great pass breakup (though two steps behind in pursuit)
14. Has "decent will to tackle"
15. Good press technique...knows when the ball is not coming his way
16. Faked blitz, got in position to cover TE on deep corner, great adjustment to ball in the air, INTERCEPTION
17. Sitting in zone, squatting with anticipation
18. Never gave up on hard inside route, great effort in assisted tackle
19. Great play; came off inside man to underneath route and stopped big TE on 4th and 3
20. Played fade adequately in end zone, very confident player

NEGATIVES:

1. Changes up stances which may catch him off guard in the future
2. May get a little too confident out there (but does it really matter with LSU's defense?)
3. Somewhat careless during man coverage on TE in route
4. Again, switching from sideways to squared up after snap; needs to stay with one technique and perfect it
5. Pushed for another goal line stand inside, left him out of position on a toss to his side (touchdown)
6. Blocked on play, man short reception
7. Not sure why he just sat at LOS; no man to cover and didn't look for one, either
8. Anticipating man's route in backpedal takes him out of position on run to his side
9. Vulnerable to quick, clean cuts out of break

Captain Munnerlyn (South Carolina)

POSITIVES:

1. Skills as punt returner
2. Decent close and "head dive" for tackle
3. "Okay" coverage on deep ball
4. Decent kick return
5. Decent speed with long strides on next kick return
6. First one to tackle man on defensive blown assignment

NEGATIVES:

1. Playing way off man, terrible read and late break on hitch
2. Playing TWELVE yards off on 3rd and 5, lucky the QB didn't see it
3. No telling where he went on RB sprint to his side
4. "Ape-ish" stance with arms just hanging, lets man initiate contact
5. Let man get behind him on deep ball (inconclusive)
6. Not paying attention, allowed man to get inside for huge play, but ball was overthrown
7. Plays back and soft on 2nd and 3rd downs
8. Got blocked out of position on touchdown run to his side
9. Read run, severely delayed reaction, out of position to even think about an angle to take for a tackle
10. Just jogs after play in pursuit; "where's heart?"
11. Pulled in goal line situations
12. No hustle on extra point attempt
13. Ran right into the pile on kick return
14. Caught up in block, not fast enough to catch QB scramble
15. Late to lineup on man
16. Can't shed any blocks
17. Failed to make play on opponent's muffed punt; tried, but "just no oomph to this kid"
18. Don't see him anywhere on long run
19. May have been pulled for lackluster play
20. "Okay, he's playing terribly.  Way off man, reception, bumped out of bounds for easy first down"
21. Though inconclusive, QB is looked his way on isolation route
22. Just too eager to backpedal to worry about actual play
23. Quick sack may have saved him from another iso go route
24. Clearly no factor in run support
25. Just worried about his man, clueless as to his surroundings
26. Possibly benched for a couple series, did not see him
27. Back in game, "skiing" trying to tackle man; no sense of killer instinct

RESULT:

I think it's quite obvious Chevis Jackson won this duel.  Captain Munnerlyn is a young athlete trying to learn a new position and focused on not getting beat.  Meanwhile you have a crafty and confident veteran in Jackson who plays aggressive and tight coverage, knows how to read offenses and the QB's eyes, and will only get better as the year progresses.  Sure he plays on the best defense in the country, but he makes his presence felt just the same.  Winner: Chevis Jackson in a landslide.