BYU defensive again Ammon Hannemann hits UAB Blazers vast receiver Ryan Davis in the course of the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, Louisiana, on Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021. Hannemann is within the working to be the beginning robust security for BYU this fall. Scott G Winterton, Deseret Information
Utah Utes working again Micah Bernard will get pressured by BYU security Malik Moore throughout a sport at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. Shafkat Anowar, Deseret Information
5 years in the past, Malik Moore joined the BYU soccer program as a shy, soft-spoken and considerably skinny defensive again who was raised in Mississippi however prepped at Level Loma Excessive within the San Diego space.
Now, he's not solely the gregarious, energetic chief of the Cougars’ 10 or so safeties, but in addition a giant chief of all the protection as a fifth-year senior not afraid to specific his opinions and rally his teammates to work tougher and play higher.
Nonetheless, there’s one selection that Moore prefers to depart as much as the teaching employees. Who ought to be a part of him, the unquestioned beginning free security, because the robust security on the again line of the Cougars’ protection?
“We now have so many guys it's going to be onerous for individuals to decide on who're the twos, who're the threes, and who're those.” — BYU security Malik Moore
“I actually don’t care who's in,” the 6-foot-1, 190-pound Moore instructed the Deseret Information after Saturday’s second scrimmage at LaVell Edwards Stadium. “I'll allow them to make their selections, and nonetheless they play I'll simply play off them and do what I do greatest.”
If statements made up to now week by safeties coach Ed Lamb and head coach Kalani Sitake are any indication, redshirt sophomore Ammon Hannemann seems to have the within monitor on the beginning robust security place to be Moore’s working mate.
Hannemann appeared in 10 video games final season, beginning in 4. He made 35 tackles, 24 solo.
“Ammon Hannemann has executed a very nice job,” Lamb stated final Thursday. “He performed rather a lot final yr, however he was like a first-year participant. He had massive ups and large downs. His consistency has been a lot better proper now. I really feel actually good with the place he's at.”
Requested after the second scrimmage which guys have emerged because the doable beginning robust security, Sitake talked about Hannemann first, adopted by transformed cornerback Micah Harper, fifth-year senior Matt Criddle and freshman Talan Alfrey, a returned missionary who missed all of final season (besides the bowl sport) with an damage.
“There are plenty of our bodies on the market,” Sitake stated. “We really feel like we are able to make the most of a bunch of various gamers there.”
Harper, from Chandler, Arizona, began in 5 video games at cornerback in 2020, however sustained a main knee damage throughout spring camp in 2021 and missed all of final yr. He was moved from cornerback to security final March.
“He has been obtainable the entire camp, simply not full velocity,” Lamb stated. “However he can be wonderful for the sport. He's getting again to full velocity proper now. So I'm actually anxious to see what he brings, coming from a distinct place.”
Final yr, Utah State switch Jakob Robinson joined Moore alongside the protection’s again line and tied Moore for the group lead in interceptions, with three. Robinson additionally performs cornerback and nickel, and has spent most of fall camp working underneath cornerback coach Jernaro Gilford’s tutelage.
Lamb and Sitake additionally talked about that walk-on redshirt freshman Ethan Slade has executed some spectacular issues in camp.
“I might say (Slade) has been the shock of camp, after which after that now we have some younger robust safeties, Talan Alfrey and Carter Krupp, who I feel have plenty of potential however are nonetheless in a studying mode so far as the system goes,” Lamb stated.
Stated Sitake: “I feel now we have seven to eight guys that we be ok with at (the security) positions.”
Moore’s main backup might be redshirt junior Hayden Livingston, who has been in this system for 5 years and made some massive performs, together with a game-sealing interception in the long run zone in opposition to Arizona final yr.
“Greater than probably will probably be guys battling for the second and third spots which might be going to be in situational soccer for us the place we are able to make the most of them within the security spots,” Sitake stated, noting that nickels reminiscent of Jacob Boren, George Udo and Robinson might fill in at security, too, if wanted.
Sophomore Caleb Christensen had not joined the group as of the top of final week, however Lamb stated the versatile DB and kick returner “is ok and can be with the group” in some unspecified time in the future.
As for Moore, who has 5 interceptions in his profession, Lamb stated the veteran can nonetheless enhance.
“He felt like there have been some reps final yr the place he wanted to be a extra sound tackler, a extra constant tackler,” Lamb stated. “However I feel he performs the ball in addition to anyone that I've labored with when the ball is within the air.”
Different safeties within the room embody redshirt freshman Dean Jones, former Bingham Excessive star Isaiah Glasker and Chika Ebunoha, a real freshman from Tucson, Arizona.
“We now have so many guys it's going to be onerous for individuals to decide on who're the twos, who're the threes, and who're those,” Moore stated. “We now have so many athletes on our group proper now that anyone can actually step in and play. So irrespective of if I get harm, or if the twos get harm, there are nonetheless threes that may are available in and do the identical quantity of labor as we did. We're wanting actually good, and deep.”
Utah Utes working again Micah Bernard will get pressured by BYU security Malik Moore throughout a sport at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021.
Shafkat Anowar, Deseret Information