WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (April 4, 2012) - With the
spring practice well past the halfway point, William and Mary all-conference
strong safety Brian Thompson recently sat down with TribeAthletics.com to
discuss his offseason preparation as well as his future goals both on and off
the field.
Below is a
quick look at the Tribe's spring two-deep at the safety position.
Coaches Call:
Defensive
Coordinator Scott Boone:
"We have three
safeties (Brian Thompson, Ivan Tagoe and Jerome Couplin III) who are experienced
players and can play either safety position for us. They have been very good to this point in
spring, and I expect to see them be an impact group this fall. [Senior] Ethan Lee has been solid, and I am
pleased with the development of the younger guys as well.
"As a group,
we have some size and are athletic.
Also, I've seen a desire among the position group to be physical around
the football."
Safeties
|
Strong Safety
|
#27 Brian Thompson, Sr. (5-11, 210)
2011 Season Highlights - Video
One of the CAA's
top returning safeties ... Earned second-team all-conference honors last season
after ranking third on the team with 68 tackles ... Most versatile player on
defense, can see action at either safety position and also move down the
linebacker ... Played three games at outside linebacker last season ... Fast,
strong, aggressive player who has the ability to play well both in coverage and
down inside the box ... In addition to ranking third on the team in tackles last
season, he totaled 5.0 tackles for a loss, a sack, an interception and a forced
fumble ... Started every game during each of the past two seasons. |
#42 Ivan Tagoe, So. (6-1, 220)
2011 Season Highlights - Video
Talented young
player who appeared in 10 games last season and started against Old Dominion ... Impressive
physical player with good size and range ... Has skills to be impact player ...
Finished last season with 21 tackles and two interceptions. |
#33 Jared Velasquez, RFr. (6-0, 190)
Has turned in
solid effort during first spring session ... Very physical player who projects to
improve as he receives increased reps. |
| Free Safety |
#22 Jerome Couplin III, Jr. (6-2, 202)
2011 Season Highlights - Video
Very
experienced safety who played in 22 games during his freshman and sophomore
seasons ... Long, athletic player who can cover a lot of ground ... Blends good
anticipation in the deep middle of the defense with outstanding ball skills ... Earned
seven starts in 2011, including each of the final six games ... Finished last
season with 47 tackles, an interception, six pass break-ups and a forced
fumble. |
#47 Ethan Lee, Sr. (5-11, 182)
Smart player,
who is consistent in his effort and assignments ... Provides great depth at the
position ... Has earned playing time in 33 games during his career, mostly coming
on special teams ... Possesses good footwork and speed. |
#37 Jordan King, So. (5-10, 190)
Making great
strides as he matures at position, as he converted from wide receiver to
defensive back at the end of last season ... Proved to be a physical player ...
Standout on special teams. |
