Snyder likes big hits, but wants better tackling

Posted Aug 21, 2011 by Adam Adkins

Updated Aug 21, 2011 at 05:08 PM

USF defensive coordinator Mark Snyder came out of Saturday’s scrimmage feeling pretty good about the first-teamers but knowing the second-teamers still have a ways to go for the defense to reach an elite level, but the one area he’d like to see improvement across the board is with tackling.

USF coach Skip Holtz seemed impressed with a few hard hits the defense delivered during the workout at Raymond James Stadium, and Snyder echoed those sentiments Sunday, recalling a few “de-cleaters” turned in by S JaQuez Jenkins, S Mark Joyce and LB Curtis Weatherspoon. But Snyder wants to see the group do a better job wrapping up ball-carriers.

“We’ve got to bring our arms. That’s the key for me right now,” Snyder said. “Through a 12-game season we’ve got to wrap up and tackle people, and we’re trying to kill people right now, and that’s not going to happen. We’ve got to get that cleaned up a little bit.”

JENKINS LOCKS UP NICKEL SPOT: While finding backups to starting cornerbacks Kayvon Webster and Quenton Washington remains a task because many of the players in that mix are nursing minor injuries, Snyder has settled on his fifth defensive back for the team’s nickel package, with Jenkins getting the nod.

Jenkins, a sophomore backup safety, could play the nickel spot or fill in at corner with Webster moving into the nickel position, Snyder said. Jenkins, who played a lot of cornerback in high school, feels comfortable in either role, and he’s looking forward to the opportunity.

“It means a lot because when you go back and look at last year, Skinny (Mistral Raymond) played that role and he was a big part of the defense,” he said. “It means a lot to me and let’s me know I need to come in and play a big role in this defense.”

DANIELS’ PLAY A REASON FOR SEPARATION: Holtz talked after Saturday’s scrimmage about his disappointment with the lack of competition this fall at quarterback, noting sophomore backup Bobby Eveld hasn’t pushed junior starter B.J. Daniels the way he’d hoped, and the same with freshman Matt Floyd pushing Eveld for the No. 2 spot.

Daniels came out of the scrimmage with Holtz declaring him the team’s clear No. 1 option under center, and offensive coordinator Todd Fitch indicated the reason for that was more a product of what Daniels is doing rather than what those behind him are not.

“It’s the old thing that at tailback, at receiver, at quarterback – when one guy is standing out, usually he’s playing pretty well, and that’s the encouraging thing,” Fitch said. “I thought B.J., we played 20 plays with our ones, and I would probably grade him down on one play, maybe two. So he showed some maturity, showed some awareness of what we wanted to do, and if he continues to play that way then he has a chance to be a special player as we all know.”

BULLS BITS: After reviewing film of Saturday’s scrimmage, Holtz maintained he was pleased with efforts of first-team units on both sides of the ball. “We’re getting close with our first group,” he said, though adding there still needs more consistency and improvement with the second-team units. … Snyder said starting LBs Sam Barrington and DeDe Lattimore were very sharp in Saturday’s scrimmage, and added LB Reshard Cliett, in a battle for the starting strongside job, also performed very well. … CBs Spencer Boyd (knee) and George Baker (groin) and OL Thor Jozwiak (shoulder) sat out of Sunday’s practice, which was in shorts and helmets. … USF is off Monday.