DEMANDING POSITION

By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Insider
            When it comes to the STAR position in Baylor's new defense, think about the edge-rushing and run-stopping ability of Lawrence Taylor mixed with the coverage and big-hitting skills of a Ronnie Lott.
            Head coach Dave Aranda sees the safety/linebacker hybrid position as "dynamic, multiple . . . a rush end at times, he's got to be a linebacker at times, and he's got to be a high safety at times."
            "Within that is the ability to play man coverage.," he said. "There would be guys at LSU where that was their main piece, and you had to work on the blitzing, setting the edges and playing the run. There were others, and they were usually the better ones, that were really good at blitzing and setting the edges. You could play man, but you had to protect them some."
            Playing a similar position for LSU's 15-0 national championship team last season, Jacoby Stevens recorded five sacks, three interceptions, six pass breakups and two QB hurries.
            Comparing the two outside positions in Baylor's 3-4 or 3-3-5 alignment, defensive coordinator Ron Roberts said the JACK outside linebacker "puts his hand in the dirt, rushes the edge a little more," while the STAR is "more of a DB-type body" who will be asked to cover receivers and backs.
            "You're looking for a guy, can he make plays, can he make tackles in space, can he cover a No. 2 (receiver)?" Roberts said. "He's got to be able to make plays on the perimeter, to the field side, and be involved more coverage-wise."
            Inside linebacker Terrel Bernard calls fourth-year junior Jalen Pitre and senior Jairon McVea a "perfect fit" for the STAR position, "because they're big enough and strong enough to handle receivers, but they're smart enough and fast enough to be back in coverage as well. . . . Those two guys have been making plays everywhere."
            Pitre made eight starts at linebacker as a true freshman in 2017, while McVea is a former walk-on safety who has played in 37 career games after earning team defensive MVP honors for 5A Division I state champion Richmond George Ranch in 2015.
            "The thing about both of them is they have a really strong football IQ, a really strong moxie, they're hooked up right," Aranda said. "When you're talking football with them, there are easy answers, and I appreciate that. That position needs that, because the processing there has to happen fast. When they're already anticipating the question and know the answers, it's better for us."
            While the position entails a lot of different things, Pitre said that ultimately it comes down to "just doing your assignments."
            "Coach Roberts puts us in a lot of different situations, whether it's coverage, run (defense) or blitzing," Pitre said. "I'm really liking that position. I think it fits me very well, and I can't wait to get to practice and get better at it."
            Playing more at inside linebacker last season, where he was "in the box with the o-linemen and d-linemen," Pitre had a fairly consistent playing weight of 212 pounds. Now that he is "dealing a lot more with receivers and running backs in space," the 6-foot junior dropped back down to 200. McVea checks in at 5-9, 185.
            "I felt like it was best that I shed a few pounds," Pitre said. "Just eating a little better has been making me feel a lot better on the field to be able to cover those guys. I really like the weight I'm at, and I feel really good at practice."
            With Tuesday's announcement that Baylor will open the 2020 season against Louisiana Tech on Sept. 12 with a home game at McLane Stadium, Pitre said it's "good that we know exactly who we're playing."
            "Before, we were just going to practice every day with the hopes that we were going to eventually know that," he said. "But, we were just having fun and preparing as much as possible, just learning the new system as much as we could."

DEMANDING POSITION

Players Mentioned

Terrel Bernard

Jairon McVea

Jalen Pitre

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