Sharp corners hard to handle

Spectacular secondary should be a primary factor in UMass's success

AMHERST - Liam Coen, the University of Massachusetts' star quarterback, relishes game days not just for the competition, but for the fact he isn't facing Minuteman defensive backs.

"Facing them every day is probably one of the most frustrating things to deal with," said Coen, who passed for 30 touchdowns last season.

That secondary, which includes preseason all-conference cornerbacks Sean Smalls and Courtney Robinson and free safety Jeromy Miles, is considered the best in the Colonial Athletic Association and perhaps in the entire Football Championship Subdivision. Strong safety Brian Ellis, a former linebacker, is no slouch either.

"I don't know if I've ever had a group that's had three guys out of the four - and I think the fourth guy is playing well, too - that are preseason all-conference," said coach Don Brown, whose team is ranked No. 5 in the nation in the preseason poll.

Brown's coaching roots are in the secondary and he works closely with it.

"Some guys can stand back, delegate away the offense, delegate away the defense, delegate away the special teams, and then whose football team is it?" said Brown.

The numbers reflect his involvement. The defense led the CAA in total defense (309.6 yards per game) and scoring defense (19.2 points per game) last year as UMass repeated as conference champions.

Late in the season, teams changed their strategies to cope with the UMass cornerbacks.

"They spread us out wide and threw to the slots to pick on the linebackers," said Robinson.

When asked if he felt the secondary could control games, Smalls uttered two letters.

"BC."

Last season, it held Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan to his second-lowest passing output of the season (204 yards) in the Minutemen's 24-14 loss. Ryan was selected by Atlanta with third overall pick in this year's NFL draft.

"At that point, I knew we had a good group back there and we all were just clicking together," Smalls said.

Smalls, Robinson, and Miles combined for seven interceptions last season, but the level of play is high enough that Brown can call any of the dozens of plays and packages written on whiteboards inside one of the rooms in the football offices.

"It allows you to be multiple and do different things inside because you're not worried about protecting those guys," Brown said.

The star is Smalls, a player Brown called "the best athlete I've ever coached." Listed at 6 foot 1 inch and 210 pounds, the senior from Richmond is a package of muscle. With three years of starting experience, he's "dangerous, the most dominant guy I've thrown against," said Coen.

Smalls has been mentioned by ESPN NFL draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. as one of the top corners in FCS. Miles called him "the total package," but highlighted Smalls's physicality.

"He's so physical at the corner position, it's unbelievable," Miles said. "I've never seen someone cover like Sean before."

Smalls and crew are looking forward to going up against Texas Tech's potent aerial attack Sept. 20. The Red Raiders had the nation's No. 1 passing offense last season at 470.3 yards per game.

"I'd by lying to you if I said I wasn't excited about that challenge," Brown said.

So would his secondary.

"That's our biggest test of the year," Miles said. "We feel like, 'If we can stop this passing game, what passing game can't we stop?' "