Scouting the Blazers

The Defensive backs

VALDOSTA, Ga. - New Valdosta State secondary coach James Colzie faces an enviable problem in 2007, that being coping with an abundance of depth and talent among the Valdosta State cornerbacks and safeties for the upcoming season.

After all, Colzie's secondary features 11 players that will be fighting for time in the upcoming season, including four returning starters from a year ago.

"We have a lot of guys that are going to have the opportunity to play," said Colzie after Wednesday's practice. We don't lose much when we bring in the second string guy. It kind of reminds me about when I was at Florida State and how the second-string guys were good enough to start anywhere else in the country. That is how we are this season, any of these guys could start for us."

One aspect of the group that will help Colzie and the Blazers this season is the senior leadership that he is receiving from cornerbacks Maurice Leggett and Shawn Harris.

"Harris and Leggett are two great leaders," he added. "They both lead by example and are out there working hard every single day. Both are also very talented, very solid players."

Colzie is quick to add that talent extends to the safety position as well.

"Sherard Reynolds should be even better than he was last year when he was named an All-American," he continued. "He has gained a better understanding of the position and is a big play guy. He still has some untapped potential that we are trying to bring out."

Joining Reynolds, Leggett and Harris among the returning corps is Everett Kitchens, who started nine games last season, as well as Eric Williams, Carlos Anderson, Greg Petty and Chance Darley. The group of eight combined for 291 tackles, 28 passes broken up and eight interceptions last year and was instrumental in the VSU defense setting a school record for total defense.

Colzie also points to three newcomers who will also be thrown into the mix in the upcoming year.

"Freshman Chris Grant is talented and is going to play some for us," he added. "I've ridden him a little hard during camp to get him to fight through some areas that needed to be changed, but he has endured and has shown he can play.

"Meanwhile, Roger King and Kenneth Hale have come in from Division I schools and have a ton of talent. King played at Georgia Southern as a freshman while Hale was at Delaware. Both of them are going to push our starters for playing time."

All of the talent doesn't mean Colzie will be stress-free in the upcoming season.

"I'm going to be under a lot of pressure to get our reserves in games this year," he concluded. "At the same time, I'm going to be under pressure to have our starters out on the field. It's a good problem to have, but its definitely going to take some balancing to keep everyone happy."

VSU PRACTICE SCHEDULE

Saturday, August 25 - 9:00 a.m. - Meet the Blazers Day, Bazemore-Hyder Stadium
Saturday, September 1 - 7:00 p.m. - Valdosta State vs. Albany State, Bazemore-Hyder Stadium

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