April 30, 2010
Photo Gallery - Defensive Backs
Bronx, N.Y. -
Throughout the spring practice season, we will attempt to post a positional breakdown of the Rams during the 2010 spring season as they work their way to the 2010 Spring Game, slated for Saturday, May 1st at 11:00 AM. Today we look at the defensive backs.
To wrap up the defensive side of the ball, this installment of the Fordham football spring preview will center on the guys in the defensive backfield, the safeties and cornerbacks.
The Rams return two of their four starters in the defensive backfield from 2009: safety Bryson Wilson and cornerback Isa Abdul El-Quddus. Fordham also returns a host of other players with plenty of experience in the defensive backfield, a backfield which accounted for nine of Fordham's 12 interceptions last fall.
Abdul El-Quddus was second among all Ram defensive backs last year with 58 total tackles, finishing behind three-year starter Isiejah Allen. Among the 58 stops were four tackles for loss. Abdul El-Quddus was also second on the team to Kelvin Colbert with three interceptions, picking off all three passes in the Cornell game, and he added five pass break ups.
The other starter who returns is Wilson, who started all eleven games in 2009 at strong safety where he recorded 50 total tackles, including three for loss, while also breaking up six passes and intercepting one.
Other defensive backs who return from last year's squad include Jamal Haruna, Robert Palmer, Brendan Melanophy and Zac Crosby while Jason Weston, a converted receiver, has been moved to safety for 2010
Haruna appeared in eight games last year, making 25 tackles and breaking up three passes, while Palmer played in eight games and made 14 stops, Melanophy appeared in ten contests, making eight tackles and Crosby was responsible for six tackles in ten games.
Others who are looking for time in the defensive backfield in 2010 include Kevin Carter, Ahmed Haruna, Will Horan, Dozie Onyeabor and Khary Powell.
Here is a quick look at the defensive backs competing this spring:
Isa Abdul El-Quddus (Sr., 6'1", 196): Started all eleven games at cornerback for the Rams as a junior in 2009... Recorded 58 total tackles, 43 solo, including four for a loss... Also broke up five passed and picked off three... Forced two fumbles... Intercepted three passes, returning them for a combined 81 yards, and made seven tackles in the win at Cornell... Also forced a fumble in the Cornell game... Made ten tackles, including eight solo and one for loss, at Lafayette... Registered eight stops, four solo and one for los, against Holy Cross... Finished with eight tackles, seven solo and one for loss, at Colgate... Notched six stops, four solo, in the Lehigh game... Appeared in seven games as a sophomore in 2008, starting one... Finished the season with 23 total tackles, 15 solo, and added a pass deflection... Made seven stops, five solo, and broke up a pass in the season finale at Bucknell... Appeared in 11 games as a freshman in 2007, missing the Columbia game with an injury... Recorded 34 total tackles, 21 solo, including 7.5 for loss of 35 yards and two sacks... Also had two forced fumbles and one quarterback hurry... Got his collegiate career off on the right foot, making eight total tackles, four solo, including four for a loss of 16 yards in the season-opening win at Rhode Island.
Kevin Carter (Jr., 6'0", 200): Appeared in ten games as a sophomore last fall... Finished year with four solo tackles... Made two solo stops in the win at Cornell... Appeared in seven games as a freshman in 2008, both in the defensive secondary and on special teams... Finished with two total tackles, one solo... Also played with the junior varsity program, making four tackles and adding two pass deflections and a fumble recovery in a win over Columbia.
Zac Crosby (So., 5'9", 185): Appeared in ten games as a freshman in 2009... Registered six solo stops on the year... Also returned 13 kickoffs of 303 yards (23.3 yards/return)... Made two solo tackles in the win at Cornell... A graduate of Jefferson High School in Braselton, Georgia, where he lettered in football for head coach Bill Navas... Member of Georgia Top 150 Team... A State Powerlifting Champion... Played in the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association (GACA) All-Star Game.
Ahmed Haruna (Sr., 6'0", 170): Appeared in eight games as a junior in 2009... Recorded five total tackles, four solo... Made three solo stops in the season-ending win at Georgetown... Appeared in five games as a sophomore in 2008... Recorded five total tackles, four solo... Made two solo stops in the Marist win... Also registered two tackles, one solo, at Lehigh... Appeared in eight games as a freshman in 2007... Finished the year with seven total tackles, three solo... Had two solo tackles in the win over Columbia.
Jamal Haruna (Sr., 5'11", 171): Appeared in nine games as a junior in 2009... Finished with the season with 25 tackles, 19 solo, and broke up three passes... Made a career-high eleven tackles, seven solo, in the win over Bryant... Finished with five stops, four solo, and broke up two passes in the Old Dominion victory... Made three solo tackles and broke up a pass in the season finale at Georgetown... Appeared in all eleven games as a sophomore, starting six, in2008... Registered 29 total tackles, 19 solo, including 0.5 for loss... Made a season-high five solo tackles in the season finale with Bucknell... Recorded four tackles, two solo, in the Colgate game and four more, one solo, at Holy Cross... Finished with three tackles, two solo, with one for loss versus Lafayette... Had two solo tackles in the season-opening win over Rhode Island... Appeared in all 12 games as a freshman in 2007, starting ten at cornerback... Recorded 34 total tackles on the year, 22 solo, along with a pair of pass deflections.
Brendan Melanophy (So., 6'1", 196): Appeared in the ten games as a freshman in 2009... Registered eight total tackles, six solo, and recovered one fumble... Finished with four solo tackles in the win at Cornell... Made two stops in the victory over Old Dominion... A graduate of Danbury High School in Danbury, Connecticut, where he lettered in football for head coach Rick Davis... Earned First Team All-FCIAC honors as a senior... A First Team All-Area pick in 2008... Honorable Mention All-Conference selection as a junior.
Dozie Onyeabor (Sr., 5'8", 176): Appeared in two games as a junior in 2009 (Bucknell and Lehigh)... Also played with the junior varsity in 2009... Appeared in one game as a sophomore (Marist)... Made two solo tackles against Marist... Also played with the junior varsity, intercepting a pass in a win over the Columbia JV while also recording three tackles, two solo... Made two solo stops in a junior varsity game with Nassau Community College... Did not see varsity action as a freshman... Picked off a pass and recorded a tackle in a junior varsity game against Globe Institute.
Robert Palmer (Jr., 5'11", 174): Appeared in eight games as a freshman in 2009... Recorded 14 total tackles, eight solo, and recovered a fumble... Made five tackles, three solo, in the season-ending win at Georgetown... Recorded two solo tackles in the win at Cornell... Finished with two tackles and recovered a fumble against Holy Cross... A graduate of South Grand Prairie High School in Grand Prairie, Texas, where he played football and basketball and also competed with the track squad... coached in football by Kevin Atkinson... Three-year starter for all three sports... Selected to 2008-09 Texas High School Coaches Association Academic All-State Team.
Khary Powell (So., 5'11", 181): Appeared in all four games as a freshman in 2009... Also played with the junior varsity squad... Made a team-high seven tackles, including five solo and two for loss, in a JV game against Columbia... A graduate of Central Gwinnett High School in Lawrenceville, Georgia, where he lettered in football for head coach Ed Stokes... Also played basketball at Central Gwinnett... A 2008 Gwinnett County All-Star.
Jason Weston (Jr., 5'11", 225): Moves from wide receiver to safety for the 2010 season... Appeared in three games as a sophomore in 2009 at wide receiver... Caught four passes for 34 yards... Made three receptions for 32 yards against Columbia... Appeared in ten games as a freshman in 2008, starting four... Caught eight passes for 120 yards (15.0 yards/reception) and one touchdown... Grabbed three passes for 45 yards and one score (19 yards) in the win over Marist.
Bryson Wilson (Sr., 6'0", 210): Started all eleven games at strong safety as a junior in 2009... Recorded 50 total tackles, 29 solo, including three for loss... Also broke up six passes and intercepted one... Finished with seven tackles and returned an interception 25 yards at Lafayette... Made seven stops, including four solo and one for loss, against Columbia... Recorded six tackles, including three solo and 1.5 for loss, at Colgate... Had five solo tackles in the Holy Cross game and five more, three solo, against Lehigh... Appeared in all eleven games as a sophomore in 2008, starting six... Registered 38 total tackles, 26 solo, including one for loss... Also had one interception and recovered a fumble... Closed out season with a career-high eight tackles, five solo, in the Bucknell game... Appeared in three games as a freshman in 2007... Also appeared with the junior varsity squad, making three tackles and breaking up a pass against Globe Institute and notching a pair of stops versus Nassau Community College.
