Aug. 31, 2011
Photo Gallery - Practice | Photo Gallery - The Defensive Backs
Bronx, N.Y. -
In our continuing position-by-position preview of the 2011 Football Rams, we'll wrap up the defensive side of the ball today with a look at the defensive backs.
The defensive backfield returns two starters: senior Kevin Carter and junior Brendan Melanophy along with any player who started the first game last year before suffering a season-ending injury, senior Jason Weston.
Melanophy, who moved into the starting lineup at free safety last year, was fourth on the 2010 team with 64 total tackles, ranking 23rd in the Patriot League in tackles/game (5.8), and third on squad with 47 solo stops. He also had five tackles for loss, three pass deflections, two interceptions, one fumble recovery and one sack. His top game came in the win over Rhode Island when he made a career-best ten tackles, eight solo, and he matched that tackle total with ten, six solo, at Lehigh.
Carter, who is slated to start at strong safety, appeared in six games in the defensive backfield for the Rams as a junior. He recorded seven total tackles, six solo, and one tackle for loss with four of those stops coming in the win at Bucknell.
Weston was injured in the season opener at Bryant last fall after moving over to defensive back from wide receiver. De'Nard Pinckney, a freshman from Sylvania Southview High School in Sylvania, Ohio, where he was named All-District and Third Team All-State 2010 as well as All-League at quarterback, will provide back-up at safety.
Junior
Khary Powell and sophomore
Ian Williams are expected to start at the two corner positions with help from senior Ben Daley and junior
Robert Palmer.
Last fall, Powell appeared in one varsity game while also playing with the junior varsity. He had four tackles, three solo, against the Army JV and broke up a pass in a 14-14 JV tie with Princeton.
William saw limited varsity action as a freshman for the Rams but appeared in three games with the junior varsity. He recorded four tackles, three solo, and intercepted a pass against the Army JV and also caught a 29-yard touchdown pass in the game.
Daley appeared in all eleven games as a junior, starting one, and finished the year with eleven total tackles, six solo, while Palmer played in two games as a sophomore for the Rams while also appearing with the junior varsity.
The Rams have a deep pool of talent in defensive backfield with junior Craig Staub along with freshmen Jack Bandazian, Carter Bragg, Jordan Chapman, Eric Darnell, Jake Dixon and Vaughn Scott ready to step in.
Staub saw action with the junior varsity last year and made a pair of tackle in the 2011 Spring Game.
Bandazian, a graduate of Ramapo High School in Franklin Lakes, N.J., was named First Team All-Bergen County in 2009 and First Team All-League at running back in 2010 while Bragg, a product of Seqouyah High School in Canton, Georgia, was named All-Region and All-County in football at cornerback last fall.
Chapman, a graduate of Southington High School in Southington, Conn., was named First Team All-Central Connecticut Conference (CCC) in 2010 while scoring scored eight touchdowns (four receiving, two interception returns, one rushing and one kickoff return). Darnell, who played high school football at Franklin High School in El Paso, Texas, was an All-District and All-City selection in football and served as a team captain.
Dixon, a graduate of Portage High School in Portage, Indiana, earned Prime Time 25 Indiana First Team All-State honors at running back as a senior and was selected to play in the 2011 North-South All-Star Game. Scott, a prolific player at West Deptford High School in West Deptford, N.J., was a First Team All-South Jersey honoree in 2010 and was also named First Team All-Colonial Conference and First Team All-Gloucester County.
Notes
- The Rams were back in full pads today for practice, working out on Murphy Field from 9:30 until 11:30 AM. The day originally was scheduled for a light practice before lunch and boarding the bus to UConn but Hurricane Irene changed those plans.
- After a slower tempo at practice yesterday the Rams were back and full speed today, sprinting from station to station and going full speed on every play
- The Block F is now on the player's helmets. The Patriot League logo will be added shortly in time for the game on Saturday.
