Defensive Backs Very Deep And Talented This Fall

EDITOR'S NOTE: Today's segment is the sixth in a short series that will preview the 2014 West Chester University Golden Rams football team. Today's segment will include the defensive backs. A look at the special teams will be featured on Monday.

WEST CHESTER, Pa. - Preseason All-America Al-Hajj Shabazz is the leader of the secondary. He came into his own during West Chester's playoff run and has all the confidence in the world to go along with some of the best tools in the game. Shabazz is turning heads in the Delaware Valley, and the Golden Rams expect him to elevate his game in 2014.
 
Everyone remembers Shabazz's interception return for a touchdown in the Super Region 1 championship game at Shepherd that put West Chester in front for good. That may be the defining moment in Shabazz's career. That is when he took his game to the next level. Shepherd never threw the ball to his side of the field, until driving late in the fourth quarter of a tie game. When they finally did test him, Shabazz stepped up and made them pay.
 
"That's the difference in Hajj's play," Zwaan pointed out. "Now, teams are recognizing his ability and they are staying away from him. He impacts a game so much, but sometimes you don't see it because that stuff doesn't show up on the stat sheet."
 
The senior cornerback intercepted four passes and broke up another eight last fall while recording 53 tackles. His 12 passes defensed tied him with safety Brandon Pepper, for the team lead in that category. Pepper led the team with five interceptions and ranked second with seven pass breakups to get to his 12 passes defensed. West Chester returns four former starters, if you count Dante Devine, who took a year off for personal reasons.
 
The return of Devine has been exactly that - devine. The junior started his freshman and sophomore seasons in 2011 and 2012. However, he returned home for personal reasons last fall. Now, he is back and ready to pick up where he left off.
 
With Devine and Shabazz patrolling the corners and Pepper at safety, West Chester can now move Blaise Schieler to a safety position, which is where Zwaan projected him to be playing when he got to the school two years ago, or keep him at cornerback. Schieler struggled early on at his new spot last year. But, his play in the last half of the season and the playoffs was crucial to the Rams' success in December. Schieler is the team's third-leading returning tackler from a year ago. He registered 72 stops in 2013.
 
"(Schieler) fought his way through those struggles early on," Zwaan admitted. "But, now we have somebody who can play either safety or cornerback in nickel situations."
 
New to the Golden Rams this year is fifth-year senior and a graduate student, De'Oliver Davis, who played at Lafayette his first three years in school. At 6-2 and 200 lbs., he possesses the same height and bulk of Shabazz at the other corner.
 
The other safety position will be left to Kevin Malone, who also saw his 2013 campaign cut short by injury much like Byron Cooper and Jeremy Irving. Malone played in six games and made 10 tackles. He also was credited with two QB hurries, blitzing from the back. Zwaan is looking for a breakout year from Malone, if he can stay healthy. If not, Kyle Keyser, a transfer from Holy Cross, and younger brother of Tim Keyser, can step in to play. Pete Galiano, another talented defensive back with playoff experience, is the fourth safety in a group that looks like it is ready to go on Aug. 14.
 
"We have four cornerbacks, four safeties and three sharks with plenty of experience," Zwaan boasted. "Defensively, our back seven are strong. We just have to build up the front four to be good enough."
 
Sophomore Grant Garbutt is an experienced defensive back returning in 2014. He should see his role increase and should continue to play on special teams.
 
Ted Patton and Pat McCabe are a pair of defensive backs looking to make their mark whether on special teams or in the secondary. Graduate student, Cory Scott, a transfer into the program from Delaware State, may also make some waves with his experience. They all add depth and are all candidates for playing time on special teams.