Minutemen’s secondary playing primary role in success

BEDFORD — Through three games, Liberty High School’s defensive secondary has pulled down seven interceptions while allowing only 17 receptions.

“We’ve got the receiver’s mentality,” said senior safety Brett Dietrich, who returned one of his two interceptions 35 yards for the go-ahead score in a 13-10 win over Blacksburg. “We all want the ball.”

Malcolm McCoy, who rushed for three touchdowns and returned an interception 45 yards for a fourth score in last week’s 41-14 rout of Staunton River, returned the second of Liberty’s four interceptions in a season-opener at Broadway 36 yards for a momentum-turning touchdown. That sparked an incredible 28-20 come-from-behind triumph after the Minutemen trailed 20-0 at the half.

“We’re ball-hawking defensive backs,” McCoy said. “If the ball’s in the air, it’s ours. Someone’s always stepping up and making a play. It’s mainly sticking to our reads, staying on our assignments and reading our keys. Wherever the ball is, we try to be at.”

Since shifting to a 4-3 defense last year, with four linemen, three linebackers, two cornerbacks (McCoy and Kody Outhong) and two safeties (Dietrich and Anthony Reynolds), the Minutemen have been even more effective in containing opposing teams’ quarterbacks.

“The new coverage was added to give us a better plan to cover teams whether they’re running the spread or regular formations,” Liberty coach Chris Watts said, noting Broadway and Blacksburg both used passing-oriented spread attacks. “The biggest thing is we’ve got guys doing their jobs, doing what they’re supposed to do.”

Though they may not be as speedy as some of the receivers they’re defending, the Minutemen are adept at covering more territory by positioning themselves correctly.

“They’re not rocket-fast,” Watts said of his defensive backs and safeties. “Knowing where to be is as important as having speed.”

Watts, who played defensive back at Marshall in the 1980s, said there’s a lot to be said for experience.

“It’s a pretty experienced group,” he said. “These guys have been playing this type of coverage for two years now, so they’re getting more comfortable in it. That’s been the key, having guys in the right place at the right time.”

Being on the same page as far as coverages go also is critical.

“We talk a lot,” McCoy said. “We all communicate and let everybody know where to go.”

McCoy and Dietrich, who joined the team this summer after not having played organized football since his eighth-grade year, each have two picks while Reynolds, who led Liberty in interceptions as a freshman, has one so far.

“Thomas Clark has two interceptions from the (outside) linebacker position, so it’s not just been the secondary,” Watts said.

He said there is a direct correlation between the success of a secondary and the amount of penetration the defensive line gets.

“If you get some pressure on the quarterback, it helps,” Watts said, noting that on McCoy’s interception against Staunton River, quarterback Wesley Gates got hit just as he released the ball. “Any coach will tell you, the best pass coverage is being able to put pressure on the quarterback.”

Dietrich and McCoy also credit Liberty’s linemen for enabling them to reach the end zone after picking off passes.

“Our defensive line has been doing a good job blocking for us after interceptions,” McCoy said.

“The whole defense blocked on (McCoy’s) interception return against Broadway,” Dietrich added. “Our middle linebacker, Michael Bowyer, had the lead block for me (against Blacksburg). Even when we don’t score, we always get good field position.”

He said when the defense puts points on the board, that electrifies the Minutemen as much as when the offense strikes, such as on McCoy’s 75-yard pass from Tyler Bowyer that opened the scoring against Blacksburg.

“If we make plays like that (returns for touchdowns), it hypes up the team and the crowd and takes pressure off the offense to score,” Dietrich said.

With support from their teammates, the defensive backs and safeties can afford to take chances to make big plays.

“Everyone knows if they do misread a key, everyone else is going to be there to back him up,” Dietrich said. “Everybody has the will to make the tackle.”

“We like gang-tackling,” McCoy added.

Facing teams that gear their attack toward the run, such as Martinsville, which it hosts tonight at 7, Liberty’s secondary doesn’t often get a lot of action.

“Our linebackers have been doing a good job of filling the gaps,” Dietrich said. “They’re meeting the fullback at the line of scrimmage and driving him back.”

“Playing against teams that run the ball, we’re more patient,” McCoy added. “We let the plays come to us and just react.”