Deacon Sports Xtra: Experienced Backend Leads to Competition During Spring

Deacon Sports Xtra: Experienced Backend Leads to Competition During Spring

3/26/2021 12:16:00 PM | Football, Les Johns

“If you have people getting better and some people are doing extra things, it puts pressure on you. At the end of the day, we’re all getting better.” - Tyric Hardimon

By: Les Johns

Wake Forest cornerback coach Paul Williams inherited a position room in 2020 that had lost two 13-game starters from the season before and then had to battle through a spring camp that was cut short after just five practices.

With Essang Bassey and Amari Henderson wrapping up their Demon Deacon careers in 2019, it was Ja'Sir Taylor who emerged at an All-ACC level, along with true freshman Caelen Carson.

"Coach Williams is a great coach," redshirt junior corner Tyriq Hardimon said. "I'm really glad we got him. He's helped me grow as a player. I moved from safety, and certain qualities I was lacking, he instilled in me as a cornerback now. He's done that for the whole room."

The Williams mentality is permeating through the cornerback room, Hardimon said.

"You're going to do it and be great at it," Hardimon said of William's mantra. "If you're not great at it, we're going to continue to work on it until you are great.

"That atmosphere has helped the room get better and helped us cover better. The whole aura he brings is great for the team and great for the cornerback room."

Injuries, inexperience and COVID-19 protocols meant everyone had to get ready to compete in 2020, and that experience both in practice and in games should have a positive impact in 2021.

"Everybody on the defensive side told us last year in the crazy season that everybody had to be ready to step up," Hardimon said. "They told us we were going to get our opportunity. Everybody got team reps and reps with the scout team.

"At the end of the day, COVID doesn't care who you are or what you've done on the team. It can take you out if it wants to, and you have little control over it. So, they gave us all reps and got us all ready, and that made us better as a unit and as a football team."

The Demon Deacon defense picked off 13 passes in 2020 and were one of the nation's leaders in turnover margin, finishing eighth nationally.

"As a coach, you're never happy," Williams said. "You just look at the wins and losses, and the production versus non-production. It's every week. Just what do we need to do to get better. In this profession, that's what we're judged by, so that's how we look at it. How do we need to improve and what can we do differently?

"Kenneth Dicks III, Gavin Holmes and Tyriq Hardimon need to step up. Gavin is really talented, but we need to get more out of those three. That's whether they had to battle through an injury or just didn't develop the way they should have to this point. But we need those guys."

Hardimon had six tackles and two pass breakups in seven games played last season, and is eager to make improvements to have a bigger impact in 2021. Most of his reps last year came in special teams.

"I can't wait until spring camp, and even the workouts we've been doing," he said. "We missed so much offseason training last year because of COVID. (Strength and conditioning) coach Chad (Bari) is doing a great job of getting us strong while also working on our speed. When it comes to spring practice, we're going to be able to get through 15 practices.

"I'm excited about that because I know I have things to work on. There are things I have to accomplish to be where I want to be and have a bigger role on the team. And that's for everybody. We all want to work on our craft and get better."

With the extra early-season bye weeks and the length late-season COVID pause, the 2020 season was certainly a different one for the Deacs, who earned bowl eligibility for a program-record fifth-straight season.

"It was definitely different," Hardimon said. "It was tough, but it could have been more difficult. I think we came together as a team, worked everything out and stayed together as a team."

The defensive staff led by defensive coordinator Lyle Hemphill is focused on creating internal competition across the field during the offseason, hoping that teammates will help push each other to become better both individually and collectively.

"It's really important for the team," Hardimon said. "If you have people getting better and some people are doing extra things, it puts pressure on you. At the end of the day, we're all getting better. We want to beat that guy out, but at the same time we're all cordial off the field.

"It's competition, but at the end of the day we're teammates and friends. We want to help each other get better and that internal competition is vital. If you have that on your team, then you're headed for success."