Chris Brown, Lead Journalist
Posted Jul 10, 2009
It was a hotly contested position last summer and the situation figures to be no different later this month at St. John Fisher. On a roster blessed with cornerback depth, Buffalo’s coaching staff will have a good dilemma when it comes to deciding the player best fit for the team’s nickel corner role.
“It’s good to have depth at that position,” said defensive backs coach George Catavolos. “Last year, we went through three.”
Ashton Youboty won the nickel corner job after a strong preseason last year, but was lost for the season after just five games due to plantar fasciitis in both feet, which required surgery.
Not feeling completely comfortable playing rookiesLeodis McKelvin or Reggie Corner so early in the season, the defensive staff began putting Donte Whitner on the slot receiver in nickel packages.
Whitner would shift back and forth between safety and nickel corner until he suffered a shoulder injury and missed time as well. Enter Reggie Corner. The former fourth-round pick saw extensive playing time in the nickel role over the final quarter of the season and performed admirably.
With Youboty, Whitner, Corner and veteran free agentDrayton Florence all with time on the job, Catavolos likes that he has options.
“It’s a tough position because it’s demanding,” Catavolos said. “There’s some line backer assignments as well as corner assignments. We have four individuals that have experience in playing that position so hopefully we can be more productive there.”...
Posted Jul 10, 2009
It was a hotly contested position last summer and the situation figures to be no different later this month at St. John Fisher. On a roster blessed with cornerback depth, Buffalo’s coaching staff will have a good dilemma when it comes to deciding the player best fit for the team’s nickel corner role.
“It’s good to have depth at that position,” said defensive backs coach George Catavolos. “Last year, we went through three.”
Not feeling completely comfortable playing rookies
Whitner would shift back and forth between safety and nickel corner until he suffered a shoulder injury and missed time as well. Enter Reggie Corner. The former fourth-round pick saw extensive playing time in the nickel role over the final quarter of the season and performed admirably.
With Youboty, Whitner, Corner and veteran free agent
“It’s a tough position because it’s demanding,” Catavolos said. “There’s some line backer assignments as well as corner assignments. We have four individuals that have experience in playing that position so hopefully we can be more productive there.”...
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