Emporia State assistant Jordan Malone says he’s seen the confidence build back up in Emmanuel Howard.
Howard has the words to prove it.
“I’ll show you on Saturdays,” the ESU defensive back said with a smile. “Nobody’s going to catch a deep ball on me.”
So maybe he’s not being all serious — former teammate Brandon Stribling started last year by guaranteeing no fades were going to be thrown on him all season.
But after Stribling said it, he backed it up, becoming the only Hornet named first-team All-MIAA last year.
Guess it couldn’t hurt to put a little pressure on yourself as a senior.
“(It’s my) last shot,” Howard said. “It’s all or nothing right now.”
Howard will be one of the members of a Hornet secondary hoping to make the smooth transition to a new coaching staff and new scheme.
Much of the success could hinge on Howard, though, as he returns for his final year after a disappointing 2006 campaign.
After transferring from William Penn, Howard showed his potential his sophomore season, recording three interceptions and earning second-team All-MIAA honors.
Things fell apart last year. The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder lost his consistency and also his swagger, surrendering his starting position to Alex Otoo in the seventh week of the season.
He never gained that spot back.
“It was hard on me not to be starting,” Howard said. “I wasn’t consistent, so I was very disappointed.
“After the last game, I was just like, ‘Oh, I can’t wait till the new season just to prove myself again.’”
That new season is here, and Howard already has impressed the team with his re-emergence as a standout player.
“I know he had a rough time last year just from talking to him and hearing things around here, but I think his confidence level is back that he is that guy,” said Malone, who coaches cornerbacks for ESU.
“He is a phenomenal player. I just think he had to find himself to realize that corners are going to be up and down.”
Along with Howard, Malone said Travis Lee and transfer Jonathan Harris had performed well in workouts.
Lee (5-10, 197) has made great strides after missing spring football because he ran for the ESU track team.
Meanwhile Harris, a sophomore transfer from Cisco (Texas) Junior College, has looked promising after nagging injuries held him back in early practices.
Jared Acree, a senior who played in every game last year, should rotate in to both corner and safety, while true freshman Tyler Mikkelson (6-1, 175) has played well enough for the coaches to consider playing him this season.
As part of defensive coordinator Ken Gordon’s aggressive 4-3 defense, the cornerbacks will be asked to play more physical. That includes getting their hands on receivers and also re-routing them before they can get downfield.
Malone said the players’ aggressiveness was improving.
“I think that’s one thing they were lacking when I first got here,” Malone said. “Now, they’re starting to get the idea about how physical I want them to be.”
At the safety position, ESU returns four players with significant playing experience.
Jake Richter and Jeff Hoag come back as fifth-year seniors, while Aaron Stubblefield and Blake Ringwall report as third-year sophomores.
Much will fall on the shoulders of Richter, who led the Hornets in tackles and interceptions last season before earning honorable mention All-MIAA honors.
Richter has been so dependable that ESU safeties coach Matt Martin said he almost assumed the senior would always be in the right spot.
“I told Jake after practice one day, I said, ‘Jake, I yell at you a lot more than I do the other guys because I expect a lot more out of you than I do the other guys,’” Martin said.
“When he shows you he can do something, that’s something you expect every time.”
Hoag (5-9, 161) played in all 11 games last year after walking onto the team. He had an interception and season-high 10 tackles against Southwest Baptist.
Stubblefield could be a wild card for the Hornets. After an outstanding first few weeks of practice in 2006, he tore his ACL and had to sit out the entire season.
The 6-1, 191-pounder is back in workouts and trying to recover fully from his injury.
“He’s one of the smartest kids we have on defense,” Martin said. “I think he’s still a little bit wary of his knee. He’s had a little bit of trouble with it so far, but the nice thing about Stubblefield is when he does feel good and his legs are fresh, he’s got that burst you don’t see out of a lot of kids.”
Ringwall (6-2, 214) is seen as a player with good size, speed and upside.
One luxury Martin will have is flexibility with the safeties. All four guys can play the two different safety positions, making substitutions easier.
Hoag said he was pleased with how the defense had meshed, especially during the tough conditioning drills at the end of practice.
“The little guys are trying to help out the big guys continue on and to work hard,” Hoag said. “I really think it brings everyone together — especially when you’re sweating two or three times a day.
“It doesn’t take long to find out that’s your family.”