Aug. 18, 2015
Throughout the course of the Bears' preseason training camp, we'll take a sneak peek at each position group in anticipation of the 2015 season. The Missouri State secondary is the focal point today, as we preview the Bears' talented group of young safeties who will look to fill two prominent voids in the defensive backfield under the direction of first-year assistant coach Kenji Jackson.
For the first time in four years, the MSU season outlook at safety will not begin and end with the duo of Caleb Schaffitzel and Mike Crutcher. The tandem formed perhaps the Valley's top one-two punch over the last few years, as Schaffitzel earned All-America honors in three consecutive seasons with the help of Crutcher, a fellow four-year starter and an All-MVFC performer in his own right. With Schaffitzel and Crutcher backstopping the MSU defense, the Bears' logged the No. 3 overall pass defense in the conference last year, as well as the second-best turnover margin (0.83/game) in the league thanks in large part to 13 team interceptions.
The new-look Bears will not have the luxury of a pair of veteran returning starters in the defensive backfield under Jackson, who joined new head coach Dave Steckel's MSU staff last winter after starring for the former Mizzou defensive coordinator in the Tigers' secondary during his own playing career.
"I'm really excited with what we have," Jackson said. "I feel like we have a very intelligent group of guys. They're very young, but we've done a lot of good things and they're a pleasure to work with and coach."
Jackson will look to his most experienced athlete, John Edwards, for leadership in a position group that includes five freshman and just one other returning letterwinner. A key performer on special teams in each of his first two seasons with the Bears, Edwards will get the chance to emerge from the shadows of the MSU's former star-studded secondary as a senior. Sophomore Eric Greely will transition to the safety position after playing in all 12 games as a cornerback and posting 17 total tackles last fall, including stops in 10 different games.
From that point, Jackson will call upon a group of promising freshmen, led by the trio of Jared Beshore, Tre Betts and Anthony Upchurch. Beshore sat out the 2014 season as a redshirt and could push for playing time at the free safety position after a remarkable prep career in which he earned all-state honors in all four seasons while leading Lamar (Mo.) High to three consecutive state titles. Betts redshirted last fall as well after earning all-state accolades and logging nearly 200 tackles over his final two prep seasons at Charles Page High in Sand Spring, Okla. Upchurch, the Bears' top defensive scout team performer as a true freshman in 2014, will be asked to duplicate his successful rookie campaign, this time as a regular contributor in the MSU secondary. The Memphis, Tenn., native recorded 95 tackles as a senior and earned a pair of all-district honors at White Station High.
Two highly regarded true freshman are also expected to compete for playing time in the Bears' safety rotation this fall. Kam Carter, an Arlington, Texas native who picked up a pair of Texas Class 15 5A all-district first-team safety honors and also excelled as a sprinter for Arlington High's track squad. Cameron Price helped Hazelwood Central High in suburban St. Louis to a combined 23-2 record by picking off a total of 13 passes in his last two prep seasons.
"Those two each bring something different to the table and should give us quality depth," Jackson commented. "Price has a little more size--a bigger safety--but what he has in size, he doesn't lack in speed. Carter is a taller safety as well and he can really run and hit. I'm excited to see how those guys come into camp, compete and push the older guys."
Jackson has been encouraged by the enthusiasm and work ethic of his group since his arrival on campus. Like the rest of his fellow MSU staff members new to campus, he has been pleased with the transition over the last eight months, but also knows more work lies ahead, especially when it comes to the fundamentals of the game.
"How the guys have developed since we got here in January has been exciting," he added. "They've really bought into things and that's been encouraging, watching this team and this staff come together. The habits you develop now have to be good habits, good fundamentals, because that's what you go back to when the going gets tough--that's what you rely on."
2015 Missouri State Safeties
Jared Beshore (6-0, 198, RFr., Lamar, Mo.)
Tre Betts (5-11, 185, RFr, Broken Arrow, Okla.)
Kam Carter (6-1, 185, Fr., Arlington, Texas)
John Edwards (5-9, 195, Sr., 2L, St. Louis, Mo.)
Eric Greely (6-1, 205, So., 1L, Liberty, Mo.)
Cameron Price (6-2, 200, Fr., Florissant, Mo.)
Anthony Upchurch (5-10, 184, RFr., Memphis, Tenn.)
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