I missed this quote when it came out, and it’s a good one.
Malkom Parrish and Deandre Baker are returning starters, and Parrish will be a senior who has started the past two seasons. Their only, uh, shortcoming: They’re short, or at least shorter than Kirby Smart and company would like.
That’s why they went out and signed five — yes, five — cornerbacks last week, all of whom are 6-foot or taller. Parrish, on the other hand, is listed at 5-10 (and when we write “listed” hopefully the skepticism is conveyed) while Baker is 5-11.
Smart, a safety listed at just under 6 feet, admitted last week: “I wouldn’t sign me, ever.”
He was laughing, but did not back down from his point.
All of which makes for a good question — will last year’s starters at cornerback lose their spots to taller, greener players? As much as I’d like to dismiss that, seeing how Parrish and Baker played last year, Smart has concerns about them physically.
“I do think longer DBs are the trend. Foot quickness becomes a problem with length. Can he move quick enough to cover quick, fast, receivers,” Smart said. “So many of the wide receivers we faced, and we struggled with, have length. When you play against length, you want a guy with length. Uniquely, we were able to get some guys that we thought had good length to help in this class. I think that’s a trend across the country.”
Maybe it’s just about giving Tucker a greater ability to mix and match his corners against opposing receivers. But maybe last year’s throwaway season at quarterback will turn into this year’s throwaway season at defensive back. Either way, I sure hope somebody gets coached up in a hurry.