"I don't know what Tennessee's DB's are doing but the white dude who was torching them for Vanderbilt, like that guy probably got a 1600 on his SAT's. If you can't cover a white guy with a perfect SAT score and you're on an SEC starting defense you should have your scholarship pulled immediately."
This is what Clay Travis said after Tennessee lost to Vanderbilt 45-34. If you are unfamiliar with Travis, he is a sports journalist, writer and television analyst for Fox Sports.
Despite evidence that disputes this mindset, the existing paradigm insists that white men can't run or jump. And even when white players prove it at the Division I college level, it is still not enough. There is no amount of evidence that can be presented to the majority of coaches, media and fans, that will convince them that there are white athletes who can compete with and even surpass black athletes when it comes to football.
Fortunately for Kent State, KSU has a color-blind coach, who understands this and does not let race determine what position you play. Many coaches believe you should put your fastest players on defense, particularly in the backfield. But over the last two years, several of the Flashes' best players are white, blue-collar overachievers that play defense with deceptive speed.
Last year, free safety Nate Holley made 15 or more tackles in six of last nine games, led the MAC with 141 total tackles, and made season-high 16 tackles against Bowling Green and Akron. He also had 11 tackles in the first half and led the team with 15 tackles against Marshall.
Safety Nick Cuthbert was named MAC East Defensive Player of the Week following the win at UMass. He also was named MAC Male Scholar Athlete of the Week following a 10-tackle day at Minnesota, and had 9 total tackles (6 solo) against Central Michigan.
Linebacker Matt Dellinger was named to All-MAC Third Team, finished second on the team with 89 tackles, recorded two sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss, broke up three passes and made seven tackles against Buffalo. He tied a career-high with 13 tackles against Minnesota and had 9 total tackles (4 solo) and 1.5 tackles-for-loss against Central Michigan.
Strong safety Jordan Italiano earned MAC Male Scholar Athlete of the Week after making 11 tackles against Bowling Green, made fifth career interception in the first quarter against Marshall, and had 8 total tackles (4 solo) and 1 tackle-for-loss against Central Michigan.
Defensive end Nate Terhune finished second on the team with 6.5 sacks, ranked second on the team in tackles for loss (9.5), made 42 tackles and broke up three passes, scored second career touchdown and first defensive touchdown on a first-quarter fumble recovery against Delaware State. He also recorded a 44 yard run on fake punt against Delaware State.
Defensive tackle Chris Fairchild made 33 tackles, including 4.0 tackles for loss.
In addition to Holley, Cuthbert, and Fairchild who played as seniors this season, junior defensive back Kevin Bourne recorded a career-high six tackles and a sack against Akron. He also became the fourth FBS player to record a 20-tackle game in 2016 against Northern Illinois (21 tackles, 15 solo), and intercepted two passes at Central Michigan.
As further proof of the deceptive athleticism of these defensive players, take a look at Terhune score his first career touchdown on a 61-yard fake punt run against Ohio during his sophomore season.
Now, I don't believe any of these players made a perfect score on their SAT's, but Italiano received the Leo Strang Award, given to the upperclassman with the highest cumulative grade point average (3.98 GPA) and was named Smartest Player in College Football by NFL.com.
And Cuthbert earned CoSIDA Academic All-District 5 honors and the Leo Strang Award for highest GPA among upperclassmen.
But despite these stats and awards, the prevailing perception still exists that white players are too slow. Thank goodness Coach Haynes knows better and allows them to play on his team at various positions, not just quarterback and the offensive line.
This is what Clay Travis said after Tennessee lost to Vanderbilt 45-34. If you are unfamiliar with Travis, he is a sports journalist, writer and television analyst for Fox Sports.
Despite evidence that disputes this mindset, the existing paradigm insists that white men can't run or jump. And even when white players prove it at the Division I college level, it is still not enough. There is no amount of evidence that can be presented to the majority of coaches, media and fans, that will convince them that there are white athletes who can compete with and even surpass black athletes when it comes to football.
Fortunately for Kent State, KSU has a color-blind coach, who understands this and does not let race determine what position you play. Many coaches believe you should put your fastest players on defense, particularly in the backfield. But over the last two years, several of the Flashes' best players are white, blue-collar overachievers that play defense with deceptive speed.
Last year, free safety Nate Holley made 15 or more tackles in six of last nine games, led the MAC with 141 total tackles, and made season-high 16 tackles against Bowling Green and Akron. He also had 11 tackles in the first half and led the team with 15 tackles against Marshall.
Safety Nick Cuthbert was named MAC East Defensive Player of the Week following the win at UMass. He also was named MAC Male Scholar Athlete of the Week following a 10-tackle day at Minnesota, and had 9 total tackles (6 solo) against Central Michigan.
Linebacker Matt Dellinger was named to All-MAC Third Team, finished second on the team with 89 tackles, recorded two sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss, broke up three passes and made seven tackles against Buffalo. He tied a career-high with 13 tackles against Minnesota and had 9 total tackles (4 solo) and 1.5 tackles-for-loss against Central Michigan.
Strong safety Jordan Italiano earned MAC Male Scholar Athlete of the Week after making 11 tackles against Bowling Green, made fifth career interception in the first quarter against Marshall, and had 8 total tackles (4 solo) and 1 tackle-for-loss against Central Michigan.
Defensive end Nate Terhune finished second on the team with 6.5 sacks, ranked second on the team in tackles for loss (9.5), made 42 tackles and broke up three passes, scored second career touchdown and first defensive touchdown on a first-quarter fumble recovery against Delaware State. He also recorded a 44 yard run on fake punt against Delaware State.
Defensive tackle Chris Fairchild made 33 tackles, including 4.0 tackles for loss.
In addition to Holley, Cuthbert, and Fairchild who played as seniors this season, junior defensive back Kevin Bourne recorded a career-high six tackles and a sack against Akron. He also became the fourth FBS player to record a 20-tackle game in 2016 against Northern Illinois (21 tackles, 15 solo), and intercepted two passes at Central Michigan.
As further proof of the deceptive athleticism of these defensive players, take a look at Terhune score his first career touchdown on a 61-yard fake punt run against Ohio during his sophomore season.
Now, I don't believe any of these players made a perfect score on their SAT's, but Italiano received the Leo Strang Award, given to the upperclassman with the highest cumulative grade point average (3.98 GPA) and was named Smartest Player in College Football by NFL.com.
And Cuthbert earned CoSIDA Academic All-District 5 honors and the Leo Strang Award for highest GPA among upperclassmen.
But despite these stats and awards, the prevailing perception still exists that white players are too slow. Thank goodness Coach Haynes knows better and allows them to play on his team at various positions, not just quarterback and the offensive line.
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