Tigers
Continued from page 15 terceptions , had a team-high six picks last season , to go along with a teambest seven pass breakups . He also recorded 24 total tackles .
Opposite of Lee will be junior Lasean Johnson , who had a pair of pass breakups and four tackles as a sophomore .
“ Lasean played a lot for us last year ,” Gilbert said . “ Lesean is very smart and very , very good in zone coverage . He ’ s probably as good as we ’ ve had in zone coverage .”
Junior Race Stopp , who is valuable on the offensive side of the ball as a receiver , and junior Bodee Jimerson will also get playing time at corner .
“ Race is a guy who ’ s going to bring us confidence back there ,” Gilbert said . “ Obviously the year he had last year as a receiver was really good , so he ’ ll be just fine at corner .
“ Bodee has been playing free safety and corner and we like where he ’ s at . He ’ s going to have a very important role for us moving forward . We ’ ve got four capable guys working that position .”
Stopp recorded two pass breakups and five tackles , and Jimerson had one interception and three tackles .
Sophomore Beckett Robinson returns as a starter at free safety , although he missed a good chunk of his freshman campaign with an injury . Robinson will also have important roles on offense as a receiver / running back / quarterback .
“ Obviously Beckett has a lot of ability ,” Gilbert said . “ He ’ s got the size and the athletic ability . He will be a key two-way guy for us . He ’ s still learning . It ’ s a big learning curve at free safety for him because his more natural position is at strong safety . He ’ s so physical , too .”
Robinson appeared in five games and finished with 13 total tackles , one interception , one pass breakup and one caused fumble .
Senior Coda Bunch returns as a starter at strong safety . He was third on the team with 49 total tackles and had two interceptions to go along with one pass breakup and one caused fumble .
“ He ’ s one of the smarter kids we ’ ve ever had at that position ,” Gilbert said . “ He ’ s very , very smart and has a very good understanding . He seems to always be in the right spot . He ’ s a guy that we ’ re going to lean on . He ’ s had a really good offseason , and he ’ s kind of that guy that gets everybody lined up . You ’ ve got to have somebody like that , so we like where he ’ s at .”
Junior Jacob Morrison , who like Stopp will be valuable on offense as a receiver , will also see time at strong safety . Morrison posted 21 total tackles and had one pass breakup last season .
16 • Fall 2022
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