Do-it-all safeties play critical role in defense
The safety position does it all at TCU, calling plays for the defense and helping on the run just as much as the pass.
By Danny Gillham
Sports Editor

In football, there is a designated leader of a team that successes and failures falls on.

On offense it tends to be the quarterback, and on the Horned Frog defense, it is the safety.

Running a 4-2-5 scheme is rare, and the Frogs have it down to a science. Just two years ago, TCU led the nation in total defense and scoring defense.

The safety plays a pivotal role in the Frogs’ scheme. The safeties receive defensive calls from the sidelines seconds before the snap, and then relay the call to the rest of their teammates.

Head coach Gary Patterson said the safeties do it all for the defense.

“(Weak and free safeties) are our quarterbacks on defense,” Patterson said. “They basically handle all of it.”

The leader of this group is senior free safety Kenneth Hilliard. A converted cornerback, Hilliard is now in his second season at the safety position. He said the quick turnover between receiving the call and the play is difficult for everyone, but especially him.

“If the (defensive) line makes a mistake, they might just gain five yards,” Hilliard said. “If a safety makes a mistake, it’s giving up six points. I’m the quarterback of the defense. If the defense gives up a touchdown, I’m the one to look at, and I’ll take all the blame for it.”

At the strong safety is fellow senior Jared Smitherman, who is in his first season as a full-time starter. He is currently third on the team with 26 tackles, with five of them going for losses.

Patterson said it is pleasing to have the two seniors leading the secondary.

“Kenneth and Jared give us guys that have seen a lot of reps and a lot of situations,” Patterson said. “They have a better chance of knowing what is coming at them.”

Also the Frogs have sophomore Marvin Godbolt at weak safety. Godbolt said the five defensive backs means the safeties have to play the run more than other schemes, and it’s something they take pride in.

“It basically lets us show all of our skills, and what we can do,” Godbolt said. “He puts us in the places to make plays, and its up to us to make plays.”

The do-it-all job of TCU safeties can pay dividends as well. Curtis Fuller is now in his second professional season with the Seattle Seahawks, after playing the position for the Frogs.

“I think that safeties have had the opportunity to go to the next level out of this system, because of all the things they are asked to do,” Patterson said.