STARKVILLE — Maurice Smitherman was approached with an opportunity in the summer when he arrived at Mississippi State.
The redshirt freshman thought he was going to be used as a cornerback. But first-year defensive coordinator Peter Sirmon asked Smitherman if he would like to play cornerback and safety?
Smitherman liked the idea and started to adjust to his new position.
“All summer I’ve just been working at it,” Smitherman said. “The first day of camp I was like, ‘I’m going to see how it goes.’ It’s really been going good ever since then. I’ve been into the plays, I’ve been watching film and talking to coach every day.”
Smitherman has worked exclusively at safety in the first two weeks of the football team’s training camp. He said the transition has gone good for the most part.
Smitherman felt like he was going to be moved back to cornerback for the final two weeks of camp, but MSU coach Dan Mullen said the coaches might leave him at safety.
“Maurice is a physical player,” Mullen said. “He played corner physically. He plays the game with a physical mind-set, so I think the transition to safety has been easy for him. He’s a really sharp kid, so having to adjust and make calls has come pretty natural.”
Sirmon has brought a new perspective to the defense. With a 3-4 base defense and other looks, he is trying to utilize his players’ versatility and athleticism. The viper position is a hybrid defensive lineman/linebacker. That position will line up on the line or back off.
As for Smitherman’s role, it’s about getting the best athlete on the field in certain situations.
“He’s got great cover skills, and he’s got a good football IQ,” MSU safeties coach Maurice Linguist said. “It just gives you depth. Now you’re not trying to find the next best corner or safety, you’re trying to find, ‘Who can I get on the field that can keep us playing at a high level?’ Football’s really important to him. He takes it serious, and he’s up here all the time watching film.”
Smitherman has never played safety, but he could end up being a nickel back and playing in passing situations. In three seasons as a cornerback at Minor High School in Adamsville, Alabama, he had 98 tackles (16 1/5 for loss), five interceptions, and 16 pas deflections.
Smitherman went through spring drills as a cornerback and received guidance from new position coach Terrell Buckley.
“He’s valuable, he’s pretty smart, and the more you can do, the better off you are,” Buckley said. “You want to make sure he has a very good foundation from the spring for corner. Now you move him to safety, that foundation from corner should have some carry over. When you come back, you’re a better corner because now you understand where the safeties fit.”
Smitherman said his confidence in playing both positions has grown because of the support he has received from the coaches, particularly Buckley.
Even though he added five pounds, the 5-foot-9, 185-pound Smitherman said he hasn’t had to bulk up to play safety.
When Smitherman first went through safety drills, he was comfortable because players worked on back peddling. Smitherman has done that all his life. But he has had to make some adjustments.
Instead of lining up opposite the wide receiver, he is well off the line. That has given him a better view and he has been able to process information quickly.
“You can see everything,” Smitherman said. “It can be a lot of plays to be made back there. When you’re seeing the No. 2 receiver going under, you’ve got to look back the No. 1 receiver. It’s going to be a lot of plays to be made this season.”
MSU lost starting cornerbacks Taveze Calhoun and Will Redmond from last season’s team. Seniors Tolando Cleveland and Cedric Jiles are front-runners to be starters, but the Bulldogs plan to use a rotation.
At safety, senior Kivon Coman is the most experienced. Sophomore Brandon Bryant is the most talented and has the best playmaking skills.
“I’ve learned a lot,” Smitherman said. “When we watch film, I like to watch him and Kivon to get a better understanding of what I’ve got to do, so when I go out there, I don’t make the same mistakes. I ask them questions every day on the simple stuff.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 36 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.