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University of Massachusets Athletics
Massachusetts Football Camp Countdown - Defensive Backs
August 27, 2022 | Football
Jay Burnham discusses the Minutemen's safeties and corners with defensive backs coach Darrell Perkins.
Continuing on with our Camp Countdown conversations, Jay Burnham broke down UMass' defensive backs with defensive backs coach Darrell Perkins, the biggest piece of the Minutemen roster.
Darrell Perkins outlined how he views the difference between safeties and corners—"There are really two distinct skill sets. The corner position, they can really get their job done by repping things. You've got to be a tremendous athlete to be out there on the edge to play corner. A lot of their work can just get done by repetitions. Here's my man, let me go to work on my technique. The safety, they've got to have some of those same skills that the corner has but the mental piece is turned up to the nth degree. They've got to communicate, they've got to be a safety, they've got to have some corner skills and they've got to be a linebacker at times so there's a lot more on your plate physically and mentally to be a safety."
He also talked about the energy surrounding the team during this preseason camp—"I see guys that are forgetting about the past and the guys that were here, they're very eager and looking into the future about what's next. I see guys there that have great self-esteem, guys walking around with confidence, guys that have a smile on their face like they love playing football and they love each other and love playing for each other. All of that positive attitude it gets displayed on the football field and we just keep coming together, they keep pushing each other and they're excited for September 3."
Te'Rai Powell – Montvale, N.J. – St. Joseph Regional – 6-0 – 190
A Phil Steele Preseason All-Independent Second Team Cornerback, Powell logged 55 tackles, four tackles for loss, one pass breakup and one sack, starting every game in 2021, after starting all four games in 2020.
Donte Lindsey – Fayetteville, N.C. – Mountain Pointe (Ariz.) – 5-11 – 190
Lindsey, who has been at UMass since 2018, played in 11 games in 2021 and posted a career-high 57 total tackles, one interception, a forced fumble and four pass break ups. He was the Minutemen's starting safety in three of four games in 2020 and started three games, playing in nine total, as a redshirt freshman in 2019.
Darrell Perkins on Powell and Lindsey – "Having them in the room. They understand what you're talking about, they've been there before. They can pull a younger guy aside and say 'hey this is what coach is trying to do'. They're invaluable. They're an extension of myself."
Juan Lua – Indio, Calif. – Xavier College Prep – 6-0 – 190
Lua transferred to UMass after playing at Saddleback College in 2021 and at College of the Desert in 2020. Last season at Saddleback, he had 23 tackles over nine games.
Tyler Rudolph – Waterbury, Conn. – St. Thomas More – 6-0 – 205
Rudolph came to UMass from Penn State, where he played in 12 games over three seasons.
Darrell Perkins on Lua and Rudolph – "They've been able to make an impact because they understand the game and maybe the things we're doing here are similar to what they were doing at their previous institution. They're able to quickly in their mind say 'OK I did this before, we called it this' and they're able to reflect on those past defensive snaps and situations to fit right in and make it flow really fast."
Jalon Ferrell – Miami, Fla. – Miami Killian – 6-2 – 205
A transfer from UConn, Ferrell had 32 tackles for the Huskies last season and two pass deflections.
Darrell Perkins on Ferrell – "He's got great size and he's athletic. He can do a lot of things and has a big skill set. He can cover, he's a big body, he can fit in the run game and then he's got range and speed so he can play the deep safety as well. A guy like that with many tools in his box really fits great in the system Coach Brown likes to run."
Osei Dixon – Bowie, Md. – St. Vincent Pallotti – 6-2 – 195
Dixon has been a reserve for the Minutemen in the secondary and on special teams in 2020 and 2021.
Javon Batten – Brooklyn, N.Y. – Erasmus Hall (N.Y.) – 6-3 – 200
Batten played in six games as a reserve in 2021 and was a key contributor on all special teams units.
Darrell Perkins on Dixon and Batten – "Obviously before we got some of these other guys in, these guys were here in the spring and they really took advantage of getting a lot of extra reps and then they worked over the summer from a mental a standpoint, from a physical standpoint and they were able to hit the ground running when we got here for fall camp so their growth and development has taken off."
Jeremiah McGill – Hollywood, Fla. – Chaminade-Madonna – 6-0 – 185
McGill was a three-time state champion at Chaminade-Madonna and a Second Team Broward honoree. He made 106 tackles, had nine interceptions and five forced fumbles.
Dorian Helm – Stone Mountain, Ga. – Stephenson – 5-11 – 190
Helm was a vital piece on all special team teams units in 2021, playing in 10 games.
Darrell Perkins on McGill and Helm – "Two guys there that really love the game of football. They're very aggressive Jeremiah McGill is a guy just getting here and he's picked up the defense. He's very sharp, very intelligent, came from a great program so he's been able to pick up the system really well so we're looking forward to him having a great year and a great future here. Dorian took advantage of getting a lot of reps in the spring and he's put himself in the mix to play a lot for us on defense and special teams this year.
Josh Wallace – Bowie, Md. – DeMatha Catholic – 6-0 – 190
A two-time team captain, Wallace was a Phil Steele Preseason All-Independent Second Team selection this year after recording 53 total tackles, four TFLs, one sack and a team-high 12 pass breakups in 2021, starting 11 games last season. He was a Phil Steele All-Independent Second Team defensive back in 2020 and started eight games as a freshman in 2019.
Darrell Perkins on Wallace – "Josh is a great young man. He's very bright, intelligent. He does the right things on the field and off the field all the time. He manages himself. He's with you every day as far as his work ethic, his attitude and is a student of the game. Coaching him is a pleasure. You'd take a whole team of guys like Josh Wallace. They're going to be doing what they're supposed to do, they're going to give everything they've got every single day. It's been great getting to know him."
Noah Boykin – Washington, D.C. – Howard D. Woodson – 6-2 – 185
Boykin has been with the UMass program since 2019 after transferring from Notre Dame. He started at cornerback in all four games in 2020 and appeared in six contests in 2021, logging 16 tackles.
Darrell Perkins on Boykin – "He has a different skill set than Josh. He's a guy that's going to be able to get up and play press and probably has a little bit more length than Josh, not that Josh doesn't have good length, but he's just maybe a little bit longer, a little bit bigger body and then the way that he's going to attack receivers is probably a little bit different then Josh does it. He's going to be a real physical guy at the line of scrimmage. He can really be a big factor in the run game as well.
Sammy Faustin – Naples, Fla. – Naples – 6-3 – 200
Faustin appeared in 10 games in his time at Michigan before transferring to UMass, primarily on special teams but played defensive back in three contests in 2019.
Darrell Perkins on Faustin – "Sammy's been great, picking up things well. I've known Sammy for a long time. I recruited him in high school. Unfortunately, I lost out on him to that other school, but he's a tremendous athlete. He's another guy who's got a great personality. A guy who loves to work. He's gaining momentum every day, learning and fitting in well with the group back there.
Jordan Mahoney – Rock Hill, S.C. – South Pointe – 5-11 – 170
Mahoney appeared in 11 games and totaled 29 tackles and three pass breakups as a freshman for the Minutemen in 2021.
Tristan Armstrong – Washington, D.C. – National Christian Academy (Md.) – 5-11 – 185
Armstrong has appeared in 13 games since arriving at UMass in 2020 and was a starter on all four special teams units in 2021.
Jourdan Powell – Springfield, Mass. – East Longmeadow – 5-10 – 165
Powell has yet to see action for the Minutemen after transferring to UMass from Sacred Heart.
Darrell Perkins on Mahoney, Armstrong and Powell – "All those guys are showing that they have value. Everybody's working. The depth and the numbers that we have has created a lot of competition within the group and the different packages guys are creating roles for themselves and by what they've shown, they're going to help our team, whether it's on defense, or whether it's on special teams. In that group there, maybe one guy is a starter, maybe one guy is a 25-30 snap guy, maybe one guy is a 10-15 snap guy and then playing on special teams. All they've done is help make our football team better, make our defense better by al the value they can add in many different areas."
Donovan Turner – East Long Beach, Calif. – Long Beach Poly – 6-1 – 185
Turner was an all-conference first team, All-Moore League First Team and So Cal Dream Team honoree at Long Beach Poly in 2021 and was the 2020 Utility Player of the Year.
Darrell Perkins on Turner – "I think Donovan Turner has got a great future. He's a guy we got in on late in the process and at the end of the day, we took a chance on him and he took a chance on us. He is a great football player and a great kid. He's come in and done nothing but work and is just a joy to be around."
Darrell Perkins outlined how he views the difference between safeties and corners—"There are really two distinct skill sets. The corner position, they can really get their job done by repping things. You've got to be a tremendous athlete to be out there on the edge to play corner. A lot of their work can just get done by repetitions. Here's my man, let me go to work on my technique. The safety, they've got to have some of those same skills that the corner has but the mental piece is turned up to the nth degree. They've got to communicate, they've got to be a safety, they've got to have some corner skills and they've got to be a linebacker at times so there's a lot more on your plate physically and mentally to be a safety."
He also talked about the energy surrounding the team during this preseason camp—"I see guys that are forgetting about the past and the guys that were here, they're very eager and looking into the future about what's next. I see guys there that have great self-esteem, guys walking around with confidence, guys that have a smile on their face like they love playing football and they love each other and love playing for each other. All of that positive attitude it gets displayed on the football field and we just keep coming together, they keep pushing each other and they're excited for September 3."
Te'Rai Powell – Montvale, N.J. – St. Joseph Regional – 6-0 – 190
A Phil Steele Preseason All-Independent Second Team Cornerback, Powell logged 55 tackles, four tackles for loss, one pass breakup and one sack, starting every game in 2021, after starting all four games in 2020.
Donte Lindsey – Fayetteville, N.C. – Mountain Pointe (Ariz.) – 5-11 – 190
Lindsey, who has been at UMass since 2018, played in 11 games in 2021 and posted a career-high 57 total tackles, one interception, a forced fumble and four pass break ups. He was the Minutemen's starting safety in three of four games in 2020 and started three games, playing in nine total, as a redshirt freshman in 2019.
Darrell Perkins on Powell and Lindsey – "Having them in the room. They understand what you're talking about, they've been there before. They can pull a younger guy aside and say 'hey this is what coach is trying to do'. They're invaluable. They're an extension of myself."
Juan Lua – Indio, Calif. – Xavier College Prep – 6-0 – 190
Lua transferred to UMass after playing at Saddleback College in 2021 and at College of the Desert in 2020. Last season at Saddleback, he had 23 tackles over nine games.
Tyler Rudolph – Waterbury, Conn. – St. Thomas More – 6-0 – 205
Rudolph came to UMass from Penn State, where he played in 12 games over three seasons.
Darrell Perkins on Lua and Rudolph – "They've been able to make an impact because they understand the game and maybe the things we're doing here are similar to what they were doing at their previous institution. They're able to quickly in their mind say 'OK I did this before, we called it this' and they're able to reflect on those past defensive snaps and situations to fit right in and make it flow really fast."
Jalon Ferrell – Miami, Fla. – Miami Killian – 6-2 – 205
A transfer from UConn, Ferrell had 32 tackles for the Huskies last season and two pass deflections.
Darrell Perkins on Ferrell – "He's got great size and he's athletic. He can do a lot of things and has a big skill set. He can cover, he's a big body, he can fit in the run game and then he's got range and speed so he can play the deep safety as well. A guy like that with many tools in his box really fits great in the system Coach Brown likes to run."
Osei Dixon – Bowie, Md. – St. Vincent Pallotti – 6-2 – 195
Dixon has been a reserve for the Minutemen in the secondary and on special teams in 2020 and 2021.
Javon Batten – Brooklyn, N.Y. – Erasmus Hall (N.Y.) – 6-3 – 200
Batten played in six games as a reserve in 2021 and was a key contributor on all special teams units.
Darrell Perkins on Dixon and Batten – "Obviously before we got some of these other guys in, these guys were here in the spring and they really took advantage of getting a lot of extra reps and then they worked over the summer from a mental a standpoint, from a physical standpoint and they were able to hit the ground running when we got here for fall camp so their growth and development has taken off."
Jeremiah McGill – Hollywood, Fla. – Chaminade-Madonna – 6-0 – 185
McGill was a three-time state champion at Chaminade-Madonna and a Second Team Broward honoree. He made 106 tackles, had nine interceptions and five forced fumbles.
Dorian Helm – Stone Mountain, Ga. – Stephenson – 5-11 – 190
Helm was a vital piece on all special team teams units in 2021, playing in 10 games.
Darrell Perkins on McGill and Helm – "Two guys there that really love the game of football. They're very aggressive Jeremiah McGill is a guy just getting here and he's picked up the defense. He's very sharp, very intelligent, came from a great program so he's been able to pick up the system really well so we're looking forward to him having a great year and a great future here. Dorian took advantage of getting a lot of reps in the spring and he's put himself in the mix to play a lot for us on defense and special teams this year.
Josh Wallace – Bowie, Md. – DeMatha Catholic – 6-0 – 190
A two-time team captain, Wallace was a Phil Steele Preseason All-Independent Second Team selection this year after recording 53 total tackles, four TFLs, one sack and a team-high 12 pass breakups in 2021, starting 11 games last season. He was a Phil Steele All-Independent Second Team defensive back in 2020 and started eight games as a freshman in 2019.
Darrell Perkins on Wallace – "Josh is a great young man. He's very bright, intelligent. He does the right things on the field and off the field all the time. He manages himself. He's with you every day as far as his work ethic, his attitude and is a student of the game. Coaching him is a pleasure. You'd take a whole team of guys like Josh Wallace. They're going to be doing what they're supposed to do, they're going to give everything they've got every single day. It's been great getting to know him."
Noah Boykin – Washington, D.C. – Howard D. Woodson – 6-2 – 185
Boykin has been with the UMass program since 2019 after transferring from Notre Dame. He started at cornerback in all four games in 2020 and appeared in six contests in 2021, logging 16 tackles.
Darrell Perkins on Boykin – "He has a different skill set than Josh. He's a guy that's going to be able to get up and play press and probably has a little bit more length than Josh, not that Josh doesn't have good length, but he's just maybe a little bit longer, a little bit bigger body and then the way that he's going to attack receivers is probably a little bit different then Josh does it. He's going to be a real physical guy at the line of scrimmage. He can really be a big factor in the run game as well.
Sammy Faustin – Naples, Fla. – Naples – 6-3 – 200
Faustin appeared in 10 games in his time at Michigan before transferring to UMass, primarily on special teams but played defensive back in three contests in 2019.
Darrell Perkins on Faustin – "Sammy's been great, picking up things well. I've known Sammy for a long time. I recruited him in high school. Unfortunately, I lost out on him to that other school, but he's a tremendous athlete. He's another guy who's got a great personality. A guy who loves to work. He's gaining momentum every day, learning and fitting in well with the group back there.
Jordan Mahoney – Rock Hill, S.C. – South Pointe – 5-11 – 170
Mahoney appeared in 11 games and totaled 29 tackles and three pass breakups as a freshman for the Minutemen in 2021.
Tristan Armstrong – Washington, D.C. – National Christian Academy (Md.) – 5-11 – 185
Armstrong has appeared in 13 games since arriving at UMass in 2020 and was a starter on all four special teams units in 2021.
Jourdan Powell – Springfield, Mass. – East Longmeadow – 5-10 – 165
Powell has yet to see action for the Minutemen after transferring to UMass from Sacred Heart.
Darrell Perkins on Mahoney, Armstrong and Powell – "All those guys are showing that they have value. Everybody's working. The depth and the numbers that we have has created a lot of competition within the group and the different packages guys are creating roles for themselves and by what they've shown, they're going to help our team, whether it's on defense, or whether it's on special teams. In that group there, maybe one guy is a starter, maybe one guy is a 25-30 snap guy, maybe one guy is a 10-15 snap guy and then playing on special teams. All they've done is help make our football team better, make our defense better by al the value they can add in many different areas."
Donovan Turner – East Long Beach, Calif. – Long Beach Poly – 6-1 – 185
Turner was an all-conference first team, All-Moore League First Team and So Cal Dream Team honoree at Long Beach Poly in 2021 and was the 2020 Utility Player of the Year.
Darrell Perkins on Turner – "I think Donovan Turner has got a great future. He's a guy we got in on late in the process and at the end of the day, we took a chance on him and he took a chance on us. He is a great football player and a great kid. He's come in and done nothing but work and is just a joy to be around."
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