Well-rounded at the corners
By Bert Sahlberg, Lewiston Tribune

November 3, 1999

Look deeply into their eyes. It is here where they may show any signs of weakness.

They're confident, but not cold eyes. And while they may not win a staredown, they aren't going to back down either.

Weaknesses? None yet.

It's just that way with University of Idaho cornerbacks Dennis Gibbs and Cleavon Bradshaw. Being a defensive back, it's really the only way.

The play of the two has been a key reason why Idaho as been such a dominant force on defense -- until last week, anyway. Their solid contributions have allowed the Vandals to play the pressure-type defense it wants.

They, along with the rest of the Vandal defense, will certainly get tested this week when Idaho plays at Nevada, against the Big West Conference's top quarterback in David Neill.

Gibbs and Bradshaw are the best cornerbacks UI has put on the field together in some time. While the school has arguably had better players at the position, opposing teams simply had to go to the other side of the field and pick on the other cornerback for success.

Teams don't have that option this year. Gibbs, a 5-foot-10, 180-pound junior from Lompoc, Calif., was a second-team all-Big West Conference selection last year and is enjoying another big season. He's Idaho's sixth-leading tackler with 37 and also has a team-high 10 pass deflections.

Bradshaw, a 5-9, 163-pound junior, is not only in his first year at Idaho but also his first as a defensive back. He's made the adjustment and has a team-high three interceptions and last week returned a fumble 28 yards for a touchdown.

The big stat is touchdown passes. Last year Idaho allowed 21. Through eight games this season UI's given up 10, second-best in the league. Only North Texas is better at eight, but that's a little misleading because everyone has been able to run on the Eagles, who have allowed 17 rushing touchdowns.

Idaho's defense is allowing opponents a third-down conversion rate of just 29 percent (35-of-122) and a pass-completion percentage of 44.4 percent.

While the defense as a whole splits the credit, much of this wouldn't be possible if the corners weren't able to handle opposing receivers in man coverage.

"That's really been a big key for us defensively," UI coach Chris Tormey said earlier this year. "Their play has allowed us be successful."

Gibbs is perhaps the best corner in the Big West Conference. Teams rarely attack him and usually aren't successful when they do.

"I guess a lot of offseason work that I put in has really paid off," he said. "Looking at myself last year on film, I wonder why I did the things I did. I think I'm a lot smarter player."

Gibbs said he spent the offseason running, lifting and improving his foot work, the latter which he considers the biggest key to being a good corner.

"You have to have good reaction to a receiver when he breaks," Gibbs said.

"A good receiver shows you where you are at as far as technique," he said. "If receivers aren't very good, a good quarterback can kind of make up for it. This week, we get good receivers and a good quarterback."

Gibbs said he likes UI's style of defense, which leaves him isolated one-on-one with a receiver.

"You just can't worry about what anyone else is doing." he said. "You just have to concentrate on that receiver you are against. It's like it's you and him on an island. If you get beat, everyone knows it.

"If you do get beat, then you have to get it out of your head. If you don't, then there's more of those to come. You just have to have a short-term memory when it comes to stuff like that."

Gibbs said it's enjoyable playing on such a tight-knit defense as well as a close team in general. That's the key reason why he chose Idaho out of high school.

"I just liked the way everyone got along here," he said. I just liked the way the players were around each other and I wanted to be a part of that.

"That's the main thing about this team, just how good everyone gets along. It's not just one group and then another group. It's everyone all together."

While Gibbs has been student of the position, studying lots of film during the offseason, Bradshaw has learned by fire.

The Miami native originally signed to play wide receiver at Colorado State in 1996, then changed his mind and decided to attend Idaho State. He played there for a year, but then the coaching staff was fired and he felt he didn't fit in with the new staff.

One of ISU's assistant coaches when he was recruited was Jeff Courtright, who is now tight end coach at UI. He tried to get Bradshaw to come to UI following his freshman season, but ISU wouldn't release him so he went back to Miami.

There he attended a junior college which didn't have a football program. He then failed to fulfill the academic requirements necessary to transfer, forcing him to sit out another year.

He arrived in Moscow this summer and was immediately moved to defensive back, a position he's never played.

Given the opportunity, he'd jump at the chance to play wide receiver again. The problem with that he's a lot more valuable to Idaho at cornerback. And he knows it.

"I'm getting the hang of it," he said. "I'd really like to play on the offensive side. I haven't got that defensive mentality yet. But cornerback is probably the best position for me to play so I have no complaints."

Bradshaw said he believes it's harder going against a good quarterback than a good receiver.

"Even if a receiver is not that good or precise with their routes, a good quarterback will always put the ball there on time," he said. "If the quarterback looks good, then the receivers look good."

Bradshaw said he uses his experience of playing receiver to his advantage.

"The one advantage I have is that I can see how the receiver is coming out in a route," he said. "So I cheat a little bit, but sometimes that's wrong because I take a lot of chances."

Bradshaw said the key area he needs to work on is not watching the quarterback. As a receiver, he was taught to look back at the quarterback to watch the ball. As a defensive back, he's taught to watch the receiver and to look for the ball when the receiver does, not before.

Bradshaw said sometimes it gets a little tedious playing run-oriented teams, like last week's opponent, New Mexico State.

"To me, sometimes the game is very slow and very boring," he said. "At cornerback, if you don't get a lot of balls your way, like last week, it can get real boring out there. But the coaches tell me to stay focused because they'll come at you at any time."

For the next two weeks, Bradshaw should get his fill of excitement. Montana, Idaho's opponent on Nov. 13, will throw the ball around 40 times a game like Nevada.

"I've been waiting for these two games," he said. "I'm just trying to show what I can do."

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