Latest news with #two-wayplayer
CBS News
13 hours ago
- Sport
- CBS News
Koi Perich plans to play both ways for Gophers in sophomore season
Gophers football practice features the offense in white jerseys and the defense in red. Koi Perich wears both — a two-colored uniform stitched down the middle. After bursting onto the college football scene as a true freshman with dazzling plays and competitive charisma, Perich has an elevated encore in store. "I'm just here, whatever I can do to help my team," said the soft-spoken Perich. "If that's on offense I'm willing to do it. If it's on defense, I'm willing. Special teams. Anything to do, I'll do it." Yes, the swashbuckling sophomore will play wide receiver in addition to safety in 2025. The pride of Esko, Minnesota, did it in high school, as many do. College is different. "I always wanted to do it coming out of high school," explained Perich, who had five interceptions in 2024. "In recruitment, I wanted to do it, too. I talked with coach Fleck about it. And it just came to be this year." A close friendship with his new quarterback and fellow second-year college player Drake Lindsey can only help. But will Perich thrive in the increased spotlight? "Why would I not want the ball in his hands?" said Gophers offensive coordinator Greg Harbaugh. "I think the more we can put on him, just like I talked about with Drake — goes for everybody. The more we can put on him, the more they can handle, the more they'll get." That is the question. How much can this true sophomore handle? Last year's Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter was called a unicorn for excelling on both sides of the ball. He became the No. 2 pick. Has Koi Perich studied that Prime example? "Obviously it's hard not to," said Perich. "Especially if you're just in the football world. Travis is a very good football player. He can go on both sides. His conditioning is insane." "It takes a really special person to do it," said Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck. "It's not just, 'OK, we're just gonna hand it to him one time.' If you want to do it both ways, it's got to be a fully committed player and there's no one more committed than that kid." Perich's split jersey number is 3. This year, he will play all three phases: Offense, defense, and special teams. He's potentially in for a special season.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Travis Hunter listed as starting WR, backup CB; Jaguars coach Liam Coen thinks he can win both OPOY and DPOY
What kind of impact could Travis Hunter have on both sides of the ball during his rookie season with the Jacksonville Jaguars? If you ask his coach, a historic one. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Appearing on "The Rich Eisen Show" on Monday, Jaguars head coach Liam Coen agreed with the host that Hunter, who was selected No. 2 overall in April's NFL Draft, could win both NFL Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year as a wide receiver and cornerback. (That conversation begins at the 8:13 mark of the clip above.) "I do think it's possible," Coen said. "He is committed to driving, not just himself, but his teammates as well. I think his teammates ... these guys are challenging him every single day. He doesn't get a free pass because he was the second overall pick and he's Travis Hunter. "They are in his grill trying to jam him up, trying to hem him up, trying to make it as hard as they can possibly make it for him in a great way, like in the most healthy way as possible where they're going at it and chirping at each other. But it's truly guys iron sharpening iron. That's what it feels like and I wouldn't expect anything less from those guys. They think he can do it as well, but they're going to make him earn it as well in this building." The Jaguars, meanwhile, released their first depth chart of the preseason Monday. On it, Hunter is listed as a starting wide receiver and a second-string cornerback, further indicating how the team intends to employ the star rookie. Two-way players in the NFL have made impacts on the game — see: Deion Sanders — but none of them have ever done what Coen says is possible for Hunter this season. There is a little over a month until the Jaguars host the Carolina Panthers in Week 1, and Coen and his staff are still working out the percentage of snaps Hunter will take on offense and defense to start the season. "We want to play him as much as we can," Coen said. Last season, Hunter played 753 offensive snaps and 776 defensive snaps, along with 23 more on special teams with Colorado, according to Pro Football Focus. Despite the extra usage, Hunter was productive with 92 receptions, 1,152 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns on offense and 29 total tackles and four interceptions on defense. His play earned him the Heisman Trophy in December. Hunter said at the start of camp that playing both sides is more taxing mentally than physically. He'll now need to be ready to deal with NFL cornerbacks and wide receivers, like Panthers wideout Jaycee Horn come Sept. 7, who won't make life easy for the rookie. "[Horn's] not going to be like, 'Hey, man, this is cool what you're doing.' They're going to say, 'No, dude, you can't do this' and that's the beauty of it," Coen said. "I think [Hunter's] definitely driven to do it for the right reasons."
