Corners’ Goal is Strong Top to Bottom

Isaiah Essissima didn't require nametags.

Coming over from Nevada, the sixth-year cornerback knew some of his teammates already and a fair amount of the coaching staff. Getting acclimated wasn't an issue.

Nor were the expectations, particularly where he was expected to slot into the cornerback rotation: With the first group. At this point of his career – his third school and experience as a starter – he was perfectly OK altering his normal outlook to a new school.

"There's nothing different. I feel like I'm adding stuff and elevating my game," Essissima said. "I don't try to change much, but I try to add. When it comes to being knowledgeable about a defense, a weakness, a coverage, where my help is at, I'm trying to learn more about the game within the game. This is six years, so I'm always trying to improve."

Having lost a two-year starter in Chigozie Anusiem, Colorado State cornerbacks coach Marcus Patton hit the transfer portal looking to add experience, with Elias Larry additionally coming over from Navy. Essessima not only is expected to take Anusiem's spot, he also took his uniform number.

And while finding starters is a key task for Patton – Dom Jones returns after starting seven games a season ago – he's also out to build depth throughout the room. Adding players with experience helps, but growing the youth in the room is just as vital for the overall health of the position.

"You probably want four guys. Ideally you want to rotate three, and if a guy goes down, you have a fourth guy who can get you through a game," Patton said. "At our position, you want all of those guys to be able to play because they have to play special teams, too. You hope all of them will make the bus, because you need them on special teams because they're some of the fastest guys on the team."

Just a week into camp, Patton is already feeling confident about his room and it ability to reach his numbers. He's been impressed with the short-area quickness this group possesses. They do need some more polish, and ultimately, he expects to see some separation from the top two, then the next layer and beyond.

While Jones is no longer new to the program (having joined last year), the best old-hat feeling he carries into camp is the position he is playing. At North Dakota State, he played both safety positions early on, then shuffled over to nickel. Never did he play corner.

"It makes everything so much simpler. You're not coming in on eggshells," Jones said. "I'm doing what I've been doing since I was a little kid, since I was 6. I'm getting that feeling again. Collegiately, I'm playing the same position two years in a row for the first time. It's very nice.

"Mainly last year I was just getting in the groove of playing corner again. My whole collegiate career, I was all over the place except corner; I hadn't played corner since high school. Last year was really kind of getting my feet wet at the position. It wasn't really different, because I had played it before, just not collegiately. It was just getting used to a different position. This year, I feel like I'm exactly where I need to be, honestly."

Having older players pays dividends in multiple ways for Patton, as it not only gives him sound decision makers on the field, but extra coaches on the field in camp. Essissima came in vocal, ready to help, ready to lead. As the younger members of Patton's room continue to learn, who better to have explain nuances to someone like a Dylan Phelps or a Chris Jackson than guys who have put theory into on-field performance.

Jones and Essissima know that's part of their job this fall, and they take particular pride in not only being available but forcing the issue at times. The end of practice is anything but a time to start recovery, but rather additional class time with physical demonstrations through extra reps.

"That's always awesome when you have older guys who can teach the younger guys basic stuff, then we can focus on some of the more complex things we do," Patton said. "Early in camp when you get new guys, you have to scale back so they're learning, and they don't get lost. When you have good veteran leadership, and that's the good thing about having a lot of guys who have played for us, they can take these guys after practice and teach them some basic things we taught in year one and we can keep moving forward."

The byproduct is increased competition for playing time and preparing backups to become regulars on special teams. While Essissima and Jones are focused on improving individually, they expect the rest to not just keep up, but reach a level where they help them push themselves forward.

The Rams have a definitive goal of improving as a defense overall, and the secondary has targeted being more productive. As corners, they're intent is to cut down on chunk plays through the air and player tighter in coverage.

More to the point, Essissima doesn't want to stop with simply being better.

"To be the best in the Mountain West. I don't want to do this unless we're trying to be the best," he said. "We put in so many hours and so much effort to play football. I'm doing this to be the best. I think we have a great secondary with Henry Blackburn, Jack Howell and Dominic Morris. We have a lot of seasoned guys. I think we're really going to be nice."

And Patton believes complete.

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Chigozie Anusiem

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