Today was another great practice at the Coliseum! One more week to get better. #FightOn pic.twitter.com/hbjPrOr6qB
— Steve Sarkisian (@CoachSark) April 4, 2015
Perhaps there is a football operations job in Su'a Cravens' future -- scout, general manager, overall talent evaluator?
It was Cravens who suggested to his teammate, Chris Hawkins, that he should play safety.
Hawkins was getting some reps at safety during the team's Holiday Bowl preparations when Cravens spoke up.
"He's a natural safety," Cravens said. "He knows how to read plays. He's really good at understanding route concepts and diagnosing routes."
Connor Spears making a name for himself at TE for #USC, writes @RHaylock. http://t.co/it3GFLsC9A pic.twitter.com/Kkec3bHYZD
— FOX Sports West (@FoxSportsWest) April 2, 2015
Hawkins didn't immediately warm to the idea. In his heart of hearts, he was a cornerback.He was one of the top corners in the 2013 class coming out of Rancho Cucamonga High School.
Hawkins showed flashes of being able to be a difference maker at the position during workouts last season as a redshirt freshman. Although he was behind Kevon Seymour and Adoree' Jackson, the competitor in him wasn't quite ready to give that up.
Meanwhile, Cravens was offering his suggestion.
"He, obviously, played safety before and he told me that I was one of the best DB's on the team," Hawkins said of Cravens. "He felt like I would be better at safety because of my range and my vocal abilities and I would be a leader on the back end and I could get these guys going."
Cravens words are starting to come to fruition. Prior to the start of spring practice, the Trojans' coaching staff told Hawkins to familiarize himself with the safety position. Now he's getting tons of reps at the new position with the first unit and appears to be headed towards being a starter in the back of the secondary in the fall.
"I've adapted to it and I love it now," Hawkins said of his new position. "I feel like I've been doing it for a long time."
With his corner background, he's able to provide some versatility at the position, lining up over receivers in the slot from time to time. It will be a huge coup for a USC staff that is hoping to have the ability to play more press, man-to-man coverage next season.
Hawkins brings that aspect as well as the physicality that made him a physical corner during his brief time on campus. Perhaps the biggest component he brings is his football IQ.
Defense scored a TD & a safety. Proud of their effort and excited for our coaches clinic this weekend. #FightOn pic.twitter.com/WzbShMU4Jg
— Steve Sarkisian (@CoachSark) April 3, 2015
Hawkins has always been know as a smart football player, and that's certainly carried over to safety, where as the last line of defense he's called on to make some of the calls, which so far he's done a good job of picking up.
"He's relying on his experience and he's relying on his football IQ to play faster, which is important," Sarkisian said.
Of course, Cravens isn't surprised.
"When you're back at safety 15 yards deep and you know plays already, all you have to do is break down on the ball and, as you can see, he's been doing a great job," Cravens said.
