Eye-Catchers and Playmakers

Despite the pedestal football, and sports in general, has been placed on, it’s all entertainment at the end of the day.

And just like the movies, it’s about action and suspense, with everyone waiting for the next thrill. No one wants to watch a boring product. They want grit. And most of all, they gravitate toward stars who put on memorable performances. It’s what puts butts in seats, whether in a cozy theater or wornin bleachers on a Friday night. Consider Ruston’s defensive backs the Alisters this season.

Whether it be safeties Nate Johnson, Ronald Findley, and Jacoryian Crowe or cornerbacks Aidan Anding and Semaj Jones, the Bearcats have a bevy of box office players with an ability to make hit after hit.

Opposing quarterbacks have completed just 42% of their passes against Ruston, throwing for 9 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, all while not completing over 15 passes in a game. Every Ruston DB has a pass breakup this season, and each has forced at least one turnover.

Johnson leads the unit with 47 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 2 pass breakups, 1 sack, 3 forced fumbles and a fumble recovery, while Anding has proven to be the team’s main ballhawk with 4 interceptions, 17 tackles, 5 pass breakups and 2 sacks.

Crowe has 36 tackles, 2 interceptions, a pass breakup, and a tackle for loss, while Ronald Findley has 26 tackles, 1 interception and a pass breakup. And perhaps the biggest blockbuster of them all has been Jones with 13 tackles, 2 interceptions, a pick- six, a blocked punt, and blocked extra point.

The unbeaten Bearcats knew coming into the season their defensive line would be stout, and the linebackers would be as sharp as ever. But what felt like a potential question mark was the production and playmaking from the secondary — given the team lost four All-District defensive backs to graduation.

There’s zero doubt now.

“They’re taking advantage of opportunities of balls in their area and their coaches have done a really good job of stressing the fact that it’s not just offense throws the ball to a guy and then you tackle them, but they’re coaching them to where if the ball is in the air they’re going up to try and make a play on it,” Ruston head coach Jerrod Baugh said. “ They’ve got an attitude to where if the ball is in the air, it’s an opportunity. And there’s a little intrasquad competition now of who has the most interceptions on the team and anything you have that level of competition, that’s a really good thing.”

And it’s not just the volume of the big plays from the secondary, but the timeliness of the performances.

With Warren Easton leading 14-7 midway through the third quarter, Jones blocked the punt and had it recovered for a touchdown to get the Bearcats back in the contest.

How about the week after, with Ruston tied 7-7 with Jesuit at halftime after Jones picked off Beau Perez in the end-zone and later took an interception back for a score late in fourth quarter.

And against Lafayette Christian and four-star LSU commit Ju’Juan Johnson?

The Bearcats picked off Johnson five times, including two from Anding.

“Constantly watching film and understanding our roles and our jobs on the field, we push ourselves to make sure that our technique is A+ which allows us to have opportunities to make plays in the back field,” Anding said. “ Every time we step foot on the field and also in our meeting rooms, we use it as a chance to progress. We all want to dominate and be eye-catchers. We are willing to come in everyday and learn so that we can be at the top.”

The ball production for the defensive backfield has benefited from constant pressure up front from Ahmad Breaux, Geordan Guidry, and Payton Bell, and Baugh said when the front and back end of a defensive unit are connected like that, it’s no wonder you see the flashy plays in the secondary.

“I do think the pressure we have gotten on quarterbacks has forced them into making throws they normally don’t make which lends itself to having opportunities behind them to make plays on the ball and I think they’ve been really appreciative of being able to have chances like that,” Baugh said. “ They’re helping one another, and they realize what a complete defense can do to help each other.”

Ruston’s defensive meeting room even includes a chart on the wall of big plays, including turnovers, third- down stops and other measurables that determine if the Bearcats met their high standard. That includes the intrasquad competition for most interceptions like Baugh mentioned.

“I can’t get through a day without Aidan or Jacoriyan saying they have more picks than me,” Johnson said. “We are all super competitive and it really gets us to practice hard knowing somebody else is making more plays than you.”

Johnson, a First Team All-District safety a year ago, hasn’t been surprised with the balance of playmakers in the room. When the position group’s goal is to be a part of the marquee moments that define games, it’s no wonder everyone wants to have a hand in the action. And that confidence isn’t going anywhere.

“We believe we are better than every team we play,” Johnson said. “ We don’t care who their quarterback is or how fast their receivers are, if we play like we can, we can shut anybody down. We take our preparation during the week very seriously, and we hold each other to a very high standard at practice and in film. That’s just our nature to make plays in the games.”