Washington Huskies: Jomon Dotson Moves from Offense to Defense
By Paul Taylor
With the loss of key players in the secondary, can Jomon Dotson’s transition to cornerback help the Washington Huskies continue to succeed on defense?
The Washington Huskies are coming off a season of defensive excellence. They finished fourth in the nation in yards allowed per play and eighth in points conceded.
However, it wasn’t until the Huskies played Alabama in the College Football playoffs, when the defense finally received its due. Taking into account Jake Browning‘s pick-six, they only allowed 17 points against one of the true power houses in the game.
The defense is expected to continue to succeed in 2017, but if there is one area of concern it is the secondary, particularly at cornerback. Washington’s starting duo of Sidney Jones (two-time First-team All-Pac-12) and Kevin King (two-time Honorable Mention All-Pac-12), are both headed to the NFL.
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In the likes of Austin Joyner and Jordan Miller, the Huskies are confident they have the talent at cornerback to overcome the loss of Jones and King. However, head coach Chris Petersen is taking further steps, to try and ensure the secondary’s continued success.
As reported by ESPN‘s Ted Miller, Jomon Dotson will also move to the cornerback position for the 2017 season. A three-star running back when he committed to the Huskies in 2014, this should prove to be an intriguing transition.
Dotson was pretty productive as a runner when given the chance, as evidenced by 260 yards on 57 carries during 2016. However, with Myles Gaskin and Lavon Coleman in front of him in the depth chart, he was going to struggle to have more of an impact.
At least with his move to the defensive side of the ball, the American Canyon, California native will get more of a chance to show off his athleticism. The question is, will he prove to be successful?
Apart from an obvious lack of experience as a corner at the college football level, Dotson is lacking the size which Jones and King brought to the position. How this affects his chances to become a starter on defense, remains to be seen
Overall though, all we can do is wait to see how this move pans out. If nothing else, we should all trust Petersen’s judgement, especially after the success he has had during his first three seasons in charge of the Huskies.
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What’s your take on Dotson’s transition to the defensive side of the ball? Do you believe he has what it takes to succeed at cornerback, or are you concerned the move will not work out? Share your thoughts in the comments section.