He is a big-time talent and is as advertised. – Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham
SALT LAKE CITY — Corrion Ballard, the junior college transfer expected to replace NFL-bound Marcus Williams as Utah’s starting free safety, is making quite an impression since joining the Utes as a mid-year signee.
“He is a big-time talent and is as advertised,” said Utah coach Kyle Whittingham. “We were hoping that when we recruited him that he would come in and fill that void left by Marcus.”
After a few practices, Whittingham noted it looks like he’ll be able to do just that — even though there’s a lot of development that still needs to take place, as well as getting the 6-foot-3, 210-pound Texan in better shape.
“But as far as the raw material, it’s there” Whittingham said.
That appears to be the consensus as Utah moves on without Williams. Ballard, who was named the 2016 co-Defensive Player of the Year in the Southwest Junior College Football Conference, is showing why schools like Nebraska, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech were keen on securing his skills.
Utah defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley refers to Ballard as a “long-levered guy” and a “try-hard kid” who loves the game.
“He’s got the right mentality. Sometimes you get junior college kids that come in and you kind of have to mold what their thought of disciplined football is,” Scalley said. “But he’s a guy that gets it. It’s a matter of getting him in shape and playing the way we want to play.”
Getting Ballard out of Blinn College early, Scalley acknowledged, was awesome. It’s allowed him to learn the schemes and become familiar with how Utah’s program operates.
Unlike several years earlier when Keith McGill joined the Utes in the summertime after transferring from Cerritos College in California, Scalley hopes Ballard's early arrival will eliminate any growing pains when the season starts.
Scalley said Ballard is showing up every day in one-on-one drills and making solid plays.
“It’s hard to tell what his ceiling is without him being in shape,” he explained. “So we’ve got to get him in shape and then we’ll find out what we’ve got.”
Junior Chase Hansen already has a pretty good idea. He thinks highly of the guy that Whittingham expects to be the other starter at safety — barring unforeseen circumstances — this fall.
“He’s just a baller. He likes to work hard. He’s a great athlete and he’s always asking questions,” Hansen said. “He’s a fun guy to play with — we have a lot of fun out here together. We kind of learn from each other, both kind of being generals at safety back there. We’ve got to be able to communicate with each other and the defense and so that’s something we’ve been trying to work on.”
As for replacing a projected early NFL draft pick in Williams, Hansen thinks Ballard will make his own mark.
“I feel like ‘filling shoes’ is the wrong way to put it. He’s got his own shoes that are pretty big as well and I think he’s going to kill it,” Hansen said. “He’s got to figure some things out, as we all do. We’ve got to work on some things, but overall I’m excited about him.”
After noting that Williams is one of the best safeties the Utes have ever had, Scalley explained that he loves the length and athleticism of Ballard. Hansen made it clear that everyone on defense is kind of huffing and puffing in practice because of the new tempo on offense,
“He’s tough. We’ll be able to get through it,” Hansen said.
Ballard is just as confident.
“Everything is going pretty smooth,” he said. “Coming in early is a big advantage because I get to get in here and learn the defense, get right into it.”
Both Hansen and Williams assisted in easing the transition. Ballard said Hansen has been like a big brother, helping him know what to do and making sure he’s in the right spot.
“Once I get the hang of it I’ll be doing my own thing,” Ballard said. “But he’s helping me a lot.”
Williams has also been involved.
“We talked a little bit,” Ballard confirmed. “He just gave me some pointers on what and what not to do. He’s a good influence, too.”
It’s all added up to a positive experience, thus far. Ballard, who finished the 2016 season with 41 tackles, eight pass breakups, five sacks, three interceptions and a forced fumble as a sophomore, is eager to play for the Utes.
“I’m pumped,” he said. “No regrets at all. Coach Scalley and the coaching staff have been great to me. They help me a lot. It’s just a great atmosphere out here. Everything is cool so far.”
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