Last year, Kosciusko football coach Casey Orr tried to get Jerrell Erving to play both ways.
But after a few games, Orr moved Erving to a full-time defensive player.
“He was more of an interior guy last year and he played on the offensive line some last year,” Orr said. “When I got here, they were totally in a platoon situation and nobody played both ways. So when we had him playing both ways last year and like several of them, he wasn’t really used to that. So when he got tired, he might take a play off on offense and we just couldn’t have that, so we moved him to full time defense.”
While he plays as a one-way player, Orr said Erving shined on the defensive line.
“He was an interior guy for us last year and did a good job on defense,” Orr said. “He’s really more of a defensive guy and that’s what he likes. He will get in there and squeeze and wrong shoulder you like he’s supposed to do. He’s a real competitor on the inside for us.”
Orr said Erving will have to move out to defensive end this season when the Whippets come out of quarantine.
“Because of what we’ve got, he’s got to move out to defensive end. It’s going to be him and a bunch of 10th graders on the defensive line. We need him out there because of his experience and leadership. He’s a vocal guy and has shown some good leadership so far,” Orr said. “Our younger guys are learning the ropes and it’s easier for those younger guys to play and one and three and not get exploited. But he’s got to be a big dog at defensive end for us this year. We are excited to see him play this season.”
Orr said while Erving struggled at times on offense last year, he has accepted his role this season and will hardly leave the field.
“He will be a two-way starter for us this year,” Orr said. “He will start at left tackle and be one of our defensive ends. He’s one of our better linemen and just has to go this season and I think he will accept that role and go with it. He knows he has to go this season and I think he will embrace that. We haven’t been able to see much since we’ve been in quarantine, but we are excited to get the chance to see him play.”
Orr said Erving is a “super athletic” kid, especially for a lineman. Erving also plays basketball for the Whippet basketball team and will likely be a starter in the low post this season.
“He is very athletic, especially for a tackle. He has really good length and is a very athletic tackle. He’s the kind of kid that you can play win 7-on-7 and he blends in well. That what we really like about him,” Orr said. “It’s his position on offense this season and it’s his to run with. Nobody is nipping at his heels. He has to take it and go and I think that he will.”
Orr said the Whippets have a good number of seniors but not a lot of senior experience.
“We have a good number of seniors, but the issue is a lot of them have never played before,” Orr said. “A good many of them are guys I got out of the halls and talked into playing or guys I got out of the gym. Some of them are going to help. But I’ve only got about four or five guys that have been out there and been through the fire. He’s one of those guys and we have got to have him being a leader for us.”
As for college, Orr said he has had several colleges contact him and ask about Erving.
“I think he could play at the JUCO level or maybe even at Milsaps or Belhaven. He’s not an overly tall kid, so that’s going to hurt him. He’s somewhere between 6-1 and 6-2. But like I said before, he’s really quick and really athletic,” Orr said. “And he’s a really smart kid. He makes good grades, so one of those D-3 schools might be in the mix there.”
“He comes from really good folks. His dad is a police officer in town, so you never have to worry about what he’s doing or him being in the wrong place. I’ve had several coaches inquire about him,” said the coach. “I want to see if he’s going to make that jump this year. He has the potential to be really good and we want to see him do it on the field and I think those college coaches want to see him do it on the field as well.”
