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Due to the rarity of white players at the CB postion, I thought Matt Ernest deserved his own thread! I did a search and it seems that Jack Lambert was the first to discover Matt as a new CB converted from WR.
Here's to hoping Matt Ernest, one of the very elite few white men who get play CB on the Division 1 level, has many more interceptions, forced fumbles, tackles, passes defended, and sacks!
http://www.courier-journal.com/article/201009012317/SPORTS04/309010123?odyssey=mod_related_topix
Indiana football's Matt Ernest OK with switch to defense
Ex-WR starting at CB for Indiana
By Terry Hutchens "¢ The Indianapolis Star "¢ September 1, 2010
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. â€" Matt Ernest was in his comfort zone as a receiver.
Now the Indiana University junior will be trying to make opposing receivers as uncomfortable as possible, beginning when the Hoosiers open the football season at 7:30p.m. Thursday against visiting Towson.
Switching from receiver to cornerback is almost a natural progression at IU. Nick Polk, Ray Fisher, Mitchell Evans, Colin Taylor and Kyle Dietrick have done so in recent seasons.
Receivers coach Billy Lynch said Ernest was a perfect candidate.
"When you're 6-2, you're a decent-sized receiver, but when you're 6-2 and 189 pounds, that's a big, long cornerback,"Â Lynch said. "He's got great speed, great feet, tremendous ball skills, and he can play the ball in the air.
"When you add all of those things together, we just felt he had the makings of a great corner."Â
And Ernest was well aware of the logjam on offense. Tandon Doss, Damarlo Belcher, Terrence Turner, Duwyce Wilson and Dre Muhammad were in front of him.
Last year Ernest caught seven passes for 69 yards in 12 games. The year before, as a redshirt freshman, he caught three.
Switching to defense was an easy sell in spring practice, but no one realized how much the new position would agree with Ernest.
He beat out five others for one of the starting jobs.
Ernest played the position in high school but concisely summed up the differences between then and now: "Everything."Â
"In high school you could just pretty much be more athletic than the people you were covering,"Â he said. "You could just backpedal, stare at the quarterback and not really worry about the route the receiver was running. But here it's a lot more detailed. There's a lot more to think about."Â
Good cornerbacks think before the play and react during it. Defensive backs coach Joe Palcic said Ernest has been a quick study.
"He is really fast, and he's very rangy,"Â he said. "He has good ball skills, he can change directions quickly and he has quick feet. We knew right away during winter conditioning with the way he performed in the agility drills that he would be a good candidate for corner."Â
Ernest is happy to help.
"I think I can play different places, but the most important thing to me is to play and contribute,"Â he said. "Hopefully I can get comfortable at cornerback and at the same time help out on special teams, too. Whether I'm a receiver or a corner, the only thing that matters is winning football games."Â
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100902/BLOGS08/100909870/1085/SPORTS03
Last updated: September 3, 2010 12:49 a.m.
Evans, Ernest look comfortable on defense
LaMond Pope | The Journal Gazette
What can we take away from Indiana's season-opening 51-17 victory against Towson?
Mitchell Evans and Matt Ernest had little trouble adjusting to playing defense. The two converted wide receivers had interceptions. Ernest returned his third-quarter pick 56 yards for a touchdown.
Indiana's defense gave up a couple of big plays, but did force three turnovers in the biggest season-opening victory since a 55-7 win against Indiana State in 2007.
Offensively, Darius Willis showed that he was healthy. The sophomore rushed for 102 yards and two touchdowns. He averaged 7.3 yards per carry, with his long coming in the form of a 49-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
IU jumped on Towson early, turning two turnovers into touchdowns. The Hoosiers led 17-0 at the end of the first quarter.
That is what Indiana is supposed to do against a Football Championship Subdivision school.
Here's to hoping Matt Ernest, one of the very elite few white men who get play CB on the Division 1 level, has many more interceptions, forced fumbles, tackles, passes defended, and sacks!
http://www.courier-journal.com/article/201009012317/SPORTS04/309010123?odyssey=mod_related_topix
Indiana football's Matt Ernest OK with switch to defense
Ex-WR starting at CB for Indiana
By Terry Hutchens "¢ The Indianapolis Star "¢ September 1, 2010
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. â€" Matt Ernest was in his comfort zone as a receiver.
Now the Indiana University junior will be trying to make opposing receivers as uncomfortable as possible, beginning when the Hoosiers open the football season at 7:30p.m. Thursday against visiting Towson.
Switching from receiver to cornerback is almost a natural progression at IU. Nick Polk, Ray Fisher, Mitchell Evans, Colin Taylor and Kyle Dietrick have done so in recent seasons.
Receivers coach Billy Lynch said Ernest was a perfect candidate.
"When you're 6-2, you're a decent-sized receiver, but when you're 6-2 and 189 pounds, that's a big, long cornerback,"Â Lynch said. "He's got great speed, great feet, tremendous ball skills, and he can play the ball in the air.
"When you add all of those things together, we just felt he had the makings of a great corner."Â
And Ernest was well aware of the logjam on offense. Tandon Doss, Damarlo Belcher, Terrence Turner, Duwyce Wilson and Dre Muhammad were in front of him.
Last year Ernest caught seven passes for 69 yards in 12 games. The year before, as a redshirt freshman, he caught three.
Switching to defense was an easy sell in spring practice, but no one realized how much the new position would agree with Ernest.
He beat out five others for one of the starting jobs.
Ernest played the position in high school but concisely summed up the differences between then and now: "Everything."Â
"In high school you could just pretty much be more athletic than the people you were covering,"Â he said. "You could just backpedal, stare at the quarterback and not really worry about the route the receiver was running. But here it's a lot more detailed. There's a lot more to think about."Â
Good cornerbacks think before the play and react during it. Defensive backs coach Joe Palcic said Ernest has been a quick study.
"He is really fast, and he's very rangy,"Â he said. "He has good ball skills, he can change directions quickly and he has quick feet. We knew right away during winter conditioning with the way he performed in the agility drills that he would be a good candidate for corner."Â
Ernest is happy to help.
"I think I can play different places, but the most important thing to me is to play and contribute,"Â he said. "Hopefully I can get comfortable at cornerback and at the same time help out on special teams, too. Whether I'm a receiver or a corner, the only thing that matters is winning football games."Â
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100902/BLOGS08/100909870/1085/SPORTS03
Last updated: September 3, 2010 12:49 a.m.
Evans, Ernest look comfortable on defense
LaMond Pope | The Journal Gazette
What can we take away from Indiana's season-opening 51-17 victory against Towson?
Mitchell Evans and Matt Ernest had little trouble adjusting to playing defense. The two converted wide receivers had interceptions. Ernest returned his third-quarter pick 56 yards for a touchdown.
Indiana's defense gave up a couple of big plays, but did force three turnovers in the biggest season-opening victory since a 55-7 win against Indiana State in 2007.
Offensively, Darius Willis showed that he was healthy. The sophomore rushed for 102 yards and two touchdowns. He averaged 7.3 yards per carry, with his long coming in the form of a 49-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
IU jumped on Towson early, turning two turnovers into touchdowns. The Hoosiers led 17-0 at the end of the first quarter.
That is what Indiana is supposed to do against a Football Championship Subdivision school.
