Senior Kenneth Crawley has gone from one of the most maligned players on the team his freshman year, to one of the most trusted. He enters the season as a member of All-Pac-12 second team, selected by Phil Steele. He’s a shoe-in for the number one cornerback spot, and an aspiring leader on the defense.
Just like teammate John Walker who is also from D.C., Ken hopes to be a force this season in the secondary. The cornerback lined up for all but 34 plays last season. He was second on the team in both pass break ups with 13 and third down stops with 9.
Asked about what he is trying to do this year, Crawley made it simple: “Create turnovers, lower the scores of the opposing teams.”
Turnovers have been talked about ad nauseum, and rightfully so. The Buffs could win a few more games by just getting even in the turnover margin. With a new defensive system on deck, the Buffs will be hoping to put more pressure on the quarterback and thus give more opportunities for guys like Crawley to take advantage of forced throws in the secondary.
The corner admitted learning the new system has been hard, but thinks they are making progress.
“I feel like we as a unit, we’re picking it up,” said Crawley. “We’re picking up plays, schemes, signals well now. I feel like we’re doing great so far.”
And being one of the leaders of the team Crawley plays a big part in teaching the underclassmen.
“Encouraging the defense and offense,” he said of his role as an upperclassman. “I’m trying to bring along the young guys too. Let them all know what our goal is. Not just on the field but off the field. I encourage everyone, they see the things I do and that’s what they want to do. I just try to be a voice of the team. I’m just trying to play that big brother role.”
The senior talked about how the team is improving each practice.
“We just got go out there and play hard, we know what we’re doing now,” he explained. “The coaches are coaching their butts off trying to implement everything.”
It’s been a while since he played a role in the return game, but Crawley, who returned 12 punts for the Buffs as a freshman, wants another chance at a role in which he excelled in high school.
“I’m competing for that spot,” he said. “It feels good back there returning punts.”
But Mike MacIntyre implied he may be down on the depth chart.
“There is a possibility we can see him there,” told the head coach. “Shay [Fields] and [Nelson] Spruce are the guys right now, but we are working with him.”
Regardless of whether or not he catches a punt, Crawley’s biggest impacts for the Buffaloes will come on and off the field as one of the defensive leaders, and as a key piece in a secondary that is poised to be one of the best in recent memory for the Buffs.
