Twitter Mania: Week 2 Defensive Standouts

IHSA Football finished Week 2 of the season and there were many impressive performances. To cover as many of your performances we posted a tweet on Twitter asking you to drop your highlight tape showcasing your performance from your Week 2 games. Without further ado, here are Twitter Mania’s Week 2 Defensive Standouts from across the state. <hr /> [player_tooltip player_id="155241" first="Jayshon" last="Lemon"] 6’0 185 Morton 22’ DB <a href="https://twitter.com/Jay1Lemon">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/13251485/6132fb41ab9d21043008e2b9">Film</a> 6 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 PBU, 1 FF Mr. Lemon has the closing speed to cover sideline to sideline and when he attacks downhill he isn’t afraid to lower his shoulder to deliver the heavy hit on the ball carrier. This young man doesn’t give up on plays as he takes pursuit angles to make the tackle downfield by playing through the whistle and saving a touchdown. Trystan Anderson 6’2 220 Buffalo Grove 22’ DL <a href="https://twitter.com/ttandersonn">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/11573521/6133b692f5699d08c4627e0f">Film</a> 16 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 QB Pressure Mr. Anderson picks up where he left off in his Week 1 performance in Week 2. He’s quick off the ball where he holds his gap responsibility before pursuing the ball carrier straight down the line of scrimmage for the backside pursuit tackle. At the point of attack, he does a good job with the use of his hands punching the offensive lineman’s chest. This allows Mr. Anderson to continue to penetrate into the backfield as the offensive lineman isn’t able to get hands-on which resulted in getting a few tackles for loss as well as getting pressure on the quarterback. Josh Real Grayslake North 22’ DL <a href="https://twitter.com/JoshuaReal73">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/11318703/6133555c0c5de30d242a24c1">Film</a> Mr. Real does a good job plugging gaps in run support where he gets penetration into the backfield as well as creating piles at the line of scrimmage. This was seen with his goal-line stop at the beginning part of his film. This young has good strength to him as he’s able to bull rush the offensive lineman back into the quarterback and when he sheds blocks has the ability to throw the defender to the ground. [player_tooltip player_id="155423" first="Patrick" last="Pierce"] 6’1 190 Tuscola 22’ LB <a href="https://twitter.com/PatrickPierce0">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/11213037/61340811d468b506c87af31a">Film</a> 15 tackles Mr. Pierce flies to the ball once he diagnoses the play to deliver the hard-hit and is seen throughout his highlight tape. This is seen specifically when he fills holes in run support and when he covers sideline to sideline showcasing his run-stopping ability. Daniel Berry 6’1 210 Cahokia 22’ LB <a href="https://twitter.com/Dberry_7">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/12917685/61341450d468881280fa3074">Film</a> Once Mr. Berry takes his read step and diagnoses the play as a run he attacks downhill fillings holes in run support. As he does this, he takes on blocks head-on before making the tackle at/near the line of scrimmage for no/minimal gain on the play. When he’s dropped back into coverage and see’s the quarterback pulling the ball down to scamble he plants his back foot into the ground to pursue the ball carrier. Upon taking the pursuit angle, while attacking downhill, he breaks down to square up to the ball carrier making it easier to make the tackle in open space. [player_tooltip player_id="120386" first="Eli" last="Shereshovech"] 6’4 240 Buffalo Grove 22’ DL <a href="https://twitter.com/ShereshovechEli">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/11525595/613326b16e81d9072ca911db">Film</a> 5 pancakes, 14 tackles, 4 TFL, 2 QB pressures Mr. Shereshovech is here with another stat sheet stuffer performance here in Week 2. Once the ball is snapped he holds his gap responsibility ensuring the ball carrier has to second guess where he’s going as the other defensive lineman do the same. As this happens this young man rips across the offensive lineman’s face getting off the block to make the tackle at the line of scrimmage. During passing downs, this young man is quick off the ball using a mix of a swim move and bull rush to get past the offensive lineman to get pressure on the Quarterback. [player_tooltip player_id="65820" first="Ryan" last="Porebski"] 6’1 214 Taft 22’ LB <a href="https://twitter.com/PorebskiRyan">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/11146554/61340c20a6764108c8d41d23">Film</a> 83 rushing yards (2 TDs), 19 receiving yards, 14 tackles, 1 sack, 2 TFLs Mr. Porebski fills holes in run support taking on the blocks head-on and using his hands at the point of attack to meet the ball carrier at the line of scrimmage. He also has the ability to shuffle step covering each gap horizontally as the ball carrier is deciding on which gap to hit. [player_tooltip player_id="155505" first="Brandon" last="Tennicott"] 5’11 150 Riverside Brookfield 22’ DB <a href="https://twitter.com/BrandonTenn">Twitter</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/BrandonTenn/status/1434936582134452229?s=20">Film</a> Mr. Tennicot builds upon his Week 1 showing here in Week 2 where he attacks downhill to make the open-field tackle using his closing speed. Right before he makes the tackle he breaks down and squares his body to the defender ensuring that he’s in the best position to make the play. He also takes pursuit angles to make the tackle downfield and stays with his man in coverage downfield by staying on the receiver’s hip pocket. [player_tooltip player_id="168922" first="Danny" last="Novickas"] 6’3 210 Mount Carmel 23’ LB <a href="https://twitter.com/DNovickas_2023">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/13611205/6133c11fa6764108c8d3f316">Film</a> 10 tackles, 4 sacks Mr. Novickas can line up walked up on the line of scrimmage or off the ball in his backer position. Either way, once the ball is snapped he flies to the ball to make the tackle on the play. His initial burst off the ball gives him a step on the offensive lineman, pair this with him staying low as he dips it results in him getting to the quarterback putting pressure on him as he tries to get the ball off. This young man fills holes in run support and doesn’t give up on plays by taking pursuit angles to make the tackle downfield by playing through the whistle. [player_tooltip player_id="145473" first="Andrew" last="Zook"] 6’4 230 Yorkville 23’ DL <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewZook34">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/9766013/6132faee42070010a4d95383">Film</a> Mr. Zook plugs gaps in run support and gets pressure on the quarterback. He does this by being quick off the ball and using his hands at the point of attack. His first priority is holding his gap control, once he does this and sees which gap the ball carrier is taking he gets off his block to make the tackle on the play. Blake Kersting 5’11 190 Yorkville 23’ LB <a href="https://twitter.com/BlakeKersting">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/13125016/6132fc1fa6764108c8d3122f">Film</a> Mr. Kersting does a good job coming off the edge holding contain to force the play back inside for his teammates to rally to the ball. On passing downs, he’s quick off the ball where he bats the offensive lineman’s hands down to get past him resulting in getting pressure on the quarterback. Darius Stevenson 5’9 170 Westmont 23’ DB <a href="https://twitter.com/Dwanll">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/12845642/6134ea4968903109889a7abc">Film</a> Mr. Stevenson does a good job of attacking downhill once he diagnoses the run. As he attacks downhill he fills holes in run support with his closing speed. He’s a smaller defensive back but he isn’t afraid to take on blocks or lower his shoulder to make the tackle. [player_tooltip player_id="161328" first="Julian" last="Turner"] 5’5 155 Montini Catholic 24’ WR <a href="https://twitter.com/_julianturner">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/15793210/6133e072a6764108c8d40400">Film</a> 2 TDs for 120 receiving yards Mr. Turner has fast feet when pressed giving him the option to choose the inside or outside release. At the beginning of his highlight, he chose an inside release giving him a step on the defender and breaks him off at the top of the route resulting in a touchdown. He also has a play where he chooses the outside release and does the same thing. Both showcase his quickness off the ball and how quickly he accelerates. He’s a younger player on this team with a high upside and as his high school career progresses more of his potential is going to come to light. Maverick Ohle 6’2 220 Naperville Central 24’ DL <a href="https://twitter.com/Mav_ohle">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/15059926/613307048cd3e006acb4bcdc">Film</a> 2 sacks, 2 TFLs, 6 tackles Mr. Ohle does a good job of taking pursuit straight down the line of scrimmage which allows him to make the chasedown tackle from the backside as opposed to getting too far upfield putting him in a bad position to make the play. As he does this, he holds his gap responsibility with the C gap holding contain to takeaway the ball carrier bouncing the play outside to turn the corner. During passing downs, he pushes the offensive lineman back into the quarterback collapsing the pocket and uses the "push and pull" technique to get off the block getting pressure on the quarterback as well. <hr /> We’re going to continue this trend of going to Twitter to highlight as many of you young men as possible each week to help you, the student-athlete, get your name out there further. Be sure to follow @jamaskane regarding news & information for Illinois High School Football, @PrepRedzoneIL, and @PrepRedzone.