Inside Texas Today: Anthony Cook, Kitan Crawford make progress at safety
Welcome to Inside Texas Today! Every weekday, Inside Texas Today will provide the latest from around the Forty Acres. This morning, a look at Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian’s thoughts on Anthony Cook, Kitan Crawford, and the duo’s recent move to safety.
Here’s the Thursday, April 7, 2022 edition.
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“I think what’s good is we have some guys who have moved to different spots.”
Kitan Crawford was recruited as a cornerback out of Tyler (Texas) Tyler High in the 2020 cycle. Anthony Cook was recruited as a cornerback out of Houston (Texas) Lamar in the 2018 cycle.
Now, in 2022, both are playing safety during spring practices.
After playing his first two years on special teams and at cornerback, Cook moved to the nickel position in 2020 under former defensive coordinator Chris Ash. Sarkisian’s defensive coordinator, Pete Kwiatkowski, kept Cook in a similar role for 2021.
In 2022, however, they’ve moved Cook even further back. Most, if not all, of his reps are at safety and not nickel.
Crawford also took a two-year path to safety. He received some action on special teams and at cornerback over his first two seasons, but now the Texas coaches have him playing one of the safety positions and working with Blake Gideon.
On Tuesday, Sarkisian said that both corner and nickel are positions that are often told what to do by others in the defensive backfield. Now, Cook and Crawford are the ones directing traffic in the secondary. So far, so good according to Sarkisian.
“I think both those guys have communicated well,” Sarkisian said. “I think coach Gideon has done a really good job, obviously with his experience and expertise at the position, of helping them with that and making sure that we’re on the same page. The last thing we want is one guy is calling one thing, and another guy is calling another. I think that they’ve done a good job.”
Texas’ head coach was also complimentary of how well the two have taken to the position so far.
“Cook has played a lot of football, so he’s seen a lot of football,” Sarkisian said. “So I think it comes really, really natural to him. I think the perspective of the game for Kitan, what I’ve been impressed with, is it’s grown. It’s improved.
“It’s a lot different perspective when you’re 10 yards, 12 yards deep in the middle of the field as opposed to being pressed on a receiver and you’re focused on what’s right in front of you. I think he’s done a good job of opening his vision, and the thing where Kitan makes up for it is he’s a very explosive player. He can run. He’s physical, so that’s been helpful.”
Texas sports for 4/7
Volleyball – at Texas State – San Marcos, Texas – Strahan Arena at the University Events Center – 7 p.m. – No TV listed
Women’s soccer – Spring Match No. 1: Tigres UANL Femenil – Austin, Texas – Mike A. Meyers Stadium – 7 p.m. – No TV listed
