On the heels of a 13-1 season, the Columbia Raiders football program has several holes to fill on defense. Only two players in their front seven are returning starters for 2023.
Looking toward the back end with the secondary, that isn’t the case at all. Three starters are coming back, with do-it-all weapon Jacob Sanders working with Matt Pring and Danny Corrigan.
“Just the experience alone that we return back there is huge,” Columbia coach Jason Ward said ahead of their July 30 midnight madness practice. “The lights aren’t going to be too bright for our corners, which is nice and Jacob is all over the field already. He’s flashed in just these last four days of practice going into tonight, he’s everywhere and he attacks the football really well.
“We’re excited about Isaac Ciryak coming in at one of those safety (spots) as well. He’s a long kid, athletic and isn’t afraid to hit people. We’re comfortable with our secondary, that’s for sure.”
The three defensive backs know they can keep up with the best in the LC8 and lock receivers down and limit what teams can do in trying to stretch the field vertically.
“It’s just great to have the experience (coming back),” Sanders said. “We all played and we all started last year. That experience going into this year is a big advantage. We’ve all been there in the big moments against Keystone, Firelands and playoff games. We know what we’re doing. That’s going to help us in the long run.”
Given the turnover in the front seven, having the veteran defensive-back room to lean on not only in on-field performance but leadership is an invaluable asset.
“We have trust in each other,” Pring stated. “They trust us to guard the pass, and we trust them to stop the run. We have the experience in the (secondary) to really be good at defending the pass this year.”
Pring, Sanders and Corrigan will all be asked to step out of their roles at different points throughout the season. Columbia is one of the smaller schools in The Morning Journal coverage area, and each member of the team is expected to contribute in more than one way. The versatility will go a long way in getting Columbia back to where they were a year ago.
“Going along with what Jacob said with the experience, I feel like this year is going to go a lot easier and a lot smoother for big playoff games,” Corrigan said, also listing off opponents such as Keystone, Firelands and any other challenges thrown their way.
“I definitely think the chemistry between us has really started to grow as we’ve been practicing. Coming into the season, we’re going to come out firing and it’s going to be one hell of a ride.”
