Young DBs populate Miss St, Kentucky rosters

JACKSON, Miss. — Last fall Johnthan Banks was playing for a tiny high school in Mississippi's lowest classification.

A year later, the Mississippi State freshman had the attention of the nation Saturday as he helped Bulldogs put a scare into No. 1 Florida with two interception returns for a touchdown against Tim Tebow.

"I made a lot of new friends," Banks said. "It doesn't change anything. I'm the same person I was last Friday."

Only with a much longer highlight reel. While it was surprising that Banks terrorized Tebow the way he did — the quarterback had only had one interception returned for a score previously — it's even more astounding he was on the field.

Young defensive backs rarely play in the Southeastern Conference, yet Saturday's Mississippi State-Kentucky game features a handful of young guys showing they're ready to play right away — or at least learn on the job.

Banks has gotten all the attention with four interceptions in two weeks, returning the last two 100 and 20 yards for touchdowns. Seven of the nine players listed on the Bulldogs' depth chart are freshmen or sophomores.

Over on Kentucky's sideline stands sophomore cornerback Randall Burden, who also scored a touchdown last week with an interception return against Louisiana-Monroe. He's one of eight underclassmen among 13 defensive backs listed on the Wildcats' depth chart.

It's a regular youth movement, and one that's odd. These things don't often happen in the SEC, where young defensive backs are picked on mercilessly by some of the nation's best athletes.

"I think it's just difficult to make the transition because the athletes you are going against are elite, tremendous players," Kentucky coach Rich Brooks said. "Many of them go on to play in the NFL, so you're playing against terrific athletes with speed and terrific size on the outside."

Neither team in Saturday's game has the luxury of experience across the roster. So if either is going to make it to the postseason, they'll need more big plays out of the secondary.

While Mississippi State is skewing young by choice, Kentucky's Burden moved into a starting role after star cornerback Trevard Lindley hurt his ankle and missed the last three games.

It hasn't always gone smoothly for Burden. He gave up the game-turning touchdown in a 28-26 loss at South Carolina on Oct. 10, for instance.

There are high hopes for Burden, though. He came from LaGrange (Ga.) High school, which has also produced star linebackers Wesley Woodyard, who's now in the NFL, and Braxton Kelley, and wide receiver DeMoreo Ford.

The interception return against Louisiana-Monroe showed Burden is making progress.

"I know there are things I can work on, but I'm getting better at what I do," Burden said. "I can now go back to the South Carolina game and watch plays I know I could have made. That helps me prepare for upcoming games. The other cornerbacks have stepped up to another level because we know the ball will come our way."

At Mississippi State, Banks isn't waiting around for someone to decide to throw to him. He quickly earned a reputation as a ballhawk in preseason practice and coaches couldn't keep him out of the lineup despite concerns he was too small at 170 pounds to play in the SEC.

"The one thing that really surprises me —not his athleticism and making plays — I think he has a knack for the ball," Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen said. "He's one of those guys that's just in the right place at the right time. That's just being a good ball player."