Devon Witherspoon emerging as lockdown cover corner

Nobody really knew who Devon Witherspoon was when he showed up on the sidelines of the Illinois practice fields before the 2019 season, but just three years later Witherspoon is one of the most impactful players on the Illinois defense.

In last Saturday’s season-opening 30-22 victory over Nebraska, Witherspoon had for pass break-ups, including the game-winning play on a fourth down pass from Cornhusker quarterback Adrian Martinez that was intended for wide receiver Oliver Martin.

“Devon’s talented man,” Illinois defensive backs coach Aaron Henry said. “We’re constantly preaching that’s not good enough, you know what I mean. He had four PBUs, but I felt like he could have had four interceptions.”

Witherspoon was a little recruited player in Pensacola, Florida. He had offers from Appalachian State, Georgia State, Massachusetts, and others coming out of Pine Forest High School, but he originally committed to Hutchinson Community College in Kansas. However, just four days before the 2019 season started, he committed to the Illini.

When Witherspoon first arrived in Champaign, he was a long, skinny defensive back that looked like could be knocked over by a strong breeze. But when the new Illinois coaching staff arrived in December, they challenged him to put more weight on, saying that it would help him against bigger, stronger Big Ten wide receivers and help in defending the run game.

Now, Witherspoon is listed at about 180-pounds, about 15 pounds more than he weighed as a freshman, and now he physically looks more like a Big Ten defensive back.

“I said, ‘Dude if you can get to at least 180, possibly 185, you can change your life,’” defensive backs coach Aaron Henry said. “You don’t need to be really heavy as a corner, you just need to weigh enough to protect yourself. This is the Big Ten conference you’re going to be put in situations when you got to tackle huge backs.”

While the weight of Witherspoon has drastically changed, one thing about him hasn’t – he’s not afraid to try to make a big play or to lay a big hit against a bigger player. It’s his attitude – it’s something that Henry has praised him for since they first met, and it’s a similar mindset to that of some of the best corners that Bret Bielema has coached in his time in the college game.

“Corners have to have a short memory,” Bielema said. “They have to. If you get beat on a play or if you give up a touchdown, whatever it is, if you dwell on that play, you’ll never be able to maximize the next one. It’s been my experience that the best corners have that confidence that even they got that one, I’m going to get the next one, and that’s what Spoon is.”

The short memory came into play on Saturday too for Witherspoon. He was guilty of getting beat on an out and up route that was the result of Martinez getting out of the pocket and scrambling. Henry said that Witherspoon got caught turning his head at the wrong time, but outside of the one miscue Witherspoon was above average in pass coverage – represented by his near 68 coverage rating by Pro Football Focus.

But Witherspoon responded with the game-winning pass breakup with less than 20 seconds left in the game. After the play, Witherspoon made sure to let the Nebraska sideline know about it. With it being a game-winning play, Witherspoon and Henry were excited, but Henry was sure to remind his potential star cornerback to not cross the line.

“I know everyone is happy that he broke the pass up, but I’m like dude that’s an interception,” Henry said. “I want to be greedy so I don’t want to leave nothing on the table as his coach, I want it all. If I can have an interception, I’ll take it. If I can have a pick-six, I’ll take it. It’s great, he made an awesome play but he has to do it again this week.”

This week Witherspoon will be tested by a UTSA group of wide receivers that returns two starting wide receivers from last season in Joshua Cephus and Zakhari Franklin. Cephus had 58 receptions for 547 yards and five touchdowns last season in 12 games. Franklin had an even better season with 49 receptions and 649 yards with seven touchdowns last season in 10 games.

“My challenge to him was all week, is can you do it again though,” Henry said about the next step for Witherspoon. “I truly believe these receivers are elite. I know they’re at UTSA, but they’re really good. These are Power 5 receivers that can change the game and so on. I’m excited for him this week.”

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