At 6-foot-4 and 285 pounds, Mike Poplaski always has looked the part. But what part?
He arrived at the University of Richmond as a tight end from Mechanicsburg, Pa., and spent one season at that position. Poplaski switched to offensive line last spring to fill a Spiders' need. In Saturday's UR spring game, Poplaski played defensive tackle and made a mark even though the rising junior hadn't rushed a quarterback or tackled anybody in a game since high school.
"This transition has actually gone pretty well compared to tight end to o-line,"
Poplaski said. "It's a different side of the ball, but there aren't as many things to remember. I really like (defense). It's exciting."
About 1,000 observers at Robins Stadium saw defense rule. With points awarded for punts forced, tackles for losses and other achievements, defense beat offense 54-26. In addition to scoring, offense earned points by gaining first downs.
The offensive highlight was a 65-yard TD catch-and-run by Stephen Barnette on a ball that ricocheted off the shoulder pads of cornerback Wayne Pettus.
"You look at us on offense and we struggled at times, but our playmakers weren't out there,"
UR coach Latrell Scott said.
Quarterback Aaron Corp, a rising senior and transfer from USC who played five games for UR last season, continues rehabilitating a knee injury. Also sitting out with minor ailments were receiver Tre Gray, fullback Kendall Gaskins and tailback Garrett Wilkins.
"I don't think the offensive line struggled as much as it may have seemed,"
Scott said. "We've just got to have some guys who can hit some home runs for us out there."
Though tackling the quarterback was prohibited during the four eight-minute quarters, Poplaski was in position for a couple of sacks, plays recognized by the public address announcer.
"It felt good to get my name called instead of just blocking for people who were getting their names called,"
Poplaski said.
Poplaski's power and thickness make him difficult to relocate, though Poplaski acknowledged that he needs to speed up his feet and hands after years of cocking his arms and delivering blows as a blocker.
"It's been a good move for Mike. He's a big body. He's strong. He's athletic,"
said Scott, whose team opens at Duke on Sept. 3. "The move was something he asked us about because he wants to contribute to this team, and he can give us some help inside."
Another notable newcomer among UR defenders was safety Cooper Taylor, a 6-5, 220-pound transfer from Georgia Tech. The former Yellow Jackets' starter arrived at UR in January, and Scott noted the "physical presence and swagger"
that Taylor brings to the middle of Richmond's resistance.
Said Taylor, who has two seasons of eligibility remaining: x"It's a lot of different terminology here. But you learn kind of the same techniques everywhere. Once I was able to get into the playbook a little bit, it was an easy transition."
NOTES: Rising junior QB John Laub completed 21 of 30 passes for 172 yards and a touchdown. .?.?. Redshirt freshman James McKinney rushed for 59 yards on 22 carries. Rising sophomore Ben Edwards had seven catches for 81 yards. .?.?. Scott said Corp's comeback is on schedule. "He has a June 1 release date, when he'll be full-go. He's thrown in 7-on-7s and done everything we've asked him to do,"
Scott said. "He'll be ready to go."
