Jo’Tavion Pierce Learning to Live Around the Football for UAB
By Steve Irvine
September 18 - BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA
If college football seasons are strictly judged by what happens on game day then Jo’Tavion Pierce’s first year was unsuccessful.
However, success is measured in different ways. For Pierce, his true freshman season just might be judged best by what the UAB safety from Montgomery does this year on game day.
“The situation was a little bit different,” said Pierce, who was a true freshman on Mike Gundy’s final Oklahoma State team. “I didn't play at all at Oklahoma State. No burn. I was just a practice player, special teams player when I went to school. A lot of kids they’ll look at this as a fall off. For me, every day I wanted to get better. I wanted to make sure I was prepared for here, this season right here. That’s what that was.”
If the early season performance is an indication then it was mission accomplished for the former two-time state champion at Montgomery Catholic. He had a quiet evening in the season opener at Illinois, not being credited with at tackle on 25 snaps, but was one of the best defensive players on the field in last week’s win over Louisiana-Monroe. Pierce had 12 tackles, one tackle for loss and a fourth down pass breakup that ended ULM’s final possession.
Now it’s time for the 6-foot-2, 210-pound Pierce to build on that performance.
“I guess it's allowing me to just continue to go with what I do,” Pierce said. “Lean off that, continue to have more good games like that and don't drop, don't go down. You know, just keep elevating, keep getting better. I'm young, I learn something new every day. So, just keep getting better. That’s what I feel like.”
Truth is Pierce needs to be really good today against standout Louisiana quarterback Lunch Winfield, who is one of the toughest dual threats the UAB defense will see this season. Pierce spent 32 of his 61 snaps lined up in the box, including once on the line of scrimmage, against speedy run threat quarterback Austin Carlisle last week and played a big role in limiting the Warhawks offensive success in the second half. While it wouldn’t be a surprise to see a similar approach on Saturday night in Lafayette the Blazers are also aware that Winfield is a bigger threat in the passing game.
Pierce has been preparing all week for the task but in a way the preparation began a few years back at Montgomery Catholic. Pierce was a two-time All-State defensive back for teams that won 29 consecutive games.
“I know what it takes to be a winner,” said Pierce. “It's a lot of work that you have to put in and you can't slack. You gotta bring it, bring everything you got. That's what I've been doing over these last three years, from high school to Oklahoma State, and that's what I'm trying to do now.”
It was at Montgomery Catholic where he built the need to fly around the field from his safety position and always be around the football.
“Back in high school, I always used to lollygag, when I first started as a junior,” Pierce said. “I wasn't really around the ball as much and my head coach (Kirk Johnson) said something to me. It was like, ‘If you want to go to the next level, you have to be around the ball more.’ You look at the safeties in the (NFL), they run to the ball. They are always around the ball. I feel like being around the ball, that's what separates me from everybody else on the field and allows me to make plays. Swarming to the ball puts you in position to be your best.”
UAB defensive coordinator Todd Grantham’s system is also putting Pierce and the other safeties in position to be their best. Pierce was originally committed to Tulane but chose to opt out of the commitment not long before signing day because he felt that Jon Sumrall wouldn’t be the program’s head coach for much longer. He heard from several programs before choosing Oklahoma State after getting a call from Gundy. But Gundy was fired after the third game of the season and Grantham’s time in the program ended after the following game.
“When I met Coach Mort, I knew he was the guy,” Pierce said of UAB head coach Alex Mortensen. “I knew he loved football. Coach Grantham was a big part of me coming here, too, because I know the system. I can play fast. But me and Grantham, we didn't have that type of relationship (at Oklahoma State) but I heard good things about him from other players, other coaches and other people, so I wanted to be around him. You look at some of the dudes he’s put in the league, some of the people he’s coached and it says a lot.”