I know you know this but safety and corner back are vastly different. A freshman out on a island by himself is a harder position to play. Peterson has to be special talent to handle that job.
I don't know if I would agree with this. The safety position isn't easy, as you gave to know where to be on the field at all times (support the run, cover zone, double cover, etc). Not so much complexity for a DB. What LaRon did as a freshman was unreal.
From the interview shown on the local sports cast here in Shreveport Les didn't seem to pleased with the scrimmage. He said a lot of miscues and penalties. He didn't say "sloppy" but that's basically what he was describing.
I didn't get to hear the entire interview (my 10 month old was pissed off and crying :sob. But the part I did see and hear you could tell by his tone and facial expressions he was not pleased.
It's pretty much a common thought among the higher-ups in football that the two toughest positions to play are QB and CB. Thats not to say that it is "easy to play other spots, just that those are the two most valuable positions in the game.
Corner back is the toughest position because you have to be an incredible athlete and you're out on an island and everyone see's every mistake you make. A tackle gets beat and the end makes the tackle. A LB misses a RB but the safety cleans up for him. A corner gets beat and the fans get pissed. His job isn't too mental, but it is a burden. A QB needs to the leader of the team, he needs to know what everybody on the offense is supposed to do, he needs to be a decent athlete but has to be very mentally tough and make great decisions. Every mistake he makes is magnified, and the fans get pissed no matter whose fault it is when the team doesn't enough to win. A safety has to be very much like a QB in knowing where everyone of the defense is supposed to be, especially if he has to make the calls. He is the last line of defense but he is expected to come up and hit like a LB while having the speed to cover speedy WR's and RB's while also worry about covering deep for the CB's. They're all hard, just a little different. The safety and QB have it tougher mentally, the CB has it tougher as far as being on an island and having to be so gifted athletically IMO, although many safeties are great athletes too.
That is why CB is easier to play as a freshman, though. If you're a freak athletically, then you're a freak athletically. That can not be taught and has nothing to do with experience. Safeties have to think so much that going through the wars a few times makes you more able to make the right decisions.
