May gains confidence from experience after switch to LB

LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) - D.J. May hit the ground running with a significant change to his football career.

May moved from running back to linebacker before his junior season in 2015. That decision was made prior to the end of 2014, but also while May was recovering from knee surgery that ended his season after six games.

May didn't do much in the spring as he continued his recovery.

Once fall camp started, May got thrown into the mix as a strong-side outside linebacker, also known as SAM, and also as a nickel back during certain down-and-distance situations.

May was fourth on the team with 69 tackles. He led the Cowboys with 10 pass breakups, and his 4.5 tackles for loss were tied for the fifth most.

"We definitely needed more wins (UW finished 2-10), but as far as not knowing how the switch to defense was going to go and learning on a week-to-week basis, I think I did all right," May said.

"I could have made a lot more tackles and made more big plays. But I showed I can play defense at this level. Now it's about doing more. Making more plays, more big plays, winning games and competing to be a Mountain West champion."

May entered this spring as the starter at SAM and at nickel. He went from playing between 203 and 206 pounds last season to 215 as of late last week.

May's strengths are speed and athleticism, but now he has a better understanding of what it takes to play defense.

"He's applied himself through meetings and watching tape on his own," UW defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Steve Stanard said. "He's trying to be more of a student of the game."

But improvements still must be made.

May said there are "technical things" he must improve on that range from footwork to how he reads offenses. Stanard said May must develop consistency in his pass coverage skills at nickel and really hone in on the ins and outs of that position.

The SAM and nickel are different, but there are similar concepts to both. Stanard said there is good competition this spring for the base SAM spot among May, junior Tim Kamana, sophomore Adam Pilapil (a safety last season) and sophomore Christian Irving.

Stanard added that if someone other than May emerges to play base SAM, it could help May at nickel and allow him to get off the field more. At the midway point of spring practice, UCLA transfer and UW junior Jalen Ortiz is May's backup at nickel.

Along with playing defense, May returns kickoffs and is on most of UW's special-teams units.

However, May is looking forward to playing both defensive positions and continuing his play on special teams.

"I'm an athlete, and I can do both," he said. "I love it because it keeps me on the field. I may get tired, but that's football.

"There's always learning to do, but I definitely feel a lot more confident going into this year.

"Having this spring ball under my belt is really going to help me fix those little things going into fall camp. Then, in fall camp, I can fix more little things and then just play fast come the season."

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Information from: Wyoming Tribune Eagle, http://www.wyomingnews.com