(S24) - PT 4 - Trial by Fire

[kingsleigher]

James Hoffman’s DSFL debut wasn’t exactly a coming out party for the rookie Myrtle Beach cornerback. After a pretty solid preseason from Hoffman in which he recorded five passes defensed through the first three games, he was abysmal in the Buccaneers’ Season 24 opener. While Hoffman did manage two record a couple of PDs, the rookie looked lost for most of the game as the Kansas City Coyotes passed for nearly 300 yards and both of the Coyotes’ starting receivers eclipsed 100 receiving yards.

To add insult to injury, Hoffman was completely outshined by fellow rookie defensive back, Teddy Utterstruzen, a player picked far later in the draft than Hoffman’s 11th overall. Utterstruzen started hot in preseason with a couple of picks and kept that momentum going into Week 1 against Kansas City when he led the team in tackles and had a pick late in the fourth quarter that sealed the win for the Buccaneers. Hoffman’s atrocious performance was also bailed out by linebacker Dexter Jackson, who had a whopping four passes defensed and an interception midway through the first quarter that set up Myrtle Beach to increase their lead to two scores.

The next few weeks weren’t much different for the rookie corner, as he struggled to acclimate to the speed of the DSFL after successfully locking down so many opposing wideouts in college. Frustration set in as Myrtle Beach was blown out by division rivals the Tijuana Luchadores and the Norfolk Seawolves by 16 and 23 points respectively. Hoffman voiced his frustration on social media and blamed himself for the losses, acknowledging his poor performance as being the weakest link in an otherwise stellar defense. With some encouragement from teammates and extra time spent in the film room, Hoffman was able to turn his cold stretch around as the Buccaneers went on a three-game winning streak, during which the defense held their opponents to an average of 12 points per game.

Myrtle Beach now faces a two game stretch featuring the Coyotes and Luchadores, both teams that Hoffman previously said had “toasted him like a marshmallow.” When asked whether or not these upcoming games would be personal to him, Hoffman said, “I’m not really concerned about making anything personal. I’m really just focused on making sure I do everything I can to help my team succeed. ‘Cause right now, this division is so tough that every game is important. So I’m not gonna let anything personal get in the way of that, no. I’m just trying to get the W.”