Trib: Erskin Banks On His Speed

[Jim Johnson]

Erskin Banks On His Speed

By BRETT McMURPHY The Tampa Tribune

Published: Aug 8, 2007

TAMPA - When 5-foot-9, 185-pound Colby Erskin approaches the line of scrimmage, University of South Florida teammate Amarri Jackson knows what the defense must be thinking.

There's a short, small, slow, white wide receiver.

"They're going to think 'this little guy, this little white guy, he's our possession guy?'" Jackson said.

In a split second, they find out differently.

"I'll tell you something," Jackson said. "Nobody in college football can guard him one on one. You just can't run with him. He's the fastest guy on our team."

This spring Erskin ran a "sub-4.3" 40-yard dash on grass, USF wide receivers coach Mike Canales said.

"We had three watches on him," Canales said. "We said 'no way, no way,' but he did. He can run."

Canales, who has been coaching since 1985, including stints with N.C. State, Arizona and the New York Jets, said Erskin's first 10 yards are "as good anyone I've seen.

"His first 10 yards are the best I've seen in probably 20 years and I'm talking NFL [guys like Jets wide receiver] Santana Moss. He's so quick, he's on the defensive backs toes so fast. It's comparable to Moss. He's at top speed that fast."

Not surprisingly, Erskin's nickname is "White Lightning."

Despite the sophomore's speed - he said he has run a 4.11 40 on a track - Erskin is fortunate he's still on the team. Wanting to play at the Division I-A level out of Seminole High, Erskin joined USF as a walk-on in 2005. And, he said, three times that year he walked off.

"No," USF coach Jim Leavitt said, "he quit four times. I usually don't let guys back, but it was very unusual. There was something about him that I felt this guy needed another break."

Erskin said he was lost his first year.

"I had no idea what I was doing," he said. "I wasn't prepared for college in any way. I didn't have any money, so a lot of time I would go without eating. I just felt like I was in it by myself. I was afraid to talk to the players or coaches."

That changed last season when Erskin started playing. He finished with five catches for 73 yards.

"I got a little more respect, felt accepted, like I was wanted," Erskin said. "It was 100 percent better last year and this year is 200 percent better."

Canales said Erskin, who can line up outside or in the slot, has a great deal of potential.

"Key word being potential," Canales said. "He has to keep working on ball skills, making the tough catch out of his frame. We know anything in his frame he'll be good with. It's anything outside his frame he has to work on.

"He's not 5-11, he's not 6 feet, he's 5-9 and he has to be able to get outside his frame because the ball is not always going to be perfect."

Erskin said he studies video of world-class sprinters Afasa Powell, Tyson Gay and Maurice Greene to improve his speed. "Every day on YouTube," he said.

Erskin, who also does a lot of flexibility drills, also studies film of himself running to improve his technique.

Besides being listed as a starter on USF's preseason depth chart, Erskin also is battling to be USF's kickoff and punt returner.

"I have to keep showing people what I can do," said Erskin, who was put on scholarship this year. "It's not my size, as much as I'm white, basically. If you still ask some people what I ran [in the 40], they still don't believe it, even though they saw it.

"For someone to run as fast as I can, they don't think it's possible to come from a white guy that wasn't recruited by anybody. But it comes from hard work."

Jackson agrees.

"He's such a competitor," Jackson said. "They talk about heart in this game. Colby has a big heart."

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[Rabbi Bull]

how many more years do we have of Colby?

[Guest JulmisteForPrez]

how many more years do we have of Colby?

Three more years, I believe.

[Bull Dozer]

He really doesnt look ast fast as his 40 suggests but ill take the coaches and players word for it. 

[crambone]

wow...4.3 is great!

[E.T.]

Erskin is a SO, we he'll be here along with Grothe.

Heard nothing but great things about him during the offseason.

I hope he can also spark the return game. Already expect big things outta him at WR.

Go BULLS !!!

[TexasHoldemFan]

so stereo typical about what is thought of as a fast, white skill player.  what if similiar comments were made about a college swim team about a black teamate by a white guy?  it would probably be national news.

don't get me wrong, i like ammari, just trying to make a point.

[Brad]

I'm still a little stunned he's #1 on the depth chart...I thought we'd see Edwards, Johnson, Jackson.  But I'm not a coach.  Let's see if he can go get the ball regularly.

[MikeG]

One time I tried to deposit my speed in the bank but they said the insufficient funds would make the transaction moot

[PitBull]

i thin erskin will be more of a special teams guy.. like chad owens was in hawaii or tim dwight.. i don't think he'll be the small possession receiver like wayne chrebet