Versatility Fuels Boykin’s Difference-Making Play
Pete DiPrimio | IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Specialization has its place in this focus-on-one-sport era, but not in Devan Boykin’s approach to development and success.
Indiana’s veteran safety is finding his Cream and Crimson groove after transferring from NC State, and he has UCLA-defensive-player-of-the-game team accolades to back it up.
The foundation, Boykin says, comes from his multi-sport youthful days. Playing basketball as well as football in high school continues to reap benefits as the No. 2/2 Hoosiers (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten) prepare for Saturday’s game at Maryland (4-3, 1-3).
“It helps being versatile,” Boykin says. “In basketball, being able to stay in front of people helps me a lot in (football) man coverage. Playing two sports is always good for young athletes.”
It certainly was for Boykin, who averaged 2.2 steals a basketball game at North Carolina’s Ragsdale High School. He once had nine steals in a game.
“Yeah, it helps with football,” Boykin says. “It’s anticipation. It’s being able to play the lanes and stay in front of people.”
Boykin speaks from experience.
In football at Ragsdale, he played for his father, Johnny Boykin, and excelled at cornerback, receiver, and quarterback. He threw for 1,817 yards and 18 touchdowns; he ran for 1,287 yards and 10 TDs. He caught 67 passes for 881 yards and 18 touchdowns. On defense, he had 95 career tackles with six interceptions. He earned all-state honors as a senior.
In basketball, Boykin averaged 16.3 points and 3.7 assists as a junior.
Add the 45 games he played at NC State, and you have veteran safety Amare Ferrell saying, "He brings a lot of football IQ. The stuff he does, you can tell he's played a lot of football. He's always on point."
Boykin is coming off his best game as a Hoosier with seven tackles, one interception, two pass breakups and one quarterback hurry against UCLA. That earned him team defensive-player-of-the-game recognition.
“He played really well on special teams, too, and had a big interception,” head coach Curt Cignetti says. “He made some nice plays.
“Boykin is a really smart player. He can play all three safety positions. He's a good tackler, a good cover guy.”
In this era of stretch-the-field offense and high-powered passing attacks, you can’t get enough of those guys.
“When you have big games like that,” Boykin says, “it breeds more confidence not only in yourself, but from your coaches. You try to keep it rolling.”
Comfort and familiarity in defensive coordinator Bryant Haines’ aggressive defense fuels Boykins’ improvement.
“When I first got here,” he says, “I dove right into the playbook. It takes a couple weeks to really understand the defense and understand your role in the defense. When I got here, I was playing free and rover, so it was a lot.”
Boykin ranks fourth on IU in tackle (29) and is tied for second with four pass breakups. He’s one of six Hoosiers to have an interception.
Add veterans Ferrell and Louis Moore, and you have one of the Big Ten’s most experienced group of safeties.
“I've seen that whole safety position (improve),” Cignetti says. “The more snaps they get, the more familiarity they have playing together. There’s a lot of interceptions in the back end. We have good ball skills back there.”
IU has fixed the secondary breakdowns that occasionally showed up in games such as Illinois and Oregon.
“It was communication,” Boykin “It’s being on the same page. That was it.”
Boykin came to Indiana with 20 starts in 45 career games with the Wolfpack. He had 117 career tackles with four interceptions, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. His one touchdown came by recovering and scoring off a fumbled punt. A knee injury sidelined him last year.
What drew him to the Hoosiers?
Boykin said IU was among the teams to contact him when he entered the transfer portal.
“When I came up here on my visit, as soon as they picked me up from the airport, I got a feeling that this might be where I need to be.”
Conversations with safeties/defensive backs coach Ola Adams and Cignetti sealed the deal.
“When I met with Coach Cignetti, it was the one that hit home for me,” Boykin says. “I didn't know much about him at first. He's a guy that's very direct. He says what's on his mind. He tells me what he needs from me and my role.”
Cignetti’s message was clear:
“He wanted me here,” Boykin says. “That was very strong for me and my family, knowing my presence was needed on this team.”
Boykin is among the reasons why IU has one of the nation’s best defenses. It holds teams to just 10.9 points and 242.8 total yards. It leads the Big Ten in tackles for loss (73) and sacks (29). The Hoosiers have held opponents to just two red-zone touchdowns, tying Ohio State for the Big Ten’s best.
What makes the defense work so well?
“The things we do on defense, as far as disguise and confuse the quarterback, and our ability to fly around and show different coverages and play man, that really helps us,” Boykin says.
As for the ball skills that help make it possible, he adds, “It starts in practice. We try to fly around every day and make those plays in practice so it’s easier for us on game day.”
That could make a big difference against Maryland’s 6-foot-5, 231-pound freshman quarterback Malik Washington, who completes 59.7 percent of his passes for 1,716 yards, 11 touchdowns, and three interceptions. He’s also rushed for 112 yards and three scores.
“The things that stand out are his size and scramble ability,” Boykin says. “We’ll have to contain him. Give him different looks. He’s young.”
IU is positioning itself for a second-straight playoff appearance, and Boykin’s first.
“It’s been awesome,” he says. “When you’re winning, you get no complaints.
“This was always our mindset, always our goal, that at the end of each game, we come out on top.”