HARRISONBURG — The problem with having a burst-on-the-scene, breakout season is the competition knows exactly who you are and how good you are going into the next one.
“I’ll definitely be prepared for that,” said James Madison senior defensive end John Daka.
Daka put together the most productive campaign of his college career this past fall racking up 47 tackles to go along with a team-high 17 tackles for loss and a JMU-best 10 sacks. He had 7.5 of his 10 sacks in the final five games of the year and each time he took off toward the opposing quarterback in those late-season weeks, he was a Ferrari with a clear destination compared to those offensive linemen who looked like school buses in reverse while trying to prevent Daka from getting to the passer.
“I think it was the confidence aspect of it,” Daka said. “I always believed I could do it, but it was actually going out there and proving to myself, my coaches and my teammates that I could do it.
“But once I got that confidence, I kept rolling with the support of them last year. They had full confidence in me and I wanted to play harder for them. So I’d say things just clicked at the right time and the opportunities came.”
This offseason, which included the spring practices that began last month and conclude April 13 with the annual spring game, is all about finding ways to stay ahead of opponents for Daka.
And one way he’s trying to do so is by using his video library of pass-rushing technique.
“I’ve been studying a lot of [Denver Broncos linebacker] Von Miller and [Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end] Yannick Ngakoue,” Daka said. “He does a good speed skate. Von Miller has great speed to power and he’s my favorite player, but I’ve also been studying older guys, too, like [former Kansas City Chiefs defensive end] Derrick Thomas and I’ve been studying [former New York Giants linebacker] Lawrence Taylor. He had great power and I’m trying to work more speed to power. For finesse moves, I’ve been looking at Yannick Ngakoue and [Atlanta Falcons defensive end] Vic Beasley as well.”
Daka, who was a fourth-team All-American by Phil Steele and a third-team All-Colonial Athletic Association selection, said he doesn’t want his style of play to get stagnant.
“I don’t try to reinvent my game, but I try to add different aspects to it,” he said. “I don’t want to be too predictable with everything I do, so I’ll study different things and different players to see what’ll work.
“And [JMU defensive coordinator and defensive ends coach Corey] Hetherman taught me some and I’ve been watching some, so I’m not reinventing my game, but I’m adding more to it.”
Daka, just like his teammates, is trying to learn Hetherman’s defense. The 6-foot-3, 231-pound end said if he knows the scheme, he can play without having to think like he was able to last year after being in former defensive coordinator Bob Trott’s system for three years.
“That’s something that happened to me high school also,” said Daka before pointing out he once had five or six sacks in a prep playoff game for Wise (Md.) High School. “I usually play my best football at the end of the year because I more comfortable and I’ve been through it rather than having to think, and I’m just out there playing.
“I’m a guy who takes time to get comfortable with it, but I think it’ll definitely carry over this year though because I know what I’m capable of and what the defense is capable of, and so I’m very confident going into the season. I was thrown into the fire last year, and so I know what to expect now.”
Before last year’s jolt of success, Daka managed only one sack in 22 games over his first two seasons with the Dukes.
“And that’s the thing with Coach Hetherman,” Daka said. “He likes us playing fast. He likes us playing physical and doing our thing. He really puts emphasis on speed and violence a lot, which is our game, and he tries to take the thinking out of it.
“I’m comfortable with what he’s saying and I like his approach to things.”
