SPRINGFIELD — Missouri State's 50-0 loss to No. 8 Texas A&M was frustrating. There were a few positives, namely Missouri State's secondary.
Especially in the first half, the Bears' secondary flew to the ball, forced batted balls, and worked together to slow down an Aggie offense led by a Heisman hopeful.
“Joel Boamah, he had a great introduction to our team,” Missouri State head coach Casey Woods said. “He was one of the high points that we saw on Saturday.”
Boamah was around every big play for the Bears' defense last week. The fourth-year corner from Newark, New Jersey, is thriving under Woods and defensive coordinator Jack Curtis.
“This is the best football that I’ve ever played,” Boamah
said. “First, I give credit to God. Then I gotta give credit to coach Curtis. They’ve really been stressing my technique and how I’m able to press receivers at the line.”
Boamah made Missouri State’s biggest highlight of the game in the second quarter. Texas A&M wide receiver Isaiah Horton was pushing for a first down to keep the drive alive.
At the end of the play, Boamah punched the ball loose, and the Bears jumped on the ball. After a video review and thanks to an immediate recovery, Missouri State secured the turnover.
“The football was exposed and I just decided to just go for the strip,” Boamah said. “I was definitely in the zone. If you play corner, you have to be the most confident person on the field.”
This is Boamah’s first season at Missouri State. With his East Coast accent and style of play, Boamah has carved out a key role early in the season. He knows that one good game against Texas A&M does not define his year.
Boamah wants to back it up against Lindenwood on Saturday, Sept. 12
“They have a good running game and two good receivers,” Boamah said. “We have to eliminate the big explosive plays and stop the run, then I feel like we’ll have a good day.”
Experience in Missouri State’s secondary is one of the team’s strengths. Corner Joel Kpassou, safety J.J. O’Neal, safety Christian Ford, and Boamah are all fourth- or fifth-year players.
While they haven’t played a lot together, the group has played a ton of snaps at their respective positions. Boamah, who transferred from Kent State, confirmed that this group’s experience is key.
“We have a lot of experience in college football. We feed off each other,” Boamah said. “We have the continuity and a confident approach to the game because we’ve been playing so long.”
Boamah’s big plays at Texas A&M have only confirmed the progress that he’s made. His confidence is sky-high, and he’s looking forward to the next challenge against the Lions.
He’s expecting Lindenwold’s best shot.
“My mentality every play is that they are going to throw it at me,” Boamah said.
Liam Keating covers high school sports and Missouri State athletics for The Springfield News-Leader. Send stats or information to him at Lkeating@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Meet Joel Boamah, one of Missouri State's 'high points' against Texas A&M
