Decius Turning Trust and Confidence into Takeaways

By Alyssa Buruato ꟾ Rattlers Media

Defensive back Carl Decius has quickly become one of the biggest playmakers on a quickly improving Arizona Rattlers defense this season.

After recording two interceptions in Monday's 61-15 IFL Cup victory over New Mexico, the rookie now leads the team with five interceptions on the year, continuing to establish himself as a key piece of the defense heading into a crucial rematch against the Vegas Knight Hawks.

Decius' performance along with the rest of the defense earned the entire unit the IFL Player of the Week honor for allowing only 15 points with five total interceptions, two fumble recoveries, 10 tackles for loss and three sacks.

For Decius, the recent success comes down to trusting the work he has put in.

"Honestly, what's been working for me is just trusting what the coaches are saying about dialing into the technique, the fundamentals really, and just trusting myself," Decius said. "Then having the confidence to go trust my training and make the plays that I'm supposed to make."

While many defensive backs focus heavily on opposing quarterbacks and receivers, Decius said his preparation goes deeper.

"What I've learned is to not really pay too much attention to quarterbacks and receivers," he said. "I'm playing against the offensive coordinator, so I just study the tendencies that they like, and then just trust it. Don't hesitate and just go."

The confidence Decius has displayed throughout the season is not something that has surprised him. Even in his first season with the Rattlers, he expected himself to make an immediate impact.

"This season hasn't surprised me," Decius said. "I've always been a hard worker. I've always trained like a professional and carried myself that way. Coming here, I already knew I was going to make the plays that I was supposed to make. It was just a matter of when."

The transition from college football at Morgan St. to the professional indoor game has also been an adjustment centered around discipline and consistency. Without balancing school responsibilities, Decius said much of the focus now falls on how players use their time away from the field.

"With college, you've still got school and other stuff to worry about," he said. "Here, it's kind of a gift and a curse not having classes because all that free time is on you. You could either be getting better or getting worse, and I spend my time getting better."

Now, Decius and the Rattlers are preparing for another matchup against Vegas after the Knight Hawks handed Arizona one of its toughest losses earlier this season.

"We left a lot out there as a team," Decius said. "I think we just weren't as disciplined as we should have been. Learning from those mistakes is really what's made a shift these past few weeks."

With playoff positioning and championship implications, Decius said the motivation inside the locker room is high heading into the matchup for the IFL Cup.

"We're very motivated," he said. "Especially after all the stuff that happened with the coaches the last game. There's a lot on the line here and it's going to be real chippy out there."

Even with the recent success, Decius said the defense continues to focus on improving each day rather than settling for where it currently stands.

"I think right now we're in a good spot, but we still can be in a great spot," he said. "There's always an opportunity to get better every day."

For Decius, helping bring another championship to Arizona would validate both the confidence he had in himself and the impact he believed he could make from the moment he arrived.

"It would feel great, honestly, especially me being a rookie and being new here," Decius said. "I don't know how much other people expected from me, but I know what I expected from myself. It would mean a lot to come in here and make a big impact right away."