LAFAYETTE, La – Kris Moncrief wasted no time making an impact in this year’s Vermilion and White spring game.

He recorded two tackles for loss, four tackles total, and ended Team Vermilion’s first drive with an interception near the endzone.

“It felt really good, just seeing Coach Toney calling the play,” Moncrief says. “I saw that ball come my way, and my eyes got real big. Like ‘oh my God he’s really throwing the ball this way.’ I couldn’t miss it. It was a blessing.”

A little over a year ago, Moncrief was moving to a new position from outside linebacker to inside linebacker. Then, the pandemic halted spring practices.

Now having a full spring season, the junior says he has grown a lot as a player.

“Meeting with Coach Toney, with Coach Scott, they helped me tremendously grow just getting extra reps on the field,” Moncrief says. “I grew tremendously from last year to this year. I feel like honestly there’s more room to improve.”

“I thought Kris Moncrief really emerged today, really stepped up,” head coach Billy Napier says. “He’s kind of went through the full process at inside linebacker. I think last year, he missed out on this opportunity. We moved him to inside linebacker, then the pandemic hit. He missed out on that opportunity, all those reps, all those walkthroughs, all those meetings last spring. That set him back. This spring he’s really taken off. He’s got a bright future. He’s also a really good third down rusher. Really pleased with Kris. He’s a bright young man. He’s a good student. He’s got really good character. He always has a good attitude, and he just continues to get better and improve.”