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Thread: Competition will be tough at linebacker

  1. #1
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    Competition will be tough at linebacker

    Yes, little Mrs Varley only "re-caps" other stories... But I thought I'd post it anyway....

    Competition will be tough at linebacker
    Friday, May 30, 2008
    By Teresa Varley
    Steelers.com



    Competition is expected to heat up when the Steelers head to training camp this summer and linebacker is one position where it will be interesting.

    Second-year linebacker LaMarr Woodley is aiming to take over at outside linebacker where the left side was vacated by the departure of Clark Haggans via free agency. And last year’s first-round pick Lawrence Timmons also will be in the mix, battling for playing time inside.

    “I feel more prepared this year,” said Timmons. “I am getting a lot of reps this year. I am more relaxed. There isn’t as much pressure. I feel a lot better.”

    Veteran James Farrior can see the improvement in the two young linebackers during the team’s OTA’s and likes the progress they are making.

    “You can tell they aren’t rookies any more,” said Farrior. “We have guys looking up to them now. I am looking forward to good things from both of them.”

    He is also looking forward to the competition for playing time as he feels it will make the linebackers a better unit overall.

    “It’s going to be exciting to see which guys really want the position and step up and make a contribution,” said Farrior. “We are going to go with the guys who are making plays. It’s wide open right now. It keeps you on your toes. I think that will work for the good of the whole group.”

    * * *

    Farrior has been a regular at the OTA’s, but thinks that they are much more beneficial for the younger players.

    “They didn’t invent this stuff for the old veteran guys,” said Farrior, who is entering his 12th season. “We’ve been here and been through it all. We know what we have to do. We are out there to help the young guys along and give them a better understanding of the defense.

    “That’s what they made it for, the younger guys who don’t have the full grasp of what they are doing. For them to come out here and practice it over and over again it’s going to help out the whole defense in the long run.”

    * * *

    Defensive end Aaron Smith had a special visitor at practice this week – Flat Stanley. The paper cutout is popular with kids as they send it around the country to see where it can visit and have a photo taken.

    Smith received his Flat Stanley from his nephew, Logan Smith, a grade school student in Virginia. He brought it out on the field with him after practice and had a picture taken.

    “He mailed it to me and my brother called and said it was coming,” said Smith, who has young kids of his own. “My wife told me I had to take it to work and get a picture with it.”

  2. #2
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    Re: Competition will be tough at linebacker

    Well,on the plus side(sarcasm),I see that Hampton hasn't lost any weight.Looks like he got bigger.

  3. #3
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    Re: Competition will be tough at linebacker

    Quote Originally Posted by Les 74
    Well,on the plus side(sarcasm),I see that Hampton hasn't lost any weight.Looks like he got bigger.
    Yea, I noticed that as well......

  4. #4
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    Re: Competition will be tough at linebacker

    I don't think his feet can get up to 1/4" off the ground anymore as he pretends to jog.
    ours is not to wonder why just invert and multiply...

  5. #5
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    Re: Competition will be tough at linebacker

    Quote Originally Posted by costanza2k1
    I don't think his feet can get up to 1/4" off the ground anymore as he pretends to jog.
    ... I'll give him the benefit of the doubt that the camera "caught his bad side"....

  6. #6
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    Re: Competition will be tough at linebacker

    It's all good as long as he can clog up a couple of folks in the middle and let our LBs do the work. I do think that he may shorten up his career unless he loses a bit of lard.
    ours is not to wonder why just invert and multiply...

  7. #7
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    Re: Competition will be tough at linebacker

    Quote Originally Posted by costanza2k1
    It's all good as long as he can clog up a couple of folks in the middle and let our LBs do the work. I do think that he may shorten up his career unless he loses a bit of lard.
    ....That pic is "more" than I wish to see........

  8. #8
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    Re: Competition will be tough at linebacker

    Quote Originally Posted by costanza2k1
    I don't think his feet can get up to 1/4" off the ground anymore as he pretends to jog.
    Maybe he's decided that he'd rather just build up a charge and shock people instead of bull rushing.

  9. #9
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    Re: Competition will be tough at linebacker

    Good God Casey... - He better be up to the task.

    I'll say it again, looking at this it only reiterates that our defensive line needs help & needs youth because we passed on some D-Linemen in the draft that could've helped.

    Jesus...Casey looks awful, Aaron is coming off injury, Keisel can't get a sack & they re-signed Eason - Colbert better know what he's doing, because we're pretty thin up front...
    It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust & sweat & blood...

  10. #10
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    Re: Competition will be tough at linebacker

    Quote Originally Posted by Steel Life
    Good God Casey... - He better be up to the task.

    I'll say it again, looking at this it only reiterates that our defensive line needs help & needs youth because we passed on some D-Linemen in the draft that could've helped.

    Jesus...Casey looks awful, Aaron is coming off injury, Keisel can't get a sack & they re-signed Eason - Colbert better know what he's doing, because we're pretty thin up front...


    We need big gap filling bodies in the front 3. I could care less if Keisel has zero sacks this year. As long as those boys up front can fill up space and occupy all those linemen, our boys in the LB tier can handle the sack responsibilities. Our passrush was practically non-existent because (IMO) we had only one effective LB starting for us last year. I think if the starters are Woodley, Foote, Timmons and Harrison we'll have a better chance applying pressure on the QB.

    I share your concern about our D-line, but we can't do it all in one draft. Next year, we'll probably pick up OL and DL with the first 3 picks. Mark it down my brother, because we really have no other glaring need other than the two above noted areas.

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