SPRING GAME
Linebackers eager to leave own mark
Part 3 of 3 on Bobcat football position battles
By Michael Weisman, Senior Sports Writer
April 20, 2007 | 2:36 p.m.
The biggest question on the Bobcat football team outside of who will be the quarterback is who is going to replace the trio of linebackers who were the heart and soul of last year’s bowl-bound Bobcats. With three-year starters Matt Muncy, Tyler Russ and Michael Graham all graduating, the linebacker position is wide open. The departure of the trio means the Bobcats are losing last year’s leadership, as well as years of experience on the field.
The group in charge of filling the void left behind by the trio of linebackers is up to the task.
“This is as hungry a group as I’ve been around,” linebackers coach Ross Els said. "They’ve been backing up some guys for a few years and now it’s their turn to be the leaders."
Despite lacking the game experience last year’s group had, Els is confident the 2007 linebackers will make they’re own mark. They may miss a read every once in awhile, he said, but feels this group of linebackers is a step faster than the 2006 trio.
“That is these guys’ trademark. They can flat out run,” Els said.
One player who is ready to fill the void is senior Taj Henley. Henley is the Bobcat’s lone senior at linebacker and is the most experienced, having played 33 games for the green and white. Henley backed up Muncy at middle linebacker last year and is ready to be the leader this year.
“[Henley] learned from [Muncy, Russ, and Graham] on how to take charge. Taj is an A1 type of person,” Els said. “He’s a good leader for the ball club on both sides of the ball and is just as good a leader as last year’s class.”
In his sophomore season, Henley recorded 25 tackles and last season had 14 tackles, including one sack and two other tackles for a loss.
"We need to improve and leave our own mark," he said. "This year’s linebackers performing on the field and getting better will get us out of last year’s shadow.
"One thing I learned from Muncy last year was that attitude is everything. Muncy had a great attitude and that led to him being a great leader on the football field, so I’m going to take that same thing, a great attitude, to practice all day, every day. That same intense attitude and hopefully that’ll carry on to the rest of the team.”
Two juniors who are recovering from injuries last year are also looking to fill the void and become starters. Jordan Meyers and Michael Brown both missed part of last season with broken legs.
“Jordan’s a fantastic player and a tough kid. He’s the prototypical linebacker,” Els said. “He’s the kid that would rather rip your head off than tag you in practice.”
Meyers was limited to seven games in 2006, as a thigh bruise forced him to miss two games and then suffered the broken leg against Buffalo, forcing him to miss the next five games. He did return for the GMAC bowl and recorded two tackles. Meyers led non-starting linebackers with 27 tackles on the season.
With Meyers healthy, he looks to learn the system better and become a smarter all-around player. He also has an extremely hard work ethic, in which Els joked; sometimes we need to slow him down because he plays so fast.
Michael Brown, the other junior recovering from injury, broke his leg in practice before the season even began. He healed fast enough to rejoin the team against Eastern Michigan for their final five games, in which he made 11 tackles.
The 2006 season was Brown’s first at linebacker for Ohio, as he switched in spring of 2006 from safety.
“Being able to come back last year and finish out the season -- play in the MAC championship game, play in the bowl game -- just that little experience just got me acclimated to the game speed and how fast it happens at linebacker [compared to safety],” he said. “I feel better prepared having a full season at linebacker.”
To get the starting job, Brown said it will take learning the defense, knowing his responsibilities and making plays.
“It’s all about making plays,” he said. “Using my athletic ability and all my skills and putting it together and executing.”
Two other defensive backs who converted to linebacker, like Brown, are sophomore Lee Renfro and junior Chris Hall. Renfro moved from safety after redshirting the 2005 season and recorded 22 tackles in his freshman campaign. He’s a bit undersized at only 5 feet 10 inches, but makes up for it with his 217 pound frame and experience. Other than Henley, he’s the only linebacker to have played in all 14 games last season.
Hall, who moved from cornerback last season, played in 12 games and made seven tackles. During his freshman season, he played in all 11 games on special teams, giving him plenty of experience in the Bobcat system.
Junior transfer Errik Ejike will also be in the mix for a starting spot. Ejike transferred from Kilgore Junior College in his hometown of Tyler, Texas and joined the team winter quarter for spring practice. He will need to hit the weights, however, to compete with the rest of the linebackers, as he enters OU at 6 feet and only 203 pounds.
After the top six linebackers, the depth and experience drops off considerably with mostly redshirted and incoming freshman filling the rest of the depth chart.
“We want as much depth this year as we did last year. Our twos and threes will play for us,” Els said. “If we’re going to play 14 games…we’re going to be on the field a lot if we expect to go to a MAC championship game and a bowl game, so we need a lot of depth and for everybody to come through.”
As spring practice winds down, the linebackers still feel they have room for improvement, especially with the spring game approaching April 21.
“We’re a physical bunch, we’re fast, we love to hit. The only thing we need to work on is getting better at executing our assignments, which will come with more reps,” Henley said. “Getting down our assignments and flying to the ball, that’s what we’re working on.”
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