Northwestern University Athletics
The Skip Report: Two Pair and a Spare
8/27/2016 3:57:00 PM | Football
By Skip Myslenski
NUsports.com Special Contributor
Two pair and a spare. That is the composition of the ideal rotation along the defensive line.
Two pair and a spare. That is one reason why, through last season's first month, Wildcats' defensive line coach Marty Long ran 11 guys in-and-out of games.
Two pair and a spare. That is what his group's rotation evolved into through the rest of that season, when the 'Cats traveled with 10 defensive linemen.
Two pair and a spare. That is the rotation they have been busy developing through this fall camp, where they have 14 D-linemen listed on their roster.
Two pair and a spare. "I don't know how many D-linemen I have on scholarship, but I'm going to play them all," declaims Pat Fitzgerald. "It worked last year, so let's go. Let's go."
Two pair and a spare. "They all know that (they have a chance to play) and they're all getting after it right now," says Long. "It's fun. It's fun."
Two pair and a spare. Inside, as we write, that would be seniors C.J. Robbins and Greg Kuhar, junior Tyler Lancaster, redshirt sophomore Fred Wyatt and true sophomore Jordan Thompson. Outside, as we write, that would be senior Ifeadi Odenigbo, junior Xavier Washington, redshirt freshmen Trent Goens and Joe Gaziano, and true freshman Alex Miller.
Two pair and a spare.
The D line last season was book-ended by Dean Lowry and Deonte Gibson, a pair of estimable performers now laboring in NFL training camps. Set to replace them as starters are Washington, who cracked the rotation as a true freshman, and Odenigbo, known until now as a pass-rush specialist. They, obviously, have valuable game experience, but behind them are the newbies Gaziano and Goens, whose baptism into college football will come when the 'Cats host Western Michigan on September 3.
"He's really smart. He's a lot like Max Chapman. Knows everything to do," Long says of the latter. "Gaziano, he's 267 pounds right now. So he's ahead of where Dean was as a freshman. I expect to see some things out of him. But both guys are smart. They understand the defense. You'll see them a bunch out there."
"Coach Long has done a great job preparing us," Gaziano says when asked about getting out there for the first time. "Last year we redshirted, so we got a great chance to look at the defense. And throughout bowl practices, spring ball, this camp, we've really begun to focus in on our defense and learn all the ins-and-outs of the different techniques we need to know. So I think this year we're a lot more prepared to go in and we're ready to take on the roles that were left. We're just hoping to pick up the slack where they left off."
"We're on the field now, we've got to step up and that's what we're going to do," echoes the 255-pound Goens, who is standing next to Gaziano. "The greatest thing about it is because Dean and Deonte were here last year, we were able to learn from some of the best defensive ends who've been here in recent years."
What did they learn from that pair?
"Both those guys had a work ethic like no other," says Goens. "They were focused, and they had a goal, and their goal is playing on Sundays, and right now they're both achieving that. Their work ethic, their mentality, their attitude and their focus— that's something I've taken from Dean and Deonte and I'm trying to incorporate and put in my game."
"Dean and Deonte were both great players," echoes Gaziano. "Dean played with a lot of tenacity. He was nose-to-the-grindstone, very determined, and he brought it every play. Deonte was very quick, had raw speed and was able to use a lot of power in his pass rush as well. So I've tried to pick up some of the techniques they used to rush the passer and take on run blocks and be able to shed blocks and all that kind of stuff."
Now they are asked about Odenigbo and Washington.
"Those guys are great mentors," says Goens. "And here's the thing with the Northwestern D line. Everyone coaches each other, so we're learning from everyone. A guy like C.J. Robbins, who has been here for six years, those guys are just soaked in knowledge, and we're trying to squeeze everything out of them that we can. And it doesn't stop with X and C.J. and Ifeadi. It's everyone kind of coaching everyone up. Ourselves (he and Gaziano), we're trying to help the freshmen the best that we can. Just pass the baton. That's how it is here.
"It's really unique here. Everyone's trying to help each other out. No one's trying to edge anyone, or giving anyone the cold shoulder. Everyone's trying to help each other out, and that way we can grow into a solid D line, a solid team."
Two pair and a spare. That is the composition of the ideal rotation along the defensive line.
Two pair and a spare. That is one reason why, through last season's first month, the 'Cat D-line coach Marty Long ran 11 guys in-and-out of games.
Two pair and a spare. But there was also a residual effect garnered as Long developed that rotation, which limited Lowry and Gibson to around 40 snaps apiece in each of those games.
"That helped them at the end of the season because they were able to hang in there and play a lot of plays then," he explains. "In the past, our guys would get so beat up. The Big Ten talent up front— they're talented and they're big. Those heavy guys, you have to push on them and that wears you down. So just taking reps off them early in the season, that's what I'd like to do for Xavier and Ifeidi and C.J.and Lanny. Just take some snaps off them by playing some of those younger guys."
"They're all doing really well," Fitzgerald finally says of that group. "All those young guys have good size, have good functional strength, a lot of want-to, great attitudes. Yeah, I like 'em. I like 'em a lot. I'd like to be a linebacker behind those guys. That would be fun."
NUsports.com Special Contributor
Two pair and a spare. That is the composition of the ideal rotation along the defensive line.
Two pair and a spare. That is one reason why, through last season's first month, Wildcats' defensive line coach Marty Long ran 11 guys in-and-out of games.
Two pair and a spare. That is what his group's rotation evolved into through the rest of that season, when the 'Cats traveled with 10 defensive linemen.
Two pair and a spare. That is the rotation they have been busy developing through this fall camp, where they have 14 D-linemen listed on their roster.
Two pair and a spare. "I don't know how many D-linemen I have on scholarship, but I'm going to play them all," declaims Pat Fitzgerald. "It worked last year, so let's go. Let's go."
Two pair and a spare. "They all know that (they have a chance to play) and they're all getting after it right now," says Long. "It's fun. It's fun."
Two pair and a spare. Inside, as we write, that would be seniors C.J. Robbins and Greg Kuhar, junior Tyler Lancaster, redshirt sophomore Fred Wyatt and true sophomore Jordan Thompson. Outside, as we write, that would be senior Ifeadi Odenigbo, junior Xavier Washington, redshirt freshmen Trent Goens and Joe Gaziano, and true freshman Alex Miller.
Two pair and a spare.
The D line last season was book-ended by Dean Lowry and Deonte Gibson, a pair of estimable performers now laboring in NFL training camps. Set to replace them as starters are Washington, who cracked the rotation as a true freshman, and Odenigbo, known until now as a pass-rush specialist. They, obviously, have valuable game experience, but behind them are the newbies Gaziano and Goens, whose baptism into college football will come when the 'Cats host Western Michigan on September 3.
"He's really smart. He's a lot like Max Chapman. Knows everything to do," Long says of the latter. "Gaziano, he's 267 pounds right now. So he's ahead of where Dean was as a freshman. I expect to see some things out of him. But both guys are smart. They understand the defense. You'll see them a bunch out there."
"Coach Long has done a great job preparing us," Gaziano says when asked about getting out there for the first time. "Last year we redshirted, so we got a great chance to look at the defense. And throughout bowl practices, spring ball, this camp, we've really begun to focus in on our defense and learn all the ins-and-outs of the different techniques we need to know. So I think this year we're a lot more prepared to go in and we're ready to take on the roles that were left. We're just hoping to pick up the slack where they left off."
"We're on the field now, we've got to step up and that's what we're going to do," echoes the 255-pound Goens, who is standing next to Gaziano. "The greatest thing about it is because Dean and Deonte were here last year, we were able to learn from some of the best defensive ends who've been here in recent years."
What did they learn from that pair?
"Both those guys had a work ethic like no other," says Goens. "They were focused, and they had a goal, and their goal is playing on Sundays, and right now they're both achieving that. Their work ethic, their mentality, their attitude and their focus— that's something I've taken from Dean and Deonte and I'm trying to incorporate and put in my game."
"Dean and Deonte were both great players," echoes Gaziano. "Dean played with a lot of tenacity. He was nose-to-the-grindstone, very determined, and he brought it every play. Deonte was very quick, had raw speed and was able to use a lot of power in his pass rush as well. So I've tried to pick up some of the techniques they used to rush the passer and take on run blocks and be able to shed blocks and all that kind of stuff."
Now they are asked about Odenigbo and Washington.
"Those guys are great mentors," says Goens. "And here's the thing with the Northwestern D line. Everyone coaches each other, so we're learning from everyone. A guy like C.J. Robbins, who has been here for six years, those guys are just soaked in knowledge, and we're trying to squeeze everything out of them that we can. And it doesn't stop with X and C.J. and Ifeadi. It's everyone kind of coaching everyone up. Ourselves (he and Gaziano), we're trying to help the freshmen the best that we can. Just pass the baton. That's how it is here.
"It's really unique here. Everyone's trying to help each other out. No one's trying to edge anyone, or giving anyone the cold shoulder. Everyone's trying to help each other out, and that way we can grow into a solid D line, a solid team."
Two pair and a spare. That is the composition of the ideal rotation along the defensive line.
Two pair and a spare. That is one reason why, through last season's first month, the 'Cat D-line coach Marty Long ran 11 guys in-and-out of games.
Two pair and a spare. But there was also a residual effect garnered as Long developed that rotation, which limited Lowry and Gibson to around 40 snaps apiece in each of those games.
"That helped them at the end of the season because they were able to hang in there and play a lot of plays then," he explains. "In the past, our guys would get so beat up. The Big Ten talent up front— they're talented and they're big. Those heavy guys, you have to push on them and that wears you down. So just taking reps off them early in the season, that's what I'd like to do for Xavier and Ifeidi and C.J.and Lanny. Just take some snaps off them by playing some of those younger guys."
"They're all doing really well," Fitzgerald finally says of that group. "All those young guys have good size, have good functional strength, a lot of want-to, great attitudes. Yeah, I like 'em. I like 'em a lot. I'd like to be a linebacker behind those guys. That would be fun."
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