Suh making most of playing time
digg it!
Facebook
del.icio.us
Seed Newsvine
Fark It
Reddit
BY STEVEN M. Sipple / Lincoln Journal Star
Ndamukong Suh’s formidable size and overall maturity tend to belie his youth.
Same goes for his patience.
Although the 6-foot-4, 305-pound Nebraska nose tackle quickly has become one of the team’s foremost playmakers, he has no problem at all with his backup role, he said.
The 19-year-old redshirt freshman has played well enough of late that he was peppered with questions this week regarding the possible arrival of a coveted black practice jersey, symbolic at Nebraska for being a top-flight defender.
“A Blackshirt will come when it comes,” he said.
It might arrive sooner than later.
Suh prepares for Saturday’s showdown against fifth-ranked Texas as Nebraska’s leader in tackles for loss (eight) and sacks (3½). He also has forced a fumble and intercepted a pass.
“I definitely want a Blackshirt, but that’s not one of my main concerns,” he said.
Other than Texas, his main concern is improvement.
“I haven’t had perfect plays,” he said. “I see a Blackshirt as someone who has perfect play.”
A native of Portland, Ore. (his mother is from Jamaica, his father from Cameroon), Suh has stormed onto the scene for No. 17 Nebraska this season. Last year he appeared in the Huskers’ first two games as a true freshman before undergoing season-ending surgery on his left knee to have the meniscus removed. He has since officially received a medical redshirt, hence his status as a redshirt freshman.
In Nebraska’s last two games — road wins against Iowa State and Kansas State — Suh’s playing time increased compared with earlier in the season. Starter Ola Dagunduro, a 6-2, 300-pound senior, is now playing essentially two series to every one for Suh. Dagunduro has four tackles for loss on the season, including two sacks.
“I just want to make sure I have quality reps and go from there,” Suh said.
Make no mistake, Suh has had quality reps. Against K-State, for instance, he helped set the tone in the first quarter by stopping tailback Leon Patton near the line on back-to-back plays. He later pounded quarterback Josh Freeman to the turf for a 14-yard sack and capped the night with an interception.
Suh’s production becomes all the more impressive when one considers the nose tackle constantly faces double-team blocking, especially on passing downs. So, Suh first fends off the center, then a guard. A nose tackle must be relentless pursuing the ball, he said.
Suh is further along in his development than Nebraska defensive line coach John Blake expected at this point.
“He’s really coming on — he’s playing as good as Ola right now,” Blake said.
Suh’s height makes him particularly effective on passing downs, while Dagunduro’s forte is his run-stopping prowess.
“But Suh can do both, too,” Blake said. “If you keep both of them fresh, they have the ability to do what you need to get done. With a big guy like Suh, he can bat down passes. He’s just a little bigger presence in the middle.”
Blake said Dagunduro will remain the starter, as the coach likes the rotation system as it stands.
Nebraska defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove said Suh needs only to become more consistent to earn a Blackshirt.
“I’m looking at that closely,” Cosgrove said.
Some have suggested Suh might be better suited for defensive tackle — the “three technique” — than nose tackle. Suh, however, feels more comfortable playing nose tackle. He lines up close to the center and likes that proximity, he said.
“Getting after the person in front of you is the main thing,” he said.
Suh admitted he is surprised he has made so many plays. After all, he said, he’s still learning the defense. He said he watches Dagunduro closely, picking up on the senior’s intent to “destroy” the center every play.
Dagunduro and Suh’s assignment this week is challenging. Texas center Lyle Sendlein (6-5, 305), in his second season as a starter, spearheads a star-studded line that has paved the way to 187.4 rushing yards per game while allowing only six sacks on 167 pass attempts (one in every 28).
These type of games — high-profile contests on national television — attract players to Nebraska. Suh also liked Nebraska’s engineering program and the prospect of playing for coaches who could help him reach the NFL.
“Coaches have instilled their trust in me, putting me on the field,” Suh said. “I have to prove them right.”
Reach Steven M. Sipple at 473-7440 or ssipple@journalstar.com.
Most Commented news