Ellis' uncertainty could put Spencer in difficult position
A liberal dose
August 14, 2007
Original A liberal dose article: Ellis' uncertainty could put Spencer in difficult position
IRVING -- DeMarcus Ware didn't deliberately send up a red flag or sound an alarm when he said, 'It takes time.'
And when asked if his transition from college defensive end to pro linebacker was difficult, Ware said, 'Oh, yeah.'
Learning a new position in the NFL, even for an athlete as freakishly gifted as Ware, isn't as simple as changing a number, moving a few feet this way or that way, or switching sides of the ball.
It took Ware a full NFL season before he became a consistent migraine for every opposing quarterback and offensive coordinator.
Which means Cowboys rookie Anthony Spencer, who is attempting to make the same transition, probably faces a similar timeline.
'That's why I'm not too worried about it,' Spencer said. 'I think guys go through the same thing. It's going to take a little while.'
But the Cowboys might not have a little while.
With linebacker Greg Ellis slowly healing from his Achilles' injury and admitting he might have played his last game, the Cowboys need a pass rusher to complement Ware immediately. On the depth chart, that's Spencer, who started in place of Ellis in the preseason opener against Indianapolis last week.
But as anyone who has ever changed a position knows -- and the Cowboys have a few -- making a splash at a foreign spot in your first season can't be expected, even if it's needed.
In his rookie year with the Cowboys, Ware started every game and had moments when he was both visible and invisible. He finished the season with eight sacks and three forced fumbles. Three of those sacks and all of the forced fumbles came in the second-to-last game of the season against Carolina when he was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week.
'In college I was just a defensive end, so I just studied a few formations,' Ware said. 'I basically just rushed the passer.'
The last time Spencer played linebacker, he was a sophomore... in high school. That lasted five games.
The Cowboys are the first to admit Spencer is not Ware; the former was the 26th overall pick in the draft and the latter was the 11th.
But Spencer will not be required to do what former Cowboys coach Bill Parcells asked of Ware in his rookie season. As a rookie, Ware was asked to do and know just about everything.
In the defensive scheme preferred by coach Wade Phillips, Spencer will basically be a pass rusher who occasionally drops into pass coverage. That alone is expected to aid Spencer's progress.
'It's been a pretty smooth transition,' Spencer said. 'It's a whole bunch of little technique stuff that you can do, but you just need the practice.'
The Cowboys are doing their best to minimize the need for Spencer to be a Ware clone immediately. But the Cowboys remember their pass rush went away after Ellis went down last season. Teams focused on Ware, and there was no other force to collapse the pocket.
The more tenuous Ellis' status -- right now Phillips calls him day-to-day -- the more the need for Spencer to be good immediately.
'It depends on Ellis' situation,' Phillips said. 'If Ellis isn't playing, certainly. But I think it's important he is going to be a good player. I think it's obvious, from my experience, that he is a good player and he is a going to be able to rush the passer well. Just having a guy like that is going to be important for us.'
Spencer is not the only Cowboy who has either changed positions after he reached the NFL, or is currently doing it. Several Cowboys, including rookie wide receiver Isaiah Stanback, played a different position in college.
There is no set timeline for success, either. After playing defensive end his entire career, Ellis quickly adapted to linebacker last season.
Should Ellis not return this season, or should he fail to recapture the form that made him arguably the team's defensive MVP until he was injured last season, the Cowboys hope Spencer can make an equally quick adjustment.
'I told [Spencer], you hit that rookie wall and you have to push through it,' Ware said. 'He came in so strong from the beginning, though, I think he'll adjust quickly.'
Change of pace
Several Cowboys have changed positions since coming into the league. Here's a look at a few:
Player Current position College position DeMarcus Ware Outside linebacker Defensive end Anthony Spencer Outside linebacker Defensive end Greg Ellis Outside linebacker Defensive end Patrick Crayton Wide receiver Quarterback Isaiah Stanback Wide receiver Quarterback Oliver Hoyte Fullback Linebacker Junior Glymph Linebacker Defensive end
COWBOYS VS. BRONCOS, 7 P.M. SATURDAY, KTVT/11
August 14, 2007
Original A liberal dose article: Ellis' uncertainty could put Spencer in difficult position
IRVING -- DeMarcus Ware didn't deliberately send up a red flag or sound an alarm when he said, 'It takes time.'
And when asked if his transition from college defensive end to pro linebacker was difficult, Ware said, 'Oh, yeah.'
Learning a new position in the NFL, even for an athlete as freakishly gifted as Ware, isn't as simple as changing a number, moving a few feet this way or that way, or switching sides of the ball.
It took Ware a full NFL season before he became a consistent migraine for every opposing quarterback and offensive coordinator.
Which means Cowboys rookie Anthony Spencer, who is attempting to make the same transition, probably faces a similar timeline.
'That's why I'm not too worried about it,' Spencer said. 'I think guys go through the same thing. It's going to take a little while.'
But the Cowboys might not have a little while.
With linebacker Greg Ellis slowly healing from his Achilles' injury and admitting he might have played his last game, the Cowboys need a pass rusher to complement Ware immediately. On the depth chart, that's Spencer, who started in place of Ellis in the preseason opener against Indianapolis last week.
But as anyone who has ever changed a position knows -- and the Cowboys have a few -- making a splash at a foreign spot in your first season can't be expected, even if it's needed.
In his rookie year with the Cowboys, Ware started every game and had moments when he was both visible and invisible. He finished the season with eight sacks and three forced fumbles. Three of those sacks and all of the forced fumbles came in the second-to-last game of the season against Carolina when he was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week.
'In college I was just a defensive end, so I just studied a few formations,' Ware said. 'I basically just rushed the passer.'
The last time Spencer played linebacker, he was a sophomore... in high school. That lasted five games.
The Cowboys are the first to admit Spencer is not Ware; the former was the 26th overall pick in the draft and the latter was the 11th.
But Spencer will not be required to do what former Cowboys coach Bill Parcells asked of Ware in his rookie season. As a rookie, Ware was asked to do and know just about everything.
In the defensive scheme preferred by coach Wade Phillips, Spencer will basically be a pass rusher who occasionally drops into pass coverage. That alone is expected to aid Spencer's progress.
'It's been a pretty smooth transition,' Spencer said. 'It's a whole bunch of little technique stuff that you can do, but you just need the practice.'
The Cowboys are doing their best to minimize the need for Spencer to be a Ware clone immediately. But the Cowboys remember their pass rush went away after Ellis went down last season. Teams focused on Ware, and there was no other force to collapse the pocket.
The more tenuous Ellis' status -- right now Phillips calls him day-to-day -- the more the need for Spencer to be good immediately.
'It depends on Ellis' situation,' Phillips said. 'If Ellis isn't playing, certainly. But I think it's important he is going to be a good player. I think it's obvious, from my experience, that he is a good player and he is a going to be able to rush the passer well. Just having a guy like that is going to be important for us.'
Spencer is not the only Cowboy who has either changed positions after he reached the NFL, or is currently doing it. Several Cowboys, including rookie wide receiver Isaiah Stanback, played a different position in college.
There is no set timeline for success, either. After playing defensive end his entire career, Ellis quickly adapted to linebacker last season.
Should Ellis not return this season, or should he fail to recapture the form that made him arguably the team's defensive MVP until he was injured last season, the Cowboys hope Spencer can make an equally quick adjustment.
'I told [Spencer], you hit that rookie wall and you have to push through it,' Ware said. 'He came in so strong from the beginning, though, I think he'll adjust quickly.'
Change of pace
Several Cowboys have changed positions since coming into the league. Here's a look at a few:
Player Current position College position DeMarcus Ware Outside linebacker Defensive end Anthony Spencer Outside linebacker Defensive end Greg Ellis Outside linebacker Defensive end Patrick Crayton Wide receiver Quarterback Isaiah Stanback Wide receiver Quarterback Oliver Hoyte Fullback Linebacker Junior Glymph Linebacker Defensive end
COWBOYS VS. BRONCOS, 7 P.M. SATURDAY, KTVT/11
posted by The Gryphon at 9:48 PM
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