BIGREDFAN_in_OMAHA
All-American
Sievers moving again
BY BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star
Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 - 12:09:57 am CDT
Clayton Sievers spent the winter months attending linebacker meetings and doing linebacker drills.
That only made sense, what with Nebraska needing to replace Stewart Bradley at the SAM position, and Sievers serving as Bradley’s top backup last season.
Sievers, though, should know by now that nothing’s that simple.
The Nebraska junior has bounced from tight end as a redshirted freshman to linebacker as a sophomore, then to defensive end in nickel packages, as well as tight end in goal-line and short-yardage situations, back to linebacker to …
Well, now, defensive end.
Sievers, listed in the spring guide at 6-foot-4, 245 pounds, learned of his position switch two weeks before Nebraska began spring football drills. He said defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove approached him with the idea, then gave him a week to think it over.
The incentive? The move, Sievers said the coaches told him, would mean playing time.
“I said I was cool with it,” Sievers said, “and I talked to (defensive line) Coach (Buddy) Wyatt, and we discussed some stuff.”
Now, as Nebraska prepares for Saturday’s Red-White game — the culmination of four weeks of spring practice — Sievers said he’s quite happy with his new position.
“I like this role. I think it will suit me good,” said Sievers, an Elkhorn native. “We’re going to do a lot of ‘joker,’ which is three down linemen. (Cosgrove) wants me and Barry Turner both out there at the same time, and I think that will be fun. We’ll hopefully get some sacks.”
Turner, though, is sitting out the spring while recovering from shoulder surgery. When Turner, a 6-3, 250-pound junior, returns this fall, he’ll be battling Sievers for the open-end position, where the Huskers must replace Jay Moore.
“We’re going to both battle for the spot,” Sievers said. “We’re both going to be in on the nickel package.”
In that scenario, Sievers and Turner will play at the ends, with either Ndamukong or Ty Steinkuhler in the middle, and linebacker Steve Octavien — the “joker” — coming off the edge.
“Octavien can rush the quarterback, so I think he’ll do really good there,” Sievers said. “He’ll move around, he’ll go into coverage, he’ll blitz.”
Said Cosgrove: “We’re trying to put Steve in a position where he can make plays, because he certainly has the ability to give us some big plays.”
Wyatt, in his first season at Nebraska, said he’s been encouraged by what he’s seen from Sievers, whose experience at the position has been limited to certain situations.
Now, Sievers is zoning in exclusively at defensive end, where he aims to become a regular contributor.
“It’s a lot different,” Sievers said. “You have to spend a lot more time in meetings and in your playbook. It takes a lot of focus and discipline.”
Sievers said he’d specifically watch film this summer on Moore and Adam Carriker from last season.
“Jay Moore used to always watch film,” he said. “His position is what I’m playing this year, so I just know I have to do that.”
Sievers, though, is about 40 pounds lighter than Moore, and he’s adjusting from playing linebacker to coming out of a three-point stance while facing 300-pound tackles.
Knowing how to shift his weight and hold his ground, Sievers said, is key.
“The tackles are going back, so obviously you have a force,” he said. “You’re running at them. So you can still bull rush at 250 (pounds). You just have to get them back on their heels.”
In spring practice, Sievers is going against tackles Lydon Murtha and Carl Nicks. Both players, Sievers said, are stepping up their game.
“Coach said they’re the leaders of our offensive line,” he said. “I can tell it on film, and I can tell it going against them.”
“(Nicks) is a beast. He’s definitely an NFL tackle. If you can go against Carl Nicks, you can go pretty much against anyone.”
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BY BRIAN ROSENTHAL / Lincoln Journal Star
Wednesday, Apr 11, 2007 - 12:09:57 am CDT
Clayton Sievers spent the winter months attending linebacker meetings and doing linebacker drills.
That only made sense, what with Nebraska needing to replace Stewart Bradley at the SAM position, and Sievers serving as Bradley’s top backup last season.
Sievers, though, should know by now that nothing’s that simple.
The Nebraska junior has bounced from tight end as a redshirted freshman to linebacker as a sophomore, then to defensive end in nickel packages, as well as tight end in goal-line and short-yardage situations, back to linebacker to …
Well, now, defensive end.
Sievers, listed in the spring guide at 6-foot-4, 245 pounds, learned of his position switch two weeks before Nebraska began spring football drills. He said defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove approached him with the idea, then gave him a week to think it over.
The incentive? The move, Sievers said the coaches told him, would mean playing time.
“I said I was cool with it,” Sievers said, “and I talked to (defensive line) Coach (Buddy) Wyatt, and we discussed some stuff.”
Now, as Nebraska prepares for Saturday’s Red-White game — the culmination of four weeks of spring practice — Sievers said he’s quite happy with his new position.
“I like this role. I think it will suit me good,” said Sievers, an Elkhorn native. “We’re going to do a lot of ‘joker,’ which is three down linemen. (Cosgrove) wants me and Barry Turner both out there at the same time, and I think that will be fun. We’ll hopefully get some sacks.”
Turner, though, is sitting out the spring while recovering from shoulder surgery. When Turner, a 6-3, 250-pound junior, returns this fall, he’ll be battling Sievers for the open-end position, where the Huskers must replace Jay Moore.
“We’re going to both battle for the spot,” Sievers said. “We’re both going to be in on the nickel package.”
In that scenario, Sievers and Turner will play at the ends, with either Ndamukong or Ty Steinkuhler in the middle, and linebacker Steve Octavien — the “joker” — coming off the edge.
“Octavien can rush the quarterback, so I think he’ll do really good there,” Sievers said. “He’ll move around, he’ll go into coverage, he’ll blitz.”
Said Cosgrove: “We’re trying to put Steve in a position where he can make plays, because he certainly has the ability to give us some big plays.”
Wyatt, in his first season at Nebraska, said he’s been encouraged by what he’s seen from Sievers, whose experience at the position has been limited to certain situations.
Now, Sievers is zoning in exclusively at defensive end, where he aims to become a regular contributor.
“It’s a lot different,” Sievers said. “You have to spend a lot more time in meetings and in your playbook. It takes a lot of focus and discipline.”
Sievers said he’d specifically watch film this summer on Moore and Adam Carriker from last season.
“Jay Moore used to always watch film,” he said. “His position is what I’m playing this year, so I just know I have to do that.”
Sievers, though, is about 40 pounds lighter than Moore, and he’s adjusting from playing linebacker to coming out of a three-point stance while facing 300-pound tackles.
Knowing how to shift his weight and hold his ground, Sievers said, is key.
“The tackles are going back, so obviously you have a force,” he said. “You’re running at them. So you can still bull rush at 250 (pounds). You just have to get them back on their heels.”
In spring practice, Sievers is going against tackles Lydon Murtha and Carl Nicks. Both players, Sievers said, are stepping up their game.
“Coach said they’re the leaders of our offensive line,” he said. “I can tell it on film, and I can tell it going against them.”
“(Nicks) is a beast. He’s definitely an NFL tackle. If you can go against Carl Nicks, you can go pretty much against anyone.”
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