By Alan Schmadtke, Orlando Sentinel Staff Writer
Injuries give Jags rookies a shot; Uche Nwaneri and Justin Durant are ready to step up with Jacksonville's starters.
The rule of thumb for NFL exhibition games is to spend time on yourself and not so much on others. There are so many young players trying merely to remember plays, terms and adjustments of their own team that throwing another team into the mix simply makes for more confusion.
And worse football.
Don't tell Uche Nwaneri.
"They may not be game-planning, but I'm game-planning," he said Tuesday, laughing at his own admission for Jacksonville's date at Green Bay on Thursday night. "I just want to take advantage of every opportunity."
He'll get plenty against the Packers (2-0). Nwaneri (pronounced wah-NAHR-ee) is one of two rookies thrust into Jacksonville's starting lineup because of injuries. The other is linebacker Justin Durant.
Right guard Chris Naeole's sprained right knee will sideline him. Starting left guard Vince Manuwai will move to the right side into Naeole's spot, and Nwaneri will take Manuwai's place.
Durant will start as the weakside linebacker alongside Mike Peterson and Daryl Smith because two veteran outside linebackers, Clint Ingram and Pat Thomas, are hurting. Ingram has a sprained ankle, Thomas a strained hamstring.
The Jags (1-1) were the No. 2 rushing team in the NFL last year, trailing only San Diego. Their line is more seasoned, and the club thinks it has made the line deeper and better with the addition of free-agent right tackle Tony Pashos.
For Nwaneri, a fifth-round draft pick from Purdue, fighting to earn a spot on a strong roster usually means playing time in exhibition games. It usually doesn't mean getting the chance to do it with stars in your huddle and stars on the other side of the ball.
"It's a big opportunity for me," he said. "I just want to make sure I know what's going on with the offense, so I can play my hardest. Play hard and play fast."
If pass blocking in the NFL is a quick concept for Nwaneri to grasp, consider he was brought up on the other side of the football. He grew up as a defensive lineman. He was a star defensive tackle in high school and signed with Purdue as a defensive lineman.
Then the Boilermakers made him a blocker.
The Jags listed him as their third center behind Brad Meester and Dennis Norman, and when Meester got hurt early in training camp, he saw time at center. If he can prove his value there, his chances of making the team -- and staying a while -- are enhanced; Jags Coach Jack Del Rio loves cross-trained players.
On Thursday, Nwaneri faces a Packers defensive line that rates among the best in the NFL. The fact that he spent part of training camp with the second- and third-team offenses blocking Pro Bowl tackles John Henderson and Marcus Stroud should help. Whether it calms his nerves is another matter.
"I want to relax," he said. "Sometimes when you get an opportunity like this, you get tight, try to do too many things. I want to stay within the system and try to play fast."
Durant's sense of urgency is mostly on self-preparation. He said he feels no pressure to prove to coaches he belongs here. He is, after all, a second-round pick, and his speed and instincts already have convinced coaches he can play in the NFL after playing college ball at Division I-AA Hampton University.
"It's my first opportunity to really go out there with our first team and play against the ones [first unit] from another team," Durant said. "You want to go out there and be prepared and not have to hesitate, not have to second-think yourself."
Durant played 32 snaps in last week's victory against Tampa Bay. Included was some time at middle linebacker. Again, cross-training.
But unlike Nwaneri, he has done no studying on the Packers. He's been watching his own film.
"There's just a few small thing that have been messing me up," Durant said. "I just have to prevent those small mistakes, keep my eyes disciplined."
Injuries give Jags rookies a shot; Uche Nwaneri and Justin Durant are ready to step up with Jacksonville's starters.
The rule of thumb for NFL exhibition games is to spend time on yourself and not so much on others. There are so many young players trying merely to remember plays, terms and adjustments of their own team that throwing another team into the mix simply makes for more confusion.
And worse football.
Don't tell Uche Nwaneri.
"They may not be game-planning, but I'm game-planning," he said Tuesday, laughing at his own admission for Jacksonville's date at Green Bay on Thursday night. "I just want to take advantage of every opportunity."
He'll get plenty against the Packers (2-0). Nwaneri (pronounced wah-NAHR-ee) is one of two rookies thrust into Jacksonville's starting lineup because of injuries. The other is linebacker Justin Durant.
Right guard Chris Naeole's sprained right knee will sideline him. Starting left guard Vince Manuwai will move to the right side into Naeole's spot, and Nwaneri will take Manuwai's place.
Durant will start as the weakside linebacker alongside Mike Peterson and Daryl Smith because two veteran outside linebackers, Clint Ingram and Pat Thomas, are hurting. Ingram has a sprained ankle, Thomas a strained hamstring.The Jags (1-1) were the No. 2 rushing team in the NFL last year, trailing only San Diego. Their line is more seasoned, and the club thinks it has made the line deeper and better with the addition of free-agent right tackle Tony Pashos.
For Nwaneri, a fifth-round draft pick from Purdue, fighting to earn a spot on a strong roster usually means playing time in exhibition games. It usually doesn't mean getting the chance to do it with stars in your huddle and stars on the other side of the ball.
"It's a big opportunity for me," he said. "I just want to make sure I know what's going on with the offense, so I can play my hardest. Play hard and play fast."
If pass blocking in the NFL is a quick concept for Nwaneri to grasp, consider he was brought up on the other side of the football. He grew up as a defensive lineman. He was a star defensive tackle in high school and signed with Purdue as a defensive lineman.
Then the Boilermakers made him a blocker.
The Jags listed him as their third center behind Brad Meester and Dennis Norman, and when Meester got hurt early in training camp, he saw time at center. If he can prove his value there, his chances of making the team -- and staying a while -- are enhanced; Jags Coach Jack Del Rio loves cross-trained players.
On Thursday, Nwaneri faces a Packers defensive line that rates among the best in the NFL. The fact that he spent part of training camp with the second- and third-team offenses blocking Pro Bowl tackles John Henderson and Marcus Stroud should help. Whether it calms his nerves is another matter.
"I want to relax," he said. "Sometimes when you get an opportunity like this, you get tight, try to do too many things. I want to stay within the system and try to play fast."
Durant's sense of urgency is mostly on self-preparation. He said he feels no pressure to prove to coaches he belongs here. He is, after all, a second-round pick, and his speed and instincts already have convinced coaches he can play in the NFL after playing college ball at Division I-AA Hampton University.
"It's my first opportunity to really go out there with our first team and play against the ones [first unit] from another team," Durant said. "You want to go out there and be prepared and not have to hesitate, not have to second-think yourself."
Durant played 32 snaps in last week's victory against Tampa Bay. Included was some time at middle linebacker. Again, cross-training.
But unlike Nwaneri, he has done no studying on the Packers. He's been watching his own film.
"There's just a few small thing that have been messing me up," Durant said. "I just have to prevent those small mistakes, keep my eyes disciplined."
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Blogger's Note: MEAC and Florida A&M University rookie WR Roosevelt Kiser, 5-8/169 and 4th year QB Quinn Gray are currently players on the Jacksonville Jaguars team roster.
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