When he is not
on the field as a defensive lineman for the LSU Tigers,
Marcus Spears is an avid fisherman. Most people believe
that fishing is a sedentary sport, but those who fish in
such a manner most likely find that they don’t come home
with much. Playing defensive line is often viewed with
the same misunderstanding — it’s not about the lineman
holding his ground and simply waiting for the prey to come
to him. Like a good fisherman moving from spot to spot
and repeatedly casting bait to find the catch, the best
defensive ends move and move well, closing running lanes,
stringing plays outside, shooting gaps, chasing down plays
from the back side, and, of course, rushing the passer.
In the
realm of 300-pound defensive linemen, there have been few
who move as well as Marcus Spears.
Born and
raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Spears was the top-rated
tight end prospect in America, as well as a highly touted
basketball player, coming out of prep school. After a
brief attempt at playing both sports, Spears dropped the
basketball. He indicated that it was too tough on him
physically as well as academically, the latter being
something Spears takes very seriously. He cited his
desire to finish his degree in mass communications as the
chief reason he returned for his senior year after briefly
considering making himself eligible for the 2004 NFL
draft. Marcus Spears has an easy-going style and a
pleasant demeanor, making him a good spokesman for the LSU
team, as well as a favorite interview subject for the
media. It is that easy-going style that may have some NFL
executives wondering if he wouldn’t rather be out engaged
in one of his favorite activities, perhaps fishing at
coach Saban’s property with his buddy Michael Clayton,
rather than playing football. They shouldn’t worry. The
fierceness in Spears’ eye is evident when you see him play
and it is his fluidity as an athlete that makes him appear
to be gliding effortlessly on the gridiron at times.
As a true
freshman, Spears was given a taste of playing tight end,
fullback, and, at Coach Saban’s suggestion, defensive
end. He’d never thought of playing on the defensive side
of the ball, and it was difficult for him at first because
he found himself being criticized by the fans and media,
which is something he’d never tasted in high school. He
fought through it and, although he had always preferred
the freedom of the offensive side, he has come to
appreciate Coach Saban’s wisdom and has taken to the
defensive end position like a fish to water.
Spears takes
on the run block with good strength at the point of attack
and he is extremely tough to hook inside due to his
enormous wingspan. Those long arms also allow him to grab
runners and quarterbacks who may be out of reach for other
ends. He uses his arms and hands well to fend off
blockers and makes it nearly impossible for a blocker to
get into his body. He gets nice and low when taking on
oncoming traffic and sees the play well, getting a good
jump on his angle once the ball carrier makes a move
outside or in. He has good speed for the end position and
could be used in either a 3-4 or a 4-3 alignment; although
which side of the line he would be better suited for still
remains to be seen. He has not produced the sack total
you would want from a pass rushing end, tallying only 6
last year. He shows a nice outside rush and has developed
a swim move to compliment it in the pass rush. Also, one
of the benefits of having a basketball background and long
arms is that Spears will bat down a lot of passes at the
line like the three he batted down in the first Georgia
game last year. Unlike most linemen who simply jump in
desperation when it becomes obvious they won’t reach the
passer, Spears times his jumps exceptionally well and uses
his amazing reflexes to get those long arms up in the
way.
Marcus Spears’
talents go far beyond that of the normal defensive end as
he showcased in Nokia Sugar Bowl. On the first play of
the second half, Oklahoma quarterback Jason White yelled
out signals as right tackle Jammal Brown got down in his
stance across from Marcus Spears. As soon as the ball
was snapped, the play was over; Brown got a late start
getting out of his stance and Spears, with his quick
cat-like reflexes, got a sprinter’s jump. White was
sacked in a swirl of red and yellow a split second after
finishing his five-step drop with Spears huge paws
fastened high up on his shoulder pads. On the next play,
in order to try to negate the pressure Spears was
bringing, White dropped back quickly and fired, but Spears
had dropped into pass coverage, taking the Oklahoma
quarterback and coaching staff by surprise. Defensive
linemen almost never drop into pass coverage, they are too
slow, too plodding, but Spears athleticism allows him to
turn his hips smoothly and quickly drop back five yards,
quicker than many linebackers. The ball sailed right into
Spears’ hands and he took it twenty yards for a
touchdown. Even during his dominant performance to close
out the year, Spears was far from being the finished
product he is capable of becoming. As Coach Saban stated,
he is “just starting to come into his own.”
The thing I
find myself liking the most in Spears can’t be described
in football terms; it is more about his personality. When
he was getting criticism for his play early after making
the switch to defensive end, he took it hard. It leads me
to believe, not that he is quick to give up or pout but
that he is a perfectionist. Spears has a drive that most
others don’t, which seemingly forces him to strive for
perfection in every motion and every aspect of what he can
control. Although the muscle memory is not yet there to
allow him to string together moves in the pass rush, he is
striving to obtain it. Often times you will see him on
the sidelines flailing at air like someone practicing
their karate moves. It won’t be long before those moves
come naturally, without the effort of thought, and when
that day comes, quarterbacks will have even more to fear
from Spears.
There
is no doubt in my mind that Spears will be selected even
sooner than his former teammate Marquise Hill was in the
2004 draft. Another year of seasoning should show the
dominant force Spears can be. He is determined for the
team to not be a “one hit wonder”, and he claims that this
year, “I will be a leader, I’m ready for that. It’s
something I’m looking forward to.” I have news for you
Marcus, you have been leading by example for a while
already.
