Freshman 'Backers Holding Their Own

Steve Filer could end up with a few extra windsprints if this gets taken out of context.

“This training camp here wasn’t really that hard, practice wasn’t really that hard,” said the freshman.

Of course, the statement was meant more as a compliment to his high-school coaching staff – not an invitation for linebackers coach Jon Tenuta to read his rookie the riot act.

“At Mount Carmel, they practice at a higher level than a lot of other places,” Filer continued. “Mount Carmel did prepare me for a lot of the things I’m going through here.”

By no means was Filer trying to say things have been easy – because each of the four new linebackers (Filer, Darius Fleming, Anthony McDonald and David Posluszny) has had to make adjustments after coasting by comparison last year, and the list begins with adapting to the speed of the college game.

“Everybody on the field is just so fast,” said Fleming, who battled against Filer in Chicago’s Catholic League the last four years. “The linemen are a lot bigger and stronger, and you’ve really got to be a lot more physical than you were in high school.”

“It’s a real big adjustment,” Filer added, “just because you’ve got guys running 4.3s (40-yard dash times), 4.4s, 4.5s...You’re not the only guy on the field running a 4.5 anymore.”

Of course, making the mental adjustment is also a daunting task for any newcomer, but this quartet seems to be picking things up reasonably well – at least in comparison to their own expectations.

“It’s definitely a big jump from high school to college,” stated Posluszny. “It’s definitely a big learning curve, but so far I think it’s gone pretty smooth.”

“The playbook is definitely a lot bigger,” Fleming added. “You’ve got to come in here mentally ready to take in everything that they’re throwing at you...I’m actually proud of myself for taking in things like I did. That’s been a big improvement on my part.”

Fleming would seem to have had a little more of a smooth transition than the other three, just because his position at Notre Dame (Will linebacker) is fairly similar to what he played at St. Rita High School.

“Actually, I was kind of worried about it at first, putting my hand on the ground at the next level,” he said. “Because I’m not so big as the other guys (on the defensive line). But I’m actually pretty glad that I’m playing that spot, because it helps me to use the same defense.”

Despite being a bit undersized in comparison to the down linemen, Fleming feels that he’s “keeping his ground” and that he’s earned the veterans’ respect. That hasn’t stopped him from at least trying to bulk up.

“It’s kind of hard for me to gain weight,” he admitted, “but I’ve actually been gaining a couple of pounds here and there, so it’s coming up...I’ve eaten a lot. They feed us too much. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.

“Coach Ruben (Mendoza), he’s going to get me up there.”

McDonald, meanwhile, has had his own unique set of circumstances, having been sidelined for most of the first half of training camp with a minor hamstring ailment.

“It’s pretty frustrating,” he said of missing practice time, “(but) the injury has actually allowed me to learn the system better...That’s the only positive, if there is a positive.”

McDonald noted that his recovery has been going well, and he expected to be back on the field within a few days.

Posluszny, who didn’t even play linebacker regularly until his senior year at Hopewell (Pa.) High School, said that he’s “very comfortable” there by now, and he echoed many of his classmates’ thoughts when asked about expectations for his first season (with “I just want to get on the bus” not an allowable response).

“I’m just trying to learn as much as I can about the defense and my position,” Posluszny stated. “There’s so much to learn, so many things to get used to.”

“I have older guys in front of me that can teach me a lot,” Filer added, citing seniors Maurice Crum and Scott Smith as mentors. “If I just sit back and learn from them, and Coach Tenuta, who’s a great coach, I can be successful.”

The learning process goes beyond the playing field as well – after a weekend of freshman orientation, the newcomers will get back to the grind in the classroom, creating a whole new set of challenges...and opportunities.

“I’m actually looking forward to it,” Posluszny said of the new semester, “because in the summer there’s not many people here. We’re working out and taking classes, but there’s not many people on campus. Now that it’s camp, we don’t really have any social life, so now that people are starting to come on campus, I am excited for the student body to get here. I think it’s going to be pretty fun.”

“I don’t know if anyone looks forward to starting classes,” McDonald quipped, “but it’s part of the college experience. I am looking forward to it in a way, because I’ll get to meet a lot more people...I’m looking forward to getting to see some girls around here.”

But there’s always a catch. It’s never all sunshine, especially in northern Indiana.

“The only down side to being in college is that I have to wash my own laundry,” McDonald continued.

Perhaps one of his new friends will be willing to help him out with that.