However, fans often ask about the young ‘backers in the program and what they need to do in order to play more. On Wednesday evening after practice, we asked co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Luke Fickell about three players in particular: sophomore Etienne Sabino, and true freshmen Storm Klein and Dorian Bell.
Sabino is all over the field on special teams and if there was an injury to one of the starting linebackers he would likely be first in the game. However, the native of
“He’s young, but when his opportunities come, he’s got to grab it,” Fickell said. “Most of these guys all made their names on special teams when they were freshmen and sophomores. We just keep preaching to all of our guys that ‘That’s something you’ve got to keep showing up on.’”
Sabino is getting most of his work at the SAM as Spitler’s backup. But he’s also working in the middle at times.
“He’s still moving back and forth and sometimes that’s not the easiest thing,” Fickell said. “But for right now, that’s his role.”
As for Klein, he has cracked the two deep at middle linebacker which is quite a feather in his cap.
“He’s doing a good job,” Fickell said. “He’s got to make some plays and there’s going to be some people pushing him and there’s a bunch of different guys and they’re all trying to get reps. He’s got to start making some plays on special teams and keep doing what he’s doing (at linebacker).
“With all those guys – those young guys – their maturity level is incredible here. And they have got to me mature to grow here because there is so many things going on here and now school is starting. So, the big key for the young kids is that they’re mature enough to continue to grow.”
“He’s another guy that is coming on and all the tools are there,” Fickell said. “He needs to get it done on special teams and that will be his fastest way on the field at linebacker. If you perform on special teams, you’re going to play on defense.”
Fickell was asked, bottom line, what do the young linebackers need to do to play more on Saturdays?
“It’s confidence,” he said. “They need to show the confidence in practice and then we’ve got to show confidence in them. It comes from everything. It comes from guys that are going to class and doing the things right. You just have enough confidence in them and their maturity that they’re going to go out there (and get the job done). All of these guys can play. We know they can play because we recruited them and we know they’ve got ability. The next step is that confidence factor, that trust factor, that the whole group has to have in them.”
