READY FOR ACTION
Wartman impressed
players and coaches
alike during the Lions'
spring practice
sessions.
Tim Owen
|
efore the snap, Nyeem Wartman
pointed across the line of scrimmage toward the running back,
like he knew exactly which play
the offense was getting set to
run.
On a third-and-10 in the first quarter,
from the shotgun formation, the quarterback lobbed a short screen pass to
Wartman's right. As the ball reached
the running back's hands, Wartman
was there to greet him. It wasn't a
warm welcome.
As if he had a sixth sense, the redshirt
freshman linebacker had read the play
B
perfectly. As Wartman weaved in between offensive linemen, he exploded
through the back's right shoulder,
knocking him off balance and allowing
defensive tackle Austin Johnson to
drag him to the ground for a loss of
yardage.
In a Blue-White Game that was virtually devoid of game-changing plays,
Wartman's read-and-collide behind the
line of scrimmage was a thing of beauty
and a hot topic in the media room afterward. It was also a promising sign
for a linebacker corps that lacks depth
and is faced with numerous questions
