Professor

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/...315/1007/RSS02

excerpt:

(August 8, 2007) — PITTSFORD — Keith Ellison of the Buffalo Bills has a problem that the majority of us would love to have: He has a devil of a time gaining weight.

Some guys have all the luck.

However, in Ellison's business — playing outside linebacker in the National Football League — gaining weight and maintaining it is critical to his performance and well-being.

"It's not a good thing in this profession to have a fast metabolism," the 230-pound second-year player said the other day.

NFL players seem to be getting bigger and bigger every year, but the Bills have made a conscious decision to field a trio of speedy linebackers who are fleet enough to drop into pass coverage and hopefully stout enough to stuff the run or rush the passer.

They believe Ellison fits that bill, based on how he played last season as a raw rookie who was thrown into the starting lineup for a pair of lengthy stints, first when Takeo Spikes was injured and later when Angelo Crowell went down.

Ellison, a lowly sixth-round draft choice out of Oregon State, started seven of the 14 games he played in and held his own by finishing with 61 tackles, 1 sack, 1 interception, 1 fumble recovery and 3 deflected passes, playing at about 225 pounds.

Now that Spikes has been traded to Philadelphia, Crowell will slide into his old strongside position while Ellison is getting the first chance to win the weakside slot, and he's taking full advantage.

Training camp is nearly two weeks old, and Ellison has been one of the most visible players on the fields at St. John Fisher College. In the first week it seemed as if he was paying the quarterbacks to make him look good; at last count he had picked off four passes.

"A little bit of luck and maybe getting some good reads, but it's been nice," he said with an engaging smile. "On defense we don't get to see the ball that much.''

As for his regular assignments, he seems to be on task, and defensive coordinator Perry Fewell is thrilled with his progress.

"He's a football business guy," said Fewell. "Very smart, instinctive, he understands the game and he plays hard every play. You have to love that as a coach. You can count on Keith. He was a consistent guy last year, just went out and did his job, and that's what he's doing again this year.''

The concern among followers of the team is that Ellison, the 235-pound Crowell and 238-pound rookie Paul Posluszny will get bowled over in run defense because of their lack of size. Ellison, the smallest of the group, seems particularly vulnerable, but coach Dick Jauron disagrees with that premise.

"I think almost everybody is overmatched sometimes, but it depends on the scheme, and we have to protect him in the scheme," said Jauron. "There are all kinds of ways to do that, particularly in our scheme. Do you worry about it? Yeah, but not any more than you worry about anyone else.''

One of the keys for the Bills will be for the defensive linemen to hold up the opposing offensive linemen and allow Ellison and the other linebackers and defensive backs to flow to the ball and stop running backs.

Of course, that was a problem last season, when the Bills ranked 28th in run defense by allowing 141 yards per game. And nothing has changed up front now that Darwin Walker won't be joining the team.

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