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Terre Haute News, Terre Haute, Indiana- TribStar.com - Colts look to second-year linebacker Freddy Keiaho to help shut down opposing ground attacks

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TERRE HAUTE — The paramount question for the 2007 Indianapolis Colts defensive unit will be whether it can stop the run after ranking last in the league in rushing yards allowed (2,768) and yards per carry (5.3) in 2006.

Finding a suitable replacement for injured defensive tackle Anthony McFarland, who underwent surgery Tuesday, as well as building depth on the defensive line will be essential.

Staunch play from the linebacking corps will be just as significant.

Second-year linebacker Freddy Keiaho hopes to provide at least a partial answer to the Colts’ woes in attacking the top running backs in the National Football League.

Keiaho replaces one of the league’s best linebackers in the Cover-2 scheme, former All-Pro Cato June, who left for Tampa Bay as a free agent in the offseason.

The San Diego State alum, who was recruited by the Aztecs to play fullback, offers a distinct contrast to June at weakside linebacker, he said after Tuesday afternoon’s practice at Rose-Hulman.

June played safety for Michigan in college before being converted to linebacker in the NFL, while the 5-foot-11, 226-pound Keiaho was an All-Mountain West Conference first-team player at linebacker, making 113 tackles during his senior year of 2005.

“He’s about 200 pounds and I’m about 230,” Keiaho quickly responded to the difference between him and June. “[June] has really great ball skills and I have really acute sense of the run and my fit in the run. We’re both players that play fast and hopefully people will see that.”

Fans got a taste of Keiaho’s aggressiveness when he was thrust into major playing time during last year’s regular-season game at New England when middle linebacker Gary Brackett was injured. Keiaho made seven tackles, four of them solo, in the Colts’ victory.

“Opportunities are seldom perfect. I only had a few days to prepare to play mike [middle linebacker],” Keiaho said.

His play in that game impressed Colts linebackers coach Mike Murphy, who said Tuesday that he’s excited about seeing Keiaho in action as a starter during Thursday’s preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys. Murphy knows Keiaho’s strength is against the run, but offered little as far as what the 24-year-old native of Fiji needs to improve.

“His strength is against the run. He’s got some things he’s going to have to work on, but it’s hard for me to say [what] until he does it [in a game],” Murphy said. “He was thrust into a position [in the New England game last season] he hadn’t practiced in … in a big game and did well. How you do under the lights? You can’t determine that here [at camp].”

Murphy said coaching staffs take preseason games seriously about evaluating talent.

“It’s a time to see your players and that’s how we approach it,” Murphy said.

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