Professor

http://www.newsday.com/sports/printe...y-sports-print

Coughlin wants Arrington to be disruptive

BY ARTHUR STAPLE
Newsday Staff Writer

May 10, 2006

Tom Coughlin gave a quick preview of his team's defensive alignment on the second draft day, casually mentioning that LaVar Arrington would be the Giants' starting strong-side linebacker, not weak-side as Arrington played last year with the Redskins.

For Arrington, the alignment doesn't matter. He knows his mission is to attack and get into the opposing backfield, just as it is for Pro Bowl defensive ends Osi Umenyiora and Michael Strahan, and as it will be for whichever other pass-rushers make it onto the field: second-year end Justin Tuck, rookie end Mathias Kiwanuka and anyone else who can fit into defensive coordinator Tim Lewis' scheme.

"The type of personnel we have, it allows us to do so many things," Arrington said yesterday. "You're going to see a lot of different looks from us ... Coach Lewis says he wants me closer to the ball. That means closer to the quarterback. The plan is for me to be disruptive."

The addition of Kiwanuka, the Giants' first-round pick April 29, may disrupt some things inside the locker room. Tuck, the 2005 third-round pick out of Notre Dame who shined in brief appearances at both end and tackle last season, said all the right things yesterday about the addition of Kiwanuka.

"It's competition; I hope we can bring out the best in each other," said Tuck, who added that two coaches called him after the Giants selected Kiwanuka to assuage his fears about being pushed aside. "I can see why they picked him - I played against him. At No. 32, he's a steal."

Still, not all the voices were in agreement. "It may stunt someone's growth," Umenyiora said, adding that perhaps Lewis will have a scheme that has "nine pass-rushers on the field at the same time."

But all agree there is too much talent on defense now to go to waste, especially in the front seven. "It's going to be as good as we want it to be," Arrington said. "If we push ourselves, we'll meet expectations and hopefully surpass them."

bigboy

A notoriously undisciplined LBer responsible for covering the TE's won't last long at all.

Toth029

Arrington is not going to be covering TE's...

He'll line up beside Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora often, and his job will mainly be stopping the runs, dump offs, and rushing the passer.

bigboy

He can handle that then, I always thought the SLB had that responsibility of covering the TE a majority of the time....

Did you hear anything about the rumors of the Giants maybe going to a 3-4?

gruntbygod

He will definatly be disruptive, he'll disrupt that Defense plenty

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Toth029

Yes, and it was wrote by David Klein.

No Giant DE can play in a 3-4 on the line. Also the team has no real NT. Giants will use 3-4 looks and use the type of stunts, but never a base.