"From college to pro. From middle linebacker in a 4-3 alignment to inside linebacker in a 3-4. From relative simplicity to the myriad designs of the New England Patriots' complex scheme.
Jerod Mayo's head could be swimming, but he's got a lifeguard pulling him out of the treacherous riptide of training camp's turbulent waters. He can count on Tedy Bruschi.
Mayo, the Patriots' No. 1 draft pick out of Tennessee, is one of many linebackers who figure in a makeover at that position. He could emerge as Bruschi's complement inside, replacing Junior Seau, the 19-year veteran who was not re-signed.
There's little that can happen on the field that Bruschi, Mike Vrabel and Adalius Thomas, the three returning starters, haven't seen. There's almost nothing familiar to Mayo, so he relies heavily on these veterans.
"I'm not even scratching the surface of being able to react right now. I'm still out there thinking. I'm sure as camp goes on, I'll become more comfortable in the scheme and be able to react more quickly," Mayo said. "You can have 10 or 11 checks on one play. Just recognizing formations and all the shifts that go on is pretty difficult. I'm far from there. I'm still trying to learn from the old guys."
The Patriots went into the offseason following a stunning 17-14 loss to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII. The defense allowed the Giants two fourth-quarter touchdowns, on drives of 80 and 83 yards, the last concluding with 35 seconds left.
The Patriots lost cornerbacks Asante Samuel and Randall Gay in free agency and cut linebacker Rosevelt Colvin, who ended the season on injured reserve. But they drafted Mayo in the first round, chose linebacker Shawn Crable in the third, and signed rookie free agent Gary Guyton, who's been a surprise.
"The physical abilities of all three of them are obvious," Bruschi said. "The speed of Mayo, the quickness of Guyton, Crable's length, those are physical attributes. But the thing I like is their attitude. They are willing to accept the many things that we are asking them to do."
Bruschi, 35, knows the value of veteran tutelage. He received it when the Patriots drafted him in the third round in 1996 and passes it along.
"Chris Slade helped me a lot. Willie McGinest. Those are two guys I leaned on. Those are two guys whose pads I carried off the field," Bruschi said, referring to the tradition of rookies hauling their mentors' equipment in from the practice field. "That really broke me in. I tell those guys that 13 years ago I was doing that, too."
The Patriots also signed veteran Victor Hobson and are trying him at inside linebacker after he played outside most of his career. They're working safety Tank Williams at inside linebacker as well."
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Former Vol has a mentor in Pats' Bruschi
Former Vol has a mentor in Pats' Bruschi
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