D. J. Fluker, OT/OG Alabama

[Stinky Wizzleteats+]

Den60 = Acee.

[Stinky Wizzleteats+]

Actualy I think Den is smarter... Acee is an idiout!

[oneinchpunch]

[richpjr]

Very cool story.

[Beerman]

Cool. Well written story from the Ghelk.


UT:


D.J. Fluker had never swum. He was too traumatized to try.

Once, around age 4, the Chargers right tackle fell and sunk to the bottom of a 12-foot swimming pool. His mother jumped after him, tightly wrapping her arms around her first-born and pulling him to safety.

No problem, Manti Te'o told Fluker last month.

Whatever trust must exist between two teammates was present this summer among the top selections of the Chargers' rookie class, as Te'o, the second-rounder, helped first-round pick Fluker overcome a childhood fear of drowning. They were together at the NFL Rookie Symposium in Ohio, the linebacker swimming laps for a workout while the 340-pound Fluker stood in the shallow end, paralyzed from wandering any deeper.

"I was terrified of water," Fluker said. "He was like, 'Man, relax. I got you.'"

Te'o said he began the lesson the only way he knew how — the way his father taught him.

The first step is getting comfortable with the face being underwater. Fluker wore contacts and couldn't see underwater but nonetheless grew OK with it. From there, they graduated to buoyancy and form.

"Dad just held me up in the water," Te'o said.

While lifting Fluker's stomach to keep the lineman parallel, Te'o instructed Fluker to simultaneously kick his legs and dig his hands into the water. So, Fluker kept kicking and digging, kicking and digging, his size-22 feet and 10.5-inch hands creating a sizable splash.

Te'o decided it was time.

"He said, 'All right, I'm going to let you go,'" Fluker said. "I'm like, 'Let me go? No, no, no, no, no.' I just sank."

"His head was still above the water," Te'o said. "He just wasn't as flat as he should have been."

On attempt two, Fluker made it a few feet. Attempts three and four were better. Ultimately, Fluker got it.

The link that connected Fluker and Te'o when the Chargers drafted them in April was the field they shared to conclude their college careers. But beyond that BCS National Championship game between Alabama and Notre Dame, there are stronger commonalities between the 22-year-olds.

Both love football. Both want to be leaders.

Fluker may already be the most vocal player on the 90-man roster, chattering throughout stretches and breaking down teammates, something veterans say they embrace. His greatest challenge is channeling that energy into controlled chaos that will fit offensive line coach Joe D'Alessandris' scheme.

The rookie's results so far have resembled his first swim.

He has often sunk, but everyone can see he's still kicking and digging.

"I'm still trying to find myself," Fluker said. "I'm still trying to find a (rhythm) on the offensive line. I'm competing. ... (Saturday) was probably my best practice where I'm finally understanding technique and finally understanding what I have to do. Coach keeps reiterating to me what to do, and eventually, it starts to click a little bit. It's coming slowly."

Te'o has been a quiet workman.

His approach to training, on and off the practice field, has earned him respect in the Chargers locker room. While deferring the vocal role to such veterans as inside linebacker Donald Butler, he'll talk to teammates with the goal of bringing people together.

He celebrates with players after they make a play. When they miss, he insists the next one will be different. He has told Butler he's right behind him, there when he needs him, lending support.

Just as he was for Fluker.

"Don't ask me how to surf though," Te'o said. "I don't know how to do that."

[Bolt-O]

I'm surprised that T'eo doesn't surf.

[oneinchpunch]

The rookie's results so far have resembled his first swim.

He has often sunk, but everyone can see he's still kicking and digging.

"I'm still trying to find myself," Fluker said. "I'm still trying to find a (rhythm) on the offensive line. I'm competing. ... (Saturday) was probably my best practice where I'm finally understanding technique and finally understanding what I have to do. Coach keeps reiterating to me what to do, and eventually, it starts to click a little bit. It's coming slowly."

Doesn't sound like Acee was too far off in his assessment

[Steve]

Who cares about Acee's assessment. It sounds to me like Fluker is developing pretty quick actually.

It's the first week. He is going to get better. How much and how fast determines if he starts or not. But even if he loses the starting RT job for week 1, it really doesn't make a difference.

If Fluker is making steady progress, we leave him at RT, and see if he can take over a few weeks into the season. If he is making slower progress, then we think about moving him to OG for his rookie year and we move him back outside next year, depending on our depth inside and outside.

Everyone learns at their own pace, and this is nothing more then a rookie needing to step up and get better. You can listen to the TV/newspaper idiots and think that every rookie 1st round pick must start, but it doesn't always happen. Wes Welker is far and away the best slot WR in football, but he didn't even play on Miami's regular 3rd down package as a rookie. His next year, he was a part time slot guy. Then he eventually become the guy that is now feared. Fluker is going to develop in his own time.

[oneinchpunch]

Saying he has often sunk. Fluker saying he's embarassed. That he's still trying to find himself and its coming slowly doesn't speak to him looking good so far. Just that he's slowly improving.

So when Acee says he's not top 5 right now he's not wrong.

[Stinky Wizzleteats+]

Embarased for taking a vet to the turf who beat him on a play. Not embarased by his play in general. Thats a OneInchStreach!

[Beerman]

Saying he has often sunk. Fluker saying he's embarassed. That he's still trying to find himself and its coming slowly doesn't speak to him looking good so far. Just that he's slowly improving.

So when Acee says he's not top 5 right now he's not wrong.

Fluker is never going to say he's playing well. It's not his nature to be boisterous. He seems to be a very humble dude from the little I've seen of him and the stuff he's said. He is ALWAYS going to say he can improve something.

All that being said, I thought he was the best lineman on the field today. He was the only one that straight up stone walled rushers. Can't teach that strength and those tree trunks he calls legs don't come around often. He can anchor very, very well and gets a great push off the line.

[oneinchpunch]

Embarased for taking a vet to the turf who beat him on a play. Not embarased by his play in general. Thats a OneInchStreach!

Was taking a vet to the turf not a play?

And it's the second time he's been beaten badly that has resulted in injury to a teammate.