To the average football fan, a position change from wide receiver to defensive end could be a radical swap.
That move is exactly what Ball State’s Trey Gardner is adjusting to this spring.
“It was just a chance to get on the field,” Gardner said. “It was a tough decision but I was ready to go ahead with it so I could play.”
In his two seasons as wide receiver for Ball State, Gardner made four appearances, but only one game in 2012. In the offseason, he talked with defensive line coach Chad Wilt and came up with the idea to make the position change to defensive end.
But the move from a skill position to the line isn’t as unusual after looking at the skill sets needed for both positions. Both wide receivers and defensive ends must be able to burst off the line of scrimmage quickly. They also have similarities in their techniques to getting past an opposing player with their hands, hips and feet.
Since Ball State’s defensive scheme calls for a pass rush defensive end, the players at that position are slimmer than stereotypical linemen.
“The rush defensive end is kind of a hybrid position for us,” Wilt said. “He’s going to drop, he’s going to do some coverage stuff. We don’t have to let him get in over tackles a lot.”
Wilt compared Gardner to current starting defensive end Jonathan Newsome. On the depth chart, Newsome is listed at 6-feet-3-inches and 236 pounds. Gardner is listed at 6-feet-4-inches and 216 pounds.
But the biggest difference Wilt said for a wide receiver moving to the line is being able to be physical on every play as opposed to playing out in open space.
“In some ways it’s one of the easiest transitions technique-wise,” Wilt said.
Gardner has been studying Newsome during the spring practices to better adjust going from a two-point stance to getting a hand on the ground every play.
But one skill Gardner said could help him at defensive end is knowing the quarterbacks tendencies. After working with quarterbacks for two years, he wants to be able to use that against opposing quarterbacks while on the line.
“Just knowing when he’s going to pull his arm back, so I can put my arms up to knock the ball down,” Gardner said.
Gardner will spend the rest of the spring practice and the preseason adjusting to his new role, hoping to see more playing time than he has in the last two seasons. But Wilt said, his energy about moving to the line to help Ball State is something the entire coaching staff appreciates.
