During Tom Landry’s heyday as coach of the Dallas Cowboys, he had a sign in the locker room with the words “Ugly Fat” in large letters. In smaller print were the negative effects of fat on a football player’s body.
In those days, prototype linemen had broad shoulders and flat stomachs. Bob Lilly, Merlin Olsen and Randy White were the ideal.
Three decades later, players their size are considered small. Some high school teams now have bigger lines than those in the NFL a generation ago.
Bucking the trend however is Good Counsel. Propelled by a pair of tackles who have lost a combined 100 pounds, the Falcons are leaner, meaner, healthier and happier.
“You last a lot longer. You can go 100 percent all game,” said junior Bryan Murray, one of the Falcons’ nouveau light. “I’ve got more speed, more stamina. I feel like I’m a much better player.”
At the urging of fellow tackle Nick Jenkins, the 6-foot-2 Murray went from 330 pounds to 282 in the offseason, doing it with an old fashioned formula — diet and exercise.
The 6-3 Jenkins did a similar remake between his sophomore and junior seasons, going from 340 pounds to 285. The result was increased mobility and vast improvement.
On defense in his freshman and sophomore seasons, Jenkins was a one-dimensional run stuffer. Last year he emerged as an active, go-to-the-ball force. In a 12-7 victory early this year at Robinson, Jenkins had 18 tackles. Entering tonight’s game against McNamara, Jenkins (43 tackles, 3 sacks, 4 TFL) has nearly twice as many tackles as any other Falcon, an extraordinary feat for a down lineman.
Before the season, Jenkins committed to Virginia, where he expects to play nose guard.
“I worked hard all summer, getting ready for this year and college,” said Jenkins. “Bryan and I had a six-day-a-week workout regime. We lifted five days a week, ran four days, and then one day of plyometrics.”
The Bookends
» Jenkins’ brother was a linemen at South Carroll High and later for a Division I-AA champion team at James Madison University.
» Jenkins was a promising lacrosse player at Good Counsel before concentrating on football.
» Murray was a starter in his freshman year at Hammond High in Howard County before transferring to Good Counsel.
