Bowling Green State University Athletics
Dozier Adapts to New Position
October 18, 2006 | Football
Oct. 18, 2006
By JACK CARLE, Sentinel Sports Editor - Skeptics wondered about the move of Erique Dozier from safety to linebacker last season by Bowling Green's coaching staff.
The 6-foot-1, 200-pound redshirt sophomore has answered those questions and quieted the critics this season as he has developed into one of the surest tacklers on the team.
Dozier is credited with 66 tackles, including 41 solos, heading into Thursday's game at Central Michigan. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. and the game will be televised on ESPNU.
"I don't know if he's a surprise. I always thought Dozier was a good defensive player. We just had to find a place for him," BG head coach Gregg Brandon.
That place is outside linebacker -- "He's comfortable there. He's settled in there. He's doing a nice job for us," Brandon said. "Dozier doesn't play in the box too much. He's out in space just because of the nature of the offenses that we see.
"We like to use him in pressure situations (on a blitz) because of his quickness and athleticism. Those are the primary things we look for and the natural instinct to play defense. We look for guys who don't get caught looking around too much."
Still, Dozier was a little leery about the change. After all, he was the defensive player of the year in Akron as a senior at Garfield High School.
"I was kind of upset. I was a defensive back at heart," Dozier said. "I wasn't getting any playing time at safety. As I got down there and started getting playing time, I started liking it a little bit better."
When the Falcons face teams which use a fullback, Dozier plays more inside and says "It's a lot of fun, that's where you get most of the tackles."
When teams run a spread offense, Dozier lines up outside and is more involved in pass coverage.
"I get a variety, a little bit of everything," Dozier said.
Veteran linebacker Terrel White, BG's leading tackler who also made a position change during his Falcon career, likes what he has seen from Dozier.
"He's adapted nicely," White said. "He's playing well for us. He's definitely a hitter. He's doing his assignments right and making plays when he needs to.
"You have to love playing with somebody that when they have a chance to hit somebody they're going to do it and when he's supposed to be there, he'll be there. I definitely like playing beside him."
Dozier is embracing the position because he can just read his keys and then go hit people.
"You're around the ball all the time," Dozier said about playing linebacker. "The coach puts you in situations where you're able to make plays.
"You can go all out. You don't have to worry about deep coverage. You don't have to worry about reading the play-action. (D.J. Durkin, BG's linebackers coach) stresses `make a read and play full speed' and playing linebacker, that's definitely allowed me to play full speed."
An example of Dozier making the right read and then a hard-hitting tackle was in last Saturday's game against Eastern Michigan. The Eagles were running a gadget play, with the pass from a wide receiver coming back to the quarterback, who was looking to beat the Falcons deep.
Because of some intense study of EMU's gadget plays during the week, Dozier was ready and his sure tackle on Tyler Jones resulted in a 12-yard loss.
"It was nice to see `Doz' whack him," Brandon said. "He was trying to create the turnover. He's a pretty sure tackler."
Dozier said the actions of EMU's offensive linemen helped give the play away.
"When the offensive line doesn't come up to block, you already know something is up," Dozier said. "I saw the quarterback leaking out, which we had practiced that week. It was something I was able to recognize pretty easily."
While he was pleased with the play, Dozier realizes he was within inches of finding the end zone, which is a dream of every defensive player.
"If it had been one step earlier, it might have been a touchdown," Dozier said.
Wrapping the ball carrier up and making a sure tackle is something Dozier has been perfecting for years.
"Ever since Pee Wee, it's make sure you run through the person and it's just carried on with me ever since," Dozier said.
Dozier's tackling ability has also earned him a spot on BG's kickoff coverage team.
He said playing on special teams is "almost like playing linebacker, especially on the kickoff team. Each week I get the responsibility of just finding the ball, It's a lot of fun."
