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LB A.J. Hawk (2x All-American, Lombardi Trophy, National Champion, Super Bowl Champion)

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Green Bay Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk (50) tackles Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte (22) during Sunday's game at Lambeau Field. Evan Siegle/Press-Gazette

Notebook: Game film confirms Hawk's standout performance



By Rob Demovsky ? [email protected] ? November 17, 2008

When the coaches went through film of Sunday?s 37-3 victory over the Chicago Bears, A.J. Hawk looked just as impressive on tape as he did live during his first start as the Green Bay Packers? middle linebacker.
Hawk?s coaches on Monday stopped short of saying the third-year pro, who spent his first 2? seasons playing the weak-side spot, might end up being better in the middle. But Hawk?s play ? he led the Packers with seven tackles (including six solos) while communicating the defensive plays for the first time ? suggests it might be his more natural position.

?It?s only one game,? Packers linebackers coach Winston Moss said. ?I hate to speculate. We?ll take it a game at a time, but he looked awfully good in there. He looked extremely comfortable. He did play to some of his strengths that we liked with him when we evaluated him coming out of college, so if he continues to improve on that, we?ll revisit that question maybe at the end of the year.?

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Packers: Hawk at home in the middle

By JASON WILDE
608-252-6176
[email protected]
GREEN BAY ? Nick Barnett knew his knee injury was bad. He knew it from the moment he heard a "pop" inside the noisy Metrodome, and as the team's charter flight arrived at Austin Straubel airport that evening, he didn't need team doctor Pat McKenzie's MRI the next morning to tell him his season was over.
"I knew I was out," the Green Bay Packers' veteran middle linebacker said.
So when teammate A.J. Hawk's wife, Laura, picked Barnett and Hawk up, Barnett became the consummate backseat driver. Except he wasn't offering Laura advice; he was giving Hawk pointers on sliding over from will linebacker to replace him in the middle.

"A.J. is a good friend of mine. We're almost neighbors," Barnett said, leaning on his crutches inside the winners' locker room after Sunday's 37-3 victory over the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field. "As soon as I got hurt, they gave me a ride home from the airport, and I told A.J., 'Be ready, man. Go out there and step it up and be the mike.' And he did a great job doing it."

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Steady play key to Hawk's successful switch to MLB

By CHRIS JENKINS | AP Sports Writer 4:53 PM CST, November 20, 2008 GREEN BAY, Wis. - To be sure, there were plenty of complex Xs-and-Os changes involved in A.J. Hawk's abrupt move to middle linebacker last week.

But as far as Green Bay Packers coaches are concerned, Hawk's most impressive accomplishment in Sunday's dominant victory over the Chicago Bears might have been the calm, steady presence he provided taking over play-calling duties from injured middle linebacker Nick Barnett.

Packers linebackers coach Winston Moss said Hawk's unflappable side showed through when the Bears went to an uptempo, muddle-huddle offense in the third quarter. Hawk stayed steady, even when the Packers' sideline wasn't calling plays quickly enough.

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A great positive article.........

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Green Bay Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk visits Appleton school


By Kate McGinty ? Post-Crescent staff writer ? December 2, 2008

APPLETON ? The 8-year-old pressed his hands against the window as he stared down the street, his Packers hat reflecting in the glass.
Sam Arnoldussen then whipped around and ran anxiously across his living room.

He wondered aloud if he could build a snow fort with his guest later. He finally returned to his post at the window, where he stood frozen with anticipation.

?I just want to meet a Packer for once,? he said longingly. ?Before I knew this was happening, I was going to be a baseball player, but now a football player.?

Sam, a third-grader at McKinley Elementary School, was ready to star in the ultimate show-and-tell at school Tuesday: He was bringing Green Bay Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk.
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Finally, a sleek black limo appeared on their quiet residential street. ?The limo!? Sam gasped.

Hawk stepped out of the limo and strolled up to the door. Sam, an energetic but shy boy, went silent. He opened the door slowly, shook Hawk?s hand, then flung his arms around the player?s waist.

?What?s up, buddy?? Hawk laughed, rubbing his hand playfully over Sam?s hat.

Hawk loaded up the three boys in a limo to head to school, where the Packer was greeted by screaming kids chanting his name. He joined the kids on the gymnasium floor for stretches, raced them in a relay course and tossed footballs.

The morning reminded Hawk, 24, of his own third-grade days. Even then, he dreamt of being a professional athlete in baseball, basketball or football.

?This would have been a fun day for me in third grade,? he said. ?This was always the best part, I think, coming to gym class.?
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I wouldn't say A.J. has been a bust, but he's been a tremendous disappointment for a #5 pick. If there was a re-draft done he'd be drafted early 2nd round or thereabouts.

He's somewhat of a liability in coverage and that's just a matter of being a mediocre athlete. I've seen a number of instances where on 3rd and short, the defensive line gets a good push, and he just passively hangs back behind the line until the runner reaches his position. At which point the first down was already gained. He posts solid tackle #'s, but few are behind or even near the line of scrimmage. He's not a blitzer, although that's more an issue of having a vanilla D-Coordinator.

Hawk isn't a bust, but needs to show some value under the inevitable new D.C. or he'll be expendable at his contract.
 
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He's somewhat of a liability in coverage and that's just a matter of being a mediocre athlete. I've seen a number of instances where on 3rd and short, the defensive line gets a good push, and he just passively hangs back behind the line until the runner reaches his position. At which point the first down was already gained. He posts solid tackle #'s, but few are behind or even near the line of scrimmage. He's not a blitzer, although that's more an issue of having a vanilla D-Coordinator.
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IMO, AJ is fine and he is a heck of an Athlete. Watching him though since he's gotten in the NFL the thing that has bothered me is it looks like he's a tad overweight. IMO, maybe dropping 5-10 pounds and getting some of that explosiveness back would help him. Here at OSU he was known for his coverage and tackling abilities, but he did always have a problem with attacking the LOS.
 
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Bernini;1366541; said:
I wouldn't say A.J. has been a bust, but he's been a tremendous disappointment for a #5 pick. If there was a re-draft done he'd be drafted early 2nd round or thereabouts.

He's somewhat of a liability in coverage and that's just a matter of being a mediocre athlete. I've seen a number of instances where on 3rd and short, the defensive line gets a good push, and he just passively hangs back behind the line until the runner reaches his position. At which point the first down was already gained. He posts solid tackle #'s, but few are behind or even near the line of scrimmage. He's not a blitzer, although that's more an issue of having a vanilla D-Coordinator.

Hawk isn't a bust, but needs to show some value under the inevitable new D.C. or he'll be expendable at his contract.
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Hard to take you seriously after that statement. He ran one of the fastest shuttle times at the NFL combine. Not for LB's. For any position. A.J. is a sick athlete. For whatever reason, his game hasn't translated into the NFL.
 
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bukIpower;1366557; said:
IMO, AJ is fine and he is a heck of an Athlete. Watching him though since he's gotten in the NFL the thing that has bothered me is it looks like he's a tad overweight. IMO, maybe dropping 5-10 pounds and getting some of that explosiveness back would help him. Here at OSU he was known for his coverage and tackling abilities, but he did always have a problem with attacking the LOS.
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I agree. He's fine athletically for being such a jumbo linebacker. But he is a jumbo linebacker. Maybe he could gain some quickness back if he shed some poundage. Who knows. I'd like to see him try though. Oregon Buckeye, facts are facts. He's chasing anybody who pulls a double move on him. I'm a Packer fan, I'd know more about his current ability than you.

In college he wasn't covering nearly the level receiver quickness wise that he was in the pros. I don't know if it should necessarily translate just because he performed at it there.

Discouraging to hear that he didn't attack the LOS at OSU either. My only realistic hope for improvement is being an asset to the pass rush. There's been a lot of interest in Packer land about running a 3-4. The best defense in the NFL arguably plays that alignment and we have personnel better suited for it possibly. A dearth of quality D-Lineman, who on average are large space eaters, but 4 linebackers who are at least OK. A.J. Hawk could be like Lamar Woodley in that system.
 
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Bernini;1366563; said:
I agree. He's fine athletically for being such a jumbo linebacker. But he is a jumbo linebacker. Maybe he could gain some quickness back if he shed some poundage. Who knows. I'd like to see him try though. Oregon Buckeye, facts are facts. He's chasing anybody who pulls a double move on him. I'm a Packer fan, I'd know more about his current ability than you.

In college he wasn't covering nearly the level receiver quickness wise that he was in the pros. I don't know if it should necessarily translate just because he performed at it there.

Discouraging to hear that he didn't attack the LOS at OSU either. My only realistic hope for improvement is being an asset to the pass rush. There's been a lot of interest in Packer land about running a 3-4. The best defense in the NFL arguably plays that alignment and we have personnel better suited for it possibly. A dearth of quality D-Lineman, who on average are large space eaters, but 4 linebackers who are at least OK. A.J. Hawk could be like Lamar Woodley in that system.
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He'd have to put on 15-20 pounds if he wanted to be Woodley.. not to mention Woodley has always been one of the best pass rushers at any level he's played at.. I think that's a bad comparison
 
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Leading the pack

Linebacker A.J. Hawk has been following the Buckeyes this year. Hawk is married to the sister of Brady Quinn, the former Notre Dame quarterback he sacked in that Fiesta Bowl three years ago, and led the Green Bay Packers in tackles.

"I don't feel different at all," Hawk said. "It doesn't feel that long ago that I was playing there."

That's because in the smallest town in the NFL, life hasn't changed much. And with the multiple defenses the Buckeyes played, he felt his adjustment to the NFL was a smooth one.

"When I got here, on the field defensively, [OSU] did a great job preparing me, so there wasn't too much I had to adjust to," Hawk said. "Off the field, I guess I'm in a little different place, with big-time football but a small-time feel. Green Bay is really similar to Columbus."
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Buckeyes' past meets present - Ohio State Buckeyes Football & Basketball News - cleveland.com
 
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