• Follow us on Twitter @buckeyeplanet and @bp_recruiting, like us on Facebook! Enjoy a post or article, recommend it to others! BP is only as strong as its community, and we only promote by word of mouth, so share away!
  • Consider registering! Fewer and higher quality ads, no emails you don't want, access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Even if you just want to lurk, there are a lot of good reasons to register!

LB Austin Spitler (official thread)

Jump to latest Follow Reply
Sort by date Sort by votes
INSIDE LINEBACKERS (5): ILB Kevin Burnett, ILB Karlos Dansby, ILB/OLB Koa Misi, ILB Austin Spitler, ILB Cameron Collins (URFA from Oregon State).

The Number: The Dolphins usually keep four inside linebackers on the 53-man roster, and stash one on the practice squad to be developed.

The Breakdown: Dansby and Burnett each contributed 100-plus tackles last season, and have the skill set needed to cover tight ends and tailbacks down field. However, both were hindered by injuries last year, and this offseason. That means durability might be a concern. The coaches will experiment with Misi, moving this former starting strong side linebacker inside because of his instincts and versatility. How long he stays there depends on his production level. But Misi should make the 53-man roster. Spitler hasn?t proven he?s anything more than a special teams contributor, which is what the Dolphins hope to get from the backup inside linebackers.
Click to expand...

http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sport...olphins-defensive-depth-chart-post-draft.html
 
Upvote 0
LB Austin Spitler: 'This is a big year for me'
Third-year player filling in for ailing Karlos Dansby
August 20, 2012|By Harvey Fialkov, Sun Sentinel

DAVIE ? Third-year linebacker Austin Spitler filled in for Dansby as the starting middle linebacker during practice.

"This is a big year for me. I need to come out there and establish myself,'' Spitler said. "I feel more comfortable, not only on special teams but on the defense, the whole scheme. I'll go in every day and bust my butt and hope for the best.''

Coach Joe Philbin said the 6-foot-2, 250-pound Spitler is always around the ball.

"He plays fast,'' Philbin said. "He's been decisive, he pulls the trigger, he tackles; kind of looks like the old-fashioned linebacker, not super fancy.

"He's insinctive, reads blocking schemes pretty well, and shows up around the ball.''
Click to expand...

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/20..._1_big-year-austin-spitler-quarterback-battle
 
Upvote 0
Miami Dolphins submit free agent tenders to LB Austin Spitler, QB Pat Devlin, CB R.J. Stanford
by Ben Volin

A couple of housekeeping items today as we wait for NFL free agency to begin on Tuesday at 4 p.m.:

* The Dolphins have five restricted free agents and three exclusive rights free agents this offseason, and are bringing at least three of them back.

Linebacker Austin Spitler, a seventh-round pick in 2010 who has been a key special teams contributor, received a low-round restricted free agent tender from the Dolphins, which would pay him a $1.323 million salary in 2013, a nice increase from the $540,000 he made last season. Spitler wants to return, and his high salary should serve as a deterrent from another team signing him, but if Spitler does sign with another team, the Dolphins won?t receive any draft-pick compensation for him.
Click to expand...

http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/thed...austin-spitler-qb-pat-devlin-cb-r-j-stanford/
 
Upvote 0
Austin Spitler took Ellerbe?s place with the first team, a bit of a reversal from 2012, when Jason Trusnik was the first linebacker off the bench.

?He?s done well; the guy?s a football player,? Dolphins coach Joe Philbin said of Spitler. ?He?s been very productive. He?s been on top of his assignments, and he?s coordinated the front seven very well in these OTAs. We?re pleased with what he?s doing.?
Click to expand...

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/06/04/3430794/airplane-troubles-ground-dannell.html#storylink=cpy
 
Upvote 0
Spitler Looking To Make His Mark On Defense
Alain Poupart Associate Editor Dolphin Digest @apoupartFins
Dolphins special teams ace is looking for an increased role on defense.

The first big play of the Dolphins? last practice of their mini camp came when Austin Spitler blocked a Brandon Fields in the end zone.

While he?s never had a punt block in a regular season game, Spitler has made a lot of things happen on special teams since he joined the Dolphins as a seventh-round pick in 2010. Now the former Ohio State standout is hoping his work on special teams leads to bigger and better things, namely an increased role on defense.

?If I didn?t have a goal to play on defense more and try to be the best I can be, what am I doing here?? Spitler said. ?I want to play as much as I can and help this team as much as possible. I?m going to do whatever it takes to get out there and help this team win games.?

Spitler has appeared in 43 games over the past three seasons, but has yet to start a game.

Regardless, he?s a player the Dolphins clearly like. The evidence came this spring when Spitler was the only one of the team?s six restricted free agents to be tendered a qualifying offer.

And Spitler has done nothing this spring to diminish his standing on the team.

?Austin Spitler is a guy that we think has really had a good offseason program,? Head Coach Joe Philbin said this week during a Q&A session with Season-Ticket Members. ?He played a lot of special teams for us last year (and) we really like what we?ve seen from him.?

Spitler says he?s feeling a lot more comfortable in the Dolphins? defense this spring, the second offseason using defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle?s scheme.

?I feel very positive about the strides that I?ve taken in these OTAs and in this minicamp,? Spitler said. ?I feel a lot more comfortable out there just leading the defense as a whole, getting everybody lined up, whether it be the front or the back end and really taking control of it. That?s where I feel I?ve made my strides.?
Click to expand...

http://www.miamidolphins.com/news/a...-Defense/bbefe690-3e83-4795-8ffa-af854e901cf5
 
Upvote 0
Austin Spitler (6-2, 250) ? Spitler held down one of the backup inside linebacker spots last season and appeared in 15 games, recording two solo tackles ? both at the New York Jets ? and recovering a fumble while adding six special teams tackles. He was a seventh-round pick out of Ohio State in 2010 and has shown a knack going from being written off to earning a spot on the active roster, but he will have to fight off some tough competition from the rookies.
Click to expand...

http://www.miamidolphins.com/news/a...ebackers/4b04c773-fada-4839-8459-71a9ce2a2474
 
Upvote 0
Initially I had Austin Spitler on the roster and not Josh Kaddu. But Kaddu comes at a much more affordable price tag. Spitler is a quality special teams player, but do the Dolphins want to pay him $1.32 million when the team is loaded with linebackers? Maybe they keep both, but I don’t see it — I already have them keeping seven linebackers including Jelani Jenkins and Jonathan Freeny. And Dion Jordan could play some linebacker as well.
Click to expand...

- See more at: http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/thed...projected-53-man-roster/#sthash.F2VIXMso.dpuf
 
Upvote 0
The final “surprise” release is Austin Spitler who has played an important special teams role for the unit. Spitler was set to make over a 1m on the season and it appears that the younger LB’s have stepped up and proven their value. Spitler failed to make a major impact in the LB’ing group but has been a decent if un-spectacular back-up.
Click to expand...

http://phinphanatic.com/2013/08/31/dolphins-cuts-are-now-official/
 
Upvote 0
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top