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Rams rookie OL Donnal is used to pushing himself against the best
Elisabeth Meinecke
FOX Sports Midwest
http://www.foxsports.com/midwest/st...ed-to-pushing-himself-against-the-best-052715
Andrew Donnal, a fourth-round pick of the Rams, will be up against some strong competition in training camp.
ST. LOUIS -- Iowa offensive line coach Brian Ferentz says his favorite story about Andrew Donnal, a fourth-round draft pick this year by the St. Louis Rams, is not what people would expect.
It came after a knee injury forced Donnal to miss the last five games of his sophomore season at Iowa, interrupting a promising trajectory -- he'd gone from being listed as second-team left tackle after spring practice to earning three consecutive starts at right guard almost midway through the 2012 season. Donnal had knee surgery and returned to football the following spring but, based on his coach's expectations, was underperforming.
To Ferentz, the situation wasn't abnormal.
"Most athletes end up just fine -- they end up better than they were before the (knee) surgery," he says. "It just takes a little bit of time because there's a confidence issue that comes with that, and until you go out there and you really put that knee through the paces, you struggle to really believe you're back."
After his difficulty finding that confidence in the spring, Donnal found himself entering the football season rotating with another player at the guard position. Though he wasn't pleased, and expressed as much to Ferentz, he embraced the role, played well and -- most important -- put the team first.
"You find out more about guys when everything's not going their way," Ferentz says. "He was able to put the football team first, and do what he had to do to be a good teammate and a good football player for our football team, and help us win a lot of games. And that's why it's my favorite story -- that's who he is."
That mentality should serve Donnal well as he transitions to St. Louis, a team with several holes on the offensive line, and even more candidates to fill them. The Rams drafted four offensive linemen this year, and the competition will likely be limited to two spots: right guard and tackle.
"I'm just willing to play wherever a team needs me," Donnal says. "I'm going to do whatever a team needs me to do."
Andrew Donnal's position coach at Iowa says first and foremost, Donnal is a team player.
He'll be up against strong competition, including two rookies drafted in earlier rounds -- Rob Havenstein, whom the Rams took in the second, and third-rounder Jamon Brown. Being surrounded by players who may have an edge on talent, however, is something Donnal knows how to turn to an advantage. At Iowa, he was teammates with lineman Brandon Scherff, who went fifth overall this year to the Washington Redskins, and says the two often pushed each other in the weight room and on the football field.
"It's helped me a tremendous amount to be able to learn from him," Donnal says. "Having a guy like Brandon to be able to push yourself against and to play with was an outstanding resource."
His former coach witnessed the pair's influence on each other on the field, as well as their friendship.
"They partnered in all our drills," Ferentz says. "They hunt together, they fish together. The only thing they don't do, I think" -- he adds dryly -- "is live together."
Listening to Donnal talk about his determination and passion for the job makes it hard to believe he ever lived in anyone's shadow.
"I'm a guy that's going to come out and work my ass off every day to be the best that I can possibly be," he said immediately after being drafted. "I thoroughly enjoy just playing football, being an offensive lineman and moving the guy from point A to point B against his will. Protecting the quarterback and mauling inside, there's nothing better."
He echoed a similar tone one week later, standing in the team's indoor practice facility during rookie orientation. The topic was the Rams' emphasis on running the ball this season after drafting four offensive linemen and adding Georgia running back Todd Gurley to a backfield that included Tre Mason.
"That's a lineman's dream," Donnal says. "We want to run the ball, push people around. We like it dirty and messy. We don't like everything clean. That's an awesome situation for us to come into."
And one, based on his history, that Donnal will likely make the most of.
Elisabeth Meinecke
FOX Sports Midwest
http://www.foxsports.com/midwest/st...ed-to-pushing-himself-against-the-best-052715
Andrew Donnal, a fourth-round pick of the Rams, will be up against some strong competition in training camp.
ST. LOUIS -- Iowa offensive line coach Brian Ferentz says his favorite story about Andrew Donnal, a fourth-round draft pick this year by the St. Louis Rams, is not what people would expect.
It came after a knee injury forced Donnal to miss the last five games of his sophomore season at Iowa, interrupting a promising trajectory -- he'd gone from being listed as second-team left tackle after spring practice to earning three consecutive starts at right guard almost midway through the 2012 season. Donnal had knee surgery and returned to football the following spring but, based on his coach's expectations, was underperforming.
To Ferentz, the situation wasn't abnormal.
"Most athletes end up just fine -- they end up better than they were before the (knee) surgery," he says. "It just takes a little bit of time because there's a confidence issue that comes with that, and until you go out there and you really put that knee through the paces, you struggle to really believe you're back."
After his difficulty finding that confidence in the spring, Donnal found himself entering the football season rotating with another player at the guard position. Though he wasn't pleased, and expressed as much to Ferentz, he embraced the role, played well and -- most important -- put the team first.
"You find out more about guys when everything's not going their way," Ferentz says. "He was able to put the football team first, and do what he had to do to be a good teammate and a good football player for our football team, and help us win a lot of games. And that's why it's my favorite story -- that's who he is."
That mentality should serve Donnal well as he transitions to St. Louis, a team with several holes on the offensive line, and even more candidates to fill them. The Rams drafted four offensive linemen this year, and the competition will likely be limited to two spots: right guard and tackle.
"I'm just willing to play wherever a team needs me," Donnal says. "I'm going to do whatever a team needs me to do."
Andrew Donnal's position coach at Iowa says first and foremost, Donnal is a team player.
He'll be up against strong competition, including two rookies drafted in earlier rounds -- Rob Havenstein, whom the Rams took in the second, and third-rounder Jamon Brown. Being surrounded by players who may have an edge on talent, however, is something Donnal knows how to turn to an advantage. At Iowa, he was teammates with lineman Brandon Scherff, who went fifth overall this year to the Washington Redskins, and says the two often pushed each other in the weight room and on the football field.
"It's helped me a tremendous amount to be able to learn from him," Donnal says. "Having a guy like Brandon to be able to push yourself against and to play with was an outstanding resource."
His former coach witnessed the pair's influence on each other on the field, as well as their friendship.
"They partnered in all our drills," Ferentz says. "They hunt together, they fish together. The only thing they don't do, I think" -- he adds dryly -- "is live together."
Listening to Donnal talk about his determination and passion for the job makes it hard to believe he ever lived in anyone's shadow.
"I'm a guy that's going to come out and work my ass off every day to be the best that I can possibly be," he said immediately after being drafted. "I thoroughly enjoy just playing football, being an offensive lineman and moving the guy from point A to point B against his will. Protecting the quarterback and mauling inside, there's nothing better."
He echoed a similar tone one week later, standing in the team's indoor practice facility during rookie orientation. The topic was the Rams' emphasis on running the ball this season after drafting four offensive linemen and adding Georgia running back Todd Gurley to a backfield that included Tre Mason.
"That's a lineman's dream," Donnal says. "We want to run the ball, push people around. We like it dirty and messy. We don't like everything clean. That's an awesome situation for us to come into."
And one, based on his history, that Donnal will likely make the most of.
