10 things with Micah Kiser

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BonifayRam

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10 things with Micah Kiser

Saturday, Feb 22, 2020 10:34 AM

Sarina Morales
Team Reporter

Each week, we interview a different Rams player to find out about their lives on the field as well as off of it. Team Reporter, Sarina Morales, asks the questions fans want to know, in a fun and conversational interview. This week, linebacker, Micah Kiser, spoke to Sarina about his musical talents, his rules for flying and which teammate would help him win at dodgeball.

1. Pecs update
Sarina:
Your pecs okay?
Micah: Yeah, I'm real healthy. The injury rate in football, it's 100%. You're going to get hurt. So I'm glad I just got it out of the way early in my career.

Linebacker (59) Micah Kiser of the Los Angeles Rams warms up on the field before the Rams 14-10 loss to the Cowboys in an NFL preseason football game, Saturday, August 17, 2019, Honolulu, HI. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

2. Year 3


Sarina: What's the biggest difference now going into year three for you?
Micah: Right now, I feel like I kind of know what it takes just watching and being around a lot of great pros. Being able to be around a Cory Littleton and just seeing his movements on the field and how he plays. Being able to be around an Eric Weddle for a year and just seeing his mental approach to the game. Right now, stuff is slowing down. You can pick little specific things to focus on instead of having such a wide view of the game, you can focus in on more of the little intricacies and little details. So that's where I'm at right now.

Linebacker (59) Micah Kiser of the Los Angeles Rams practices on Day 9 of OTA's, Wednesday, June 5, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)


3. Grateful
Sarina:
What is something you appreciate more now that you're an NFL player?
Micah: I never took this for granted just because I've been fortunate. I've never really had what I would call a real job. I've never had to punch a clock. I never had to be doing a 9:00 to 5:00. I never had to do a job that I didn't love. A lot of people have to sacrifice. I know my parents wished they could be doing [other things]. I know my dad probably wishes he could be an artist if he could. My mom, wishes she could be an event planner, but it doesn't work out that way. And so a lot of people in this world had to make sacrifices and had to do jobs to put their kids in positions that they weren't in. So, I've been very lucky to wake up and I play football for a living, which is awesome, and you make good money doing it. And so I'm just happy to be doing what I'm doing and just working hard. Hopefully I can stay doing it for a long time.

Family and friends of Micah Kiser of the Los Angeles Rams arrive at a reception for Super Bowl LIII, Thursday, January 31, 2019, in Atlanta, GA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)

4. Good Genes

Sarina:
You are an NFL player, but I just realized your brother, Jordan, is a musician.
Micah: He's an aspiring actor, musician, theater. His main thing is musical theater. He's in New York now just trying to do that, but, it's hard to make it right out of college really, so he's working. He's in New York working and then doing acting gigs and acting classes on the side.He's outgoing. He's a real good, real cool dude. He actually loves football too. If acting doesn't work out, I think he'd be a really good sports agent or something like that.

5. Brotherly love
Sarina:
Was that always the situation with the two of you growing up? You were athletic; he was creative?
Micah: He played [football] a little bit. He's always been his own person and kind of just, I don't want to say different, but me and him are completely different. I've always been more of a straight-line, straight--edge kind of guy doing the right thing, playing sports all the time, I guess. And he's always just been his own kid and just full of energy and just different, but he's a real cool dude. Real cool.

6. More than a football player
Sarina:
Are you musically talented?
Micah: I used to play the piano and the trumpet, yeah. I played the piano until I was 14. I played the trumpet until I was 14, so I played for a long time.

7. Play that song
Sarina:
Sunroof open. 70 and sunny. What are you playing?

Micah: I'm very nostalgic with the music that I play.I kind of go back to just growing up traveling and stuff, I was always playing sports. I was always playing lacrosse tournaments, football games or whatever. Me and my dad did a lot of traveling on the road during the tournaments. I'm a really big Prince guy. I love Prince.Prince is probably my all-time favorite musician. And then I love Hootie & the Blowfish.

8. Don't @ me bro
Sarina:
Hot take. Airplane seat rules.
Micah: Yeah. I mean follow me on Twitter because I think I have the best tweets out there. But, yeah, I mean I always put my seat down and that's what it's going to be. Most of my time on the plane, I'm going from California back to Maryland, back to the East coast or whatever. And I'm not sitting straight up for five hours, so I don't know what to tell you.

My airline seat take: I recline as soon as I can. I don’t care. You get what you pay for as far as airline comfort. Concerned with someone reclining back on you? Then buy a seat that prevents it. Tis life. Not about to have by back locked up on a flight because you are “tall.”
— Micah Kiser (@kiser_rollin) February 17, 2020

9. Netflix and Chill
Sarina:
I know you read in the off-season, so what are you reading right now?
Micah: Right now, I've been watching more documentaries and stuff on Netflix just because I've been going at it hard working out, and when I get home I just feel really drained. I've been big on these Oliver Stone documentaries. I've watched World War II in Color. I've watched World War II documentaries, World War I documentaries, Vietnam...all these history documentaries.

Linebacker's (51) Troy Reeder, (59) Micah Kiser, (58) Cory Littleton, (48) Travin Howard, and linebacker coach Joe Barry of the Los Angeles Rams pose at practice, Thursday, December 5, 2019, in Thousand Oaks, CA. (Jeff Lewis/Rams)


10. Dodgeball
Sarina:
Who on the team would you pick first if you had a dodgeball team?
Micah: Obviously, Jared probably has a pretty good arm. I would probably go with [John Johnson] because he has so much energy I feel he will be a hard out. Especially because he just never gets tired for some reason so, I'll probably go with J.J.

 
Last edited:

dang

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I wish him the best but I am prepared for him to be a good rotational ILB on run situations. I am not counting on him being an all around ILB.
 

So Ram

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I wish him the best but I am prepared for him to be a good rotational ILB on run situations. I am not counting on him being an all around ILB.

Either way he will add to the special teams play & strengthen the depth.
 

BonifayRam

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  • #5
Rams have five ILB'er's signed & under contract. With Cory Littleton long gone when TC begins they will have some big shoes to fill. I have no ideal just which of these five will break out of the pack in 2020.

Kenny Young 25-3rd yr. 6-1/234 > 30 NFL gms. 6 starts.
Micah Kiser 25-3rd yr, 5-11/245 > 16 NFL gms. 0 starts.
Troy Reader 25-2nd yr, 6-3/245 > 16 NFL gms. 6 starts.
Travin Howard
23-3rd yr, 6-1/220 >16 NFL gms. 0 starts.
Natrez Patrick 22-2nd yr. 6-3/242> 12 NFL gms. 0 starts

I have no ideal just which of these five will break out of the pack in 2020. Travin Howard played behind Littleton in the WSILB'er role & had 19 tackles in limited action. Howard looked the part as a replacement for Littleton in his cameo appearances playing with the defense. He is certainly fast enough.

Troy Reader in an old-fashioned MLB'er UDFA Reader is a target for QB's in pass defense, but he is very smart & his run stuffing ability was seen often. Reader had 52 tackles with 30 solo's & his hits caused two forced fumbles.

Natrez Patrick was another SEC UDFA player that Snead targeted @ the combine. Much like Reader, NP is another old-fashion MLB'er type who can pressure the QB in passing situations. NP originally started in TC working the ILB'er unit but when the Rams ER's started dropping from injuries he was moved into a new role never played in college to the outside. NP turned in an outstanding preseason showing edge containment in run situations too. IMO ROD members will be making a big mistake in writing off this former UGA player (who was late to grow brain cells along with injury issues in college) NP from starting contention.;)

Kenny Young
who came to the Rams well after the 2019 season began. So this will be Young's first training Camp & preseason with the Rams. Young is our most experienced ILB'er, but that's not saying much.

In Conclusion: I do not see real need for Snead to utilize our 2nd day & early 3rd day draft selections on this ILB'er defensive unit. Adding more youth to this already sizable young unit. Snead's front 5 DL much greater need due to FA'cy DL'er Brockers & Morgan Fox @ the 5 tech post. It would not surprise me if the Rams took two DL'ers in this draft.
 

Akrasian

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I wish him the best but I am prepared for him to be a good rotational ILB on run situations. I am not counting on him being an all around ILB.

I hope they didn't do what they did last year. After being a good ST player but getting zero snaps on the defense, despite ILB being a weakness, they basically handed him a starting job with no real competition. He then was mediocre during training camp and then got injured and missed the whole season, leaving a hole for the team.

Maybe he'll be better (and healthier) this time around. But they need to have real competition, rather than count on somebody who has literally zero defensive snaps in the regular season over two years. If Kiser can win the competition - fantastic. Just don't hand him the job like they tried last year.
 

Juice

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I'd love to keep Littleton. It definitely has been a pleasure watching him play. I hope Kiser can rebound from the injury and make a good run at it.
 

Ram65

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Kenny Young 25-3rd yr. 6-1/234 > 30 NFL gms. 6 starts.
Micah Kiser 25-3rd yr, 5-11/245 > 16 NFL gms. 0 starts.
Troy Reader 25-2nd yr, 6-3/245 > 16 NFL gms. 6 starts.
Travin Howard
23-3rd yr, 6-1/220 >16 NFL gms. 0 starts.
Natrez Patrick 22-2nd yr. 6-3/242> 12 NFL gms. 0 starts


Rams may be able to get enough out of Young and Kiser as starters. Howard comes in on passing downs. Adding one more for competition can't hurt.
 

A.J. Hicks

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Since we are talking linebacker I'd be interested to also talk defensive play caller.

Last year Weddle took the role - no one here would question his football IQ and ability to fulfill that task.

The year before that it was Littleton and he admittedly said he's a quiet guy and had never called a defense before.

With how much teams are in nickel and/or big nickel these days I wonder at what position it is most advantageous to have your play caller.

If you go with a bigger backer he may be pulled off the field on third down.

Could John Johnson be ready to call plays after a season of being on the sideline and learning from Weddle? I would think a guy like Kiser likely has experience doing so in his past. I believe Reeder called the defense in the preseason and was actually pretty adept from what I recall.
 

oldnotdead

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Kenny Young played well in basically the same system in Baltimore. The only real differenced between the hybrid systems is which side the OLB who plays as a DE is on. Phillips designated the rush LB the WIL but more often than not Fowler was on the strong side. Phillips tended to pull the NT to bring in the nickel DB but others pull the MIKE who generally is the primary run defender in the middle.

Like I've said in another post, I expect them not to re-sign Littleton, simply because he isn't scheme versatile enough. He lacked speed, to play anything other than zone coverage limiting their ability to disguise the coverages. Reeder showed he's a decent fit as an early-down MIKE. With Kiser and Young, they have ILBs with safety speed allowing them to play man or zone coverages with the LBs. IMO Phillips's reticence to play younger players led to his firing.

If a QB knows he's going to face zone coverages by the LBs it simplifies his reads and more often than not shortens the time he needs to make a throw. If the coverage scheme can simply make the QB hold the ball for just one extra second the Ram d-line is going to be able to get there.

I think with Kiser, Young and Reeder they have a decent ILB rotation. If Josh Carraway comes back healthy it makes Fox expendable. Josh can rotate between both edges in relief. Also, I expect them to draft an edge rusher to fill out their rotation.
 

BonifayRam

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Yes, Troy Reader did relay the calls from Wade in the first 3 of 4 preseason games. TR had clearly won a position on the 54 player roster before Kiser was injured. TR had a very good TC & preseason as a UDFA rookie. TR will give way to the Nickle CB on passing downs.

If MLB'er TR has put in the effort & worked hard in the off season to be stronger & at the same time lighter......TR will be right in the middle of this battle as the starting MLB'er with Kiser.

I strongly favor Snead's 2018 drafted ILB/SS Travin Howard as the clear leader going into TC for the open Cory Littleton post @ the ILB'er weak side position. TH was a long time proven college play maker wherever they played him. TR was a true tackling machine in college sideline to sideline.

Last yr the Rams played 3 ILB'ers Littleton/ Reader & Howard.