TCU linebacker Namdi Obiazor making the most of position change

Replacing NFL talent is always difficult especially a player like Dee Winters.

Winters played a crucial role in TCU’s defense last season with his ability to get after the passer and his speed in pursuing the ball sideline-to-sideline.

Now he’s in the NFL, leaving the Horned Frogs with the task of finding someone to slide into his spot. That’s where Namdi Obiazor comes in.

A converted safety, Obiazor made a position switch in the spring and the transition has been smooth as Obiazor looks poised to man one of the three starting linebacker positions.

“It’s been great,” Defensive coordinator Joe Gillespie said. “Some of the things we did with Namdi last year, we had him playing that middle safety which we call the nickel. We would put him in some of those similar situations so it wasn’t foreign to him.”

Obiazor had never played linebacker before and the idea of him switching position actually started off as a playful joke.

“At first they were just joking around because I was a bigger safety,” Obiazor said Friday. “At first I was kind of shook, but at the end of the day it was the best thing for me and for the team so I tried to take it and run with it.”

Obiazor has had a strong three days of practice for TCU at his new position. During one 7-on-7 period, Obiazor almost picked off an errant throw.

On Friday the Horned Frogs went full pads and Obiazor remained effective. During the 11-on-11 portion of practice Obiazor had a number of tackles near the line of scrimmage and continues to look more comfortable at his new position despite adding on weight.

“We knew from his size and his skillset, that’s really where he’s going to flourish,” Gillespie said. “We obviously did that because there was a big void to fill with losing a Dee Winters. That’s a hard player to replace. It felt like Namdi was going to take a hold of this and he has. He looks a lot better, he’s up to 225 pounds now and he’s still running and moving like he was.”

Along with adding weight, another key objective for Obiazor was enhancing his understanding of the position. To accomplish that Obiazor just turned on the film from last season.

“I’ve been watching a lot of Dee’s tape just so I can see how it is,” Obiazor said. “(Gillespie) kind of gives me free range to play things how I want to because coming from DB (defensive back) I’m athletic, I don’t have to be as tight to the box to reach No. 2 or drop into pass coverage.

“Just being athletic will help me. Like with the pass rush I can beat you with speed instead of power, I can be a different type of linebacker.”

Obiazor had 49 tackles last year and started two of the 15 games he played in. He had seven tackles in both the dramatic comebacks against Kansas State and Oklahoma State, showing his value to the team when his number was called upon.

It was that experience that showed the staff Obiazor could handle a bigger load and different position.

“It’s more physical, but last year I would walk down and be in the same spots that I’m playing right now,” Obiazor said. “I’m just there more often now.”

Obiazor has handled the change just fine and gives TCU another intriguing weapon on defense.