Falcons sixth round selection C Doug Datish was a very versatile offensive lineman during his college career at Ohio State. He played at all five offensive line positions and started significant amounts of games at three of those spots. In 2006, he took over at center when Nick Mangold went to the NFL. He provided stellar pass protection in the pivot, helping quarterback Troy Smith win the Heisman Trophy. Despite his third move in three years, he did not allow any quarterback sacks or pressures last year. For his work, he was selected to first team All-Big Ten Conference honors.
For his career, Datish started 35 of 41 games, starting 14 times at center, at left tackle in 12 games and at left guard in nine others.
AF.com talked with Datish about his transition to the NFL, his versatility on the offensive line and his leadership skills.
Q: How has the transition to the NFL been for you?
Datish: It has been pretty good and as smooth as it could be so far. When we came to minicamp, all of this stuff was thrust upon us. Every single piece of information we got we were expected the next day to go out and run it perfectly. The coaches were all over us if we didn't do it perfectly. That was a realization that there wasn't a grace period or a lot of room for error. The coaching staff does not want errors -- there is no excuse because this is your job. In college, you had to go to school, take tests and do all of that stuff. Here in the NFL, your job is football, so you respect that.
Q: How much time do you put in with the playbook after you get out of the locker room?
Datish: We have Falcons University in the afternoons (after workouts). I don't necessarily look at the playbook because I think I have whatever we have in right now pretty much down. I try to draw plays on the play sheets the coaching staff gives us and I try to think of every way the defense could line up. Then I draw in how we are going to block them and what the call is. It's just a little test that I have been doing for years and seems to work for me.
Q: What kind of adjustments do you have to make to the speed and size of the NFL game?
Datish: I am still adjusting to the new techniques taught by (offensive line) Coach Summers. It is a complete departure from what I learned in college at Ohio State. When you play against these big guys, you know that it is a leverage game and the low man usually wins. It's all about hand placement and leverage points. It's just what you have to think about.
Q: What part of the leadership skills you showed at Ohio State can you bring to the Falcons?
Datish: Leadership is a thing that you don't lose, necessarily. We read a book last year at Ohio State called, "The 360 Degree Leader." -- leading from the top, leading from the middle and leading from behind. It says that everyone can be a leader, no matter what. When I am out on the field, I am the leader of the offensive line, regardless of age. Just because I am rookie doesn't mean I am not telling everybody what to do. I have to show my leadership skills through that and I think I learned a lot about that through Ohio State.
Q: Is there any player on the Falcons who has helped you in acclimating yourself to the NFL?
Datish: Everyone is cool. It's a cutthroat business, but everyone is working toward the same goal right now and are on the same page of learning. The person who has helped me the most is Todd McClure, because he has been here for a long time. He has a little more time with the new offense, but we go back and forth with things because there are things that are confusing to both of us.
Q: What is like to block for the running backs behind you and open holes for them?
Datish: It's amazing to me personally. I remember watching Warrick Dunn growing up and now I am going to be able to block for him. It's an incredible honor. I hope we can do the right things so they can show their talents.
Q: You played on all five offensive line positions in college. How does that help you here?
Datish: From playing all of the positions, they are not that dissimilar. Every position has the same basic things with it. Each position asks you to get out of your comfort zone. Since I have already done those types of things at other positions, I am not technically out of my comfort zone.
Q: What are the similarities and differences in the strength and conditioning programs between college and the NFL?
Datish: They are very similar. We did a little more machine work at Ohio State. We hand clean, instead of power clean from the floor. Everything here is from the floor, which is a little bit different than what it was at Ohio State, but it's still the same basic movements. At Ohio State, they had more control over you -- it was their way or the highway. Here, they give you an option -- if something hurts, they are not going to make you do something that makes it hurt more.
Q: What does the information that is provided from Falcons University help you with off the field?
Datish: It is something that you will appreciate in the long run. A lot of stuff we talk about are things you here over and over again -- but you need to hear them because it doesn't sink in. There are some things you hear that are "wow" things -- that make you realize what is going on. It's good and I think a lot of guys need to hear it. At Ohio State, we did a lot of the same stuff -- we did a lot of those types of programs. People would come in and speak to us about what is going on even before preparing for the NFL. If you look at the stats, a lot of NFL players get taken advantage of and that's based on not knowing any better. I think that an NFL team, as your employer with the dangers out there, is accountable to take care of their players. We are fortunate to be in a great organization that does that for their players.
