Erik Lorig is entering his final year at Stanford. He started his football career as a backup tight end and special teams player as a redshirt freshman. He then moved over to defense and has played defensive end the last two years. He enters the 2009 campaign with 82 career tackles, 3.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for losses.
At 6-4 and 265-pounds Lorig will be asked to put a lot of pressure on the opposing quarterbacks this year. I caught up with Lorig for a few minutes at the fan-fest event this past Saturday.
Q: how are things going?
Good, we have finals coming up. This is the fourth time around so there are no surprises. After spring ball we have had a lot of time to train, in the weight room and on the field, and build a lot of team unity, and just really focus.
Q: How do you balance time between being a Stanford student and athlete?
It is just a matter of time management. There is not as much lay around time. There is some leisure time. A lot of the other times you need to be aware of what you need to be working for your stuff just to stay afloat and do well. The quarter system is pretty fast so you tend to think about it a lot and that keeps you with the class and with the professor.
Q; You have been here awhile, how long did it take to get used to the dual life?
I think it took the first year. By the third quarter of the first year I was normalized and ready to go.
Q: what happens this summer?
We are around. Some of us have some internships and some jobs. We are training a lot of hours during the week. We are training in the weight room four times a week. We are running three times a week. It is pretty serious.
Q: Is it team activity? Or is it by position? Or just with Friends?
It is more team activity. We try to get together, it is all voluntary, we try to have 100% attendance that is our goal. Then we get out on the field sometimes and run team practices just to try and perfect everything.
Q: What are you working on for your own game?
It is a huge year. I am working on pass rush. I am really working on technique. A lot of pass rush technique. I am really focusing on a lot of explosion off the ball. For any D lineman you have to work to get off the line of scrimmage and really focusing on harnessing and coming sharply down on technique.
Q: How much is physical practice and how much is film and talking to coaches other players?
A lot of it is on the field practice but it is important to get into the film room and watch film. I watch film of professional players. you watch film of last year of what you were doing wrong, trying to find exactly what it was, try to find what you were doing right, but the majority of it is on the field, working against an offensive tackle or even another defensive lineman
Q: who is your favorite pro that you try to pattern yourself after?
Recently I have been trying to watch Chris Long when I can. We have similar bodies so I really try to focus on him when he was in college. Otherwise it is LaMarr Woodley from the Steelers. He has a similar body so I try to focus on him.
Q: What are the expectations coming into the year?
We are looking for a lot of wins. Many more wins than losses. I think it is going to be a big year. I have been here for five years. Finally everything has been cycled and worked on. I think it is that time. I think it is the “umph” year.
Q: What do you think of Coach Harbaugh?
He is awesome. Coach Harbaugh IS football. When you want to be around football, you want to be the best at football. You want to be with someone who is football and he certainly is football. It is great to be on the team with him.
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