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Broncos' Larsen downplays historic role

Rookie starts on offense, defense - a first for Broncos

By Ray Glier, Special to the Rocky

Published November 16, 2008 at 12:19 p.m.

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Spencer Larsen never let the postgame interviews get too focused on him and his sudden fame. Others kept bringing up history, Larsen kept redirecting toward the current event, the Broncos' 24-20 victory against the Atlanta Falcons.

No wonder Mike Shanahan was able to keep the conspiracy a secret all week. He had the perfect co-conspirator in Larsen.

The 24-year-old rookie from the University of Arizona made history by becoming the first Broncos player to start on both sides of the ball. He lined up at fullback for three snaps but contributed much more on defense by being in on seven tackles as the middle linebacker in the win.

Since 1990, four other players have gone both ways, two of them being the Broncos' Champ Bailey when he was with Washington (Oct. 15, 2000) and Deion Sanders, on multiple occasions, during the 1996 season for Dallas as a receiver and cornerback.

"I appreciated coaches giving me an opportunity, it's a great thing, but it's even better that we won," Larsen said.

The week started with Shanahan calling Larsen into his office and showing him the white board with his name written in as starting middle linebacker. The injury toll at linebacker was forcing the Broncos to retool their defense and they had a remedy in Larsen, a linebacker at Arizona.

He spent his week in the meeting room with the linebackers, but running backs coach Bobby Turner also took Larsen aside to school him on several packages as the fullback.

"I was a little worried how I might feel because fullback, you are mostly full speed and linebacker you have to tempo a lot of stuff," Larsen said.

"The footwork is a lot different, but football is football. I felt real comfortable back at linebacker. It was natural to me. All my life I had been a linebacker, so it came back fast."

Larsen also played special teams.

"For Spencer to play both the fullback position and start at 'Mike' linebacker and kickoff coverage and kickoff return kind of gives you an idea what he's all about," Shanahan said.

Making history is fine, but what made Larsen's day was being part of a fast-flowing linebacker corps that bottled up Falcons running back Michael Turner, who had only 81 rushing yards.

"I am tired. It's more my legs, more than anything," Larsen said. "My cardio was OK. It was fun, but I feel different this week than I did last week. I'll be able to sleep well (Sunday night)."

Comments

  • November 16, 2008

    10 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    deroney writes:

    This game should officially and simultaneously usher out Nate Webster from the starting LB position and begin the tenure of Larsen at MLB.

  • November 17, 2008

    7:55 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Hillandale writes:

    Yep, solid linebacker play against a legitimate rushing offense.... And much less jumping around and chest-thumping - certainly little from Larsen. Acted like he's been there before.

  • November 17, 2008

    8:12 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Rutabaga writes:

    Yea, I don't like chest-thumping so much, unless you like win the Super Bowl. Then I even thump. When the Broncos won the Championship a bunch of years ago, I thumped so hard that I knocked myself over. But it felt good. Like I was in the game. So this is a message for you "chest-thumper" Broncos -- you can thump but only when you do something really great, like win big games. Then all of us will thump too, except my dog Ralph. He doesn't like football much and he can't thump anyway. He doesn't have arms. He's a dog, duh... Thump...Thump... Thump...

  • November 17, 2008

    8:47 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    incognitoboy writes:

    larsen prefers to let all his thumping happen as he impacts the opponent......

    THUMP!

    maybe that should be his nickname? 'thumper' larsen.......nah.

    at the very least, now people might stop spelling his name with an 'o' on these posts!

  • November 17, 2008

    10:47 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    maverick7 writes:

    Plus his helmet doesn't fly off on every play!
    Larsen can bring it, on all three phases of the game.