Stevens looks to make more big plays in ‘08

Last season, Craig Stevens did everything his coaches told him to do on the field.

Stevens, Auburn’s starting strongside linebacker, was always in the right place. He practically never missed an assignment or a tackle. His grasp of the defense was so letter-perfect, linebackers coach James Willis dubbed him “Mr. Right.”

But it wasn’t enough. Stevens was always steady, but he was rarely spectacular. He finished his redshirt freshman season with 35 tackles — the 12th-best total on the team — but didn’t do much else.

No tackles for loss. One quarterback pressure. One pass breakup. One forced fumble.

Stevens wasn’t satisfied. Neither was Willis, who looked at Steven’s physical gifts — he’s a 6-foot-3, 221-pounder who runs well, hits hard and can play middle linebacker as well as either outside position — and saw a star in the making.

“He’s a unique individual,” Willis said. “He can play all three positions — he’s long, he’s rangy, he’s physical.

“He can be an outside rusher. He can be a (pass coverage) guy. I think he has a bright future.”

So Willis challenged Stevens to make more plays this year, his second as a starter.

“Our challenge to Craig was doing something special,” Willis said. “Making a special play — that tremendous play.”

Now a sophomore, Stevens is determined to do just that. Improving his play-making abilities has been his main focus this preseason.

“That’s all it comes down to: just trying to make more plays,” he said.

Of course, that’s easier said than done. Takeaways and tackles for loss don’t just come to the player who tries the hardest, after all.

But extra effort doesn’t hurt, as Stevens is finding out.

“It means doing extra stuff,” he said. “It’s not just making the tackle, but making the tackle and causing a fumble — the little extra stuff. I’m just trying to do a little more this year.”

So far, Willis likes the results. Stevens still has to prove he can be a playmaker in games, but he’s shown flashes of that ability in practice.

“I think he’s done some of those things in camp,” Willis said. “He’s definitely improving in that area.”

He hasn’t stopped being Mr. Right. But now, more than ever, he’s able to make things go wrong for opposing offenses.

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