Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, July 27, 1995 TAG: 9507270076
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ED HARDIN LANDMARK NEWS SERVICE
DATELINE: SPARTANBURG, S.C. LENGTH: Medium
The Carolina Panthers' coaches are watching a lot of old movies this week, mostly film of Boston College and Green Bay Packers games.
Most of the Panthers' players are watching the depth chart, which comes out today with starting lineups for Saturday's preseason opener. But Darion Conner and Lamar Lathon, the Panthers' two outside linebackers, couldn't care less about BC and Green Bay or about the updated depth chart.
On Saturday, they'll be watching each other when the Panthers play the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio.
While most of the 90 Panthers in training camp this week are trying to catch the eye of a coach, hoping to land a starting job or any job, Conner and Lathon are becoming a team within the team.
``We work together,'' said Conner, 28. ``All the linebackers work as a unit.''
In the Carolina 3-4 defense, the inside linebackers have to be multifaceted, ready to stop runs in the middle and cover receivers coming out of the backfield. But the outside linebackers are different. Basically, they pin back their ears and blitz.
``We're coming,'' said Lathon, also 28. ``Everybody knows it. It's up to the other team to stop us.''
Some of the Panthers' offensive linemen got a taste this week of what it's like to try to stop Lathon and Conner. In pass-rush drills, the twosome has dominated Carolina's developing linemen.
``They've made us look bad at times,'' said rookie tackle Blake Brockermeyer. ``When you're going against Darion or Lathon you really have your work cut out for you. Those two guys are the best outside linebackers in the league.''
Lathon will rush from the left outside linebacker position, where he will meet the likes of San Francisco's Harris Barton and Washington's Jim Lachey. Conner, the right outside linebacker, will come up against William Roaf of New Orleans and Paul Gruber of Tampa Bay, among others.
Jacksonville had hoped to put rookie Tony Boselli in front of Conner in a matchup many were anticipating. But a knee injury to Boselli has forced the Jaguars to move Bruce Wilkerson, who usually plays on the right side, to left tackle. Rookie Brian DeMarco will play right tackle and face Lathon.
Asked about the matchups, Lathon said he'd rather wait until after the game to discuss them.
``I don't want to say too much,'' the former Oiler said. ``I'm just looking forward to hitting someone other than my teammates.''
Brockermeyer and Derrick Graham, Carolina's starting tackles, feel the same way.
``They'll get a lot of sacks this year,'' Graham said of Lathon and Conner.
Dom Capers, the Panthers' head coach, will not say how long he will play his outside tandem, but it's likely that when one comes out the other will, too.
Since camp began, the two have come and go together. Conner said he hopes to add his and Lathon's names to the recent list of dominant outside linebackers, particularly in the 3-4 schemes around the league.
They've been compared to New Orleans' Rickey Jackson and Pat Swilling and more recently to Pittsburgh's Greg Lloyd and Kevin Greene. Capers coached all those players, but he's not ready to compare his linebackers to the four Pro Bowl players.
``It's two different situations, so it's hard to compare,'' Capers said. ``I like Lamar and Darion's ability a lot. What we've got to do is wait and see how they perform in game conditions. We've got to see how they prepare. There are a lot of things that go into becoming a Pro Bowl football player. [Greene and Lloyd] are Pro Bowl players, which means they were the best in the AFC last year. There's potential there [for Lathon and Conner] to be very good, but potential doesn't necessarily do it.''
But both linebackers are confident they'll make their mark in Saturday's game - together.
``We'll meet at the quarterback,'' Conner said.
While the Panthers have to watch Green Bay films to study Jacksonville defensive coordinator Dick Jauron's system and Boston College films to study head coach Tom Coughlin's offense, the Jaguars will not find any film with both Conner and Lathon.
Conner played for New Orleans in 1994 and for Atlanta the three previous years. Lathon spent five years with Houston.
The two have combined for 38 sacks, 19 last season. They have running bets on who will get the most against Jacksonville.
``This is the beginning of a new era,'' Lathon said. ``There are going to be a lot of records, and both teams will be making history - the first catches, the first sacks ... Hopefully, I can be a part of some of those records.''
The strength of the Carolina team is its linebacking corps. Inside, Sam Mills and Frank Stams will give the team its rock-solid identity. Outside, Lathon and Conner will give the team its personality.
``With both of us coming off the edges,'' Lathon said, ``the sack totals could go sky-high.''
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by CNB