PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – They are a pair of guys, one from Hawaii who played at Wisconsin and the other from Georgia, who played at Georgia, who started as roommates and competing to make each other better.
It was first noticed on a Sunday afternoon at St. Vincent College when linebacker Nick Herbig finished a rep against Spencer Anderson and called for an opportunity against first-round pick, left tackle Broderick Jones. Herbig not only called him out, but beat him as he forced Jones to hold him. Jones would win the next rep. They would get a rematch later during the offensive linemen vs defensive lineman/outside linebackers drill. They would split again.
They welcome these opportunities to improve.
"I love going against Nick because he's my roommate (at camp)," Jones said. "We sit down at the end of the night and watch our little clips if we go against each other. We always talk smack to each other. It's a good rivalry."
"I love him to death. I love the way he plays. He plays with passion, every time I go up against him it's a good battle."
Herbig has opened eyes this preseason. He had a sack in every game, 3.5 in total, is creating pressure and performing on special teams.
"We've seen steady improvement," said defensive coordinator Teryl Austin of Herbig. "Came in and did really good, played solid defense and made some splash plays."
Austin told 93.7 The Fan he believes that speed is going to translate in the regular season. He will get opportunities he earns behind TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith. If it does, it will give the Steelers four good pass rushers. Veteran Markus Golden, who had a solid camp, says Herbig plays with a dawg mentality and is always trying to improve.
Golden is not only helping Herbig, but he too is helping Jones. Not by being overly friendly, but by just going at him 100% and trying to beat him every play. Jones says that helped him during the preseason.
"I feel like he's prepared me a lot since the beginning of camp," Jones said. "It's always a good matchup between us, I love to be able to go up against a vet like that. I'm going to give him work. He's going to give me work. At the end of the day, we are trying to get better."
Offensive coordinator Matt Canada said Jones has played pretty well, but does have some things to work on. Dan Moore has played almost all of the first team reps, although Jones did get some work on the left with Moore on the right.
"We are trying to speed up that clock as fast as we can within the framework of not being silly," Canada said. "We wanted to give him a lot of reps."
"Control the controllables, that was the main focus," Jones said of the advice from the coaching staff. "You may mess up one play. Things may not go your way. It's always, continue on to the next play. Continue to be better."
The competition is not officially over for Jones to be a starter, although no signs Moore is going to let up. It would also be a late change after three preseason games of the first-team line working together to switch it now. It doesn't mean Jones won't get that opportunity this season.
It's about continuing to push, Jones will do that with help from veterans on the offense, but also from that Wisconsin linebacker. It's producing positive results for both and for the team even if neither is a starter.
