By: Mike Bires
Beaver County Times
http://www.timesonline.com/sports.html
Thursday December 30, 2010 12:11 AM
PITTSBURGH — On the day the Steelers drafted Maurkice Pouncey, there was no doubt they had secured their next star center. They just weren’t sure he’d be a star this fast.
But as the regular season winds to a close, Pouncey has proven beyond a doubt that he’ll continue a proud lineage that includes Ray Mansfield, Mike Webster, Dermontti Dawson and Jeff Hartings.
Not only has Pouncey started every game this season, he’s playing so well that he’s the Steelers’ first rookie offensive lineman to earn Pro Bowl honors since [Frank Varrichione was selected in] 1955.
“No, I’m not surprised,” quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said of Pouncey’s Pro Bowl selection. “I’ve been telling you guys (in the media) all along he’s one of the best in the game. He’s going to be the best.”
Webster, who died in 2002, played center so well for the Steelers from 1974-1988 that he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1997.
Dawson, who played for the Steelers from 1988-2000, is Hall of Fame worthy and one of 25 semifinalists for induction in the Class of 2011.
Webster (nine) and Dawson (seven) combined for 16 Pro Bowl appearances. But neither of them made it to the NFL all-star game as a rookie.
“Those guys were great linemen,” said Pouncey, a former Florida star who was the 18th overall selection in this year’s NFL Draft. “I’m nowhere near where those guys are. I’m just trying to play up to their level.”
When training camp began on Aug. 1, no one knew exactly when Pouncey would move into the starting role at center. Certainly, the Steelers weren’t satisfied with incumbent Justin Hartwig. But they also weren’t happy with right guard Trai Essex, who was marginal at best last year.
So Pouncey started out in camp playing both positions.
The Steelers drafted center Maurkice Pouncey (53) 18th overall in the 2010 draft.(George Gojkovich/Getty Images)
“I was ready to play wherever they wanted me to play,” said Pouncey, who turned pro after his junior season as a Gator when he won the Rimington Trophy given annually to the best center in college football.
But after just a few practices, coach Mike Tomlin and his offensive assistants realized that Pouncey could handle the duties at center. So why delay the inevitable?
By the third preseason game, Pouncey had supplanted Hartwig as the starter.
Ever since them, he’s gotten better.
“There are stages to it,” Roethlisberger said of Pouncey’s progression. “After Week 1, you can see he was doing it. It was like ‘Wow! This kid is going to be good. But who knows how long he can keep doing it?’
“Then halfway through the year, it was ‘Wow! He’s getting better. I know he can do this, but he’s going to hit the wall at some point.’
“Then in Week 15, it was ‘He hasn’t hit the wall yet. This is amazing. And he’s still getting better.’”
“He’s the real deal,” offensive coordinator Bruce Arians said. “He’s that good.”
As far as that rookie “wall” that Roethlisberger referred to, Pouncey said it’s not hit him yet. Physically, he feels fine as he prepares for his 20th game of the season (four exhibitions included).
“It’s going great. I can’t complain,” said Pouncey, who’s still only 21 years old. “The hardest part was the mental part, just learning new things every week. The easiest part was the physical part. I thought it was going to be a lot harder physically, but it’s not.”
Pouncey, who’s never been to Hawaii before, is one of three Steelers chosen for the Pro Bowl that will be played Jan. 30 in Honolulu. Linebacker James Harrison and strong safety Troy Polamalu are the others.
But Pouncey, who was named Wednesday as the 2010 winner of the Joe Greene Great Performance Award given annually to the Steelers’ top rookie, will gladly give up an expense-paid trip to Hawaii for something better.
“I’ll give up any individual honors for the Super Bowl,” he said.
After all, there figures to be many more Pro Bowl appearances in the future for Pouncey, who’s already the Steelers’ next great center.
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