PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – As Steelers defensive captain Cam Heyward has a on his plate normally. Then there is adding a new linebacker. Helping him get up to speed with just a pair of preseason games to play and expecting him to call the plays.
“Good,” Heyward said of how Joe Schobert was fitting in. “I think it’s a process though. We understand that he’s still taking in information and spilling it on to all of us. Some of that is just us communicating back. He will get more and more comfortable as we get going.”
Heyward said it was helpful on Thursday to practice with crowd noise. It was a good test of how they will communicate in loud environments. Remember they actually face more noise on defense at home.
The 11-year veteran said having Schobert call plays hasn’t been an issue for Devin Bush. They are not dismissing what Bush can do by coaches wanting the new guy to relay plays.
“Devin is still very much still involved,” Heyward said. “The best thing we can do is train both of them to have the green dot. I think they were taking periods (Thursday at practice) where they both had the dot.”
Less we forget Bush has only played a year and a half due to the ACL tear that shortened last season. While Bush played more games as a Steeler than Schobert, the former Browns star has three and a half years of experience and a Pro Bowl over Bush.
“Understanding the game a lot more,” Heyward said of what Bush is working on. “It’s easy to understand your position. It’s better when you know all positions.”
Bush is also learning how to act off the field. It’s a lesson Heyward had to learn saying he watched his veteran teammates and how they prepared for games. How they handled off the field. How they stayed out of trouble.
“I just want to be there to provide information for him,” Heyward said. “He can be a knucklehead at times, on the field, off the field. He’s just young. It’s going to come with time. It’s my job to make him mature. Make sure he becomes a leader of this defense one day.”
Heyward and Bush haven’t always been on the same page. They do have a family connection, but what might best define their relationship right now is being on opposite sides of the best rivalry in college football.
“Our dads played together, but the only thing special about our relationship I never lost to Michigan and he always lost to Ohio State,” Heyward said.