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From the sacked to the sacker: Austin Gearing

By Coburn Gillies, Assistant Sports Editor

An overcast haze shrouds the Ypsilanti air as the sun begins to peek out of the Michigan clouds, the weather wavering between dry and rainy.

On the field, the conditions reflect the season for MU up to this point: indecisive. In the midst of a surprise two-game win streak -- which the 'Hawks would parlay into six consecutive victories -- the RedHawks find themselves up 14-3 on the road against EMU to start off the third quarter.

Eastern Michigan receives the second half kickoff of this week nine matchup, resulting in a touchback.

Redshirt junior quarterback Brogan Roback leads the Eagles out of the huddle to get the second half underway. First-and-10 from Eastern Michigan's 25-yard line, Roback barks out his pre-snap commands to the offense.

Across the line of scrimmage, defense end Austin Gearing waits patiently on the edge for the snap of the ball. The fifth-year senior reacts to Roback's call for hike, uses his speed to get around the outside of the Eagles offensive line and brings the EMU quarterback down to the gray turf.

For Gearing, this was sack number four on the campaign. Reigning terror amongst quarterbacks in the Mid-American Conference is a must for the MAC-best defense's leader, as this was just another day on the job for the Bishop Fenwick alum.

Standing at a daunting 6-foot-5, 257-pounds, Gearing has all the physical gifts to be a successful defensive lineman. From his size to his speed that was once clocked in at 4.81 for a 40-yard dash, everything checks out until one looks at his jersey and sees number 11, a number typically reserved for a quarterback.

Believe it or not, the player who is second -- one spot behind fellow fifth-year senior defensive end J.T Jones -- on the team in sacks (4.0) and ninth in tackles (31) used to ply his trade dropping back and playing quarterback for the Red and White.

As a member of MU's 2012 recruiting class, the Franklin, Ohio native was the only quarterback that signed to play for the 'Hawks. During the recruitment process, the former two-star prospect received offers from Toledo, Kent State and Cincinnati before ultimately signing with the RedHawks.

Gearing, who had played quarterback for nearly his whole life, faced a crossroads in his football career when he suffered a wrist injury his junior year.

"It kept me out that entire season," Gearing said. "I ended up coming back from it, but my hand never felt right, the nerves really weren't the same, so I couldn't really play with the ball like I used to."

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The switch from offense to defense was made easier for the former signal-caller once he realized that he did not need to be a quarterback to be happy; he just wanted to play football.

"I've always thought of myself as being a football player. Even in high school, I just -- I would love to the run the ball, even though I was a quarterback," Gearing said. "I just enjoy playing football, no matter what position it is."

While the love of the game helps make the switch more bearable, it does not make the inevitable hurdles that come with making a position change as drastic as going from avoiding being sacked to doing the sacking any less difficult.

Head coach Chuck Martin played a vital role in the decision for the former quarterback to transition to the other side of the ball.

"When he's coming back off that injury, we just felt like he's built to be a D-end or tight end. I think he could have done either, to be honest. I really think we just kind of looked at the depth chart and we didn't have, really, a whole lot of D-end's, so we said, 'let's try D-end.'"

Gearing's size and the fact that he already had the mental buildup of a defensive lineman gave him an edge.

"We knew he had the mental mind work, because even when he played quarterback he tried to run over everybody. I mean, that's what he did," Martin said. "I just wish we had more time."

The transition has not been easy for the strategic communication major, as he faced many hurdles along the way.

"I experienced a lot of those bumps last season. You know, coming in. Obviously it was my very first season at the position. But, just kind of during the games I experienced how different it is in the physical aspect," Gearing said. "I got to really understand the entire defense."

Martin shared similar sentiments.

"For him, he went from a skill guy playing out in space to now, he's lined up on a guy and there's contact as soon as the ball snaps. So that was the biggest thing for him. We knew physically, he could do it. But just mentally -- just, I'm now attacking tight ends and offensive tackles with my hands," Martin said.

Luckily for the 'Hawks defense and Gearing, it's clear that progress has been made from his first game at defensive end to what could be his last contest playing his new position.

"For just playing defense and D-end for two years, he's really done a remarkable job, really," Martin said.

Gearing used his knowledge of how quarterbacks act and used it in his defensive efforts.

"I kind of understand where the quarterback's trying to go in the pocket and understand that every quarterback has a progression and read when they're dropping back," Gearing said.

Sophomore defensive tackle Nate Trawick has played on the line with Austin for two seasons and can attest to Gearing's transformation as a defensive player.

"Just, the overall growth. Especially from seeing him grow last year, and just come in to. The difference between last year and this year is he's way more confident in his talent," Trawick said. "He's picked up a lot over the last year, just with technique and, just really, he's a workhorse."

After his Miami days are over, since this is Gearing's last season donning the Red and White, it's time for him to look toward the future. As it stands, the defensive end has recently accepted a management position at Cintas, but that hasn't stopped him from exploring the possibility of the NFL.

"After this season, and hearing hopeful comments from a bunch of people, I'm really planning to pursue the NFL," Gearing said. "I'm just going to try and reach my goal that I've had since I was a little kid."

His coach also echoed his faith in Gearing's potential as a football player.

"I think he's got a chance to play on Sunday's. I think he'd be a great special team's player," Martin said.

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