Saffold Honored to Wear Pace's #76

Link from BND.com


BY STEVE KORTE - News-Democrat

ST. LOUIS -- Rookie offensive lineman Rodger Saffold tried calling Orlando Pace to get his blessing before donning No. 76 for the St. Louis Rams.
"Just out of respect," Saffold said. "He's still doing his thing, so I wanted to make sure he didn't mind going ahead and using his jersey."
Saffold left a voice mail message for Pace, and he plans on trying to call him two or three more times.
Saffold, the Rams' second-round pick in the 2010 NFL draft, grew up idolizing Pace, a seven-time Pro Bowl selection for the Rams.
Saffold comes from Bedford, Ohio. Pace comes from Sandusky, Ohio, and played for Ohio State.
"I've been 76 since I was in the seventh grade," Saffold said. "It was definitely important to me to try to ask the person I have been wearing it for."
Meeting Pace at Dave and Buster's Restaurant near Rams Park in Earth City, Mo., was one of Saffold's best childhood memories.
"I was probably 11 or 12," Saffold said. "I got him to sign my jersey."
Saffold, whose family was on a cross-country vacation trip, was wearing a No. 76 Pace jersey at the time.
"He was real nice," Saffold said. "When you're wearing a lineman's number, you're probably going to get noticed."
Pace is considering retirement after the Chicago Bears released him in March, while Saffold's career is just starting.
The Rams plan on working Saffold at both right tackle and left tackle as well as guard to see where he best fits in.
"I've said this before:We like our linemen to be versatile," Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo said. "That's one good thing about this guy right now."
The 6-foot-5, 316-pound Saffold started 41 consecutive games at the University of Indiana. He was a member of an offensive line that allowed only 17 sacks last season.
Saffold allowed only three sacks -- none in the team's first nine games -- and one quarterback pressure on 440 pass plays last season.
Saffold played mostly left tackle for the Hoosiers, but he was tutored on playing guard by former Rams guard Tom Nutten at IMG Academies in Brandenton Fla., before the NFL Combine.
"He usually comes down and tries to help out the offensive lineman because he likes to work with us," Saffold said. "I wanted to learn more about guard, so of course I had many questions, especially since he was a guard right next to Orlando Pace.
"He knows what to expect from a guard as well as a tackle. The drills that we did were basically the smaller things, just trying to make sure all the steps were in the right place because the difference between tackle and guard can be a shortness of an inch or two by step and you have got to have that muscle memory in order to put yourself in the best position to make the block."
Saffold left practice briefly with a sprained right shoulder Saturday morning, but he was able to fully participate in the team's afternoon practice.
Like all the rookies at the Rams' minicamp, Saffold is getting his feet wet this weekend.
And, putting on the Rams' No. 76 jersey for the first time was a special moment that Saffold said he'll never forget.
"It just felt really good," Saffold said. "It felt exciting to come out there and wear his jersey and be able to stand out on that field with (Offensive line) Coach (Steve) Loney pushing us.
"Even when you make mistakes, you have to excited because I'm learning something new. That's the whole point of this process."
Since he's only minutes away, Saffold also may revisit the Dave and Buster's Restaurant where he first met Pace.
"I might go back and look around and say, 'This is the table right here,'" Saffold said.