Bringing a Punch to the Nose
September 17, 2003

Like indoor-outdoor carpet, Ashland University defensive lineman Brett Bartlow (West Chester, OH/Lakota East) wears equally well in several different locations.

For the first three years of his AU career, Bartlow was a defensive end. He performed that job well, in 2002 he led the Eagles in sacks (7) and was second in tackles for loss (10.5-46). As a defensive end, Bartlow more than held his own.

During this year’s fall camp, new defensive coordinator Matt Pawlowski handed the senior a different assignment. He was moving inside to nose guard. It took two players to form Army’s legendary Mr. Inside-Mr. Outside. Here was Pawlowski asking Bartlow to be both and on the other side of the ball. The AU assistant coach was requesting that a senior captain move from a high-visibility, stats-grabbing spot to a position deep in the trenches, but far away from the bright lights of stardom.

“First of all, he’s got the athletic ability and size we were looking for,” explained Pawlowski. “We start defensively on the inside and work outside. We thought he was strong and dynamic enough to tie up three players inside. We thought he could hold up in the middle and create problems. Everything we try to do starts with the nose guard.”

“At first I was a little iffy,” admitted Bartlow. “I had never played down inside. He told me it was a new defense and we needed more speed inside. Once he explained how the defense was going to work I was ready to go with it. I was kind of excited.”

As a defensive end, the 6-0, 247-pound Bartlow often had to fight through nagging injuries. For that reason, a move inside seemed like a sure path to the disabled list. But while Bartlow is being asked to tie up players inside, he’s not required to be an immobile punching bag.

“Because of his savvy and athletic ability he can move around blocks and still make plays,” pointed out Pawlowski. “People don’t know where he’s going to slant to. That keeps the offensive line off balance. He isn’t always going to be where he lines up. I told him he’s like a heavyweight prize fighter, jab, jab, move, punch, POW, punch in the nose.”

Bartlow isn’t the only AU lineman who’s giving away pounds and inches. As defensive lines go, the Ashland front isn’t as big as some of the others the Eagles have featured in recent seasons. In the second game of the season against Edinboro, AU was matched against a mammoth Fighting Scots front. Even though the ‘Boro won the game, 12-6, the Eagle front controlled the line, allowing one touchdown and two field goals. Edinboro had 88 yards passing. AU had four sacks and 10 tackles for loss. Bartlow batted down a pair of passes in that game and last week at Northwood, he had two fumble recoveries.

“We may be the smallest line in the conference,” conceded Bartlow. “I believe we’re playing well. One of the elements of our success is the element of surprise. Coach Pawlowski’s taught a new game. We seem to have a defense for any front. We don’t make the calls until right before the snap. This allows us to get the perfect people in for the perfect formation. That gives the defense an advantage. Instead of the offense reading the defense, it’s the defense reading the offense.”

Through the early part of the season, everyone on the defense seems to be reading off the same page. That’s created a feeling of confidence.

“It’s gone real well,” said Bartlow, who’s been nominated for a National Football Foundation/College Football Hall of Fame postgraduate scholarship. “The linebackers, the line, the secondary, everyone’s doing their own thing and it pretty much molds together.

“He’s been fantastic,” praised Pawlowski. “He and Kyle Zelakny (freshman nose guard) give us a dynamic one-two punch inside. Their play has helped our linebackers play. They’ve been able to tie up the center and two guards and create confusion.”

That’s something a lot of fans don’t see. A lot of his hard work goes undetected by a large faction of the viewing public. That doesn’t bother Bartlow a bit.

“I like it a lot,” continued Bartlow, when asked about being on the nose. “I have my own responsibilities. If I don’t do it, plays can be broken. It starts from the ground up, with the nose.”