Becoming a player Pickett makes strides in his second season

MACOMB, Ill. -- Every play Ryan Pickett is on the field, he hears the words: "Come on Grease!"

The St. Louis Rams' second-year defensive tackle with the distinctive nickname can't escape the scrutiny of line coach Bill Kollar. And it's working.

Pickett, one of the team's three first-round picks last year, has become a player.

"Grease has made just unbelievable strides," Kollar said. "When he came in he was really the second-worst player I'd ever seen conditioning-wise, and it looked like he had no chance that he'd ever be a player, and the guy's just made tremendous strides."

After leaving Ohio State a year early, he arrived in the NFL as a pudgy project. Kollar adopted him, taking on the task of molding and always riding.

His first training camp, Pickett heard Kollar in his sleep. Kollar is still yelling at him virtually every play, but nowadays it's mostly positive reinforcement.

"Oh man, there's not a play out there that he doesn't call my name," Pickett said. "But it's good. He stays on me and he'll never let me slack, and that's what I love.

"I've never had that type of coach that's on you all the time, and he's on me, and it's paid off because it's making me better."

Pickett admits he reported out of shape last year. After starring at Ohio State, he came in figuring to slide into the pros.

"Everything is so much different than college, and I didn't know what to expect," Pickett said. "This year, I know what to expect."

Kollar said rookie troubles are to be expected.

"You'll see a bunch of linemen that struggle their first year and then you have an offseason of lifting around the guys and you're still working your techniques, and then you feel a lot more familiar," Kollar said. "Then you get a little more confidence, and he's a lot stronger than last year."

To Pickett, the biggest difference between college and the pros is the tactics players will use to make a play. Kollar has been teaching him to increase his effectiveness by using his hands.

"They've got dirty tricks and all kinds of things," Pickett said. "There's just so much that you never thought about, that I never thought about, that they can do and will do. The year of experience just helps me see it, and Im just getting used to it."

Fellow tackle Jeff Zgonina, who's in his 10th season, also is helping, even though he's battling Pickett for a starting spot.

"Every step of the way he's telling me the little things that matter," Pickett said. "I appreciate him, because he doesn't have to do that."

Plus, he's in much better shape. Pickett stayed in St. Louis throughout the offseason and is proud to say he made 100 percent of the team's conditioning program. He put on a few pounds, but it's all muscle.

"I just focused on getting in shape, getting stronger and working on technique," he said.

The transformation included junking most of the junk food that had been his staple.

"I cleaned it up, somewhat," he said. "Some days I kind of go back and treat myself, every now and then. But I've got a pretty healthy diet."

Even the more svelte version of Pickett has had a few problems with the heat. He left practice early on Thursday.

But he's worked so hard and made so much progress that even Kollar couldn't be angry. As Pickett left the field, Kollar barked out "Grease!" Then added, lightly, "See you later."

"I've been on that guy as hard as I ever have on anybody," Kollar said. "But you love it when he ends up whipping people's butts."