Giants linebacker Darius Muasau ready for starting role
Giants linebacker Darius Muasau speaks with the media during training camp on Aug. 4 in East Rutherford, N.J. Credit: Ed Murray
The Giants' Darius Muasau wasn’t worried when he was thrust into an unexpected role last Sunday. The second-year linebacker is almost used to it by now.
Against the Commanders, Muasau stepped in when Micah McFadden left with a foot injury. Last season, Muasau started the last five games after Bobby Okereke suffered a season-ending injury.
Deja vu? Perhaps. Except this time, Muasau felt even more comfortable being thrown into the fire.
“It helped me out a lot,” he said about his seven total starts as a rookie. “Just not being able to be nervous once I got on the field. Don't have any of the butterflies. Get the jitters out. Right when I stepped on the field, I was confident in myself, my team and my defense that, you know, we could go out and execute.”
With McFadden on injured reserve, Muasau again could be in line to start for a while, beginning Sunday at Dallas. The Giants also could explore other options, including using rookie Abdul Carter as an off-ball linebacker.
Coach Brian Daboll and defensive coordinator Shane Bowen have been high on Muasau’s readiness and skill set since last year. That trust will get tested this weekend, though. When Muasau filled in last year, the Giants had nothing to play for.
Bowen reminded reporters, however, that Muasau also started the Giants’ season opener and played well with six tackles and an interception.
“I’ve got a lot of confidence in Moose,” Bowen said. “I thought he progressed, I thought he improved throughout the season. I thought he developed throughout the season. And again, out here at training camp, practice, everything else, encouraged by him, encouraged by this opportunity for him to go out there and take advantage of it.”
Muasau also doesn't lack confidence. His faith helps him stay positive about what he brings to the field. Before every game, he reads a Bible Scripture that his father, Mathew, texts in the morning.
He also has a pregame phone call with his parents. Whether or not this week’s Scripture relates to his new task, Muasau says the routine keeps him grounded and confident.
“That keeps me calm and level-headed when I go out there,” he said. “Just go out and know I have my family support. I know I have my faith in me. Just feels like I’m supported with every move that I go through.”
He could be in line for a different role this time as McFadden will miss at least the next four games. In those final five starts last season, Muasau played both linebacker spots, and in the final two games, he also wore the green dot, meaning he relayed play calls from Bowen to the rest of the defense.
Starting Sunday, Muasau could line up next to Okereke, as he did against the Commanders. Muasau doesn't think it would be a problem and neither did Okereke, who was impressed with the way Muasau handled himself last season.
Okereke added that the Giants prepare their linebackers well by training them to play multiple spots on the field. With Muasau being a mature, intelligent player who has a nose for the ball, he thinks they’ll complement each other without much issue.
”There were times, whether in practice or games, he’s playing the Will [inside linebacker] and I play the Mike [middle linebacker], or Micah is playing the Mike and he’s playing the Will,” Okereke said. “We all cross-train in that room. It’s that next-man-up mentality and we have a great rapport.”
Muasau added that as an instinctive player, he meshes well with Okereke, who is the same way.
“I like to go out there and just have fun flying around, finding the ball, putting my nose on the ball,” Muasau said. “That's really what I love doing, just going out and just flying around complementing Bobby O's play.
“Just being there to back him up in both the passing game and the run game, and just being able to feed off of each other's energy is what I'm trying to bring to the table.''
It didn’t start off well for Muasau last week as he was beaten for a touchdown by Zach Ertz on his second snap. His belief didn’t waver after that play, but the Giants will need more from him and this defense, especially with McFadden expected to miss a significant portion of the season.
That’s part of learning by fire. It’ll either forge you into something stronger or it’ll overwhelm you. You may get burned, but you have to adjust and stay disciplined.
It’s a trust that Muasau has based on what he learned last season. Now it’ll fuel him to step up after he’s unexpectedly been thrust into another new role.
“I have 100% confidence in myself, in this team and this defense, that we can go out and execute,'' he said, "and we can be as good as we want to be.”
Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
