INDIANAPOLIS -- David Parry has been in this position before. They said he was too small to play at a legitimate NCAA Division football program. The two biggest colleges in his home state -- Iowa and Iowa State -- didn't offer him a scholarship. He was relegated to schools in the Football Championship Subdivision -- like Illinois State -- offering him a scholarship. Parry walked on at Stanford where he started 23 of the 40 games he appeared in.
Now here he stands -- all 6-foot-2 of him -- as the Indianapolis Colts' starting nose tackle after the team released Josh Chapman, who started 15 games at the position last season, over the weekend. The Colts thought enough of Parry that they moved up in this year's draft to select him in the fifth round.
"People haven't thought highly of me my whole career," Parry said. "But that's prepared me to this point. That's why I play with a chip on my shoulder. People sleep on me because of my size and stature. I'm out to prove them wrong."
Parry doesn't consider his size as a detriment. He likes to flip it around and use to his advantage against taller offensive linemen.
"My pad level is naturally lower than everybody else," he said. "I use that to my advantage, getting leverage and getting under dudes."
Parry has heard the stories about the Colts' problems when it comes to stopping the run (18th in the NFL last season). It starts with the nose tackle if the Colts plan to be better against the run this season. That player has to command double teams so that it opens up holes for the other defensive linemen and linebackers to pursue the ball carrier.
"I think that's the focal position throughout your whole defense when you play a 3-4. It's all based upon that guy," Colts defensive coordinator Greg Manusky said. "For him to be a stout player, when I was in San Diego we had Jamal Williams. I mean a big stout player, and we knew exactly where he was going to be. He beat double-teams, he beat reach blocks, he was just an athletic guy and that's what you want. You want a guy that will control that inside and leverage from a leverage standpoint."
Parry knows it takes all 11 players on the field to play solid defense. But at the same time, though, he's ready to accept the challenge of having an impact up front.
"I need to make sure I hold the point every single play," Parry said. "If I give up yards, the whole defense is giving up yards. Taking those double teams on, I need to hunker down and be ready."
