Eric D. Williams 9y

Corey Liuget returns to Miami, focused on satisfying immense potential

SAN DIEGO -- As part of his evolution as a man, Corey Liuget travelled with girlfriend Faven to Ethiopia, Dubai, Costa Rica and the Bahamas during the offseason in an effort to experience new things.

“It was an awesome trip,” Liuget. “All of those places have different cultures, different meanings and the people are great. I never dreamed I would be able to do those things growing up as a kid. And now that I have the finances to do it, why not take the time to do it before my career is over?”

 After travelling the globe during the offseason, Liuget returns to his hometown of Miami for a second straight year to face the Dolphins in a continuation of his evolution as a player.

Last year against the Dolphins, Liuget said he did not meet his lofty expectations as a game-changer on the field. A costly personal foul penalty for roughing the passer on a late hit against Ryan Tannehill in the second quarter negated a fumble recovery for the Chargers, extending a Miami drive near the goal line. The play allowed the Dolphins to score a touchdown in a 20-16 win over the Chargers.

“In my head I felt like I cost us that game in Miami,” Liuget said. “So I’m just looking forward to going back and playing these guys, and coming out victorious this time.”

Liuget seeks redemption for that play when his team travels east to face the Dolphins on Sunday. Liuget said he had more than 80 family and friends in attendance at Sun Life Stadium last year. But that number will shrink to 25 this weekend, as he attempts to limit distractions so he can focus on the game.

Selected No. 18 overall in the 2011 draft out of Illinois, Liuget has missed just one game in four seasons. He suffered a torn labrum in his shoulder early in 2013 that required offseason surgery, but played with the injury the entire year.

Liuget’s 16 sacks since 2011 is the most by a San Diego player over that time frame, and one of the reasons the Chargers picked up the fifth-year option of his rookie contract at a nearly $7 million price tag for 2015.

Liuget’s 164 total tackles since 2011 is among the top 10 for interior defensive linemen. He earned AFC defensive-player-of-the-week honors for his effort in a 22-10 win over Buffalo. Liuget finished with six tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and four quarterback hits.

Still, the 24-year-old believes he can play more consistent and make more impact plays on a weekly basis.

“I feel I can do some things better,” Liuget said. “I need to definitely work on a little more technique in getting off of blocks and getting to the quarterback more.”

And the game-changing plays?

“I had a couple of opportunities to make them,” he said. “I missed a couple, but I made some too. But I want to make more now. It’s time to start making more.”

Chargers defensive line coach Don Johnson believes Liuget doesn’t receive enough notoriety for being one of the top interior defensive linemen in the league. Johnson compares Liuget to some of the best athletes every to play defensive tackle, including Warren Sapp, Bryant Young and Tommie Harris.

“He’s a pretty unique individual in terms of his skill set,” Johnson said. “Corey is Corey. He’s a big body that can run fast. For me, what we require of our defensive linemen is to be productive and disruptive. And I think he’s both. If you go back to 2012, I think his production is comparable to some of the upper echelon in the league.”

For evidence of Liuget’s unique athleticism you only have to look back to his high school tape. At 6-3 and 220 pounds, Liuget was a mobile, strong-armed quarterback at Hialeah High School in Miami. He ran a 4.6, 40-yard dash and was recruited by some colleges as a tight end. One of Liuget’s favorite players growing up was future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre.

It’s the type of athleticism even guys at the top of their game like Dwight Freeney marvel at.

“He’s a rare find as far as his size and speed,” Freeney said. “You don’t see guys that big that are that fast.”

But in order to be in the same conversation as the elite interior defensive linemen in the NFL like J.J. Watt and Ndamukong Suh, Liuget has to consistently play at that level every week.

“The expectations are high for him,” Johnson said. “But he’s really working hard to achieve the goals we’ve set for him.”

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