In doing research for my early looks at the top players in the 2011 class, I noticed that there wasn't a lot of information out there about Round Rock Stony Point linebacker PL Lindley. His father came across the website and was nice enough to link to more information about his son. After viewing his impressive film and hearing about his strong performance at the second Texas summer camp, I decided to request an interview to get more information out there about the talented junior-to-be and PL was kind enough to take the time.
Lindley started every game at linebacker for state semi-finalist Stony Point, an impressive feat for the 6-3, 210-pound sophomore. During that campaign he made 61 tackles, including 43 solo, along with three sacks, three quarterback pressures, and three pass break-ups, good enough for second-team All-District and a spot on the 5A Texas Football All-Sophomore Defense team. His sophomore season was strong enough to earn Lindley an early verbal offer from SMU. Possessing prototypical outside linebacker size and speed, Lindley has been timed in the 4.5s in the 40 and has a 35-inch vertical. Besides looking the part of a collegiate linebacker, Lindley is also a Mack Brown-type of student-athlete, earning a 3.8 GPA and plans to major in Computer Technology.
My conversation with PL Lindley is after the jump.
GoBR: So you started every game last year on varsity as a sophomore. Can you talk about how that transition went for you in terms of adjusting to the speed of the game?
PL Lindley: It was much, much faster than my freshman year. So it was an adjustment, but it came pretty easily.
GoBR: Can you talk about some areas in which you were successful?
PL Lindley: I think I did pretty well just tackling in my first year on varsity. I did well wrapping up and in pass coverage as well.
GoBR: I see that most of your tackles were solo, so I think that does definitely speak to your ability to tackle in the open field. Can you talk about a couple of areas you would like to improve in this year?
PL Lindley: Getting stronger so I can get off blocks against bigger linemen, things like that. Being more aggressive at the point of attack.
GoBR: What was it like going to the state semi finals against Allen? What was it like playing in that big-time, Texas high school football environment?
PL Lindley: It was fun. I felt myself getting more comfortable and playing better and better as the playoffs went along. I think it was a good experience.
GoBR: You mentioned earlier that you want to get stronger. Anything else you want to work on during the off-season?
PL Lindley: Getting faster, working on my footwork. Mostly just get faster and improve my 40 time.
GoBR: Did you make it to the Texas spring game?
PL Lindley: Oh yes, I went.
GoBR: What was that like? Was there anything that you were looking for at the game?
PL Lindley: It was fun. They play extremely hard, really aggressive. I like that.
GoBR: Any specific linebacker you enjoy watching for Texas, anybody at the spring game?
PL Lindley: Kindle, he didn't play, but he’s real good.
GoBR: You were at the Texas camp last week. What went well for you at the camp?
PL Lindley: Working in the one-on-ones, working in coverage. I feel like I tested well, too. I turned in some good times, some good testing scores. There were a lot of good players out there, so I had a good time being out there with everyone else and there was a lot of good competition.
GoBR: Did you go up against tight ends in the one-on-ones mostly or did you work against the running backs as well?
PL Lindley: We did running backs and receivers. We did some three-on-three and some seven-on-seven with the receivers, but we did more one-on-ones with the running backs.
GoBR: Do you remember any of the running backs you went up against?
PL Lindley: Not by name, no.
GoBR: Did you have a chance to talk with the coaches or get any feedback throughout the camp?
PL Lindley: No, the coaches were busy, so I didn’t have a chance to talk with them.
GoBR: Any thoughts on Will Muschamp and his coaching style?
PL Lindley: I like him a lot. He seemed really interested and told me he liked what he saw and asked me to come to some games in the fall and stay in contact with the coaching staff.
GoBR: Any other linebackers or players at the camp who impressed you.
PL Lindley: The guy from Killeen, Devon Hocutt and the kid from Cedar Park, Chet Moss.
GoBR: Hocutt’s a pretty strong kid, right?
PL Lindley: Oh yeah, he’s pretty big.
GoBR: Did you notice how tall he is? Did you have a chance to stand next to him? Some people say he’s 5-11 and others say he is 6-1.
PL Lindley: He’s around six feet tall, not as tall as I am.
GoBR: Any more camps planned this off-season?
PL Lindley: I’m going to Baylor and A&M next month.
GoBR: Your dad told me you were at the Rivals Five-Star Academy the other night. How did that go?
PL Lindley: It went pretty well. It was fun. It was a long day, but it was a lot of fun competing with each other, everything like that.
GoBR: Did you go a lot of similar things as at the Texas camp? What kind of stuff were you doing there?
PL Lindley: The drop-backs in pass coverage, those were similar, but that was it for the similar drills.
GoBR: Do you feel pretty confident about being able to get in your backpedal and come out quickly?
PL Lindley: Oh yeah, I worked hard on that all last year, so I feel pretty comfortable with it.
GoBR: Any other off-season plans? Any other visits besides camps?
PL Lindley: I’m going to SMU in the next month, then just keep on working out and getting faster.
GoBR: Can you talk about recruiting for you right now and which schools have been in contact with you?
PL Lindley: SMU and Texas. I’m interested in going to Texas if I can, that would be a good thing to do. SMU is interested; they made an offer when I went to their camp.
GoBR: So those are the main two that you have been hearing from right now?
PL Lindley: Yeah, for right now.
GoBR: You go up against Stephen Williams a lot in practice and he’s a really fast kid, so what’s it like practicing against him and trying to tackle him in the open field?
PL Lindley: Oh, it’s tough, he is fast and has really quick feet but you really just have to stay in your frame and break down to tackle him. He’s a fast kid, so you have to work on getting to him.
GoBR: Have you caught him in the open field?
PL Lindley: Oh yeah, I’ve caught him numerous times.
GoBR: Pretty impressive. Any thoughts on Jordan Wade, another kid Texas is going to take a look at?
PL Lindley: Oh yeah, he should be real good this year. Last year he was kind of tentative because he hadn’t played much, but this year in the spring he came out and played big. He should be a big part of the line.
GoBR: He put on some weight in the off-season, do you know where he’s at right now?
PL Lindley: He’s about 270.
GoBR: That’s impressive because he played at about 240 last year, right?
PL Lindley: Yeah.
GoBR: I see that you play some basketball and run some track when you’re not playing football. What events are you running in track?
PL Lindley: I run the 200 and the 4x200 relay.
GoBR: What’s your best 200 time?
PL Lindley: I can run it in 23 seconds.
GoBR: How do you think those sports help you be a better football player?
PL Lindley: With track it helps you get faster and I play basketball to make sure that I stay in shape and to keep my body fit all year round.
GoBR: Between basketball and football, was one of those sports your first love?
PL Lindley: When I was younger it was basketball, but then as I got older it became football.
GoBR: Okay, last question. What are your individual and team goals this season?
PL Lindley: Our goal is to make it to state this year, we have the talent to do it, so we just have to make it happen, work hard in practice.
GoBR: What about for you personally?
PL Lindley: I want to be more of an explosive tackler, get some interceptions this year, score a defensive touchdown.
GoBR: I saw you had a couple pass break-ups last year, any that you wish you had intercepted?
PL Lindley: Yeah, two of them I think.
GoBR: PL, it was great being able to talk with you. I see that you have a great GPA, so keep on working hard in the classroom and it looks like you are set up to have a great junior season, so good luck with that and maybe we can catch up after football season and see where recruiting is for you.
PL Lindley: Thank you, sounds good.
P.L. Lindley (Football) (via NCSAsport)