Bucs Camp: DL Da'Quan Bowers Vows to Make the Best Of His Ability By Rick Brown THE LEDGERAugust 3, 2014 at 11:44 p.m.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Da'Quan Bowers (91) prepares to run drills during practice on the second day of training camp at One Buc Place in Tampa.MICHAEL WILSON | THE LEDGERTAMPA Tampa Bay defensive lineman Da'Quan Bowers knows it's time for him to perform like he is capable of performing. It's not about proving wrong those who call him a bust. It's not the fact of performing well in the final year of his rookie contract. For Bowers, it is personal."I'm at a point in my career where it's time to make plays," said the 6-foot-4, 288-pound former second-round pick from Clemson in 2011. "It's time to shine. I've been mediocre my whole life here. It's time for me to take that spotlight and just play to the best of my ability and stop selling myself short and this organization short."Some of it has not been Bowers' fault, as the defensive lineman has dealt with injuries in two of his first three seasons with the team.First, it was a knee injury before he was drafted. Later, it was an Achilles. Last year, it was his knee again, which also slowed his offseason.Bowers said he also let former head coach Greg Schiano's criticism get to him."It's not all about the injuries," he said. "I let other reasons get to me mentally. It was Schiano. He got to me mentally, and I couldn't bounce back for some reason. I blame myself though. I couldn't push through it mentally. It taught me something and I'm a better person and a better player because of that."Bowers, who has been working at defensive end as well as defensive tackle, has been having a strong camp under new coach Lovie Smith. Players and coaches alike have praised Bowers so far."When he came into camp, he told everybody, ‘I'm really going to step up and play to my ability,' fellow defensive lineman William Gholston said. "He apologized for whatever he did in the past or for not playing well. He was really being accountable and you can see him now playing hard. I know I'm watching him out there. I'm watching him play the way he knows how to play. He's playing like a beast."It's been in him.While at Clemson, he was the ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2010, one of only four unanimous All-American first-team selections in Clemson history and the first Tiger to garner the Nagurski and Hendricks tro¬phies. The Bucs will likely carry seven defensive linemen and Bowers' ability to play both inside and out can help him, if he continues to perform well."You would like that seventh (lineman) to be able to do both," Smith said. "That's what you have in a player like Da'Quan. He's right in between being big enough to possibly rush inside on third down and a good anchor outside on first down playing the end position. He gives us some flexibility. He's been injured a lot I know that, but he hasn't missed a beat since I've been here."Bowers knows he's finally on the right track."I think this has been my most consistent camp since I've been part of this organization," he said. "I feel good. I'm doing a lot of good things. There are a lot of things I need to work on but overall I feel pretty good."All the (critics), I use it as motivation," he said. "My job is to play football and help this team win championships. It's not my job to read all the stories or look at all the tweets. My job is to come out here each and every day and try to help it win championships. That's what it's all about."
