Dallas native Sam Acho has ‘wised up’

Being from Dallas, of course Sam Acho is a Cowboys fan.
Or at least, was a Cowboys fan.

“Growing up I was a Cowboys fan. As I got a little older
I wised up,” he said with a laugh.

Acho and his new favorite team, the Arizona Cardinals,
host his former favorite team Sunday at University of
Phoenix Stadium. He, though, is not making this week any
more special than the previous eleven.

“I mean every game is big,” he said after practice
Wednesday, “especially with our record being what it is
right now. We want to keep on getting better.”

The Cardinals made Acho, a three-time all-conference high
school player and star at the University of Texas, a
fourth round pick in last April’s draft.

He played defensive end in college but has made the
transition to linebacker in the NFL. It would appear
given his play over the last month the transition has been
a smooth one.

Not so.

“I was overwhelmed. Without a doubt I was overwhelmed,”
Acho explained. “I’d never seen a playbook this big and I
knew my playbook at Texas was huge.”

Acho credits safety Adrian Wilson for helping him
translate the number of defensive schemes and assignments.
“He kind of walked me through it and taught me concepts.
Once you get the concepts then you’ll be able to break
down play by play.”

Acho, who continues to pick the brain of veterans Joey
Porter, Clark Haggans, Vonnie Holliday and Nick Eason, had
his best game to date last week at St. Louis. He posted
two sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. On
the season, his five sacks tie with him Calais Campbell
for the team lead.

“I definitely set high goals,” he responded when asked if
had surprised himself with his play, “so part of it’s a
surprise but part of it’s what you expect as an athlete.”

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