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With hard work and Lawing's teaching, Walker sees greatness on horizon

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DeMarcus Walker fights through a block last season against N.C. State. (Gene Williams/Warchant)

Through the first three games of the 2015 season, Florida State defensive end DeMarcus Walker had accumulated just six total tackles and zero sacks. It was far from the type of junior campaign he was expecting.

In week four against Wake Forest, Walker decided to give the teachings of first-year defensive ends coach Brad Lawing a try.

On the final play of the first half, with the Demon Deacons in FSU territory and the Seminoles clinging to a 14-10 lead, Walker called upon a pass-rushing technique Lawing had shown him countless times. He charged upfield, grabbed the outside arm of right tackle Phil Haynes with his left hand, dipped his shoulder and then ripped through Haynes’ grip with his right arm.

Five steps later, Walker was on top of Wake’s quarterback. He not only recorded his first sack of the season, but he also forced a fumble to end the threat.

“Ever since then, anything he tells me, I listen,” Walker said.

And the results speak volumes.

One week later against Miami, Walker recorded two sacks. He delivered another the next week against Louisville. Walker would go on to finish the season with a team-high 10.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss.

In the regular-season finale against Florida, he racked up a career-high nine tackles and 2.5 sacks. Then in the Peach Bowl against Houston, he recorded an astounding 13.5 tackles. By the time his junior season ended, Walker had forced four fumbles, knocked down five passes and intercepted another.

In Walker’s mind, though, that was just an appetizer. After deciding to pass on the opportunity to declare for the NFL Draft, the Jacksonville native has sky-high aspirations for his senior year.

“I really want to be the most dominant player in this country,” Walker said Friday at ACC Kickoff in Charlotte, N.C.

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