Vobora's NFL niche becomes a bit more secure

Sitting at a St. Louis sports bar in late December, a black-and-gold-clad David Vobora watched intently as his alma mater took on Bowling Green in the Humanitarian Bowl.

To anyone else looking on at the hub's plasma television, it was another obscure game filling another four-hour time slot during ESPN's bowl week. No allegiances, no affiliations and, for the most part, no interest from the Missouri natives.

Vobora, however, made it a point to illustrate his adherence to one of the no-name schools when Idaho capped its storied and improbable touchdown drive with a game-winning two-point conversion.

Alone in his elation, blank stares were locked on his 6-foot-1, 239-pound frame, and with good reason.

"I was going crazy," Vobora said. "I was wearing my Vandal gear and everything. It was pretty exciting."

In that moment, the former University of Idaho linebacker wanted to be in Boise to watch the Vandals' resurgent dream season conclude in jubilant fashion.

But he was too busy pursuing a dream he was already in the midst of - starting at strongside linebacker for the St. Louis Rams, which had a game the forthcoming Sunday against San Francisco.

A winning season for perennial loser Idaho was a pipe dream in August. And, almost two years ago this month, Vobora's future in pro football was likewise shaky after he was selected 252nd - the final pick - in the 2008 NFL draft. He was pinned with the annual moniker of Mr. Irrelevant.

In a typical case, a seventh-round selection has little hope for longevity in the league, and is even hard-pressed to make it past training camp.

In aberrant instances, the stars align for late-rounders and undrafted free agents. But most of the time, their NFL apex is landing on a practice squad.

Vobora was one of the few and far between, though. The long shot from Eugene, Ore., who was drafted by St. Louis made the final cut. It wasn't long until the Rams' linebacker corps was depleted by injury, and Vobora saw himself ascending up the food chain.

In a 2-14 campaign, the two-time All-WAC linebacker found himself starting in Week 13 against Miami, becoming the first Mr. Irrelevant to start since 1994.

After starting 10 games his second season in the league, where he totaled 40 tackles, forced a fumble and broke up a pass, Vobora got a recent sigh of relief after signing a one-year deal with St. Louis. He is now preparing for his third year.

"This is a turning point in my career," Vobora said. "I'm coming in as a starter, and now I feel I can be a playmaker."

He appears to be the favorite to hold down the strongside job again this fall. This year, though, his season hopefully won't be shortened by a controversial mishap.

Vobora missed four games last season without pay for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy after using a supplement that, he said, other players have used without penalties.

Before using the supplement, he said he called an NFL hotline for a green light to take it. He got an OK, but was also told that anything he put in his body would be at his own peril.

"I called back a couple times," Vobora said. "They said there is nothing in it, but if you take it, it's at your own risk.

"So, basically, if you go to the store and get broccoli and it somehow has a banned substance in it, you are liable. Anything you put in your body, you're liable for."

The high school quarterback who became a college linebacker found a positive spin on his plight, however. Vobora got a concussion in Week 3 against Green Bay, and used the suspension to heal. Vobora is still in the legal process with that matter, saying his lawyers are aggressively pursuing the situation.

Despite the contested occurrence, Vobora feels fortunate to be employed.

"Having a job is always a good thing these days," Vobora said with a laugh. "(Signing a one-year deal) puts me in a good position. I'm stoked."

Two years removed from his senior year of college, Vobora has hastily taken in the etiquette from some of the league's longest tenured veterans.

"You have to be a professional," Vobora said. "I've been fortunate enough to be around vets like Torry Holt and Will Witherspoon. Good guys, the type you want to emulate."

St. Louis, coming off a league-worst 1-15 season, looks to climb out of the NFC West cellar this season, and Vobora hopes the youthful Rams are making prudent strides in that pursuit.

"We're a young team - a very positive and hungry team," Vobora said. "You'd be baffled, really. Even when we had a tough time last year, a lot of these guys came to work every day, trying to get better and improve our organization.

"We have a young group of linebackers. (James) Laurinaitis and I are having a ball, and we work out every day together."

And Vobora knows a thing or two about sticking through adversity, losing seasons and staying focused on the prize at the end of the tunnel.

He stuck through the losing seasons in Moscow, under three head coaches, to the tune of a 10-37 record in his career. In high school, Idaho was only the Division I-A (now FBS) school to offer him a scholarship.

And it's all paying dividends - kind of like the situation at the one school that took a chance on him.

Vobora, who will participate in the Robb Akey golf tournament on April 23, believes Akey has something special brewing on the Palouse following an 8-5 year.

"Akey's done such a good job," said Vobora, who plans to attend the Vandals' spring game. "It just shows what you can do if you have the right people in line who believe and work hard toward a purpose. I'm so stoked for them."

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Collingwood may be contacted at rcollingwood@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2260.