The Jackal wrote: ↑Tue Jun 26, 2018 1:27 pm
I'll let Bear speak to his form and footwork.
The thing that jumps off at me is the motor. At the :34 mark you see the offense run a bubble screen to his side, and he pulls to his left. He doesn't fool with the outside linebacker. He doesn't even look at him. That guy isn't making the play unless the QB throws it into his stomach.
He gets on a DB as the lead blocker and drives him out of the play. Most times you'd be getting "atta boys" on the sideline for pile driving a defender. Not this kid. He sees the play is still going and runs down there to throw another block. He runs past six of his teammates to go finish the play. You don't really teach that. In my opinion, it is instinctive. The play isn't over until the play is over.
at :56 his QB throws a pick. At the change of possession Jumper (the OT) and the DB are both on the 10 yard line but he's probably 15 yards away from him. He runs down the ball carrier who tries to make a move near the end of his run. Again, most players (especially OL) quit on that play.
To be honest, that interception reminds me of, I think, Patrick Covington in 2005. Furman had a turnover on its final drive in its final game of the season and Covington ran down the App State defender at maybe the 5 yard line going the other way. You don't teach that. The game is over. Furman lost. Yet our offensive linemen are busting their tails down field to make a play.
1:20, you see him cover a punt as the long snapper. That's a separate selling point - a guy that can snap and get down field will be a huge asset.
You see a lot of good hand positioning. He fights with DL to get inside of the shoulder pads and then extends his arms like a bench press. Rarely are you seeing him lose leverage.
All excellent ‘call-outs.’ I especially loved the hustle on the INT.
To reply, specifically, to things Jackal mentioned. He has GREAT feet. No question about that. His technique is very good & I can see that he has had some good OL Coaching - perhaps from ‘home,’ or MB, or at Camps. His technique looks a bit stiff & mechanical, but that’s OK & MAY be even be a good thing as it demonstrates he’s applying what he’s been Coached to do. It will become more natural and smooth as he matures, but I’m going to take it as a sign that he’s very Coachable. He plays too high, but so does just about every other kid in HS these days. I’d like to see a little more leg flexibility, but FU’s S&C Team will get him there on that.
On the ‘athletic’ thing, I think that so many OL kids these days are the ‘big kids’ (AKA as the ‘fat kids’ in days gone by) when they start youth ball and then they ‘specialize’ in Football & ONLY play OL. They may get into a pretty good weight program, so they improve their bodies...but, deep inside, they are still the unathletic fat kids that they were when they were 8 years old. They can be OK in college if all you ask them to do is play ‘in a phone booth’ or just take ‘defeat steps’ and keep their fat as...I mean large frames between 1 defender & the QB. But, if you ask them to do anything athletic, like skip pull, wrap, & make a decision whether to square up/kick out/log the playside LB on Power or Reach a Wide-5 on Toss, they just can’t do it.
I’d much rather have the skinny kid who grew up playing TE or DE or QB & gained 20-30 lbs a year in HS or the kid who is a freaky good basketball player for his size or the wrestler who may wrestle heavyweight, but can execute deep leg shots & takedowns. Yes, I’m old-school, but of the 5 or 6 OLmen that came in with my class, 3 of us played Hoops in HS & one of those 3 also pitched for FU Baseball & 1 was a Champion wrestler & Track Athlete. All 3 made All-SoCon. The others were OLmen (only) in HS & probably their whole lives. Not sure any of them ever played very much. No wait, we had a walk-on OLman, who was also a wrestling champion. He made All SoCon also. Certainly not to take anything away from Coach Caldwell, but when you are Coaching ATHLETES on the OL, who are also Champions, your job is a whole lot easier! Give me 5 of those ATHLETIC, Champion-type guys @ 6-1 to 6-3 (6-4 at most) & 260-280+ lbs and you take your 5 6-5+ 300-320+ lb guys that are OL ‘lifers’ who didn’t have FBS offers & I will GUARANTEE that my OLine will run circles around yours all day, every day.
