hornrush
Under Contract
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2013
- Messages
- 112
Slim and others have asked me to stay. So, I'll give you guys this and see how things go from here.
This information is garnered from friends of mine who have seen some of the practices. Please don't ask who or if they're inside or not. This isn't about getting anyone into trouble or trying to sound self important. It's just a culmination of info that I thought you might find interesting.
Some thoughts...on the team thus far.
QUARTERBACK
All true what you've read so far about Ash. I'll add this. I'm told by several that he's still waiting that extra beat for the receiver to start to come open before he makes the throw. On those square outs and skinny posts, the ball has got to leave his hand a beat sooner and thrown to a spot. This is concerning for a reason. This was supposed to have happened in summer sessions. While he was hobbled for most that time, it shows just how important the time he missed really was.
Swoopes is still a project and a major one at that. Those I've spoken to just don't believe he'll quite make it to be a reliable back-up. Comparisons to VY notwithstanding, he just doesn't seem to have the natural QB instincts. He's being forced fed because he's a physically gifted athlete. This comparison is really highlighted when you see Heard right after him. Heard is going to be a very good QB when the time comes.
RUNNING BACKS
Man these two guys are flat out ready to start the season now. We can only pray that Brown and Gray don't go down to injury because as it stands now, there's a noticeable drop-off behind them.
RECEIVERS
Right now this is an area of concern with Shipley being out. If any one of the youngsters, especially someone like Warrick or Grey can start catching everything thrown at them, they'll get their chance. One P.S. to this, Lorenzo Joe started camp like a house afire but (reportedly) has hit a wall in recent practices.
TIGHT ENDS
How this position continues to be a black hole is beyond reason. The fact is, if someone, ANYONE could step up and catch the ball on a consistent basis, the staff would think blocking 2nd. Right now, catching the football is the exception and not the norm for this group. McFarland caught a long pass that made everyone go ooh and ahh but no one mentions the drops leading up to that catch. If this position became Ash's security blanket, this offense would become a power house very quickly. Right now, they're more of wet blanket for this offense than anything else.
LINEMEN
Estelle seems to have turned a corner but there are still moments when you look and say, "what the heck was he thinking there?" He'll have his work cut out for him protecting Ash's blind side so Ash better find this guy a good steak house.
Harrison? If this was about one-on-ones, Harrison is awesome. It isn't. He has to not just be able to think and read defenses and get the calls right, he's got to do it without thinking about it. You can almost see him thinking in his head, especially during reach blocking and blitz assignments, what he supposed to do. Again, the clock is ticking. Will the light come on for him or just continue to flicker?
Espinosa is the smartest of the bunch and seems to get all of the calls right at the LOS. He still, though, STILL gets beat at the point of attack far too often and especially during passing situations. I know we need him in there to lead the offense and Wickline is using him as his anchor. (Hell, who else has he got???) But there will still be times this year where's he going to beat...and it will happen quickly.
The rest of the linemen right now are pretty much on a par as far as their learning curve versus their abilities. One person has stood out though. Jake Raulerson is probably the most instinctive and smartest lineman there is out there. If he were 30 lbs heavier and with what he's shown, he would probably be your starting tackle or center. He's got the gift...he just needs to grow into it.
One final aspect to the offense is KICKER. It would appear that anything from about 35 yards in will be pretty safe. Beyond 40 yards? Right now, it's crap shoot and that's not good. This team needs another weapon and having a reliable kicker who can give you a 85-90% success rate from 41-49 yards for this team would be a helluva weapon. Especially with this defense and facing teams like the okies. It appears the kicking game, right now anyway, will be a "hold your breath and pray" moment every time they take the field.
I know this isn't sunshine pumping but it's a sober look at what things look like, a little more than 2 weeks out from the start of the season.
Hook'em!
This information is garnered from friends of mine who have seen some of the practices. Please don't ask who or if they're inside or not. This isn't about getting anyone into trouble or trying to sound self important. It's just a culmination of info that I thought you might find interesting.
Some thoughts...on the team thus far.
QUARTERBACK
All true what you've read so far about Ash. I'll add this. I'm told by several that he's still waiting that extra beat for the receiver to start to come open before he makes the throw. On those square outs and skinny posts, the ball has got to leave his hand a beat sooner and thrown to a spot. This is concerning for a reason. This was supposed to have happened in summer sessions. While he was hobbled for most that time, it shows just how important the time he missed really was.
Swoopes is still a project and a major one at that. Those I've spoken to just don't believe he'll quite make it to be a reliable back-up. Comparisons to VY notwithstanding, he just doesn't seem to have the natural QB instincts. He's being forced fed because he's a physically gifted athlete. This comparison is really highlighted when you see Heard right after him. Heard is going to be a very good QB when the time comes.
RUNNING BACKS
Man these two guys are flat out ready to start the season now. We can only pray that Brown and Gray don't go down to injury because as it stands now, there's a noticeable drop-off behind them.
RECEIVERS
Right now this is an area of concern with Shipley being out. If any one of the youngsters, especially someone like Warrick or Grey can start catching everything thrown at them, they'll get their chance. One P.S. to this, Lorenzo Joe started camp like a house afire but (reportedly) has hit a wall in recent practices.
TIGHT ENDS
How this position continues to be a black hole is beyond reason. The fact is, if someone, ANYONE could step up and catch the ball on a consistent basis, the staff would think blocking 2nd. Right now, catching the football is the exception and not the norm for this group. McFarland caught a long pass that made everyone go ooh and ahh but no one mentions the drops leading up to that catch. If this position became Ash's security blanket, this offense would become a power house very quickly. Right now, they're more of wet blanket for this offense than anything else.
LINEMEN
Estelle seems to have turned a corner but there are still moments when you look and say, "what the heck was he thinking there?" He'll have his work cut out for him protecting Ash's blind side so Ash better find this guy a good steak house.
Harrison? If this was about one-on-ones, Harrison is awesome. It isn't. He has to not just be able to think and read defenses and get the calls right, he's got to do it without thinking about it. You can almost see him thinking in his head, especially during reach blocking and blitz assignments, what he supposed to do. Again, the clock is ticking. Will the light come on for him or just continue to flicker?
Espinosa is the smartest of the bunch and seems to get all of the calls right at the LOS. He still, though, STILL gets beat at the point of attack far too often and especially during passing situations. I know we need him in there to lead the offense and Wickline is using him as his anchor. (Hell, who else has he got???) But there will still be times this year where's he going to beat...and it will happen quickly.
The rest of the linemen right now are pretty much on a par as far as their learning curve versus their abilities. One person has stood out though. Jake Raulerson is probably the most instinctive and smartest lineman there is out there. If he were 30 lbs heavier and with what he's shown, he would probably be your starting tackle or center. He's got the gift...he just needs to grow into it.
One final aspect to the offense is KICKER. It would appear that anything from about 35 yards in will be pretty safe. Beyond 40 yards? Right now, it's crap shoot and that's not good. This team needs another weapon and having a reliable kicker who can give you a 85-90% success rate from 41-49 yards for this team would be a helluva weapon. Especially with this defense and facing teams like the okies. It appears the kicking game, right now anyway, will be a "hold your breath and pray" moment every time they take the field.
I know this isn't sunshine pumping but it's a sober look at what things look like, a little more than 2 weeks out from the start of the season.
Hook'em!
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