MHS831

You are asking the right questions, and until they have a camp and pre season, we may never know. There is always that Fred Lane who comes from nowhere, but I think your hand is on the pulse as it looks now. We keep a FB, probably Stokke on the PS. We have a lot of players who could save us roster spots---first, Cam Erving on the OL, Elflien, Moore, etc. can all play different spots if needed. Steven Sullivan (converted LSU WR to TE can play both if needed and could allow us to carry 5 WRs with him as a third TE), Tommy Stevens (Wildcat, slot, QB...), Myles Hartfield (Nickel, S, CB depth), heck, Reggie Bonnefon could even serve as a backup emergency QB--played it in college. You have to love what we are doing.

Cannon seemed more visable last year, but Smith was more productive. In Cannon's career, he is averaging 3 yard per carry. Smith was better. Reggie has a 2-year career here with a 6.6 yards per carry average. he can throw it (former QB) and is a good fit for the zone scheme--he is also 25. I said in my other post, we need the blocking from the TE or backfield (wing) to run the wide zone. Mason Stokke impressed scouts at the Wisconsin pro day. He is a FB, but is 6-2, 240 and is a brutal blocker who has some hands. Smart too. I put him on the PS if Tremble gets nicked or banged up, you do not lose that blocking--since I do not see another blocking TE on the roster making the team.

Thought I would take a look at the players on the offense that are on the bubble. I am sure this is subject to change, and it is really nothing new--but it is interesting in that I give rationales for each decision. I am tired of people saying, "Christensen is going to have to beat out Little..." and crap that tells me they are just looking at rosters and making stupid guesses. This features players I feel are locks for the roster and predictions for those on the bubble: roster spot, PS, release, etc. Offensive Line: (10 spots expected, possibly 9) Bubble boys o Greg Little: The only way he makes this team is if Christensen moves to Guard, Erving has to play C, and Scott is left as the starting LT. Little is a long shot at best with no demonstrated effectiveness and no position flexibility. He is a Hurn scar. (5% chance) o Dennis Daley: As injury prone as he is, his versatility may save him. He can play LT, RT, or LG. I think he makes the team if we keep 10 or put Dave Moore on the PS-where he will not stay. I think we keep 10, so Daley should be safe (90%) o Dave Moore: It is going to take a decent camp, but the SR Bowl may have been his camp. I think they love his grit, his long arms and low anchor. I seriously think they might want him to play center in 2022. o Deonte Brown: I know we all think this was a steal, but is he a good fit? Is he going to be merely for goal line and short yardage? I do not think so because I think he can move better than people realize, and at 370 lbs. the SR Bowl was not his best look. They are already talking nutritionist and his ideal playing weight, so I think they feel that they will have to slim him down another 15 lbs before they know what they have in him. I think he can do it. I think his lapses came when he was tired from carrying too much weight, and if you get him in shape, you have a stud RG who can move if needed. Roster LOCKS (7): Erving, Christensen, Scott, Elflien, Paradis, Miller, Moton; Brown, Moore, and Daley. (predicted to complete the OL roster at 10). Once the roster settles down and we understand who is starting and who can back up which positions, this number could drop to 9. Tight Ends: (3) o Colin Thompson: Thompson is 27 or so and was decent as an all-around #3 TE. The problem was he was a #3 TE behind Manhertz and Thomas. (30% chance of making the roster, IMO) o Stephen Sullivan: Sullivan has some time left on the PS, but remember, Fitterer likes him—he was the first Fitt signing. More of a pass catching TE (converted WR from LSU) our goal line woes from last season were not unnoticed. (50% chance of making the roster; 40% chance of being assigned to the PS; 10% chance he is cut). o Ian Thompson: I suppose in year four he could make a bit of a splash, but it really is not there. With a $2m cap savings to set him free, I think it is likely that Ian is cut. (Chance of making roster is about 20% at best). Roster LOCKS (2): Dan Arnold, Tommy Tremble, Stephen Sullivan wins the third spot. (We really do not have any blocking TEs to put on the PS to back up Tremble, so it is likely that we put one of the new FBs we signed Stokie or Daniels on the PS to serve as that blocking back for the wide zone runs.) Fullbacks (0): I think we use Tremble in this role and keep a FB on the PS in the event Tremble cannot play. o Mason Stokke: (Comments from Wisconsin pro day): “He tested out really well and showed on the field what kind of blocker/weapon out of the backfield he can be and some team is going to look really smart if they take a flyer on him on Day 3 or as an undrafted free agent.” This suggests that he could do what Tremble does in a backup role. About the same size, has hands, and can block effectively. o Mikey Daniel: Former Falcon, had a good career as a RB at SDSU, and is a good pass protector. The Falcons did not keep him, fwiw, and he has PS eligibility. Roster Locks (0): Stokke goes to PS to back up Tremble and provide a fullback if needed. He has a shot at a roster spot. I see his skill set to be a better fit from this perspective than Daniel. Wide Receiver: (6) o Omar Bayless: Unfortunately, there are about 5 WRs on this team that can do what Bayless does, just a bit better. He is worth a look as a developmental player, but we can do that on the PS and not the roster. o Brandon Zylstra: If we keep 6 WR spots on the roster, Zylstra brings a bit of experience and some special teams versatility. Last year, the 28-year old played in all 16 games (58% of the special teams snaps), he started 2 games, and played 12% of the offensive snaps. All other WRs on the roster---Micah Simon, Marken Michel, Ishmael Hyman, Ventrell Bryant, and Omar Bayless qualify for the PS. So do you keep your sixth WR on the PS in Bayless or do you keep him on the roster playing on special teams like Zylstra? I admit that I do not know what ST abilities the other WRs have or what the Panthers need, so this is nearly impossible to predict right now. AND if you keep hybrids like Stephen Sullivan (TE/WR) and Tommy Stevens (QB/TE/Wildcat/Slot), do you need 6 WRs on the roster? I doubt they keep fewer than 6, but special teams ability and position diversity will decide this matter, and I do not have enough info to guess. Roster LOCKS (5): DJ Moore, Rob Anderson, Terrace Marshall, David Moore, Shi Smith; Brandon Zylstra with the last WR spot. Kirkwood is the dark horse, and I forgot to include him above. (Bayless to PS) Running Back: (3) o Rodney Smith Smith quietly had a solid season last year in a very limited role. He had about 150 yards on 44 carries last season in 7 games and another 60 yards in receiving. His average per carry was about 3.8 yards. Nothing special, but he should be safe depth on the PS. o Trenton Cannon Cannon was decent last year, and pretty good on special teams with a nearly 30-yard per kick return average (10 attempts). But he will be 27 and has a career rushing average of around 3 yards per carry. Not good enough to make the team. o Reggie Bonnefon When healthy, Reggie has been an asset, averaging 6.6 yards per carry in 2019 and 2020. He will be 25, and is considered to be a good wide zone RB. A former QB, he offers a wrinkle Rhule / Brady may like. Not great at pass pro. o Spencer Brown Was a good zone scheme RB in college and might have a shot at the PS. Roster LOCKS: Christian McCaffery, Chuba Hubbard; Reggie Bonnefon wins the 3rd spot. (Rodney Smith to PS) Quarterbacks: (3) o Will Grier A lot of people have written off Grier, I have not quite yet, but he needs a great camp and preseason or he is gone. No Stevens may not be the answer, but if he can play close to Grier’s level, and he can so far, he gives you more versatility and options. (Hurn scar) o Tommy Stevens For a third teamer who can contribute on offense as a wildcat back or slot, he could help the Panthers offer a Taysom Hill wrinkle or serve as the #4 TE or #6 WR. o Peyton Ramsey Ramsey has a shot at the PS, and that is about it. If we keep a player like Stevens at #3, he could be a safe fourth QB and one that is needed for practice. Roster LOCKS (2)- Sam Darnold, PJ Walker; Tommy Stevens (Ramsey to PS) No idea how this may pan out. Sure they want to see him in preseason. PRACTICE SQUAD Peyton Ramsey QB Rodney Smith RB Spencer Brown RB Omar Bayless WR Mason Stokke FB TOTAL: 25 roster spots, 5 on Practice Squad (may add another OL from another roster) Have some fun with it. Be nice---I have children for Christ's sake!

Changing my mind: Gonna guess that the Colts sign Moses and the Chargers keep coming back into my mind on Julio. They want to beat KC now....

Nine years? College graduates become medical doctors in that amount of time. But good for you, Ron.

Sure--it is about school leadership, but since I used to teach in the organizational leadership doctorate program at Gardner-Webb, it fuses a lot of business and other forms of servant leadership into the fold. Part 1 is about the unseen baggage students bring to school--easily applicable to the workplace. I base it on Maslow's needs pyramid and detail the damage trauma derails human emotional and social development--part 2 is the plan for administrators and teachers--but you will see a lot of crossover stuff. https://www.amazon.com/Trauma-Sensitive-School-Transforming-Education-Emotional/dp/1476681236/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&qid=1621709421&refinements=p_27%3AGerald+W.+Neal&s=books&sr=1-1 my previous book gets into some of these issues that demonstrates the impact of a competitive structure in schools on children---basically, we need to learn the developmental level and how pressure to perform and compete can hinder long-term success in competitive arenas. Lotta personal stories. This book was a top seller in Norway, for some unknown reason... https://www.amazon.com/Quiet-Desperation-Competition-Neglected-Children/dp/0761839933/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&qid=1621709421&refinements=p_27%3AGerald+W.+Neal&s=books&sr=1-2 I am trying to transform leadership in schools because we are not serving too many children and we seem to be OK about it. Losing 1 is inexcusable, and I all I ever saw was finger pointing, blaming students for their failure when it was your job to make them succeed, and a distance between what we need to do and what we are willing to do--failed leadership, not students. So from that perspective, I love Rhule. He seems to get it.

That is awesome. If you love your job, you do it better. I deal with issues, but in private, without emotion, and in a positive way---here is my leadership theory (I invented this and put it in my book): I compare leaders to dogs. You have your lead dog--the alpha at the front, showing everyone his ass, barking commands with his vision determining the direction--not a shared vision. You have the police dog, waiting for an error, sniffing around to find violations, and attacking the wrong doers; you have the companion dog--everyone's friend and not taken seriously so when you have to bark, everyone thinks its cute (and ineffective); the lap dog--a puppet from HQ sent down to represent authority and not the people that leader serves---we are a bit of all at times, but I tell my people that I am the sheep dog. I rule from behind so I can see everyone and assist the stragglers while allowing for leadership up front. I know where to cross the rivers and I know where the wolves are and I protect them. If a member of the flock falls or veers from the fold, I guide them back. I work harder than the others, and they know I am there to support them, to guide them, and to protect them. There is no attrition or filtering process; we reach the corral on time and I do not rest until the gate is locked. The sheep trust me, they feel that they belong in the herd, and they know my expectations. So when it comes to leadership, I am not a show dog, not a police dog, not a lead dog- just a sheep dog. So Pootie is wrong. You hold people accountable for their mistakes by helping them fix them in a one-on-one setting. You do not do it behind a microphone at a press conference using humiliation. Nope--totally wrong. The leader takes responsibility for the mistakes his followers makes--you do not distance yourself from that. Your job was to make sure they don't make mistakes--they execute.

So he is Stidham because his team was good--as if he had nothing to do with it. So tell me, what results would a good QB have accomplished? And if Smith did not win the Heisman, does that make Jones better? Your argument is confusing. Seriously--put Lance on this Alabama team and tell me how many yards per game he would have completed in your mind, and what percentage he would have completed. Then tell me that he would have won the Heisman or caused Smith NOT to win it--which is what you are saying. Here is your argument: 1. Alabama was "head and shoulders" above every other team in football. (They were ranked #3 preseason--are you practicing a bit of 20/20 hindsight here? The reason? Jones was basically an unknown--limited experience--but they went to #1 and not #10, if that helps. And they became so good, you called them "head and shoulders" better--Jones was the key variable in that. 2. Smith won the Heisman as a WR with an average to poor QB. 3. Bama had 3 first round WRs--only 2 were active most of the season. How did they accomplish that with a bad QB? 4. Stidham was drafted in the 4th round, had 24 fewer TDs his senior year, and his completion percentage was 17% lower. Uncanny similarities. Facts are your friend. Details matter. Nobody is saying that Jones is going to be great, but nobody should be saying that his record numbers and awards means that his team was so good it covered his sucking. That is ludicrous. Remember your opinion are no more than that--and repeating them does not make them facts. You are not a football expert, and I am not either--which is why I support my arguments with relevant facts. You don't.

Psychological empowerment. I teach future principals. Find the good stuff and promote it, then see what bad stuff (in a teacher) remains--then address it positively. It works EVERY TIME. It is quintessential coaching. It is how we learn and develop. It is simplistic brilliance.

Yeah, because Ohio State at Clemson did not have that. Yet Jones won the national title, completed nearly 80% of his passes (Waddle injured), and averaged 350 yards a game--all higher than Fields and Lawrence. But your stats are good too. You make a compelling argument.

Let's take a look at the genius behind the concept of a smokescreen here: 1. Trevor---LOCKED IN 2. Wilson---LOCKED IN Jets were not trading out unless it was for a team willing to pay for Wilson. 3. OH, we better do some head bobbing and weaving here---maybe a juke step. That is like trying to bluff with 4 aces. If they played Jones to fool people, I hope Jones scalds their asses when they play. So maybe they wanted teams to invest time into bringing in Lance etc. after they supposedly took Jones. Who? The Falcons? The Bengals and Dolphins were set at QB---Philly? Detroit? Denver? I do not understand the strategy.

The thing I cant find info on---do they revert back to a power scheme in goal line or fourth and 1? Splits are so tight, this may be obvious. Do they simple rule block (head up, inside, LB...)

I will tell you what I seem to observe in Rhule--he is very smart about people--not just motivation--he knows how to communicate with someone in a manner that makes them feel significant and important--He is often tired, and very patient. I would say the opposite of Bill Blechick, he is not condescending. We all want respect, we all want to be valued. When you are respected and valued, you perform at a higher level. Whether this is from being the son of a preacher or his education psychology courses, he gets it. To Rhule, the term "fit" means more than skill set/system. It means as a person, how well will you fit into the culture. Your attitude, work ethic, dispositions, and ability to collaborate. It is not about finding the best players but it is about getting the most out of the players he has. Rhule is very smart---so much smarter than Rivera or Fox--we are seeing a psychologist at work--a master motivator. I do not know if he knows less about football than his assistants, but he knows enough to let them do their jobs. I see the chemistry between Rhule and Dave Moore, the G from Grambling. The Senior Bowl experience may have won that prize. It is also how he got to know a few more players we drafted--and a few we didn't. Rhule is a people person, and it will pay off.

camp fodder. Or would that be, "camp mudder?"

I read that too--could not find it. Of course, the facts get very clouded and distorted.

Our LT and QB have been called first round busts. Sam and Cam. However, if we can help them reach their potentials, it will send us up the board very quickly.

The book on Pride is that he is a good athlete who must keep the game in front of him--explains the cushion for a man with his skill set. I think he is a free safety, and I would not be surprised to see him given a look there.

Some of y'all are making good points and sharing valid concerns etc. that is making me more curious about it. I will say this---Pat Meyer has his work cut out for him, but from what he did last year with that group, I have faith.

I can tell you that I will be so focused on preseason this year, I might get nervous before the games.

And what I do not know is this--were Denver and Washington running outside zone schemes or wide schemes? I imagine there is a combination of both---but I am not that familiar with other teams.

I struggled with the same concerns about our newest guards. However, I am less concerned about Moore than Brown. We shall see, but I LOVE Moore and hope he can get there. And you have to run the ball in A gap too, so maybe their strengths will offset. I wish I knew more about this Blitz. I am just trying to piece it together and look at it all as they might be-- FWIW I think I can change your mind about Moore:

That is absolutely right. Forgot about that.

I am on a leave of absence that started right before the draft. I am doing this on meds. When I go back to work and stop popping pills, I will revert back to the old, one-dimensional stuff. I think people like Linville and Mr Scot do it so regularly, they go underappreciated. And your contributions have been solid. The only person who is bad for the huddle is Fua (see my pic for explanation).

You hear a lot about fit, and recently, the effervescent Black and Blue Bubba posted a podcast by Brett Kollman and EJ Snyder, where they made some pretty good analyses that helped me understand some of the personnel moves (draft picks, free agent signings) we made. First of all, we are running the "Wide Zone" blocking scheme, which is is form of zone blocking nor to be confused with "outside zone" scheme, as opposed to man or inside zone. First, it is important to understand fit. Why we went after players we did in free agency and in the draft. The difference between an outside zone scheme and a wide zone scheme is detailed, and the differences are rather subtle. Basically, in the inside zone, the lane the OL creates is designed to be inside the playside Guard's hip--the outside zone goes outside the guard's hip. An outside zone attacks an area of the defense, while the wide zone stretches the defense and relies on the back reading the blocks and making the earliest and most effective cut or burst through the hole. I used this link with embedded videos because it is from Oklahoma State, famous for the wide zone blocking attack. It also explains a draft pick we made (and it was NOT because Rhule's wife called) and is probably why we liked Chuba Hubbard: https://pistolsfiringblog.com/film-study-oklahoma-states-wide-zone-rpo/ In this Jets article, (run the wide zone scheme, but they did not have the personnel to do it) they list 6 linemen in this draft that fit that scheme. We signed Pat Elflien from the Jets, by far their best IOL in the wide scheme and a perfect fit, based on what I have seen of him as a Jet (G) and Viking (C). But the article focused on drafting players, and one of the top 6 wide zone OL mentioned was Brady Christensen, OT, BYU: https://jetswire.usatoday.com/lists/2021-nfl-draft-offensive-linemen-new-york-jets-wide-zone-blocking-scheme/ So why draft Tommy Tremble in the third round? Yes, he will run some stuff from an hback set, but it is wrong to limit him that way. The strong side wide zone is the easy answer to why we drafted an athletic beast of a blocker in the open field: (Watch the strong side wide zone scheme description on this video by Alex Gibbs--very informative. Note that the most important block on the OL is arguably the TEs) And then there is this: So what characteristics does the wide zone blocking OL need to be successful? 1. Communication/Intelligence. They work as a unit, and they must know where their teammates will be. Trust the system. The must react on the fly and take good angles, predicting where the defender will be. 2. They need to be mobile and have good feet, balance and coordination. Often they will have to block DBs and LBs in the open field. I provide a video that shows Cam Erving as a guard, and although the chiefs do not run the Wide zone very much (inside zone, man 25% of the time, outside zone 75%) note in the video how well Erving moves and pursues blocks in the open field. In fact, David Moore is a GREAT fit for this system, and I seriously think he will make the team and start within a year. He is short, which is less of a disadvantage for an IOL in this system but he has 34" arms, he can move, and he is a bit nasty. He can pull, has light feet, a huge anchor if needed, and he does a great job of rolling his hips into the block in the open field. Finally, there has been some criticism of the reason we drafted Deonte Brown as a G if we are running the zone scheme. However, I think that is based on his size, not his tape. He shows that he can be a lot of things, not simply a man blocker. If a G can pull and see the need to slip off his block to pick up a bigger threat, then he has the intelligence. Brown is not going to lead a sweep or anything, but he is going to be able to reach and get to the second level. I think he needs to lose 15 more lbs, but he can have a role in this offense because he can take smart angles and he has the strength to turn folks on reach and scoop blocks, etc. I feel much more understanding of the Elflien and Erving signings now. I get the Brady and Tremble picks--we should be awesome at strong side running to the left--we could not really run left last year. I am excited about Paradis as a fit more than before. And I think we have the RBs and QB to do this. I think the focus on stopping the run will open things up for our secondary. Darnold will not be forced to throw all the time and he will have a great screen game (Think about Christensen, Tremble, and Elflien leading CMC on a screen). I get it. I think I understand now why we did what we did. Did we need Sewell? Not as much as we probably needed a Slater or Christensen. I will say that we will not be as strong in pass protection, but if you have a good screen game and stretch the field all day, and there are 4 WRs who can spank your butt on any given play---you are less likely to blitz. Stunts are not as effective either. I am getting pumped.

I would like to point out 1 other point that made me feel this guy could be the steal of the draft--and he was not drafted. They started mentioning David Moore (G) in about the third round. Called him a "Tree stump." They kept mentioning his name. If DJ would take off his Bears ears and stop talking 80% of the time, this could be a damn good draft show. DJ probably needs to put the cup down until a bit later. Seriously, I really did not know this existed, and I spent about 2 hours yesterday watching the panther sections. Appreciate it.