Why Corbett (and Brady Christensen) will make good Centers

[Jackie Lee]

13 minutes ago, Growl said:

you can teach a child to snap a football mid-game and be fine, it’s wild that there are people who are breaking down over them “having to learn it”

Here's what you get when you try to skimp at center. Cadence is a huge deal and you can't learn it mid game. That's why they clap in college ball

 

[CRA]

We seem to be going to great effort to convince ourselves…

[pantherclaw]

2 hours ago, CPF4LIFE said:

Im still not buying it at the moment. Im hoping the guy from UFA signings will make roster or we look for somebody in FA. 

I wouldn't want any UFA over our vets. 

[rayzor]

44 minutes ago, CRA said:

We seem to be going to great effort to convince ourselves…

More that it could work.

[Jon Snow]

48 minutes ago, CRA said:

We seem to be going to great effort to convince ourselves…

I'm not convinced. I'm just accepting it.

[CRA]

22 minutes ago, rayzor said:

More that it could work.

That’s seems more like a in season after injury mindset.

he didn’t play C in college and hasn’t in the NFL.   Coming off a major injury.  

I still think you just sign an actual real life NFL C to put behind him before the season starts.   I just don’t get the gamble without a real sensible plan if it doesn’t work in place. 

[Growl]

3 hours ago, Jackie Lee said:

Here's what you get when you try to skimp at center. Cadence is a huge deal and you can't learn it mid game. That's why they clap in college ball

 

they aren’t learning it mid game

Edited April 30 by Growl

[MHS831]

54 minutes ago, CRA said:

That’s seems more like a in season after injury mindset.

he didn’t play C in college and hasn’t in the NFL.   Coming off a major injury.  

I still think you just sign an actual real life NFL C to put behind him before the season starts.   I just don’t get the gamble without a real sensible plan if it doesn’t work in place. 

Valid points.  This article to me explained why they might take the chance with 2 proven veteran Guards and focus limited resources elsewhere.  If you sign a free agent, you spend $10m more than you are paying Corbett and Christensen.  If you draft a C, you have a rookie QB on the LOS in front of Bryce.  Maybe this is their only practical option, since there were many other needs that could not be staffed by currently rostered vets or rookies.  For example, they wanted a "type" at RB.  I said it before--if you look at RB and say, "Chuba had 900 yards behind a bad line!" that would be a great point.  However, he was very weak as a pass catcher and pass blocker when he arrived--he has shown promise as a pass catcher and some growth as a pass blocker.  In 2023, one site rated him the 25th best overall RB in the NFL among the top 72 "starters."  https://www.nfl.com/news/rb-index-ranking-all-72-starting-running-backs-from-the-2023-nfl-season Brooks is elite at Running, receiving, and is good at blocking.  We are better, and the pass catching with his YAC keeps defenses more honest that Chuba did.  How many sacks came after Chuba missed his block?  I dunno, but I saw it more than a few times.  We could not bring in a TE to find a weapon for Bryce.  We had to draft one.  So we had to draft WR, RB, and TE because we had no real options.  So if you look at the big picture, based on the information in the article as foundational knowledge of the C position, the fact that Corbett has never played center is not as important as his ability to play it.  But yes, it is not a given and it is risky--but it is one of the few positions we could upgrade (since we signed 2 stud Gs) with players already on the roster.  It is not ideal, but rebuilding a team with so many holes is impossible in one offseason.  When you laid out the options at every position and looked at the available cap room, this is probably the best option for the Panthers so they can address other needs where there are no options on the roster.

Edited April 30 by MHS831

[scpanther22]

christensen seems like a good player that we just refuse to play at his best postion lol

[kungfoodude]

BC seems like a very significant stretch at C.

[jayboogieman]

5 hours ago, MHS831 said:

Neither was Ryan Kalil when he played G--you have to be where your strengths are valued and your shortcomings are not. 

 

Kalil was a center in college and HS, where he also played long snapper. He was never a guard.

Quote

"He was so confused as a rookie," Gross said, giggling at the thought of a young Kalil struggling. "Ryan was coming off national championships at USC and the dynamic was so different. I just remember him being so frustrated about how to please the O-line guys. He was playing guard and he'd never played guard. He was on field goal team and he had never been on field goal team."

So, the Panthers were dumb enough to attempt to move him, before getting it right.

Quote

"You don't want Ryan on your team for any sport other than center in the NFL," Gross said with a chuckle. "He's the worst athlete for everything else. Sucks at throwing, no good at darts, bad at pool, bad at basketball, can't bowl. Maybe wrestling because he's so dang strong and squatty.

"He found the one thing that God designed for him to do."

Source

The point of this being Corbett and BC are tackles and guards, not centers. This experiment will fail and bite the Panthers in the backside.

[scpanther22]

its felt like ever since Christensen got in the league coaches just can't get past his size

[cardiackat88.]

Christensen is going to be nearly a foot taller than Bryce Young, this may be a problem.

[WhoKnows]

7 hours ago, MHS831 said:

I found an article that does a good job of explaining the position.  The position, in terms of athleticism and physicality, is less demanding than G or T.  So stepping into that role from G or T should not be a physical challenge, in general.

However, a C must know how to snap 2 ways (it is not that difficult, to be honest) and must read defenses and call schemes.  They are the vocal leader of the OL--so maybe Corbett and BC have always been  out of position.  When Bryce talked about Corbett talking a lot and asking questions during film sessions when he was injured, this is what he meant. 

I will bold the parts of this that apply to Corbett in a positive way.  It seems to me that the mental or cerebral challenges are the most important skill a center needs--if a person has played G, they (physically) will not be asked to do more--they will actually be asked to do less--physically.  Mentally and vocally, however, they must be leaders, quick decision makers, and students of the game---QUARTERBACKS, in other words.  

Frankly, after reading this, I see why they feel confident in Austin Corbett and Brady Christensen at Center.  Both should be better players there. 

The Center Position in Football: An In-Depth Guide

Posted by Throw Deep Publishing Staff on June 23, 2022

Centers are both the underdog of their offensive line counterparts – and the brains behind the entire operation of the offensive line unit. Centers often find their way to the position being a little less naturally gifted than the guards and tackles positioned to their left and right.

Usually a bit undersized, or a step slower, centers make up for this with a combination of high football IQ and gritty style of play that allows them to be the leader up front for the offense.

Coaches talk a lot about their great players being extensions of coaches on the field, and centers have to be exactly that. The offensive line’s duty is much less fixated than that of skill players such as the running backs and wide receivers. They have calls in place, but ones that vary completely on the look that the defense shows on each and every play, whether it is a run or pass play. This is where the center comes in – as it falls on him to be the lead communicator and direct traffic for each and every play.

The physical demands of the center position are plenty to speak of as well in their own right. Snapping the football, executing blocks in the trenches, and working up to linebackers are all part of the gig for the center position. Below will uncover even further the detailed demands of the position, and the crucial role the position plays in the success of an offense.

What does a Center do in Football?

As the team gets up to the line of scrimmage, it is the job of the center to direct his offensive line counterparts in the right direction to execute the play. He must be prepared to call out pass protections, identify the middle linebacker, and ensure the OL is on track in the run game to block the correct defenders.

He has no choice but to be an extremely vocal leader, taking responsibility to put the offense in successful spots. As offenses go faster and faster in today’s game of football, the center must be a quick decision maker, which comes with intense film work, and deep studies of opposing defenses heading into each game. All of this shows the high-level parts of the job the center possesses before the play even begins.

Moving to the physical elements of the job, the center is tasked with snapping the ball every play, getting the ball safely back to the quarterback, and immediately being prepared to go toe to toe against heavy interior defensive lineman. Whether it’s working a combination block up to linebacker level, occasionally pulling as a lead blocker, or picking up blitzes in pass protection, the center must be both athletic and strong enough to battle all game long against opposing defenses.

 

 

What are some other names for the Center Position?

There aren't a lot of other popular nicknames for the center position in football, but they are sometimes referred to as the quarterbacks of the offensive line, since they have to make a lot of calls and "direct traffic" so to speak with the other four men at the line of scrimmage.

What are the Skills and Body Type needed to play the Center in Football?

Skills

• Football IQ  (Both Christensen and Corbett seem to be very smart--Corbett seems to be a student of the game)
• Leadership  (Based on Young's comments, Corbett is a leader in the film room and that will transfer to the field)
• Agility  (Guards require more agility than centers)
• Strength (lower body strength is key here, but both have shorter arms--arm length is less of an issue for Centers than T or G)
• Run-Blocking (Guards are usually better run blockers than centers--it is where they make their money--so I do not expect either to be a liability as a run blocker)
• Pass-Blocking  (Although shorter and more compact, Corbett has the longer arms--33 1/8" vs. Christensen's 32 1/4"--physically, Corbett is best suited to play center considering his physical make up--see below)
• Shotgun and Under-Center Snapping:  (This can be problematic if the mental aspects overshadow the perfunctory execution of tasks, but snapping is something that takes reps.  It may involve different hand padding/tape/gloves than usual, but nobody is physically unable to snap a ball to the QB standing five yards behind.  Few can get open, throw a 50-yard dime, or kick a field goal--but everyone can snap a football.  The issue is, of course, perfecting the timing, accuracy, etc. That can be done with reps.  I have no doubt that Corbett and Christensen have been doing it for months now.)

Not all offensive lineman can be a center due to the mental demands of the position. Centers possess high-level football knowledge and leadership within the offensive line unit.

Body Type (General Estimate)
Height: 6’1-6’4
Weight: 310-325 Pounds
Build: Thick, Compact

Centers tend to be a bit undersized and less athletic compared to the offensive line. They often make up for this with more of a compact build combined with toughness and physicality.

MHS Epiphany:

A good example:  Ryan Kalil.  When we drafted him, we tried him (during his rookie year) at guard.  He sucked.  the reason?  If you ever talked to Kalil, you would realize that he is very intelligent.  Sarcastic, but intelligent.  He was not that big (maybe 285 to 290 when he played) and not tall (listed at 6'2" but he was 6'0"--maybe 6'1".  He struggled at guard because, physically, he was inferior.  At center, however, he could use his brain and leadership skills, so he became an all pro there.  He was a center--full stop.  Better athletes owned him as a guard, but as a Center, he was superior because he directed traffic effectively.

I hope this makes people understand the decision the Panthers made.  It makes theoretical sense, when you think about it.  Based on interviews and insights, I think Corbett and Christensen are smart--I hope that translates to football smarts.  Not sure about Mays.  Pretty sure Zavala does not have it.  I bet Bozeman did not have it.

Appreciate the write up but all I can remember is a similar lengthy post telling us about why we Elflein and Erving will be better than we think. I also remember something about a 1000 yards and TMJ. Anyway, good write up but now I’m worried about C and I already was worried about not getting a rookie to develop for next year. This is the last contract year for both Corbett and BC.