Conner McGovern: Starting LG battle

OmerV

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He has a better chance to start a C than he does at LG
I don’t know if that’s true or not, but the fact he can be a quality backup at both OG and C might leave the team thinking his best value is as a swing player providing depth at both positions. He may have to very clearly and convincingly outplay either Williams or Biadasz to have a shot to start.
 

Cowboyny

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two things to that: Phillibin had no problem starting a non- experience player in the lineup with Steele,..so apparently Joe P, had no problems as far as game experience is concern.

and it's s not as challenging at interior OG as it is on an outside island like OT, ... but if it was injury recovery that could be something if Phillibin confided with the local trainers but i wouldn't buy it as it came a point where Phillibin did not seem ample to trust
McGovern on a couple of single plays when a Looney was banged up,, seemingly wanting to go with rookie Biadasz at OG
instead of 2nd year McGovern. ...and again, had not been for the massive injuries and struggles at RT ,..would McGovern even have
sniffed the playing field ?
Good points. Clearly Philbin had more confidence in Connor Williams starting, McGovern only saw action after major injuries occurred. I wonder if McGovern had his struggles on the mental side of things that cause the coaches to be reluctant to play him early on. Connor Williams is playing on his last yr of his deal, if nobody steps up behind him, they maybe forced to resign him. It is a very big yr for McGovern or he could be replaced.
 

xwalker

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And it makes more sense for McGovern to compete at C.

As much as many hate Williams, he had a good year, and that was coming off a knee injury where he was still wearing a brace in August. PFF had him ranked 16th out of 80 guards on an oline with little help around him. Tough row to hoe.

This year, entirely healthy, after a year that he stayed healthy, with Tyron to his left, and Biadasz/McGovern to his right with a real offseason to prepare for C. Easier row to hoe, for a player who is still only 24. That ranking should only go up.

Meanwhile, McGovern was 47/80 guards, while Biadasz was 32/36 centers. That's where the competition should be. If McGovern can't take it, he's now ready to back up *all* interior oline positions, and we don't have to carry a backup just for C.

Meanwhile, I hope they train Williams at LT at least. He's probably significantly better than Knight or Steele.

Between McGovern, Biadasz, and Williams, I think we've got 3 legitimate starters for 2 starting positions who are just better than our backups. We should plan for the contingency of McGovern or Williams getting used as a backup to get our best players on the field in case of injury at other positions.
Excellent post. Well worded.
 

xwalker

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And it makes more sense for McGovern to compete at C.

As much as many hate Williams, he had a good year, and that was coming off a knee injury where he was still wearing a brace in August. PFF had him ranked 16th out of 80 guards on an oline with little help around him. Tough row to hoe.

This year, entirely healthy, after a year that he stayed healthy, with Tyron to his left, and Biadasz/McGovern to his right with a real offseason to prepare for C. Easier row to hoe, for a player who is still only 24. That ranking should only go up.

Meanwhile, McGovern was 47/80 guards, while Biadasz was 32/36 centers. That's where the competition should be. If McGovern can't take it, he's now ready to back up *all* interior oline positions, and we don't have to carry a backup just for C.

Meanwhile, I hope they train Williams at LT at least. He's probably significantly better than Knight or Steele.

Between McGovern, Biadasz, and Williams, I think we've got 3 legitimate starters for 2 starting positions who are just better than our backups. We should plan for the contingency of McGovern or Williams getting used as a backup to get our best players on the field in case of injury at other positions.

Connor Williams has been much better than most fans believe.

He is terrific at executing his assignments within the scheme.
- His angles/accuracy at 2nd level run blocking is terrific.
- He is terrific at picking up and passing off blitzing/stunting pass rushers.
- He has LT type foot quickness.

Due to his build he will have about 1 snap per game where a powerful DL catches him off balance and it looks really ugly. Most fans focus on those plays.
- He is over 6-5 and doesn't have an overly wide base or a lot of weight in his lower body. He has to stay balanced.
- He is actually very strong from a weight room perspective and does get good push on short yardage when he is just blocking straight ahead.

IMO, it is a very low probability that CW gets benched unless it is injury related.

Connor McGovern
McGovern is an interesting player.
- When they first drafted him I had in mind that he was more a power OG with limited athleticism.
- When reviewing game footage from college, his initial appearance is somewhat like that due to having thick legs and a lot of weight in his lower body, however...
- Once the ball is snapped he showed very good athleticism as well as good power.

McGovern's measured agility was really good and he is taller than he appears in game footage (6'5-3/8").
- I think the thick legs and the knee braces that all Penn State OL wear made him look like a 6-2/6-3 type player.
- He was 308 at the combine but he looked heavier in college game footage.
- He also has surprisingly long arms for an OG (34-1/8").
- When he played OC in college, his snapping technique was opposite of the standard technique.
- Most OCs hold the ball pre-snap with the front of the ball pointed up. Same as a long snapper would hold it.
- McGovern held the ball with the front pointed down with his hand more on top like palming a basketball.
- There is no way to spiral the shotgun snaps from this technique.
- I'm curious if they've changed that now that he has been in the NFL for a couple of years.

Tyler Biadasz
- He is more of the power blocker with limited athleticism.
- He uses the fact that he knows when the ball will be snapped to his advantage to make up for lack of elite quickness.
- He was a good technician in college.
 

75boyz

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The pattern from Philbin seemed to be "play *my* guys". I thought his choices pretty much sucked personnelwise all last year.

Didn't crosstrain Williams at T.
Didn't give McGovern a chance at C - and he really just looked like a better player than Biadasz this year.
Didn't start Knight over Steele.

Playing Martin at T is probably what did in his calf. Been a long time since he had to kickslide like a T, and hadn't practiced it for years. Train Williams for T, which he played in college, backfill Williams with McGovern at LG. Easy Peasy.

Outstanding post.
 

Tussinman

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I have never seen a day 1 rookie starter so under appreciated as Conner Williams. I don’t get it. I have been watching him for 4 years now. The haters post any video of his few misses nearly every game.

Dude won the job as a rookie, beat out all competition every year, plays hard, and has never once been in trouble.

I get it that he is not Larry Allen. But Larry Allen shouldn’t be the bar. We are lucky to have Williams at guard and I hope Jerry re-signs him. Maybe because he gets so much hate but he is one of my favorite players.
I think part of the reason why people are hard on him is because Leary and Cooper (the 2 previous LGs) where both arguably better while neither cost a premier pick.
 

beware_d-ware

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Williams has locked in the LG job, he's one of the league best two dozen guards. I didn't see anything from McGovern last year to suggest that he'd play better... he's got starting talent, but needs to clean up his pass pro.
 

ABQCOWBOY

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I wouldn't be surprised if Connor McGovern gives Connor Williams a good run for his money at LG in camp. I think he's stronger and maybe a bit more solid in pass protection. In any case, both should benefit by a spirited competition. May the better man emerge proudly as the starter at LG.

He's not more solid in pass protection Bull. But I do think that by the end of the season, McGovern might be getting snaps, particularly if we aren't in a playoff run. I think Connor Williams is a casualty of the cap and the Prescott deal. I think a lot of people in Cowboy Nation are going to look back and miss him but that's just my opinion.
 

buybuydandavis

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Williams has locked in the LG job, he's one of the league best two dozen guards. I didn't see anything from McGovern last year to suggest that he'd play better... he's got starting talent, but needs to clean up his pass pro.

I thought McGovern should have gotten a real chance to at least compete for LG last year. Williams had been ok in 2019, but nothing to keep a younger player who looks ready off the field. But in 2020 Williams made a big jump and clearly distanced himself above McGovern.
McGovern should be competing against Biadasz for C. If he loses, at least we've prepared him to back up C.
 

buybuydandavis

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He's not more solid in pass protection Bull. But I do think that by the end of the season, McGovern might be getting snaps, particularly if we aren't in a playoff run. I think Connor Williams is a casualty of the cap and the Prescott deal. I think a lot of people in Cowboy Nation are going to look back and miss him but that's just my opinion.

If everyone is healthy, we don't keep Williams, even without the Prescott deal. I can't see another big free agent contract to the oline, and especially for a LG. And we've got McGovern to take over too. Just doesn't make sense even w/o the Prescott deal.
 

buybuydandavis

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- McGovern held the ball with the front pointed down with his hand more on top like palming a basketball.
- There is no way to spiral the shotgun snaps from this technique.
- I'm curious if they've changed that now that he has been in the NFL for a couple of years.
McGovern is in his 3rd year. As a professional he should have taken it on himself to fix his snap in the offseason, and *certainly* the supposed personnel professionals running our team should have demanded it.

The lack of professionalism in the team is infuriating.
 

buybuydandavis

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Tyler Biadasz
- He is more of the power blocker with limited athleticism.
- He uses the fact that he knows when the ball will be snapped to his advantage to make up for lack of elite quickness.
- He was a good technician in college.

Seems like a lesser Fredbeard. Similar relative strengths, just not as good at everything. And I don't consider that an insult. Fredbeard was on trajectory for borderline HOF.

I see ok power in Biadasz's blocking. More technique. More power anchoring than driving, but I'd only consider him a power blocker relative to being a lesser movement blocker. Though probably that power rachets up in the next couple of years, and he's an ok to good starting C improving for the next 3 years. Such a steal.
 

buybuydandavis

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Connor Williams has been much better than most fans believe.

He is terrific at executing his assignments within the scheme.
- His angles/accuracy at 2nd level run blocking is terrific.
- He is terrific at picking up and passing off blitzing/stunting pass rushers.
- He has LT type foot quickness.

Due to his build he will have about 1 snap per game where a powerful DL catches him off balance and it looks really ugly. Most fans focus on those plays.
- He is over 6-5 and doesn't have an overly wide base or a lot of weight in his lower body. He has to stay balanced.
- He is actually very strong from a weight room perspective and does get good push on short yardage when he is just blocking straight ahead.
.

Williams was always more of a T than a G to me. Good feet, not great lower body power. T. Arms aren't as desired for a T, but good feet matter at T, and the relative lack of power is much less of an issue against DEs than DTs.

Wish we had given him a shot at swing T. Might have given ourselves an option at a quality if not Pro Bowl LT. Maybe some other team will find out.
 

charron

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Williams is better than McGovern so far. Part of McGovern's issue has been health, the other is his play. I know many hate every starter who isn't a HOF and routinely suggest the backups who can barely make the field have already earned their jackets but dam atleast wait till McGovern actually does something.
 

Risen Star

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I'll be disappointed if McGovern doesn't beat out Williams.

What an atrocious draft class that was in 2019. The worst since 2017.

As an aside, we always draft well.
 
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