Brian Waters and the Zone Blocking Scheme

[xwalker]

It was reported on the radio yesterday that Kansas City used the ZBS for most of the years that Waters played there.

I know that there had been some questions about this issue in regards to the possibility of signing Waters.

Many, myself included, thought that Brandon Moore was a good option because he had played in the ZBS with Callahan in the past.

If Waters has indeed played in a system similar to Callahan's ZBS, then I think it's a higher possibility that he gets signed than if he had only played in a man-blocking system in the past.

 

[erod]

True. And there are other good reasons to bring him in.

1. He's a veteran, and this young line could use some veteran leadership, especially right next to our rookie center.

2. He's strong. Having strength across the interior of the line will give Romo and the running game time it hasn't had in recent years.

3. Depth. Bernadeau is a very nice backup guard, but there's nothing behind him but a hurt veteran and a very shaky Arkin.

 

[Future]

True. And there are other good reasons to bring him in.

1. He's a veteran, and this young line could use some veteran leadership, especially right next to our rookie center.

2. He's strong. Having strength across the interior of the line will give Romo and the running game time it hasn't had in recent years.

3. Depth. Bernadeau is a very nice backup guard, but there's nothing behind him but a hurt veteran and a very shaky Arkin.

In all honesty, we dont really know how strong he is right now. In the past, he has been a strong guard able to generate a push, but he's 36 and didnt play last year. Hard to know whether or not he has kept himself in the gym to maintain that strength.

 

[CATCH17]

I'm just happy that we're finally running a zone scheme.

Our running game would've been a lot better the last few years had we been using this scheme.

 

[texbumthelife]

Has there been any sort of physical for him yet? Or will that not take place until he actually comes in to sign? The team has to have some idea of what sort of shape he is in physically, right?

 

[03EBZ06]

Has there been any sort of physical for him yet? Or will that not take place until he actually comes in to sign? The team has to have some idea of what sort of shape he is in physically, right?

The Cowboys have worked him out and supposedly they were happy with his work out and it's been reported that he is in a great shape right now.

 

[boysfanindc]

The Cowboys have worked him out and supposedly they were happy with his work out and it's been reported that he is in a great shape right now.

Yes, I believe the have a pretty good feel on his conditioning.

 

[JBS]

The Cowboys have worked him out and supposedly they were happy with his work out and it's been reported that he is in a great shape right now.

Where did you hear this?

 

[Alexander]

It was reported on the radio yesterday that Kansas City used the ZBS for most of the years that Waters played there.

I know that there had been some questions about this issue in regards to the possibility of signing Waters.

Many, myself included, thought that Brandon Moore was a good option because he had played in the ZBS with Callahan in the past.

If Waters has indeed played in a system similar to Callahan's ZBS, then I think it's a higher possibility that he gets signed than if he had only played in a man-blocking system in the past.

They did, under Mike Solari, who Phillips pushed to bring her before Jerry elected to go with his comfort zone in Houck.

 

[Alexander]

I'm just happy that we're finally running a zone scheme.

Our running game would've been a lot better the last few years had we been using this scheme.

I am just happy we seem to have a direction. We have been going back and forth between zone and man for the last decade.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

Every time they tried to go a zone blocking over the past decade, there was always a player or two or three who couldn't grasp it, for whatever reason, and they always ended up changing back early in the season.

 

[AsthmaField]

They did, under Mike Solari, who Phillips pushed to bring her before Jerry elected to go with his comfort zone in Houck.

I thought at the time that it was a mistake to bring in Houck instead of Solari. I was very disappointed at the time.

 

[FiveRings]

ZBS schemes are pretty easy to learn even for someone with no experience with them. The bigger concern should be for the type of player he is. I was more of a fan of Moore, because to me, he's a lankier, more athletic guard, fit to run a ZBS better, while Waters is a giant, thick guard that might have some trouble with agility, especially at this stage in his career

 

[Alexander]

I thought at the time that it was a mistake to bring in Houck instead of Solari. I was very disappointed at the time.

That was not a good era in terms of getting assistants. Way too much inconsistency. First we don't hire Gregg Williams or Dom Capers for fear of making Phillips or especially Stewart uncomfortable, but then Jones overrules Phillips with Houck over Solari, presumably due to familiarity and possibly even Garrett's urging.

 

[AsthmaField]

That was not a good era in terms of getting assistants. Way too much inconsistency. First we don't hire Gregg Williams or Dom Capers for fear of making Phillips or especially Stewart uncomfortable, but then Jones overrules Phillips with Houck over Solari, presumably due to familiarity and possibly even Garrett's urging.

Yep. Capers and Solari were both big losses IMO.

 

[Picksix]

I'm just happy that we're finally running a zone scheme.

Our running game would've been a lot better the last few years had we been using this scheme.

Our running game would've been better if we had better blockers. Scheme doesn't matter if the players aren't very good.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

They did, under Mike Solari, who Phillips pushed to bring her before Jerry elected to go with his comfort zone in Houck.

And wasn't Solari there when Vermeil was, back when they had those incredible rushing teams with Larry Johnson? I remember when they came in to Texas Stadium and streamrolled what was a physical Parcells defense. That was really impressive.

In any case, that was a long time ago now. The question is whether Waters has anything left. (I'm sure we sign him, he just doesn't want to go to camp.)

 

[CATCH17]

Our running game would've been better if we had better blockers. Scheme doesn't matter if the players aren't very good.

Scheme can help out a lot when you have guys who can't blow other guys off the ball.

You can't man block and expect the guys we had to blow the other team off the ball.

You can however try to stretch out the defense and create natural running lanes.

Yes, players matter, but we could've been more productive in the zone scheme with the garbage
we were trotting out there.

 

[cowboyschmps3]

It was reported on the radio yesterday that Kansas City used the ZBS for most of the years that Waters played there.

I know that there had been some questions about this issue in regards to the possibility of signing Waters.

Many, myself included, thought that Brandon Moore was a good option because he had played in the ZBS with Callahan in the past.

If Waters has indeed played in a system similar to Callahan's ZBS, then I think it's a higher possibility that he gets signed than if he had only played in a man-blocking system in the past.

I think he'll sign or Come too agreement but prolly when the leave from Cali he'll start practice

 

[rjbane]

Wisconsin used a zone blocking scheme, so that should be an easier transition for Frederick. So did Leary at Memphis I believe.