Broaddus and Vela on Arkin

[CashMan]

If he could turn out to be a serviceable starter this year (or even a dependable backup) with the possibility that he keeps getting stronger next year, I'd be really happy with that.

How long is this going to be the excuse? Seriously, all it would take is like 6 months for him to put on the muscle at his age.

 

[honyock]

How long is this going to be the excuse? Seriously, all it would take is like 6 months for him to put on the muscle at his age.

I'm not even sure what point you're trying to make here. If he proves to be a contributor, right now, this year, either a starter or a trusted backup, and still has the possibility of improving on his biggest weakness as a player, I'm good with that. Are you saying youre not good with that?

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

How long is this going to be the excuse? Seriously, all it would take is like 6 months for him to put on the muscle at his age.

It's not solely about adding muscle.

It's about being able to use the muscle. I was a high school wrestling state champ back in high school at 157 lbs. I was around 6' tall then so obviously I was pretty skinny. Hardly ever lifted, about 200 lbs was the most I ever benched back then. Wrestled all kinds of guys that were shorter and stocky...some just with incredible builds. One was a state weightlifting champ.....he laughed at me at weighins. I had no trouble dealing with his strength advantage by using my length and leverage to counter it.

There are tons of kids I have wrestled with and helped coach that have that "country strong" feeling. It's hard to explain. If plain weightlifting strength was the determining factor for these guys, Costa probably should be the best OL we have. He is likely the strongest, but it is obvious that with all the strength he has, he doesn't use it well.

Arkin does seem improved...it wasn't that he would get pushed back a year ago, it's that he would get blown up. Not seeing that so far.

 

[burmafrd]

Also, everyone makes a big deal about "pushed into the backfield", but that's isn't necessarily a negative for the outside zone stretch. If the defender wants to rush upfield, you use his momentum to wash him out of the play and it creates a natural running lane as long as the other linemen have cut off the backside persuit. If the RB gets tripped up by this defender, that's his fault for not reading the play. The big no-no in the outside zone stretch is sitting there in the gap grappling with the defender and clogging everything up. Which is why when the defense plays against the outside zone stretch they preach about being disciplined and staying in their gap responsibilities.

he got pushed several times. Go on keep trying to find excuses for him. Reality is that he more than likely has topped out as regards how strong he can get. Two plus years of a professional weight and strength building program has done all it is going to do. He as several have pointed out can compensate as long as he is technically near perfect. Fact is that no one can be technically perfect all the time. The team just has to decide whether or not he can be consistent enough to make it worthwhile.

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

I told you so.

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

It's not solely about adding muscle.

It's about being able to use the muscle. I was a high school wrestling state champ back in high school at 157 lbs. I was around 6' tall then so obviously I was pretty skinny. Hardly ever lifted, about 200 lbs was the most I ever benched back then. Wrestled all kinds of guys that were shorter and stocky...some just with incredible builds. One was a state weightlifting champ.....he laughed at me at weighins. I had no trouble dealing with his strength advantage by using my length and leverage to counter it.

There are tons of kids I have wrestled with and helped coach that have that "country strong" feeling. It's hard to explain. If plain weightlifting strength was the determining factor for these guys, Costa probably should be the best OL we have. He is likely the strongest, but it is obvious that with all the strength he has, he doesn't use it well.

Arkin does seem improved...it wasn't that he would get pushed back a year ago, it's that he would get blown up. Not seeing that so far.

I still don't see what the rest of you were seeing last year; he wasn't getting blown up.

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

I still don't see what the rest of you were seeing last year; he wasn't getting blown up.

He got ragdolled....a lot

From all indications, he isn't this year. Only saw him in the game and he looked better. Broaddus and Vela and many of the other reports have said the same thing, he isn't getting blown up, just getting pushed back on occasion. It's a good thing.

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

He got ragdolled....a lot

From all indications, he isn't this year. Only saw him in the game and he looked better. Broaddus and Vela and many of the other reports have said the same thing, he isn't getting blown up, just getting pushed back on occasion. It's a good thing.

He was playing center. He go pushed back, but I never saw him get beaten...

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

When you are pass blocking at center and get pushed back it's not a good thing. QB has nowhere to step up. It's getting beaten.

 

[CowboyMcCoy]

He's not a center though.

 

[cowboys2233]

I would be absolutely giddy, like ten year old girl at a Bieber concert giddy, if Arkin can actually hit Kosier level and take that starting job from Berny.

Would that be called "Arkin Parkinson?"

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Yes, Arkin will occasionally be pushed back on a bullrush. But I much prefer that to a complete whiff a la Livings and Bern.

This. All. Day.

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

He's not a center though.

I guess you have forgotten where he was playing a year ago. And it isn't good at guard either to have that happen.

 

[jobberone]

Too early to say much although positive noise about Arkin is better than negative. Bernie is much stronger and looked very good at times. Then he would look bad occasionally. Right now if Bernie can eliminate some of the negative plays he's a better guard. Arkin has the rest of camp to work on his technique. Stepnoski used technique to be a pretty good center so Arkin can learn to contribute if only a backup. Right now he has a shot at the roster.

 

[Zordon]

Too early to say much although positive noise about Arkin is better than negative. Bernie is much stronger and looked very good at times. Then he would look bad occasionally. Right now if Bernie can eliminate some of the negative plays he's a better guard. Arkin has the rest of camp to work on his technique. Stepnoski used technique to be a pretty good center so Arkin can learn to contribute if only a backup. Right now he has a shot at the roster.

which games did bernie look very good?

 

[MichaelWinicki]

which games did bernie look very good?

Truthfully there weren't many. If you go by the PFF grades, the NYG at Dallas game was his top rated. And the last game of the season vs Washington he did OK.

 

[jobberone]

I'm not going back into that arena other than to summarize. He looked good in all the games. I'm not categorizing a summary of the game but individual plays. He'd look all world at times, average at times and occasionally bad on plays. Now that describes a lot of players but what I'm trying to say is he has the ability to be a very good player. He's not terribly mobile but he is strong and he's got enough athleticism to be a good starter. Some of the plays he looked bad on he just looked stumped, not ready, confused or whatever. Parnell does the same at times. He's frozen. Other times he's just not quick enough to pick up someone grabbing the gap or stunting. I tend to think some of that is injury and a bit more not knowing what to do on the play. The rest is just not reacting well enough as a player. That's the best I can describe him.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

According to Brian Broaddus, Bernie was not the reason for the line's poor play. Cook and Free were the major culprits. Broaddus was adamant on this point. The Cowboys have replaced Cook, and Free seems to have a better grasp on the offense this season.

 

[jobberone]

According to Brian Broaddus, Bernie was not the reason for the line's poor play. Cook and Free were the major culprits. Broaddus was adamant on this point. The Cowboys have replaced Cook, and Free seems to have a better grasp on the offense this season.

I don't agree with that completely. The problem with the OL is that too often someone(s) would not execute well and the play would suffer for it. It wasn't always the same guy(s). It was consistently inconsistent up and down the entire OL. I wouldn't put the blame on anyone particular individual. They all looked bad on occasion. Consistency is got to be something the OL improves on. I'd rather see two guys screw up one play here and there than someone nearly every play.

 

[revospeed]

I like the idea of Arkin becoming the Catholic version of Kyle Kosier. Kosier was always consistent. You knew that he was going to show up to play and do a decent job, even if he wasn't for to be pancaking guys left and right or making Pro Bowls.