DL coach Jeff Zgonina on DT Mazi Smith

[Buzzbait]

After today's performance by Mazi against the Rams scrimmage, I'm willing to eat some crow and keep Mazi. Mazi BEASTED OUT today.

Now THERE'S some good news!

 

[speedkilz88]

Cavanaugh said it was Mazi's best day. That the rams didn't have a big play against him.

 

[bigE79]

100%

It is sounding more and more like the kid lacks the motivation and football IQ to play this sport at a high level.

They are “trying to find the right fit” for a guy who is supposed to play the 1T in a 4-3. It ain’t rocket science.

He will get plenty of snaps this preseason, and I hope “it clicks” — but damn, this looks like a horrid draft pick.

First Taco. Now Mazi. And Schoonmaker cann’t even stay off the trainer’s table. I would be fine never drafting another Michigan player at this point lol

When he said he hated football, I do not believe he was joking.

 

[gimmesix]

Cavanaugh said it was Mazi's best day. That the rams didn't have a big play against him.

Just to temper that a bit, my understanding is that the Rams were scrimmaging without three starting offensive linemen. And their coach actually praised them for performing better than they did in an earlier scrimmage.

 

[ghst187]

“he’s learning a new style”

So they are teaching him to….
A) not wait a full second to move after the snap
B) not get pushed into the secondary or into the sidelines, esp when the play runs his direction
C) shed a block for once, any block
D) learn how to require the offense to double team him, instead of just using a single RB to take him out of the play….????

 

[ghst187]

Damn he's talking about MAZI like he just started playing football lol

Based on what I’ve seen, I’d say that appears accurate

 

[Floatyworm]

Reading between the lines, it doesn't sound good for Mazi.
No real praise for him.
"We're trying to get the right fit for him."
That's a lukewarm endorsement for a first-round draft pick headed into his second year.

They need to trade him now to a 3-4 team....that was a 4-3 team last year....DT swap....get something now before teams figure out this is Dontario Poe.

 

[SFloridaCowboy]

Kevin Brooks was a superstar DL at Michigan in mid 80's. Everyone projected him to be a high pick in draft. Cowboys drafted him in 1985 with the 17th pick and he was a bust galore and contributed to Tom Landry's demise, who could not get production out of high draft picks for many years. Taco Charlton ahead of a WATT boy? What a waste, another Michigan bust!

So when Mazi Smith was drafted, I said, "Oh, oh." Trysten Hill was a big bust, so Boys needed asure thing.

In Mazi's defense most people here do not know last year he had a torn shoulder labrum. That is a serious injury that cannot heal on its own and saps strength. He looked good in training camp last year. But during the season, he showed nothing. I believe the torn labrum affected him last year in the regular season.

He had the surgical repair this off season, so this is his year to show his talent or we fans will suffer from another Michigan curse.

 

[vicjagger]

Is this Peter's brother?

 

[morat1959]

Anyone who saw Mazi’s get off the ball last year could see he’s a bust. The coaching staff is just trying to save face because he was a first round pick. BUST! You can’t fix what’s wrong with him. This is what happens when you let a player make a pick for the team.

 

[CyberB0b]

The Pollyannas are amusing trying to find something brilliant about what the coach said
What he said is they are trying to get him going
not that he is going
that they are trying

Yeah, this is coach speak for “he isn’t close to where he should be”

 

[FVSTONE]

New coaches are helping.



Cowboys defensive line coach Jeff Zgonina on DT Mazi Smith: “He’s doing good. He’s learning a new style. We’re a little bit different than they were last year. He’s learning. He’s trying new things. We’re trying to get the right fit for him. He’s doing well. He’s gotta get his conditioning going because he’s coming off the injury. But he’s in a good spot. We just gotta keep getting better and better every day, that’s why we come to training camp.”

Zgonina on coaching players as his job and coaching dogs in dog shows in his free time: “Both I’m dealing with something I really can’t control, but I hope I can control, that I’ve coached right. Whether I coach a dog or I coach a player, I hope they respond to what I’ve taught them and react to it. To me, dog showing is harder. Walking on the field as a player was so much easier. It’s nerve-racking.”

Do all D-Line coaches in the league sound as stupid as our guy does or is he just a one off.........................LOL!

 

[speedkilz88]

Anyone who saw Mazi’s get off the ball last year could see he’s a bust. The coaching staff is just trying to save face because he was a first round pick. BUST! You can’t fix what’s wrong with him. This is what happens when you let a player make a pick for the team.

Get off can't be fixed?

We all know where to go for really bad takes.

 

[quickccc]

100%

It is sounding more and more like the kid lacks the motivation and football IQ to play this sport at a high level.

They are “trying to find the right fit” for a guy who is supposed to play the 1T in a 4-3. It ain’t rocket science.

He will get plenty of snaps this preseason, and I hope “it clicks” — but damn, this looks like a horrid draft pick.

First Taco. Now Mazi. And Schoonmaker can’t even stay off the trainer’s table. I would be fine never drafting another Michigan player at this point lol

Not helped by the previous staff is trying to make a pure 1 tech into a 3 tech pass rusher , and having him drop tonnage as low as 290 pounds.

It's a re-coach, ..a re-build, ..re-confidence ... re-scheme with Mazi .. i have no problem with that.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

“he’s learning a new style”

So they are teaching him to….
A) not wait a full second to move after the snap
B) not get pushed into the secondary or into the sidelines, esp when the play runs his direction
C) shed a block for once, any block
D) learn how to require the offense to double team him, instead of just using a single RB to take him out of the play….????

Every single bullet point answered in a drive.

 

[morat1959]

Get off can't be fixed?

We all know where to go for really bad takes.

Watch the first series of the game if you don’t get it.

 

[nightrain]

Mazi may not be worthy of a roster spot. The Rams Tyler Davis is what a young player in the middle of the DL should look like.

 

[speedkilz88]

Watch the first series of the game if you don’t get it.

You aren't very bright I get it.

 

[ghst187]

Every single bullet point answered in a drive.

Could’ve have gotten any worse I suppose

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Could’ve have gotten any worse I suppose

You lack imagination at that point I suppose.

He could have worn down by the half and failed to answer any of your questions. He was stout the whole way.