Mailbag: Mazi Smith affected by 3rd different DC

[jazzcat22]

https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/mailbag-mazi-affected-by-3rd-different-dc

Some encouraging words about Mazi.
Though this will get many of the typical responses.

Eberflus and Whitecotton are excited to see what he can do.
As they said, he improved in year 2 over a year 1. Which we all know was not all that great.
And this being year 3. And with coaches that may know how to use him better, at what he is good at. Instead of making him lose weight, and do things he was not asked to do in college.

So this is his make or break year. We will not know until game 1 or so. As fans will have varying opinions from the TC hype.

 

[Kwyn]

Hoping he plays great. He improved last year. Let’s hope that continues.

 

[DallasDW00ds0n]

People down on Diggs, well it’s his third defensive coordinator in three years.

Do we have to apply this to every player?

 

[Carson]

We have been bad up the middle against the run.

We have been worse stopping the run on the edge

 

[Havic]

Maybe it’s the player if three different coaches in three seasons can’t get him to play well

 

[Rock423]

You should. Wouldn’t your job performance be affected if every year you have to do the same task differently?

 

[Kwyn]

Maybe it’s the player if three different coaches in three seasons can’t get him to play well

I guess we’ll find out, right?

 

[Rayman70]

Boy folks act like Mazi is a dainty flower lol. My Lord, it's ridiculous. Change in this league is the norm. He's in year 3, he actually has improved in small increments. Takes a long time for defensive tackles to play well.

 

[Havic]

I guess we’ll find out, right?

I hope he turns it around, I don’t have high hopes after Zimmer was talking him up

 

[Creeper]

We are all hard on Mazi, including me. But if I stop and think about it, he rookie year he was asked to lose 40 lbs during the season and play under 300 lbs. That is asking a lot of a guy. Then his next season, they ask him to gain the weight back. That's moronic.

Still, Mazi needs to step up his game in a big way or I don't see how he avoids the bust tag. Maybe bust is too strong of a word but it is close.

 

[MountaineerCowboy]

Bust.

 

[Cowfan75Lives]

The real question is, has enough time passed for Jerry to not look dumb for drafting a bust if we stop playing him.

 

[InPhiltraitor]

Not crackin’ on the player, but coach swapping is far more prominent than player swapping. Teams win, coaches jump ship for greener pastures. Teams lose, coaches get the axe. This “problem” isn’t exclusive to Mazi or any other player.

The SB winning QB, who some deem a moderate system QB, has had 5 different OC’s since coming in the league in 2020, and 13 different play callers going back through his college days.

Don’t believe Mazi could help but continue to get better (if he wants to, that is) but unfortunately for him, he’ll always be attached to that 1st round selection.

 

[Jarntt]

https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/mailbag-mazi-affected-by-3rd-different-dc

Some encouraging words about Mazi.
Though this will get many of the typical responses.

Eberflus and Whitecotton are excited to see what he can do.
As they said, he improved in year 2 over a year 1. Which we all know was not all that great.
And this being year 3. And with coaches that may know how to use him better, at what he is good at. Instead of making him lose weight, and do things he was not asked to do in college.

So this is his make or break year. We will not know until game 1 or so. As fans will have varying opinions from the TC hype.

Again, a ridiculous comment where you are unable to be objective about this team. Why many make up excuses for why these guys play so horribly is just odd. Sure he is young and will hopefully improve this year (and hopefully by a ton because even just improving won't be enough), sure having multiple DCs can be part of the issue and sure losing the weight can be part of the issue. But other players go through all of this and don't play horribly. There is a lot more to it than just these little things. It's not that he hasn't lived up to his 1st round draft grade that is the biggest problem, it's that he hasn't even played to the level of an NFL backup so far. So some people (usually ones who have dug their heels in to try and defend him) are just looking for something else to blame it on other than him just being horrible so far. I still remember people trying to defend Trysten Hill until the day he was finally cut when it was clear for years he wasn't an NFL player. It's as if some don't actually watch the games and instead just want to be "right".

Changing DCs doesn't cause you to get blown off the line like he gets. He doesn't get enough penetration for a guy who just is unable to stand his ground and clog up the middle. Personally I think this will be a much better defense for him as the past two both asked more from a gap control perspective and this will be more of the Marinelli penetration style. But football is graded by what you do on the field and it's time to put up or he won't be here much longer and IMO he won't be playing by the end of the year if he doesn't improve. I think Mazi will be better this year and think he has the potential to be, but it's tiring reading people making up all of these excuses. So far he has been horrible and that is because of him and no one else and there is no argument there. To borrow a quote from @Bobhaze in the another thread "Hope is not a strategy" so we damn well better get another NT in here before week 1, because having Mazi and a rookie who has never worn pads in an NFL practice as your top 2 guys is lunacy

 

[JIMMYBUFFETT]

Yeah the folks who have given up on Mazi are just as silly as those that have given up on Guyton. Both kids were drafted a little too high and people expected way too much out of them. It's two of the harder positions to play in the entire NFL and you've got a couple of 24 year old's learning on the job. I expect big leaps from both these guys as well as Schoon this season.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/mailbag-mazi-affected-by-3rd-different-dc

Some encouraging words about Mazi.
Though this will get many of the typical responses.

Eberflus and Whitecotton are excited to see what he can do.
As they said, he improved in year 2 over a year 1. Which we all know was not all that great.
And this being year 3. And with coaches that may know how to use him better, at what he is good at. Instead of making him lose weight, and do things he was not asked to do in college.

So this is his make or break year. We will not know until game 1 or so. As fans will have varying opinions from the TC hype.

excited to see "what he can do", which is a kiss of death. they don't believe him. they are just evaluating and trying to figure it out.

he was super hot garbage year 1. in year 2 he was hot hot garbage....and people say he has improved, but doesn't change the fact he is still some kind of garbage.

if by year 3 they still trying to figure out what to do with a first round pick, then it speaks volumes about the player....

 

[Stash]

Hoping he plays great. He improved last year. Let’s hope that continues.

Perfect answer.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Yeah the folks who have given up on Mazi are just as silly as those that have given up on Guyton. Both kids were drafted a little too high and people expected way too much out of them. It's two of the harder positions to play in the entire NFL and you've got a couple of 24 year old's learning on the job. I expect big leaps from both these guys as well as Schoon this season.

Mazi sucks. we know that. he has shown in two years he is either hot hot garbage or just hot garbage. still garbage. time to cut lose. trade him and move on. if they haven't figured that out, then they are just refusing to see the mistake. Although I am not surprised as Jerry tends to hold players regardless of their play to the end of their contracts so he doesn't have to eat any dead cap money and pay for the same position twice.

Guyton better make a drastic jump in year 2. the offense is going to come down on how he does. if he can't and we have to constantly keep someone back to help him or run shorter routes to get the ball out quicker, its just going to limit the offense. it was a mistake picking him. he was more olympic athlete than football player. he started 8 games in college not even a full season as a senior and that at RT. they fell in love with the athleticism as opposed to evaluating him as a football player.

 

[SinceDayOne]

Taking this with a grain of salt. New coaches heaping praise on the improvement of a player is also self serving. Saying Mazi is doing good is also saying "we coaches are doing a really great job also." I have seen that stuff before. But I have to hope Mazi is improving and the coaches are getting more out of his talent. I am waiting to see for myself however....

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

People down on Diggs, well it’s his third defensive coordinator in three years.

Do we have to apply this to every player?

People are down on Diggs for his injuries and how he’s handling it. But this is the thing….how you treat and develop a player is very important. Being available it’s important….

And we probably should have a discussion on our position group coaches. From offensive line coaches to defensive line coaches…they’ve sucked. Maybe Whitecotton changes that.