MySA Blog: Cowboys should start Smith out at right tackle

[WoodysGirl]

Posted on 05/10/2011 by torsborn


A big question mark attached to Cowboys first-round pick Tyron Smith as he prepares to join the team’s unsupervised workouts is whether he can thrive at left tackle in the NFL after starting two seasons on the right side at Southern Cal.

“If he’s so great, why didn’t USC play him on the left side?” barked one Cowboys fan in our office at the Express-News in the days after Dallas selected Smith ninth overall.

Former NFL coach turned ESPN analyst Jon Gruden is also skeptical.

Read the rest: http://blog.mysanantonio.com/nfl/2011/05/cowboys-should-start-smith-out-at-right-tackle/

 

[The30YardSlant]

I don't care who plays where as long as Marc Columbo never starts another game for the Dallas Cowboys

 

[burmafrd]

They had a top prospect at LT and he was doing quite well. If it ain't broke don't fix it. Of course that is a foreign concept to many

 

[jswalker1981]

Posted on 05/10/2011 by torsborn


A big question mark attached to Cowboys first-round pick Tyron Smith as he prepares to join the team’s unsupervised workouts is whether he can thrive at left tackle in the NFL after starting two seasons on the right side at Southern Cal.

“If he’s so great, why didn’t USC play him on the left side?” barked one Cowboys fan in our office at the Express-News in the days after Dallas selected Smith ninth overall.

Former NFL coach turned ESPN analyst Jon Gruden is also skeptical.

Read the rest: http://blog.mysanantonio.com/nfl/2011/05/cowboys-should-start-smith-out-at-right-tackle/

He didn't play LT because of Kahlil. Not because he couldn't. I love how the coaches come out and say it, but because Gruden is skeptical, we are suppose to just disregard the guys who actually worked with Smith? It's like starting a 98 rated player in Madden instead of the 94 rated player. Doesn't mean the 94 guy sucks.

And what is this "should start at RT" talk? He IS STARTING at RT. The idea is to let him get accustomed to the NFL game while not having to deal with the top DE/OLBs.

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

I don't care who plays where as long as Marc Columbo never starts another game for the Dallas Cowboys

This....

 

[Teague31]

I don't care who plays where as long as Marc Columbo never starts another game for the Dallas Cowboys

this.

 

[casmith07]

Sounds like SSG MIKE lives in San Antonio and was at MySA's offices.

 

[CCBoy]

I really don't see the need for a rush to the ocean to commit suicide. The first round drafted Smith, projects to his familiar place at right tackle. That is the easier of the two tackles to protect Tony Romo. Flozell Adams played guard his first year in the league. That Smith projects at least as a starter on the right side is great news to this fan.

This is one time, where a little patience and development by staff should pay an even higher return on the player. Give him a little collar room to make his personal adjustments.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

Erik Williams was arguably the best tackle in the NFL for two or three years, and he played on the right side. A team's best tackle does not necessarily have to play on the left side.

 

[MarionBarberThe4th]

Doug Free was a 4th rounder. Tyron went #9 overall. If Tyron is better you dont need to cry about it.

6-10 last year, dont care whos feelings get hurt

 

[Deep_Freeze]

He didn't play LT because of Kahlil. Not because he couldn't. I love how the coaches come out and say it, but because Gruden is skeptical, we are suppose to just disregard the guys who actually worked with Smith? It's like starting a 98 rated player in Madden instead of the 94 rated player. Doesn't mean the 94 guy sucks.

And what is this "should start at RT" talk? He IS STARTING at RT. The idea is to let him get accustomed to the NFL game while not having to deal with the top DE/OLBs.

Yeah, we have to have patience with the youngster, OL move around alot more than we are used to lately. This is only cause our OL was was older and more established in their positions, but with young players, there will be movement.

Kahlil is also the reason for Smith not being at LT. I guess we want to assume that the guy we took was all world for his team, but Kahlil is already being projected as a top 5 pick next year. At that point in their development, he had to have beaten Smith out, but that says nothing about their upside or how good each one of them will eventually be in the future.

 

[Rhubarb]

Here's an article regarding Kalil & Smith, with Lane Kiffin discussing this very issue...

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2011/05/11/2010626/moving-uscs-smith-from-right-tackle.html

 

[NextGenBoys]

OMG.

Why was I watching a show the other night where one lady encouraged another , "Stand tall, you are a strong black woman!", and I thought nothing of it. It was a fine statement to me, in the context.

But then I thought... what if the same conversation, in the same context, were aired between two white women?

"Stand tall, you are a strong white woman!"

Oh the humanity.

Sorry... venting a little off the subject... However,

This hyper-sensitivity to mentioning race as even a descriptive term is ridiculous. If he wants to make a general statement about RTs being fat white guys, so be it. He's painting a picture. I'll paint one as well... RBs are typically stocky, athletic black guys. Sue me.

Well played sir.

 

[CCBoy]

Here's an article regarding Kalil & Smith, with Lane Kiffin discussing this very issue...

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2011/05/11/2010626/moving-uscs-smith-from-right-tackle.html

Like your name, rhubarb. The wife made a mean rhubarb pie every summer while I was stationed at Fort Knox, Ky.

The article did a good job of describing how it wasn't addressed as a left tackle position only league at the collegiate levels. Both sides being important to a team.

Addtionally, the personnel through passage of both former starter and coach left the condition that Smith was in his Senior year. It did make sense to change neither the position of Smith and the incoming left tackle moving up the depth chart as well.

Thanks for the article...

 

[burmafrd]

those that did not like the Smith pick got all hung up on him playing RT in college without ever bothering to do a little Googling to find out maybe there was another reason.

 

[CATCH17]

Some people are just enamored with the idea of a big, unusually athletic lineman playing left tackle because they've been told by sportscenter that's the kind of player you need at that position to win. That, and they have this archaic idea of right tackles being fat, slow, strong white guys.

When Tyron Smith is ready he will be our Left Tackle.

No offense to Free but Smith will be a better player than him.


Also as solid as Free was at LT I felt like he was a better RT the year before down the stretch.



The kid is 20 and he is the franchise for us on the OL. You make him your LT the day he is ready for it.

 

[WV Cowboy]

This hyper-sensitivity to mentioning race as even a descriptive term is ridiculous. If he wants to make a general statement about RTs being fat white guys, so be it. He's painting a picture. I'll paint one as well... RBs are typically stocky, athletic black guys.

While I agree with everything you say, the stereotype of the BOLD part has cost many a white RB the opportunity to be a college or pro RB.

Much like it used to be with black QB's.

Where have all of the Riggins, Csonka's, Reeves', Kick's, Blier's, Owens', Garrison's gone?

Typically the black RB will be faster, and coaches get enamored with that. But speed is not the only quality that makes a good RB, .. nor is it the most important reason, .. not even top 3.

 

[Deep_Freeze]

When Tyron Smith is ready he will be our Left Tackle.
No offense to Free but Smith will be a better player than him.
Also as solid as Free was at LT I felt like he was a better RT the year before down the stretch.
The kid is 20 and he is the franchise for us on the OL. You make him your LT the day he is ready for it.

We don't know what Tyron is yet. We know what Free is, he was our starting LT last year. If Tyron 'will' be better, we don't know that yet. Give Free his respect.

Tyron still has to beat him out, and from their positives it would be the best situation, but lets wait and see what happens.

Show us something against Ware...........Tyron.

 

[tupperware]

They had a top prospect at LT and he was doing quite well. If it ain't broke don't fix it. Of course that is a foreign concept to many

I'd say Doug Free is doing quite well. If it isn't broke don't fix it?

 

[ZeroClub]

I don't care which positions Free and Smith play.

I just hope that Jerry and son can structure the contracts so that both Free and Smith can co-exist under the salary cap over the long haul.