Question about Andre Gurode?

[Manwiththeplan]

Why did he look like a bust at guard, yet a pro-bowler at center? What skills does a guard normally posses that a center doesn't (besides size cause gurode isn't a small center)? Or was a just a product of a bad o-line early in his career?

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I remember Parcells saying he just functioned better at C, as if even he wasn't sure why.

Maybe he was subject to mental lapses at G, and playing C keeps his mind in the game. I would bet it's something along those lines, because his problem has never been physical talent.

 

[Manwiththeplan]

I remember Parcells saying he just functioned better at C, as if even he wasn't sure why.

Maybe he was subject to mental lapses at G, and playing C keeps his mind in the game. I would bet it's something along those lines, because his problem has never been physical talent.

yeah, I never understood that

 

[Number82]

Gurode just seems to play better at Center for some reason.

He did play some good Center under Campo. Then Parcells moved him to guard for some unknown reason and I remember him making a comment that he didn't know Gurode played center also.

 

[Illini88228]

I seem to remember his probablem being almost entirely mental at guard, so I guess it might help him keep focused to be at center.

On the other hand, he may just have been a late bloomer. It takes some guys a while to really get a grip on the mental part of the game and on what it takes to be a professional athlete. Parcells used to complain that Gurode would be distracted in practice because he was goofing off with Torrin Tucker, so it may have just been a personal maturity thing that just caught up with him at about the time he moved to center.

 

[burmafrd]

Word trickled out that Tucker was a bad influence on Gurode and once he was gone, and maybe getting told by BP he had one more chance and that was it, made Gurode wake up. He certainly was different afterwards. He was average at guard, no more.

 

[Pottsville Maroons]

Word trickled out that Tucker was a bad influence on Gurode and once he was gone, and maybe getting told by BP he had one more chance and that was it, made Gurode wake up. He certainly was different afterwards. He was average at guard, no more.

My question is, was it a combination of Tucker and the Guard position, or was it all Tucker? Would he have found success at OG once Tucker left? It seems that, if he has trouble w/ the line calls and w/o Tucker around, Guard would suit him.

 

[MONT17]

between Gurode and Romo defenses appear to be more complexed... it would be nice to get a "student of the game" at 1 of those positions.

 

[Eskimo]

He has the physical skills to play guard or center. He is good enough technically to play Center but I'm not absolutely convinced he needs to stay there.

If we found a great Center in the draft, we may be better off moving Gurode to LG.

The reason no one wants to move him is because he is technically good enough to play center and can handle monster NTs one-on-one. I don't know that he is the best at organizing the OL adjustments/calls because blitz pickup has been a weakness here for awhile but maybe that is an OL execution issue and not an incorrect call issue.

 

[dbair1967]

I remember Parcells saying he just functioned better at C, as if even he wasn't sure why.

Maybe he was subject to mental lapses at G, and playing C keeps his mind in the game. I would bet it's something along those lines, because his problem has never been physical talent.

He played both at Colorado from what I recall, and was dominant at both.

When we drafted him though, I remember Jones saying immediately he would be a center. The he started out at guard and didnt really take off.

 

[burmafrd]

He clearly turned on the light in 2006. And really has not looked back since. Not really sure what was all involved, but I have heard over the years from several different places that BP and others thought Tucker really bothered his concentration somehow.

 

[Cover 2]

He clearly turned on the light in 2006. And really has not looked back since. Not really sure what was all involved, but I have heard over the years from several different places that BP and others thought Tucker really bothered his concentration somehow.

I remember that. I didn't think Gurode would actually pan out though. I thought it was along the lines of Julius not being a robot, or Spears breaking out after Parcells left. But to Parcells' credit he apparently knew what he was talking about when it came to Gurode.

Now to be honest I've done my fair share of griping at Gurode, but he is still a quality center.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

I remember Parcells saying he just functioned better at C, as if even he wasn't sure why.

Maybe he was subject to mental lapses at G, and playing C keeps his mind in the game. I would bet it's something along those lines, because his problem has never been physical talent.

He mentally lapses at C too.

 

[SLATEmosphere]

I would just keep him at C. I don't really want a rook to be calling the blitzpickups.

 

[Manwiththeplan]

I would just keep him at C. I don't really want a rook to be calling the blitzpickups.

If we drafted Pouncey, I wouldn't move him to center till year 2 or later

 

[21Savage]

Gather around people, which is more ridiculous? The move Gurode to guard for a rookie at Center people or the move Rat to end for a rookie at Nose people

 

[Pottsville Maroons]

Gather around people, which is more ridiculous? The move Gurode to guard for a rookie at Center people or the move Rat to end for a rookie at Nose people

Just because you draft a Center to replace Gurode, doesn't mean the rookie starts at center this year. And, if I'm not mistaken, if it's his second year, he technically isn't a rookie anymore.