Spears on Sirius (Moving the Chains)

[superpunk]

Been watching our D very long? Especially last year? Sending our best playmaker into coverage isn't the way to make him shine.

Yeah - I have. And, I've seen Ware's talent shine through no matter what we do with him schemewise. You can't stop him - he's good - and it shows.

Maybe Spears could have been better used. If he couldn't play two-gap it was a mistake to draft him and use him that way. But I've yet to see a game from him where I think - "Yeah - dude's got it." You can't hide Ware's talent in a bushel basket. I couldn't find Spears' in a thimble, so far.

Believe me - I hope it was scheme.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Agreed.

Both he and Canty should be 4-3 tackles.

Actually, I think Canty needs to lose 15-20 pounds and switch to 4-3 DE. He has problems getting low enough to gain leverage. That would punish him as a DT in a 4-3 defense as his only option would be to bull rush and you can't bull rush without leverage.

 

[superpunk]

Scheme certainly plays a part. Otherwise we wouldn't have coaches game-planning at all. We'd just send playmakers onto the field and let them do their thing.

This is the opposite extreme of the same ridiculous argument. It's not all about coaching and it's not all about the players. It's a little of both.

You obviously didn't get what I said at all. What have you seen from Spears that has made you say - Damn - he;s got it?

Regardless of scheme, that talent has to shine through once in a while. The scheme affects it - but it can't negate it.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I dont remember seeing Spears ever line up much at DT...not saying he never did, but of all the LSU games I saw he was almost always at DE

David

Don't know how much you watched Spears play as an under classman but he played a lot of DT. When they had Hill, on one end, they would line him up next to Lavalais as the three technique and he would create havock. LSU had lots of talent on the line at that time.

 

[Cochese]

You obviously didn't get what I said at all. What have you seen from Spears that has made you say - Damn - he;s got it?

Regardless of scheme, that talent has to shine through once in a while. The scheme affects it - but it can't negate it.

I agree. He has what.. 2 sacks in 2 years in the league? No matter if it was the coaches or the players, this year is put up or shut up time for Spears. He simply has to do more than he has done and no excuses can justify it come 2008.

 

[theogt]

You obviously didn't get what I said at all. What have you seen from Spears that has made you say - Damn - he;s got it?

Regardless of scheme, that talent has to shine through once in a while. The scheme affects it - but it can't negate it.

Well, I don't think he's a "playmaker" like Ware, but I do think he can be better used. If you want a Ware at every position, stop looking.

It would have been a nice experiment to see what a Phillips 3-4 would have done with this talent as opposed to a Parcells 3-4. Scheme is more than just lining up players on the field.

 

[Hostile]

Anybody else caught it?
He pretty much said that he was a playmaking DE at LSU and that it was tough to do what he was asked to do in Dallas.

I absolutely agree with him. There is a reason is why D-linemen prefer the 4-3 to the 3-4. I am not bagging the 3-4, but the assignments are different.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Actually, I think Canty needs to lose 15-20 pounds and switch to 4-3 DE. He has problems getting low enough to gain leverage. That would punish him as a DT in a 4-3 defense as his only option would be to bull rush and you can't bull rush without leverage.

Canty doesn't have the burst to be a top-flight 4-3 end. He lacks the quick first step.

 

[superpunk]

I agree. He has what.. 2 sacks in 2 years in the league? No matter if it was the coaches or the players, this year is put up or shut up time for Spears. He simply has to do more than he has done and no excuses can justify it come 2008.

Even if he was getting after it, getting a push, against the run - maybe he was almost there alot like Ware in his rookie year. You rarely hear #96 called for anything - at all. If you're making an impact, people notice. For all an observer could tell, he might as well be Kenyon Coleman or Jay Ratliff out there. He has yet to distinguish himself.

Well, I don't think he's a "playmaker" like Ware, but I do think he can be better used. If you want a Ware at every position, stop looking.

Good grief - it was a comparison. I never said I wanted him to be like Ware. I said if he's really got it - then it will show up, at least somewhat, regardless of scheme. It hasn't yet for Spears.

 

[theogt]

Even if he was getting after it, getting a push, against the run - maybe he was almost there alot like Ware in his rookie year. You rarely hear #96 called for anything - at all. If you're making an impact, people notice. For all an observer could tell, he might as well be Kenyon Coleman or Jay Ratliff out there. He has yet to distinguish himself.



Good grief - it was a comparison. I never said I wanted him to be like Ware. I said if he's really got it - then it will show up, at least somewhat, regardless of scheme. It hasn't yet for Spears.

I know it was a comparison. You seem to have misunderstood both of my posts in this thread.

 

[bmf31]

Sorry - I'm not buying Spears explanation.

Yeah, two-gap responsibility is more demanding, and takes alot more concentration and dedication, and heck - girth - but this is just an excuse for underperforming, IMO. Scheme cannot negate playmaking ability. If you're a playmaker, it will shine through no matter the scheme. Spears might just be what he is now.

Let's all hope it was the fault of "the scheme".

I think your right. Playmaking ability should shine through regardless. I think that he is just lazy. I think it was Parcells that said something like when he wants to the game is pretty easy for him.

I also remember an article when he was drafted where he said it didn't matter what scheme we played. He would rush the passer from the end or move inside and take out the trash in a 3-4!

After reading that it got me pumped about him. He started off slow with the injury. Looked good towards the end of the season and digressed this year. He is just lazy. Maybe the next coach or someone on staff can get through to him!

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Canty doesn't have the burst to be a top-flight 4-3 end. He lacks the quick first step.

I think he can be a pretty good LDE in a 43. He doesn't have great explosion but he has extremely long arms. He'll be able to use that as he strings out plays to the end. If you put him at DT, those long arms and legs are going to get him in trouble. He doesn't have the build to play that position IMO. He can't play with the leverage required. This, IMO, is why he has trouble, at times in the 34. In a 34, the DEs have much the same responsability as a DT in a 43. His build is just wrong for it IMO.

 

[Apollo Creed]

The scheme had nothing to do with him getting abused all year. When he was one on one with tackles, he needed to make some plays. Our scheme wasn't as bad as people made it out to be, even when our D was playing well (first 11 weeks) Spears and Canty were playing poorly.

 

[cowboyed]

Scheme certainly plays a part. Otherwise we wouldn't have coaches game-planning at all. We'd just send playmakers onto the field and let them do their thing.

This is the opposite extreme of the same ridiculous argument. It's not all about coaching and it's not all about the players. It's a little of both.

Slam dunk and checkmate. You absolutely get it.

 

[burmafrd]

Spears just is not all that. As has been pointed out, if he was a playmaker he would have made more plays no matter what the scheme. Maybe he can be used better- but this guy just does not have what it takes to play up to where he was drafted. Frankly he plays like a 3rd rd pick. Late.

 

[junk]

He used the 4-3 Over/Under, which may resemble a 3-4 in some ways.

I post this article any chance I get.

http://www.phins.com/articles05/3-4defense.php

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I don't know. I have seen Spears make plays while at LSU. I have also seen him disappear. I think the injury in his rookie year didn't help anything but by this season, that should be well behind him. Spears has always struck me as a guy who had lots of talent but didn't work very hard at the game. It might be as simple as the young man realizing that everybody is good in the Pros. You gotta work harder if your gonna keep a job.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I think he can be a pretty good LDE in a 43. He doesn't have great explosion but he has extremely long arms. He'll be able to use that as he strings out plays to the end. If you put him at DT, those long arms and legs are going to get him in trouble. He doesn't have the build to play that position IMO. He can't play with the leverage required. This, IMO, is why he has trouble, at times in the 34. In a 34, the DEs have much the same responsability as a DT in a 43. His build is just wrong for it IMO.

I just think I would prefer Hatcher and Ware at the end position.

Hatcher is a large lad himself... 6'6" 285. And he seems to have what Canty lacks at the DE position-- a burst.

 

[FLcowboy]

he's right

the guy had the makings of a dominant player at LSU...he played in a very aggressive NFL type scheme under Saban...and we put him in the biggest scheme the league has ever seen for his two yrs so far

he has the tools to be a very solid to dominant LDE...he could probably be moved to DT in the 4-3 and excel there too

David

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I just think I would prefer Hatcher and Ware at the end position.

Hatcher is a large lad himself... 6'6" 285. And he seems to have what Canty lacks at the DE position-- a burst.

I agree. I see Hatcher and Ware as the rush ends. To be honest, I see Ware as a guy who can play DE or OLB in passing situations. I see Canty and Hatcher as LDEs in a rotation situation. In obviouse passing down situations, I see us stacking Ware on either end of the defense. I see Carp right on the center in a Zero. I see Ayodele and Burnett at LBs along with Ware sometimes. I see Fergs and Spears at the DTs, I see Roy over the TE, I see a FS to be name later playing center field. I see Newman and Henry playing bump and run and I see another pass rushing DE being brought in to fill out our defense.