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April 2009 News
Larry Foote Released, Motown Bound?
Published: April 28, 2009
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Two-time Super Bowl champion and seven-year veteran Larry Foote has been informed of his release by the Pittsburgh Steelers, and he might be bringing his act back home.
The Detroit native was mentioned in rumors of a possible return to Detroit earlier this offseason, according to acquaintances of the former Michigan linebacker. Foote has been, or at least soon will be, granted his release from the Steelers, making him a free agent able to seek an accord with any club.
Foote has expressed a desire to make a positive impact on the local Detroit community, and he would fit nicely smack in the middle of a Lion defense that has had considerable trouble stopping the run in recent seasons.
Many fans question, and rightfully so, the ability of the undersized linebackers Detroit selected in the draft this past weekend to step in and make a difference in solidifying the middle of the Detroit defense. Foote could be the answer to their prayers.
Only 28 and still productive, Foote was released primarily for financial reasons, though the Steelers did want Lawrence Timmons to see more playing time. Moreover, he seems intrigued by the idea of playing in his home city.
“Detroit is always No. 1. I mean, my agent is talking to them about me coming home, and we’ll go from there. But no question about it, that’s my first choice.”
Given the state of their roster at the moment, all of Michigan is hoping that Foote is the organization’s first choice, too.
GM Jerry Angelo Interview from ESPN 1000 Part I
Published: April 28, 2009
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Jerry Angelo joined the Waddle and Silvy show yesterday to talk Chicago Bears football after the NFL Draft on Sunday. It’s one of the first interviews Angelo has done with local sports talk radio in a few years and it was great to hear where some of his motivation lies in regards to making this team better.
In part one of the interview we cover what steps the Bears made to trade for Anquan Boldin and cover the motivation behind trading down out of the first day of the draft.
To start things off it’s fair to say that everyone should recognize and mostly does recognize that this draft wasn’t about any of the players taken, but rather about Jay Cutler. The talk of the draft and it’s impact essentially starts and stops with Cutler.
A point that should be made that maybe hasn’t been touched on as much as it perhaps should be, is that lack of overall great talent in this draft. The value in the players from the Top-5 arguably all the way down to the top of the second round wasn’t all that much different.
Evidence in this can be seen in some of the players who fell out of the first round and into the second. Ray Maualuga considered by many as a Top-5 talent fell out of the first round. Everette Brown precisely the same thing, arguably a top-10 level pick who fell to nearly the middle part of the second round.
So the talent and the depth not being as strong as it was in past years made it all the more easy for the Bears to trade out. There are players in this draft that are hard to project and have a very high boom or bust factor that was likely taken into consideration when the idea to trade for Cutler came around.
The Bears also made a trade phone call to the Arizona Cardinals about Anquan Boldin. Angelo could not and didn’t want to get into all the specific details surrounding the trade talks (Boldin is still under contract) and he wants to be able to keep a solid reputation around the league with other GMs.
Angelo could have said explicitly what prevented the trade from Boldin from happening, but that in turn would hurt any future endeavors he may have in the trade market. He wants to keep a good solid working relationship so the refusal to go into specific details is easy to understand.
A certain level of respect needs to be maintained and he didn’t want to throw the Cardinals under the bus or affix any blame for any possible outrageous demands the Cardinals may have made etc.
However the point of emphasis should that Jerry Angelo did everything within reason, and within his power to explore the possibility of landing Anquan Boldin. Angelo definitely feels that Boldin would make the Bears a better football team and with the line of thought being that the Bears want to win now, Boldin is a player that would help him achieve that goal.
The next segment flowed into the decision to trade down out and out the first round of the draft. Angelo was pretty explicit with this answer as well in that the Bears had an idea of what player they would take at 49 and what type of player gave them the most value at 49.
The focus obviously being on the big three receivers that we had all hoped would slide into the second round. In my Chicago Bears Draft Day Thoughts Blog I touched on the exact line of thinking that Angelo went with. The dream scenario being all three receivers fall into the second round, giving the Bears a better chance to grab one at 49.
The more likely scenario I gave obviously is the one that panned out and I was right on target with where I thought the Bears could target either Massaqoi or Iglesias. Iglesias turned out to be the player taken at 99th overall in the third.
Angelo did the best thing for this football team by trading back and picking up an extra third and an extra fourth round pick. The third round pick netted him high value prospect Jarron Gilbert (arguably a first or second round worthy target).
This immediately boosted the position on the team that cause the most losses on the team in a direct way. The pass rush defensive end problem that was again addressed in the fourth round with the Henry Melton selection.
Angelo touched on the Jarron Gilbert selection by talking about a few points:
A) Jarron Gilbert is a player that they plan to play at defensive end “versus the run but when we get into our third down situation he’s going to shift inside just as he was in his senior year. He’s been exposed to playing defensive end a bit.”
Dick Tomey (San Jose State’s head coach) as Angelo went on to explain has been a college football coach for a number of years. Tomey has been a specialist in developing defensive lineman for a number of years at schools that he’s coached. Tomey is probably most famous for the Arizona Wildcats’ “Desert Swarm” days when the UofA had one of the best and most consistent defensive lines in the country.
Tomey is unquestionably a good football coach and any NFL coach or GM (Angelo in this case) receiving advice from him should take it to heart because he’s one of those coaches that’s been around the block a few times. Tomey feels that Gilbert’s best potential is still ahead of him and he’s just beginning to scrape the surface of what he can do on the football field.
I think some of the points to look at here regarding Jarron Gilbert and Henry Melton is the the idea of getting a lot of speed and athleticism up front. The big fad right now in the NFL is the 3-4 because it’s the defense the Pittsburgh Steelers won the Super Bowl with.
However what is consistently overlooked is the New York Giants won the Super Bowl title merely a year ago with the 4-3 defense in place. The Giants led the NFL in sacks with a 4-3 defensive scheme.
The point is and always will be to get the most pressure you can from your front four. This is always accomplished best with speed off the edge and athleticism up the middle. The song remains the same and you could argue that it has since the days of the Bears’ dominating pass rush utilizing the 46 scheme.
It’s about getting to the quarterback plain and simple, giving him little no time to throw the ball, it doesn’t matter if it comes from the 3-4, 4-3, 4-4, 5-2, 46, flex-eagle look, ANYTHING that you want to throw out there. The song remains the same get to the quarterback on third down.
Adding speed like Gilbert to the middle of the defense and speed of the edge with someone like Henry Melton is geared specifically towards that idea. The Bears don’t need to switch to a 3-4, they just need to have more speed and with a front four of Israel Idonije, Marcus Harrison, Jarron Gilbert and Henry Melton that is a very fast and athletic front four geared to get to the QB on third down.
Much the same way the New York Giants focus their defense so much on speed, the Bears are attempting to do the same things.
With Juaqin Iglesias the Bears wanted to get an established receiver. With Mark Bradley they looked at his ceiling and where he could go. Bradley was a defensive back and was moved around before he was the third best receiver on a team that had two other WRs drafted.
Iglesias was THE man at Oklahoma, the established number one target and Angelo felt he really compliments what they are trying to do on offense. It’s not taking an expert to see why the Bears targeted these prospects based on what we saw and what the Bears lack on offense and defense.
Cleveland Browns’ 2009 Draft: Hopefully There Are No More Rebuilds
Published: April 28, 2009
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Around 5:00 on Saturday, the Browns held the fifth pick in the NFL Draft. By 6:45, they still had not drafted a player, after trading down three times all the way down to pick No. 21.
Outside of the New England Patriots, the Browns were the busiest team of the first round, moving out of three different spots and acquiring a third pick in the second round, along with picking C Alex Mack from Cal.
Cleveland dealt the fifth pick to the New York Jets so that they could select USC’s Mark Sanchez, exciting the New York fanbase at Radio City Music Hall.
In return, Cleveland acquired three players including S Abram Elam, pick No. 17, and the Jets second round pick.
Cleveland, in turn, subsequently traded down twice with Tampa Bay and Philadelphia, sliding down in the first round and acquiring two sixth-rounders in the process.
The pick of Mack seemed to be a surprise to most fans expecting to land a defensive playmaker. However, that plan was thrown out of the window by Seattle’s selection of LB Aaron Curry with the fourth pick.
Mack is a very physical and imposing center prospect, and was reported to have been the top prospect on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ draft board.
In the second round, GM George Kokinis drafted two consecutive WRs: Ohio State’s Brian Robiskie and Georgia’s Mohamed Massaquoi. Hawaii DE/OLB David Veikune was drafted with pick 52, ending the Browns’ first day of the draft.
If there was one common denominator in the Browns’ acquisitions, it was that they were smart, solid, and physical football players that could help improve a roster that went 4-12 in 2008.
No, Braylon Edwards did not become a New York Giant. But the regime provided either Brady Quinn or Derek Anderson with some decent targets in the open field, and a powerful center to help open the running game.
The drafting of these two receivers might also help soften the blow of Edwards’ potential departure in 2010.
Among the other Cleveland draftees were USC OLB Kaluka Maiava and Clemson RB James Davis.
In addition, the Browns signed several undrafted free agents including Penn State RB/WR Jordan Norwood, while also offering Texas Tech QB Graham Harrell a tryout.
The main emphasis of the draft was, as mentioned, good football players who are smart players and lack character issues.
Time will tell whether or not these guys will produce right away and lead to a Miami-like turnaround, or if the Browns are in for yet another long rebuilding process which may lead to another failure.
Of course, the result could be somewhere in the middle.
Regardless, Cleveland sent a message in the draft by adding extra draft picks; the aim is to acquire as many potentially talented players as possible.
They would rather have a few good players than just one superstar surrounded by average players.
The Jay Cutler Trade Is Complete: Who Won?
Published: April 28, 2009
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It’s official; the Jay Cutler trade has been fully completed.
Don’t believe me? The Broncos were wheeling-and-dealing on draft day. They now have only six picks in next year’s draft; they traded away their own first round pick and their own fifth round pick. They still have the Bears’ first round pick, but the odds are that will be no higher in the order than the Broncos’ natural pick…and quite possibly far lower.
Here are the moves the Broncos made that relate to the Cutler trade:
Drafted Robert Ayers (DE, Tennessee) with the Bears pick. By all indications, Ayers is a strong talent, although he really did not turn it on until his senior season. Still, he was what the Broncos wanted to play end/undertackle in their new 3-4 scheme.
Traded their own 2010 first round draft choice to Seattle for the No. 37 pick in the 2009 draft, used to select Alphonso Smith (CB, Wake Forest): Everyone agrees with the fact that if the Broncos did not have the Bears’ first-round choice in 2010, this trade would not have happened. So it relates to the Cutler trade.
First, as to Smith, he is a corner with great ball skills (20 collegiate INTs, a huge number) that may be best suited to zone/cover two coverage, as his reduced size means he will have to play off larger receivers. The Broncos had a first-round grade on him, so they were willing to give up a first-round pick to get him.
The issue comes in the actual pick they traded. When Josh McDaniels and his partner-in-crime, GM Brian Xanders, spoke with Seahawks GM Tim Ruskell, the Broncos initially offered Seattle the Bears’ first-round choice, or the lower of the two first-round picks in 2010.
The clock was ticking.
Ruskell was happy to take C Max Unger from Oregon with the No. 37 pick, so his inclination to move was not significant. Sensing the Broncos’ strong desire to move into that slot, Ruskell demanded the Broncos’ own first-round choice.
Denver was initially reluctant; Ruskell stood his ground. Denver caved and gave Ruskell the pick he wanted. This is all documented in the Denver Post, in case anyone questions this account.
As the second round went on, Seattle saw Unger still on the board. Around this time, Chicago GM Jerry Angelo had targeted two players with the Bears’ second-round choice, the 49th pick: WR Brian Robiskie from Ohio State, or S Mike Mitchell from Ohio. Robiskie went 39th to Cleveland, prompting Angelo and his staff to start working the phones to see what they could get in a trade for the 49th pick.
Ruskell informed the Bears they could have Seattle’s third and fourth round selections (early picks in both rounds) for the 49th pick. Angelo apparently told Ruskell that if their guy was gone (their guy being Mike Mitchell at this point), the Bears would do the trade.
Enter the Cryptkeeper, Al Davis. To the derision of many, the Raiders took Mitchell with the 47th pick—after Angelo had called Mitchell to tell him the Bears would take him at No. 49. Mitchell was now gone, so the trade went through.
Seattle took Unger with the 49th pick. By waiting 12 spots, Seattle got their guy and turned a high third and high fourth into the Broncos’ first round choice next year.
Meanwhile, Angelo drafted two defensive linemen (pool jumper-outer and WAC Defensive Player of the Year Jarron Gilbert from San Jose St., as well as former fullback Herny Melton from Texas). Gilbert is regarded as a steal by many draft observers—he apparently lasted until round three due to concerns about WAC competition. We shall see.
The Broncos trade up into the end of round two to select TE Richard Quinn from North Carolina: Using their own third round pick and the Bears’ third round pick acquired in the Cutler trade, the Broncos grabbed Quinn, a primarily blocking TE. I say this because Quinn had all of 12 career receptions in college.
The Broncos also got a very low fourth round choice in this trade, which became G Seth Olson from Iowa, but they also dealt their fifth in 2010 later in the draft, so I feel comfortable factoring that part out.
***
So the Cutler trade can (very reasonably) be viewed as:
Jay Cutler for Robert Ayers (a mid-No. 1 choice), Alphonso Smith (a No. 2 choice), Richard Quinn, and Kyle Orton—and in all likelihood moving down in the 2010 first round.
As we saw in the draft, a No. 2 this year costs, more or less, a No. 1 next year. Viewing it in those terms, the Bears gave up a mid-No. 1, a No. 2, and a No. 3 in this year’s draft along with Orton for Cutler, a QB heading into his fourth year who has proven he can play in the league.
Please also consider that earlier in the day, the Browns effectively traded Mark Sanchez for a mid-No. 1 choice, a No. 2, and three players. Sanchez is a highly-regarded prospect that needs seasoning and time to become a top-level NFL QB—if he does.
Perhaps the character/charisma concerns about Cutler lead to this disparity in value. Again, we will see how it all plays out.
Considering all of that, the Bears seem to have paid less for Cutler than the Jets paid for Sanchez, taking Cutler’s production and experience into account. The deal also makes more sense for the Browns since they are now better positioned at QB than are the Broncos, by any impartial evaluation.
***
Obtaining a young, NFL-productive QB via trade simply does not occur. Usually, teams have to act as the Jets did; trade up to get “their guy”—but a guy who still has to prove it. Cutler has proven it.
If you look at Cutler’s stats in his first three years vs. John Elway’s, Cutler beats Elway in any statistical category you can name: yards-per-attempt, TD and INT ratios, TD-to-INT ratio, overall TDs, overall yards, etc.
In addition, much has been made of Cutler’s records with the Broncos as a full-season starter (7-9 and 8-8). Consider this: John Elway played with sub-par defenses in Denver during the 1988, 1990, 1992, and 1994 seasons—Elway’s sixth, eighth, 10th, and 12th seasons in the league.
The Bronco defense ranked at 20 or lower in terms of yards and points allowed in each of those seasons. While Elway had more experience than Cutler for each of those seasons, can you guess the Broncos’ W-L records during those years?
- 1988: 8-8
- 1990: 5-11
- 1992: 8-8
- 1994: 7-9
Cutler played with even worse defenses and had similar W-L records. I am not saying Cutler is Elway; I am saying much of the disparagement of Cutler does not look at the facts.
VERDICT
Winners in the Cutler trade
The Chicago Bears, solving a decades-long issue at QB with a proven starter who is NOT the reason for the Broncos’ W-L records in the past two years, and paying a reasonable price to get him. I know that Chris Mortensen from ESPN agrees with that assessment (not the end of debate, but certainly a strong opinion from someone who talks to every GM in the league).
The Seattle Seahawks: Seattle now has two picks that should be relatively high in the 2010 first round. This will allow them to get an elite prospect or perhaps even two. In my opinion, they are now the kings of the 2010 draft. They have the flexibility to make any move they want, depending upon how things go. They are in a very enviable position. They need to address the QB position soon, and now they can.
But why are the Seahawks winners in the Cutler trade specifically? Because I believe the reason they now rule the 2010 draft can be summed up by the behavior of McDaniels and Xanders. Both feel incredible pressure to avoid a disastrous season in Denver in the wake of the Cutler deal. I believe that pressure manifested itself in their capitulation to the demands of Seattle for the Broncos’ own pick.
Losers in the Cutler Trade
The Denver Broncos: Both Xanders and McDaniels, especially McDaniels, are in the spotlight. If the brutal 2009 Denver schedule (and if you don’t think it is brutal, go look at it) causes Denver to go 5-11, and the Broncos’ own pick is in the top-10, and could have been used or leveraged to obtain an elite QB, Bronco fans will peel the paint off the walls screaming at their TVs throughout the 2009 season, and McDaniels will be a pariah.
Seattle GM Tim Ruskell clearly has his opinion about which pick was better to acquire; no doubt he factored the Broncos’ draconian 2009 schedule into his equation.
But why are the Broncos the losers in this trade? Ayers, Smith, and Quinn could be good players, it is true. But the Broncos have put immense pressure on this season to win now, based on the Smith trade. In addition, the Broncos now have one of the 6-7 worst QB situations in the league, again viewed impartially. The team has been significantly destabilized due to the desire for McDaniels to make his mark and get rid of Cutler.
Had the Broncos not done the Smith trade—or even if they had simply obtained better terms for that trade—I would not be so certain they lost in this transaction. However, the Cutler trade led to pressure, which made them give up an elite position in the 2010 draft to becoming more or less an afterthought. That’s why I believe they lost.
I look forward to your opinions on the subject.
Vikings 14 Undrafted, Rookie Free Agents: Personal Stats
Published: April 28, 2009
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Note: All career stats are based from their college play and the source is ESPN.
Ian Johnson, Running Back – Boise State
Personal Information
Hometown: San Dimas, CA
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 196 lbs.
Class: Senior
Career Stats
Attempts: 752
Yards: 4,184
Touchdowns: 58
Avg. YPC: 5.56
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Colt Anderson, Safety – Montana
Personal Information
Hometown: Butte, MT
Height: 5’ 11”
Weight: 195 lbs.
Class: Senior
Career Stats
Tackles: 45
Fumbles Forced: 2
Interceptions: 4
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Kahlil Bell, Running Back – UCLA
Personal Information
Hometown: San Anselmo, CA
Height: 6’ 0”
Weight: 219 lbs.
Class: Senior
Career Stats
Attempts: 395
Yards: 1,741
Touchdowns: 17
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Jon Cooper, Center – Oklahoma
Personal Information
Hometown: Fort Collins, CO
Height: 6’ 3”
Weight: 290 lbs.
Class: Senior
Career Stats
Tackle: 1
Assist: 1
Pancake: 2
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Robert Francois, Linebacker – Boston College
Personal Information
Hometown: Highlands, TX
Height: 6’ 2”
Weight: 253 lbs.
Class: Senior
Career Stats
Tackles: 199
Fumbles Forced: 0
Interceptions: 1
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Sean Glennon, Quarterback – Virginia Tech
Personal Information
Hometown: Centreville, VA
Height: 6’ 4”
Weight: 224 lbs.
Class: Senior
Career Stats
Yards: 4,687
Touchdowns: 28
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Devon Hall, Safety – Utah State
Personal Information
Hometown: N/A
Height: 6’ 3”
Weight: 212 lbs.
Class: Senior
Career Stats
Tackles: 72
Total For Loss: 2
Interceptions: 1
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Antoine Holmes, Defensive Tackle – North Carolina State
Personal Information
Hometown: Williamsburg, VA
Height: 6’ 2”
Weight: 281 lbs.
Class: Senior
Career Stats
Tackles: 55
Fumbles Forced: 0
Interceptions: 0
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Tremaine Johnson, Defensive Tackle – LSU
Personal Information
Hometown: Galena Park, TX
Height: 6’ 2”
Weight: 277 lbs.
Class: Senior
Career Stats
Tackles: 38
Fumbles Forced: 0
Interceptions: 0
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Andy Kemp, Offensive Guard – Wisconsin
Personal Information
Hometown: Menasha, WI
Height: 6’ 6”
Weight: 315 lbs.
Class: Senior
Career Stats
NO STATS AVAILABLE
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Bobby Lepori, Offensive Tackle – Fresno State
Personal Information
Hometown: Reno, NV
Height: 6’ 5”
Weight: 290 lbs.
Class: Senior
Career Stats
Tackle: 1
Solo: 1
Pancake: 1
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Nick Moore, Wide Receiver – Toledo
Personal Information
Hometown: Westerville, OH
Height: 6’ 4”
Weight: 193 lbs.
Class: Senior
Career Stats
Receptions: 182
Yards: 2,045
Touchdowns: 13
Avg. YPC: 11.23
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Nick Walker, Tight End – Alabama
Personal Information
Hometown: Brundidge, AL
Height: 6’ 5”
Weight: 248 lbs.
Class: Senior
Career Stats
Receptions: 67
Yards: 687
Touchdowns: 5
Avg. YPC: 10.25
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Lastly, what I noticed was that all of these players were seniors and have established their four years of college football, which is crucial for success in the NFL. (I strongly believe)
After reviewing some of these stats from the players, I would have to admit that some of them standout and I can understand the reason for signing them!
2009 Will Decide The Fate Of Donovan McNabb
Published: April 28, 2009
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Today Donovan McNabb announced he wants to focus on the future and welcome his new teammates.
“I want to congratulate all the newcomers and let them know that I am excited to be working with them and taking the first step towards moving forward and getting something accomplished.”
“I was inspired by the way the Phillies won the World Series and how they were treated by the city and their fans and I want to experience that myself in the worst way.”
After discussing the possibility of a trade during this off-season, the Eagles have finally given McNabb some help and improved the team.
Last week they upgraded the offensive line with the acquisition of Jason Peters. They had also added free agent right tackle Stacy Andrews.
The Eagles signed safeties Rashad Baker and Sean Jones to improve the secondary.
During this weekend’s NFL draft they were able to add wide receiver Jeremy Maclin and running back LeSean McCoy, giving McNabb more firepower to work with.
The coming season may very well turn out to be a make-or-break season for McNabb. After it’s all over he will likely either get a contract extension or be moved.
After all these years, there isn’t any middle ground anymore.
Tuesday Afternoon Buzz
Published: April 28, 2009
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The NFL is reporting that 39 million people watched the draft.
The New Orleans Saints released defensive tackle Brian Young.
The Pittsburgh Steelers tried to trade inside linebacker Larry Foote, and will release him next week.
The Albany Firebirdas of the AFL offered Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick a contract.
Ex-Rams and Titans receiver Drew Bennett will be visiting the Cleveland Browns.
The Lions waived quarterback Drew Henson.
PFT is reporting the Atlanta Falcons signed UDFA quarterback John Parker Wilson, PFW rated Wilson as the fourth best rookie quarterback.
The New York Daily News is reporting Hakeem Nicks will push Domenik Hixon for his starting job.
The Bengals have released punters Kyle Larson and Ryan Plackemeier.
The falcons announced they released DE Simon Fraser, DT Kindal Moorehead, CB Darius Vinnett, and OG Nathan Bennett.
The Falcons also announced that they signed former Bills receiver Troy Bergeron.
The Detroit Lions waived OG-OT Matt Lentz.
Iowa Football: Stanzi Sports Different Look This Spring
Published: April 28, 2009
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Iowa offensive coordinator Ken O’Keefe gives instructions to quarterback Ricky Stanzi during the third quarter of the Outback Bowl at Raymond James Stadium on Jan. 1, 2009, in Tampa, Fla. Iowa beat South Carolina, 31-10. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)
IOWA CITY — Within seconds of his team’s final spring football practice, Iowa quarterback Rick Stanzi showed a new side of himself.
Yes, like most veteran Iowa football players, he spouted coached-up cliches about working hard every day, competition and trying to get better. But he had a new look to him as well.
Gone is the flopping hair that Stanzi wore throughout the 2008 season. Stanzi, a current sophomore, now features a trim haircut.
“I think it’s more of a comfort thing,” Stanzi said. “I was saying I was going to grow my hair out for the season. And the next thing you know you flip a switch in your head and you say, ‘Ah, I’ll just cut it. It’s just better this way.’”
In the Hawkeyes’ final spring scrimmage, Stanzi was fairly sharp. Unofficially, he completed 6 of 12 passes during team competition for 91 yards. Stanzi — whether it was intentional or he was smooth through his reads — appeared to throw toward his primary option in all but one of passes.
“Rick certainly improved this spring,” Iowa offensive coordinator Ken O’Keefe said. “From his leadership ability to making decisions at the line of scrimmage to getting us in to the right types of plays and getting the ball where it’s supposed to go, most importantly as well. So he took advantage of each and every one of the 15 workouts that we had and took his job seriously and really came away a better player.”
Stanzi started 11 games last year. He completed 150 of 254 passes for 1,956 yards and 14 touchdowns. He threw nine interceptions but finished fourth in the Big Ten in passer efficiency.
In the offseason he’s watched tape on multiple NFL quarterbacks like Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Matt Cassel and tried to emulate some of their performances. But more importantly, Stanzi has tried to refine his game entering his junior season.
Stanzi ran 56 times last year for a net of 20 yards, which also was his longest run. He often scattered from the pocket if his primary receiver was covered.
“If there’s one thing that I really tried to work on it was probably be comfortable in the pocket,” Stanzi said. “It’s kind of hard to not practice that when you don’t have the line in front of you, and you’re in 7-on-7 drills. You try to soak up each rep that you get when you’ve got a full rush coming on and it’s not always easy. But it’s something, watching film and practicing as much as you can in the offseason, I hope to fix and so I can sit in the pocket and make better decisions and be more sure with my feet.”
When addressing the media, Stanzi now seems more confident when talking about his role. He sticks to the successful concepts of hard work, improvement and consistency. But, according to Coach Kirk Ferentz, he’s added one more successful trait this offseason.
“The most growth I’ve seen from him, and this started before we started spring practice, is just in the leadership realm,” Ferentz said. “But that’s what you expect again from a guy who has played and has got the confidence of actually playing on the field and has had some success. So the next step for me, especially at that position, is grow to a leadership role, and I think he’s done that. The players really respect what he does, how he works and his toughness.”
James Vandenberg
Stanzi clearly is the starter, but he faces competition from incoming red-shirt freshmen James Vandenberg and John Wienke. Unofficially, Vandenberg completed 8 of 10 passes in the scrimmage for 132 yards.
Stanzi is no stranger to competition at Iowa. About 14 months ago he was locked in with three other quarterbacks, including incumbent Jake Christensen, entering spring practice. Since then, Christensen and Arvell Nelson either have transferred or will transfer and Marvin McNutt was shifted to wide receiver.
“You’re always competing,” Stanzi said. “That’s the only way anyone can get better.”
Iowa quarterbacks Ricky Stanzi (12) and John Wienke (14) workout during the team’s practice March 25, 2009 at the Kenyon Football Practice Facility in Iowa City. (Brian Ray/The Gazette)
Mark Sanchez Visits Columbia
Published: April 28, 2009
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This is not our new quarterback for 2009
OK, OK, USC star quarterback and New York Jet first pick Mark Sanchez was on the CU campus yesterday for a little workout for the news cameras. He was not here to transfer to Columbia. (But he does have another year of eligibility, no?).
Sanchez shouldn’t be too uncomfortable on Ivy campuses, his brother was a Yale quarterback and now serves as his agent. I wonder if visiting Columbia was his brother’s idea?
Scouting the Enemy, Part 1 of Many
The summary of Fordham’s annual spring game offers a few hints of what Columbia should expect to see when the teams square off in 144 days. It looks like we’ll see more of the same—a lot of quarterback John Skelton throwing short passes, and even more of Xavier Martin running the ball as fast as he can.
This figures to be an interesting year for the Rams as they reportedly are moving to a scholarship program for football beginning in 2010. That means all the non-seniors may be auditioning to keep their jobs all season long as they feel the cold stares of scholarship high school stars creeping up on them.
Fordham remains a very hard team to figure out. They stumbled out of the gate in 2006 under new head coach Tom Masella, turned into a power in their 2007 Patriot League championship season, and then fell apart in 2008 with the same players and without major injury issues.
Will the real Fordham Rams please stand up?
Perhaps former Fordham offensive coordinator and current Columbia offensive line coach Ed Argast will help the Lions figure the Rams out on the field where it counts on the field on Sept. 19.
Swine Flu Ground Zero?
Rising junior offensive lineman Carl Constant’s high school alma mater is at the center of the swine flu story here in New York.
St. Francis Prep was the first school to report cases of the flu, as it appears some of the students went on a spring break trip to Cancun.
It occurs to me that we are very fortunate that this outbreak is not taking place during football or basketball seasons. If so, some games could have been canceled, especially if there were any cases reported at Columbia or on any of the campuses where the Lions play.
With the hot summer months coming up, my medical sources tell me the chances this virus survives through June are minimal. We should be worrying about something else by the time September rolls around.
Chicago Bears Draft: Digesting the Hype
Published: April 28, 2009
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Well, after about 48 hours of digesting the Bears’ 2009 NFL Draft, I have come to a simple conclusion. I don’t care right now who they drafted where, and I won’t care until I see these players do something on the football field.
I can read all the draft grades and evaluations in the world, but it’s not too different from reading a lot of the pre-draft hype. What matters is how these players look on the football field during the preseason games. That’s then we’ll get the best idea of what each one of these players is really capable of.
For now, it’s all still names, heights, weights, and 40-yard dash times on a piece of paper, maybe with some college stats mixed in. We know that the players drafted were the best players in college football, but we also know that doesn’t mean it translates them into being the best in the NFL.
For all the hype and excitement of Jarron Gilbert jumping out of a swimming pool onto the deck from the shallow end, it doesn’t mean he’ll be able to go toe-to-toe with Steve Hutchinson on Sundays.
For all the speed and athleticism and potential that have been linked to Henry Melton, it doesn’t mean he’ll have the NFL work ethic to become a contributor to this defense.
And for all the great catches Juaqin Igelsias made at Oklahoma, it doesn’t mean he’ll be able to get separation and get open against NFL-level DBs.
Right now, we can say that these were the players the Bears felt were the best available at the time. Right or wrong, the team is stuck with them for a while; wemust simply hope for the best coming out the weekend.
I can say without question that not one of these draft picks will be a starter on the field against the Green Bay Packers on opening night.
Juaquin Iglesias has the most potential given the lack of overall depth at the WR position, but the giant learning curve receivers go through during the transition from college to the NFL will almost certainly prevent him from being on the field as the game begins.
I just hope these players will play their best football during the preseason. That is typically where most young players begin to stand out and show what they have in terms of NFL ability and promise.
If given opportunities during the regular season, I want to see them make the most of those chances, like Marcus Harrison did last year. I’d love to see Gilbert, Iglesias, and Melton as starters in three years.
The rookies’ task right now is developing good work and study habits and understanding that their job is primarily to learn. There is enough talent ahead of them that they should be able to apply themselves and develop to the point that they can become successful players in this league.
Hopefully, they know that they do not carry the weight of the world on them; the expectations for them (for now) are extremely low. There is no pressure to contribute on Day One. The pressure is to just show that you belong on the 53-man roster.
Learn from the veterans ahead of you who have been around for more than four years. Listen to what they have to give you in the way of advice, and know that you are not expected to be a starter from the beginning.
Getting a big role very soon would just be gravy. But in reality, the presence of these youngsters represents the future of the Chicago Bears’ franchise, and not a chance to win the Lombardi trophy in 2010.
