FootballGuys.com Podcast Transcription
SHRINE GAME
January 15, 2007
-Special Thanks to BigRedBoard.com-
Bloom: Monday's West practice- We're going to start with the most prominent position on the football field, the QBs. Cecil, tell me what you thought of the three West QBs on Monday.
Lammey: Really when you look at the three West QBs, on the Monday practice, Zac Taylor is the one that stood out. Typically sound, making a lot of good throws, seemed to go thru his progressions quickly, did his five and seven step drops quickly, good footwork. I like the way that he barked his signals, he drew several Offside penalties, from barking out that hard count, he almost sounds like a frog (?) or there was something in his throat. Zac Taylor did an exceptional job, looked very solid out there, and in my eyes, he improved his draft stock ever so slightly.
You look at the QB from BYU, John Beck, he did probably the exact opposite of that. Now he didn't have a (?)-like performance, but definitely John Beck could have come out and had a better performance. He would come up to the line almost sheepish, and when he would bark out his signals, it was almost a soft whisper. So it looked like a guy who wasn't necessarily intimidated, or overwhelmed, but he didn't seem to grab hold, to take hold of the reins and really take control of that offense.
Jeff Rowe, from Nevada, an imposing figure at 6' 5", 225#, a guy that I was definitely was excited to see up close and personal, now afterwards I'm thinking third-stringer at best. This guy is kind of a lumberer, didn't show a whole lot of athleticism, had some OK throws here and there, but for the most part, I think was slow in his progressions, I didn't like what I saw from Rowe today.
Bloom: I didn't like what I saw from today, either. I would echo your sentiments on all three, Zac Taylor was definitely the most impressive of the three, and the feeling I get watching Zac Taylor, he'll be a very solid, dependable backup NFL QB. I don't see the talent or tools to be someone that you would necessarily want to install as a starter QB of the future, but a VERY dependable backup QB at the next level. It was hard not to notice how soft Beck's snapcounts were...
...
Bloom: Really, on the TEs, Matt Herian, from Nebraska, he's very competent, not a special athlete.
January 16, 2007
Bloom: For the second day in a row, the most impressive QB I thought, Cecil, was Zac Taylor. What kind of impression did Zac make on you in Day Two practices?
Lammey: Zac Taylor had another solid day. I really liked the way that he ran thru his progressions, really didn't make a bad throw all day, in my opinion. I liked how he did his check downs, he looked off the defense. West in full pads today, so a lot of hard hitting going on out there. Zac Taylor showing some toughness, some grittiness, he even pulled down the ball and ran once. This kid looks like a very intriguing prospect, somebody's going to get a lot of value when they draft Zac Taylor!
Bloom: I have to agree with that, Cecil. He may be an early second day pick, and may not be more than a backup in the NFL, but he looks like a very sound, solid investment for whatever team takes him. I also like how he displayed great throwing on the run, and great mobility, moving the pocket around. Again, all his throws were accurate, and he seemed very confident and decisive out there.
Moving onto the more imposing physical prospect, but I thought not nearly as efficient as Taylor, Jeff Rowe, out of Nevada. Did Rowe improve from his woeful Day 1 performance, Cecil?
Lammey: I think Rowe improved slightly. Not because he did anything spectacularly, or outstanding. Certainly still showing the arm strength, the zip, but just his whole release and delivery, I just don't like it. It's quick, to be sure, but this guy stands back there, he doesn't look as impressive as he should for a physical specimen of his size. Perhaps Matt Millen, who was at practice, will take this kid, because he always drafts badly. And just a side note for our listeners, we're not actually making fun of Matt Millen, and he was standing about five feet from us, so sorry, Matt!
Bloom: The third QB from the West squad, from BYU, is John Beck. And after some of his great performances at BYU, I was expecting him to pop out a little bit more. But I thought for the second straight day that he failed to stand out against Rowe and Taylor. What kind of impression did Beck make on you?
Lammey: Beck had a better day. His cadence didn't sound like a quiet whisper. It was actually coming out, certainly not barking, not like the monster in the closet like Zac Taylor is when he barks the signals, but Beck had a better day. He looked like a serviceable QB. Not a great QB, not even really a good QB, but a serviceable QB, and maybe someone's going to think this kid could be a project. Certainly he knows how to run a complicated offense, we've seen him make some OK throws, but he just doesn't Wow you. We can watch him, he goes back, does what he's supposed to do, a little bit slow to go thru his reads sometimes, he didn't pull the ball down and run or at least try to run before the defense got to him. He looks a little skittish out there at times, but certainly an improvement on his Day one performance...
Bloom: ...I think that Beck will be the most system sensitive QB we've sesn.
...
Bloom: Moving on, we'll round out the skill positions with a couple TEs. One out of Nebraska, Matt Herian, tried his best to return to the lofty status he attained early in his career before suffering a grisly leg injury. I just feel like Herian's athleticism that we saw earlier in his career at Nebraska is not really returning. He's giving it his best, running solid routes. Definitely his timing is there with his collegiate QB Zac Taylor, but he didn't stand out, not nearly as much as someone we saw earlier in the day, Ben Patrick. Cecil, how'd you feel about Herian today?
Lammey: As Taylor told you, they've been working out together in Nebraska. Herian's a guy, you've got to root for this kid, a devastating injury and coming back doesn't look like it's going to happen for him, though. The TEs on the West squad do not impress.
January 17, 2007
Interview with Zac Taylor:
Lammey: Here with Zac Taylor, Nebraska Cornhuskers. Zac, I really feel that you've been the most impressive of the three West quarterbacks so far. It seems like all of your throws have been on target and you seem very confident out there. How do you feel about your performance these first two days?
Taylor: You know I think we can only get better. I think the first day was a little bit rough because we were learning. I think today everybody's a little more polished and comfortable out there because we knew what was going on, but I think the quarterbacks are doing great and we still got a couple more days to go.
Lammey: One of the things I noticed watching the practices is you got a very sharp bark of a snap-count, definately gets the attention- sometimes even draws your own guys off. How did you develop such a sharp snap-count?
Taylor: I don't know. You know my teammates have always kind of given me grief my whole career about that. They said I kinda turn into a monster if you will when I'm under the center, but I don't know. That's just kind of how I've always done it and its a tough thing to change so its always (?) the same way.
Lammy: One of the best plays of the practice today I thought was whenver you hooked up with your fellow Cornhusker Matt Herian on that 25-yard pass. How is is having Matt here for this experience?
Taylor: Its great just 'cause we're so comfortable. We're working out in Lincoln right now so we've been throwing a lot- over the last two years really. He's definately someone I'm comfortable with out there and I know he runs great routes so, he just read a good route and got open and I just hit him out there.
January 18, 2007
Lammey: ...On the West side of the ball offensively let's start with the quarterback Zac Taylor. Here's a kid who, you know, still shows that good solid skill set, a little bit mobile, although he could not run the option. It was kind of a light-hearted moment for me and I had to chuckle to myself because, here's a Nebraska quarterback that could not run the option.
They had an option play, where he gave it to the upback and then he had to fake out like he was going to the option to the halfback and the fake horrible, like nobody bought it. So you know, Zac Taylor, not gonna be breaking any of Mike Vick's records any time soon but that's ok, because he could be a better quarterback than Michael Vick is an athlete.
And you look at his game, certainly solid all the way around, making good decisions. He did have one bad throw that he did a pump-fake, staring down Paul Williams- did a pump-fake, it was a go-route with the stutter step in the middle of the pump about five steps back. He dropped back, pumped, and just stared at Williams- I mean it was there, and the pump-fake did not make the safety bite. Ok, so the safety was right there for the play. He ended up throwing it anyway and the ball was intercepted along the sidelines. But a good day from Zac Taylor otherwise.
...
Bloom: Anything to add about the West tight ends, Matt Herian or Michael Allen?
Lammey: Herian did look good. Still amazing that guy's playing; but he looked better than he had. He actually stood out a couple times. That's about it for the tight ends on the West.
Bloom: ...I'm just going to run down some quick-hitter notes on some of the players on the offensive line and around the defense, and I'm going to turn it over to Cecil for his random thoughts. Just going right down the roster here: Stewart Bradley out of Nebraska. Anybody out there listening from the Big Red forum [BigRedBoard.com]- Stewart Bradley looks like a real player! This guy maybe even has the size to be a 3-4 outside linebacker. I saw him showing tremendous skills in coverage, great pass-rush instincts, really good athlete. I'd like this guy Bradley, he kind of blended in at Nebraska you know- Adam Carriker is the Nebraska guy you're going to notice because he's just towering at 6'6" 290- but Stewart Bradley really impressed me today. Carriker, got to mention again. You just notice how towering this guy is and solid. I'm starting to think he may come in to play for the Steelers at pick number 15 because he looks like a prototype 3-4 defensive end
...
Jay Moore, another guy out of Nebraska, you Big Red forum people are gonna love what you're hearing from the Nebraska guys at the Senior Bowl. Showing good burst as an outside rusher. Very surprising, a guy you did not hear much about on the other side of Carriker- but again, showing that there is some really good talent on that Nebraska defense, even though Carriker is probably the only one that will get into the first round.
Lammey: ...The rest of the Senior Bowl North roster, really what stood out to me is you had some great plays on defense, getting some penetration. Certainly you talk about the Adam Carriker almost-sack of Troy Smith, that Smith was able to get away from. You saw some consistant penetration, quarterbacks were moved out of the pocket, even on designed rollouts, guys seemingly getting these guys- so props to the defensive line on that squad. They seemed to have a good day.
Bloom:...another guy that has been excellent all week that I have found myself, you know- a couple times- I hate to be a fan in the practices or a fan that everyone around me can tell but Stewart Bradley has been making plays that make me go 'ooh' and 'ah'. And its not just one kind of play- you know we see Desmond Bishop last week, Desmond is still probably the best hitter we saw in either game, and that's excellent. But Stewart Bradley makes plays in run support, he makes plays in pass coverage, he makes plays as a pass rusher. So, Nebraska fans, we know the Big Red forum, we love you guys and you know, we're just happy to have everyone on board. Some of the best football fans in the world in the State of Nebraska. You have a lot to look forward to from this guy, Stewart Bradley, and his NFL career.
And Cecil, there's another Nebraska player in this game, the most outstanding player on the North defense- and I think if you did a poll at Ladd-Peebles Stadium, I think people would agree that he's been the best defensive player this week. Just give us your impressions on Adam Carriker.
Lammey: Adam Carriker is a mean MoFo! OK. This guy comes out - has a motor that does not quit! When you look at a defensive guy, especially the linemen, he has to have that type of motor. He's not gonna take any plays off, he's not gonna stand with his hands on his hips huffin fpr air. This guy is is ready to go; you know, you wind him up and he's ready to kill, almost. I mean he's just a terror, a beast. In on every play, making hits, terrorizing the offensive side of the ball. You have to love what you see from him.
Bloom: Yeah, first round draft pick all the way. I'll be shocked if this guy falls out of the first round now. Maybe a border-liner first-rounder coming into this week, but there's no doubt about it now. Adam Carriker is just a force to be rekoned with on the defensive line and is going to be making an impact on Sundays for a long time.