The Wisdom of Tavon Austin

[Retroram52]

There is a pretty cool story over on FoxSports about Tavon Austin and a 10 minute vid that demonstrates this kid's blazing speed. It is in the football menu under teams and St Louis Rams. Here is the link: St. Louis Rams rookie Tavon Austin on distant relatives begging him for money

He also has put together some decent smarts in facing his latest challenge (all ready) about his so-called "friends" and as he puts it, "cousins". He states that he is getting non-stop phone calls from "people" all wanting money. He states in the article that the entire city of Baltimore (his home town) is now become his "cousins".

He mentions that he was warned of this in the NFL Rookie prep days and says he just going to stay focused as OTA's wind down and leave the phone calls to his mother. Yikes! I hope it all works out but if he stays healthy, we may just have the reincarnation of the GSOT boys!!!!

 

[NorthsideRamFan]

Yeah Retro that's a good sign of maturity. And those were the clips I saw pre draft too. They were all I needed to see..... well pretty much icing to what I had already saw from him on ESPN thru college.

 

[Silas]

It's nice to see the Rams have actually acquired a "playmaker" in the person of Austin and I'm looking forward to seeing him put points on the board this coming season.

He certainly promises to be an exciting player and it will be fun to watch him, Stedman and Cook running around the field at the same time. These guys may be quite the nightmare for opposing Defenses. I hope we have a running game to go along with the Receving corps.

The bottom line is if the Rams can up their scoring, coupled with a pretty solid Defense, they have a legitimate shot at making the playoffs.

Hopefully the worm is turning in the right direction for a change.

 

[NorthsideRamFan]

I agree Silas. Even if the D plays equal to last year and the Offense can manage a touchdown more per game things could get real interesting!

 

[Caynine29]

It's not even so much Austin's speed that impresses me (though it IS quite impressive). It's his quickness that's amazing. The guy changes directions like a water bug. And he's very good at reading and following his blocks to the path of least resistance.

Let's also not forget that this guy is coming along with him.

 

[bluepigpen]

Thank you Caynine and retro for the pieces on Austin and BaileyIf I wasn't pumped enough about the next few seasons, watching the highlights of their careers just makes me drull over what could be. It might not be automatic in the NFL compared to college but the Rams have gotten a pair that will change the future for the team.

 

[Vitamike]

It's not even so much Austin's speed that impresses me (though it IS quite impressive). It's his quickness that's amazing. The guy changes directions like a water bug. And he's very good at reading and following his blocks to the path of least resistance.

Right, I noticed the same thing. This guy is smart, I betcha he's good with numbers. The angles of the cuts he chooses create instant space on some plays when the defender is right there in position to make the play.

We are going to line this guy up at every position, kick off returns, punt returns, RB and WR from outside left, outside right, slot, and from the I.

That last one is going to be a match-up nightmare.

Can you imagine, Cook in a TE route, Givens on the left, Quick on the right, Bailey or Pettis in the slot with Tavon lined up in the RB spot on a passing down?

All he needs to do is run to an open area and it's TD baby!

Who's gonna cover him?

A linebacker?

 

[ksudodger]

Can you imagine, Cook in a TE route, Givens on the left, Quick on the right, Bailey or Pettis in the slot with Tavon lined up in the RB spot on a passing down?

Take it a step further...How about Cook,Givens,Bailey,Austin,Quick and PEAD all on the field at the same time??

 

[bluepigpen]

ksu, I understand you are OUR unofficial GM, but to get Cook, Givens, Bailey, Austin, Quick and Pead on the field at the same time, Sam will have to hold the clip board next to Fisher. Come to think of it, has Austin every run the spread. Just kidding. This does bring in many possible formations though. I did see in the clips both Austin and Bailey in the backfield. I know unless you get an opponent to respect the run, they can play a multitude of cover zones with dime and nickle packages. All that being said, Austin in the I is more than most defenses will be able to cover. This especially true on the strong right overload. I coached offense and QBs at the high school level for 15 years and in 1/3 of those we had the personnel to work the strong overload. Let me explain.

Across the front line we have Givens split out left at WR, then Jake Long, Watkins, Wells, Jones and Saffold. Cook is at TE split 3 yards outside of Saffold. In the backfield split out on the right hip of Givens you have Bailey then 2 yds to the right you have Pettis and Austin in the I. This does a lot of things to the defense and most important the defense MUST pull the LCB to cover trips left. The SLB must cover Cook and the FS shaded TE side in case Austin gets a swing pass right or pitch. A complete mismatch is on the offensive side of the ball and you can run multiple over-over/under, under-over/out and with Austin getting either a handoff, pitch or swing to the trips, the defense will have less personnel then the offenseI know I have tried to explain something that needs to be drawn out but let me assure you, just the thought of this type of formation will make your opponents DC, pull his hair out, kick the dog at night and go sleepless before the game. Sorry for the long speech, guess my OC hat got put on and I am drulling over a chance to work all the weapons

 

[ksudodger]

Yeah you are right...I think this year's big battle will be who picks up the offense quicker, Pead or Quick. One or the other might be gone.

 

[Retroram52]

I think it is safe to say we all have officially forgotten one Danny Amendola. With all this fresh, young, talent it is pretty clear it has become Danny who? And this is a good thing!!!

 

[bluepigpen]

I agree. First we know that Cook and Kendricks will man the TE spots and maybe even another for the running game. Givens is safe, Austin and Bailey are going to be playing together for a long time. Richardson and Stacy are safe. Richardson did enough and Stacy will be given every chance to say. That leaves Pead, Quick and Pettis. They might keep another RB but Austin will also be used there. Pettis plays the slot but Bailey can too and Quick is an outside guy. Competition will be fierce in camp. It is nice to have some weapons. Steven Jackson will still be missed though.

 

[Retroram52]

Definitely Blue. SJ will always be missedand I suspect when his career is all complete I am pretty sure he'll come back and sign a one-day deal and retire as a Ram.

 

[mutigers1fan]

Don't want to come in here bursting bubbles but I see some potential flaws here. Now keep in mind I'm of the defensive frame of mind, and particularly an attacking defensive. With Tavon in the backfield is there any reason to think he could block my OLB? I'm trying to create confusion at the line and get my LB loose as a free runner. Sure I can't cover all those guys but if I load the line I may not have to.

If I'm running a defense its always going to be a 3-4 and I'm going to use lots and lots of zone. I'm going to zone blitz the hell out of these formations. Spread me out, I'll play my zone and force your guys to fit in between my zone defenders. I'm gonna drop my RDE into underneath coverage in the RILB hole upon the snap, as he falls back the RILB slides out the the ROLB hole and the ROLB gets a hopefully free run past your LT. My thinking is the RDE is lined up over your LT and when he takes 1 step inside before falling back the LT will hopefully take his first step inside and if my ROLB gets a free run you have about the time it'll take Sammie to complete his 3-step drop to get the pass off.

I realize this is 1 circumstance but you have to assume defensives are going to attack a weakly protected QB which getting all these receiving threats onto the field would do. Even if Sammie is getting the ball off I'm taking shots at him all day long even if it costs my 15-yards and 20k because I'm willing to bet come 4th quarter he's going to be sore and worn out. If running zone blitzes(I understand the Rams don't play in the AFC North but still...) I invite teams to do this. That allows my D to drop 8 and still pressure your QB because he has no 2nd level protection basically creating a race, can you find my hole before I take your head off? And if you dump it off to your RB in the flat you better have WR's that can block because my CB is playing underneath your WR and will be there to make the tackle.

Again sorry for being the debbie downer, I just see this leading to bruises for Sammie come the SF games.

 

[mutigers1fan]

Also I just rewatched that Stedman Bailey video and I noticed that in his last 2 years at WVU he was actually catching the ball with his hands. Great to see from a young WR!

 

[WvuDieHard]

I can tell you right now-----the future of your football team is about to rise like boiling water. Austin is a Barry Sanders but just faster and Bailey has the hands of Lynn Swann. Bailey is gonna surprise people as he was a steal in the 3rd round. The future looks bright for the Rams.

 

[Vitamike]

Don't want to come in here bursting bubbles but I see some potential flaws here. Now keep in mind I'm of the defensive frame of mind, and particularly an attacking defensive. With Tavon in the backfield is there any reason to think he could block my OLB? I'm trying to create confusion at the line and get my LB loose as a free runner. Sure I can't cover all those guys but if I load the line I may not have to.

If I'm running a defense its always going to be a 3-4 and I'm going to use lots and lots of zone. I'm going to zone blitz the hell out of these formations. Spread me out, I'll play my zone and force your guys to fit in between my zone defenders. I'm gonna drop my RDE into underneath coverage in the RILB hole upon the snap, as he falls back the RILB slides out the the ROLB hole and the ROLB gets a hopefully free run past your LT. My thinking is the RDE is lined up over your LT and when he takes 1 step inside before falling back the LT will hopefully take his first step inside and if my ROLB gets a free run you have about the time it'll take Sammie to complete his 3-step drop to get the pass off.

I realize this is 1 circumstance but you have to assume defensives are going to attack a weakly protected QB which getting all these receiving threats onto the field would do. Even if Sammie is getting the ball off I'm taking shots at him all day long even if it costs my 15-yards and 20k because I'm willing to bet come 4th quarter he's going to be sore and worn out. If running zone blitzes(I understand the Rams don't play in the AFC North but still...) I invite teams to do this. That allows my D to drop 8 and still pressure your QB because he has no 2nd level protection basically creating a race, can you find my hole before I take your head off? And if you dump it off to your RB in the flat you better have WR's that can block because my CB is playing underneath your WR and will be there to make the tackle.

Again sorry for being the debbie downer, I just see this leading to bruises for Sammie come the SF games.

Some good points mutigers however I started this scenario as a passing down situation. I don't see Sammie taking a three step drop LOL. He will be out of the shotgun. I thinking this is great for 2nd and short and 3rd and short downs. And the play will be boom, boom and happen as fast as it takes Tavon to get behind the DL to the open spot, with his speed I'm not sure those LB's can get to Sammie in the shot gun often enough.

 

[bluepigpen]

mutigers, great points on the zone blitz and the 3-4, I looked at miles of film when having to put a game plan on against it. Now I agree that at the high school level the talent and speed is X3 or more but the blocking tect is advanced also in the NFL. The key is the split by the TE of 3 yards opposite the trips. The mismatch is on the strong side not the trip side. ANY Slide by the defense is countered to the strong side. I understand like the spread, adjustments are always made to counter anything in the NFL, the spread, overload whatever it is is countered once film is watched endlessly. Vita is exactly right in the shotgun, that is where it is performed, where Bradford has the rotation right in front of him. I agree with your assessment that Austin will not take care of the blitzing OLB but if the defense drops 8 as you say, the Rams line as we think it will be now, will be strong enough to stop 3 on 5 and the Rams speed at skill positions should counter any DE or OLB dropping into coverage. Great comments mutigers, I wish we could put up X & 0s to show stuff.

 

[SJ76]

The Wisdom of Tavon Austin.

You all have him locked in like some sort of God..

 

[mutigers1fan]

Vita I was meaning it for non obvious passing downs and obviously there's so many plays throughout the game and so many variables its hard to predict how specific plays would really work. I just wouldn't want to use that spread of a formation more than a few times a game. I would like to see the Rams run a lot of quick passing plays because they would be hard to defend and could pick up mid range chunks of yards on early downs. Plus if anyone can slip a tackle or 2 it could be free real estate.

blue, my hope in dropping 8 is creating enough confusion that 3 of your lineman are blocking air, just need 1 guy coming in fast. If they pick it up thats what the zone is for though, hopefully the 8 in coverage can hold the fort.

The fact that we are actually discussing how to defend the Rams offense is nice, used to be just load the box and take away SJ39.