DawgTalkers.net Forums The Archives 2018 NFL Season 2018 NFL Draft Barkley versus Fitzpatrick

Yep, coming around to making him a Cleveland Brown for sure.

Me Too ... Maybe Barkley 1 and QB 4?

Think I heard them say he has around 40 catches on the season. Unless that is on 65 targets, I'd say he can catch

You guys blow me away with how you talk about QB'S, WRS and RBs, and yet you ask a question like this.

Barkley is a RB with WR hands.

That isn't aimed at you, Peen.

Frustrating.

Yep, coming around to making him a Cleveland Brown for sure.

Why in the world would someone you’ve never spoken to, asking a clearly innocuous question, frustrate you so?

Me Too ... Maybe Barkley 1 and QB 4?

Because some of you are clamoring for taking a RB #1 overall and you don't even know if he can catch a football.

Me Too ... Maybe Barkley 1 and QB 4?

If Barkley doesn't stay at PSU, draft him first overall.

Watch it, kook-whip will get frustrated at you.

I can't imagine the holy he'll that would rain down on Dorsey if he were to risk not getting his QB by passing on him at #1.

Using a first round pick on a RB for Hue is like buying your cat a motorcycle.

I don't want to take Fitzpatrick. I am pretty sure that at some point in training camp he is going to get asked an innocent question about his transition to the NFL and he is going to answer without thinking that the practices at Alabama were harder and more intense.

Alabama cornerbacks don't back peddle, so Gregg Williams will have no problem playing him 20 yards back at all times.

Where do you get this BS from?

Ok. A Bama CB slated to be a surefire Top 10 pick never practices a Back Pedal. Smfh

Former Alabama and current Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick caused something of a stir when he told the media that he “never backpedaled at Alabama.” Apparently, this is something Bengals coaches value, as Kirkpatrick had to learn to backpedal. Some fairly questioned whether this was hyperbole — How do you not teach defensive backs to backpedal? — but, although he does teach backpedaling, Saban very specifically focuses on other techniques.

As Saban tells it, he used to teach backpedaling until he was with the Cleveland Browns with Bill Belichick. The ownership signed the legendary Everson Walls, who, much to the dismay of the young defensive backs coach, Saban, ran about a 4.8 forty yard dash and simply could not, under any circumstances, backpedal. He was awkward, couldn’t accelerate, and there were other guys on the roster much better at backpedaling.

Walls also, however, was being paid significantly more than his coach, and it was clear from the ownership that Walls would be starting. He also, it must be said, was still a great player, and just happens to still rank 10th on the all time list of most interceptions in NFL history. So Saban began teaching his now famous “shuffle” technique, rather than the traditional backpedal. There’s a good deal to it, and it can adjust depending on the receiver’s exact release, but essentially it is a three-step shuffle technique, at which point the defensive back may break on a short route or can turn and run and play the receiver down the field.

Complementing this is that Alabama’s cornerbacks spend about 90% of the game in a press coverage position, from which they either stay in press or can bail to a zone or off-man position. They do this because it threatens the offense and helps take away screens and quick passes, and they feel that if a defense doesn’t press it’s a huge advantage to the offense who is simply throwing routes on air. I have to say that having excellent corners like Saban has had at Alabama helps, but, as more of an offensive guy, I would much prefer my corners to show a lot of press (even if they bail a lot) and use the shuffle technique as opposed to the backpedal. There’s nothing easier than seeing a bunch of corners lined up at seven yards backpedaling at the snap; you can run just about anything at that, and they simply will not be able to react quickly enough.

I was reminded of this as I have spent a little time catching up on the games from the past few weeks. Of special note was the tremendous job Alabama’s Dee Milliner did against Michigan in week one. Other than a few extremely poor throws/reads, for the most part Denard Robinson’s throws were on the money, but Alabama and Milliner in particular shut down Michigan’s receivers, who were simply not up to the challenge. Watch and judge for yourself.

And next time you hear someone talk about defensive backs backpedaling, you can tell them you know of what is, at least in the view of many (though certainly not all) coaches, a better way.

Like he does with Peppers?

Fitzpatrick over Barkley. It's not even a question.