Notes from Diaz after 8th spring practice

[rubycane]

He was there during Chris Wienke's day.

 

[ILCane2011]

D.O had his best game in the Bowl win... If he gets his mental game right. We gotta good lil rotation.

What?

He was horrible in the bowl game. Both of WV's today's were a result of him missing tackles and getting embarassed in open space.

Let's hope he's able to make a full recovery, because last year he was pretty clearly running with a hitch and unable to move laterally. Even in that interview Diaz sounded unsure what we'll see out of him.

 

[theibisrules]

D.O. was looking very stiff to me...wasn't explosive at all due to the knee issue.

 

[MIATL]

Not to mention it adds the element of the quarterback run game, so it forces guys to stay disciplined in their assignments,” Diaz said.

This speaks to the point many of us are trying to stress when commenting about the QB's running ability and how it impacts the RPO.

It's not about the QB doing a designed run from that play-call. It's about the defense having to honor the POSSIBILITY of a called QB run, and staying disciplined in their lanes.

When they stay disciplined, it has the ability to allow for more creases to occur in the inside run game if that conflict defended doesn't come down hard.

It's my opinion that Kaaya not offering us that run threat is why Walton had difficulty against the better defenses. Defenses played us single high, and defended us well with their talent. Or, worse, they played us 2-high and their DL destroyed our OL without fear of the QB ever sneaking out the back door.

I think everything can just be attributed to absolute **** OL play.

The RPO shouldn't need the QB to be a running threat. But it definitely helps if the RPO has more of a Read Option-Pass Option feel to it.
But I wouldn't blame Walton not being able to run on kaaya. I blame it on the OL for not opening up holes.
I think Allison will be just fine running the RPO and he's not mobile in the way Rosier, Weldon, or Perry are. But he can also move better than Kaaya can.

Agree. It's not a need.

But that's not the point of my post, or the context from Coach Diaz that I quoted.

Bad OL played was an issue. No debate. Better OL play will help. No debate.

But having an athletic QB also helps.

Each of those can be true, and don't negate the truth of the other, IMO.

 

[Miami Nights]

Has Brandon Taylor joined the team yet? If so has he done anything worth talking about?