Well, that could lend some more credence to zone-blocking/runs. Perhaps Lamar Miller will show what I thought he would last season.

 

Well the Texans usually run the ball very well. After last year this is a plus.

Benton was part of Gary Kubiak’s first staff that was hired in 2006. He worked with assistant head coaches Mike Sherman and Alex Gibbs, both of whom were the primary offensive line coaches, before taking over.
http://blog.chron.com/ultimatetexans/2014/01/texans-fire-offensive-line-coach-john-benton/

 

Bring in Wade Smith, Chris Kuper, Ryan Harris, and Eric Winston and zone block already.

 

Uh I hope we draft Miller's replacement. That guy is no more talented than Travis Minor. We need a new running back.

 

To be fair, it's hard to judge with the way the O-line is (not saying that Miller doesn't need to step up).

And to be even MORE fair, Lamar actually WAAAAAAAAAY ahead of the Travis Minor curve.

 

I can't believe he ended up being decent.

 

I hate to say it given that I wanted a clean sweep, but watching Joe Philbin quietly knock out these assistant coach hires while Ross bumbles around like a nincompoop trying to find a general manager, I kind of wish we'd just put Joe in charge of everything. Hold him accountable for the results and fire him if the team doesn't succeed -- But at least he can identify decent candidates for openings and close the freaking deal with them.

 

All those guys had horrible years. Harris was the 56th tackle and a -5.6, Eric Winston was 69th. Clabo was 45th for reference.

Wade Smith fell off to the 59th guard and a -10.7 grade. Kuper has only been able to play 11 games the last 2 years (6 starts) and is 31. He's also gone under 2 major surgeries the last couple years.

 

Ya, Zach Strief IS going to be available in free agency. He would be a much better choice. PFF gave him a +26.5 and I think he was the top RT in the league last year. He is 30 so a 4 year contract loaded in the first two years would be my choice.

The Saints are in cap hell and the general consensus is that Strief may not even get any kind of legitimate offer.

 

Yet both Tate and Foster had very positive grades as runners. Chris Myers and Brandon Brooks were the only 2 Houston OL with positive run blocking grades. That's great they did well, but an OL needs more than 2 good blockers to open holes. I don't understand PFF sometimes when it comes to run blocking grades for players in zone schemes. Like in 2011, Denver was one of the top rushing teams in the league but 4 of their 5 starting OL had very negative run blocking grades. Willis McGahee had 5.9 grade as a runner, but the team's combined run blocking grade was a -69.

 

I'm not sure the Dolphins are going to be as much of a zone blocking team next season.

When you look at Bill Lazor's offense at Virginia, it was a mixed scheme. The inside/outside zone game was there, but there was more man blocking than zone. Lots of pulls and traps(not just one guy doing it either), lots of misdirection, and out of a bunch of different formations. Lots of FB/TE, even pre-snap RB motions. It's possible that Philbin gives him a "big picture" mandate to focus more on zone elements, or that they'll be more Chip Kelly thrown in there, but it's hard to say.

I'd expect a bigger focus on mobile offensive linemen regardless, without as many "concession" guys like Incognito, Jerry, etc.

 

It seems like they're really boom or bust on finesse guys in general. They say they grade on outcome rather than appearances of technique, but it doesn't seem to match at least my own perceptions when I look at it closely.

 

You just gave me a boner.

I know, i know, this is awkward for both of us. But we don't need to talk about it, we can just carry on like it never happened.

 

That's nasty, but I am not going to judge a person for their personal weirdnesses.

When I get home I'll post some Virginia videos from when Lazor was the OC. (Some of them are on Youtube under Morgan Moses/Oday Aboushi highlight videos for 2011-2012). You can get a couple of full games of offensive snaps out there.

 

[video=youtube;LEN7l5pBA3Y]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEN7l5pBA3Y[/video]

 

Benton seems more qualified than Turner to be the lead OL coach. I wonder about this hire. Is Benton the OL coach in waiting and is Turner on way out?

 

the oline certainly needs some attention,, looking at some of bentons videos it looks like a quality fullback would help,, as would good vision from our runners.

 

I'm just glad to have the guy. I was bummed that we didn't even try for Munchak to replace Turner, but having Benton on the staff even as the Asst OL, a position he seems overqualified for, is almost as good. As much as folks here are mostly bummed about the new GM, I think we have good reason to be jazzed about the 3 new asst coaches.

 

You sir, are the winner.

In his press conference Steve Ross admitted he knows pretty much what is going to be in the Wells report which will be released after the Super Bowl and that in their minds they've headed in the right direction from the whole thing.

Conspicuously they just hired an "assistant" OL coach that is way more qualified than their current OL coach.

Yeah. Jim Turner is a goner.

 

Seriously. My last memory of Wade Smith with the Dolphins was him blowing his blocking assignments and getting Brian Griese killed.

 

Good and good. Man, I'm drooling thinking about a much improved O line.

 

That was him playing LT. Since he's left the Dolphins I don't think any other team, KC or Houston has played him there. He was always known for having quick feet, good enough in that respect to play LT, but not the length or reach. His rookie season was 2003, and we still barely missed the playoffs because Fiedler couldn't stay healthy. Wade Smith started all 16 games at LT as a rookie and the team still went 10-6.

 

With any stat, PFF should be a tool, not the only thing we use to evaluate players on...again they are basing their grades on what a player does whithout knowing the call or the players specific assignment....

 

He's a RT for the Saints. You mean you'd may consider him if he moved to guard, or that he'd be an upgrade at RT?

 

Omg, you had me at fullback. I miss when we had Lousaka Polite and could bull through for guaranteed 3rd and short.