Issac Soapoaga

First of all I understand that his position especially as a 3-4 DE is to draw defenders and not really a stat juggernaut, but


........................Tackle Assist...Solo..Sack..FF
Aubrayo Franklin....28.....19......9......2.0....0
Justin Smith...........45......31.....14.....2.5....2
Isaac Sopoaga.......23......15.......8......1.0...0


clearly Ike hasn't made as much of an impact as the other two,


my question is, is he a keeper or should we he step down for balmer?

He was drafted to be a project, and has he developed or still need more years?

He has been solid as a rock. He has been doing more two-gapping than Franklin and has been doing a great job of that while holding his posistion and getting penetration. He has been terrific vs the run and even given us a solid pass rush even though he is taken out on 3rd downs and passing downs.

Issac Sopoaga is a very solid and underrated player.

Stats don't always tell the whole story. Soap has been a tremendous player on D, and has made a huge impact on the run D.

It is good to hear that Sop is playing an integral part in our defensive line.

Wooooaaah now.

IMO our D-Line is the best part of our team (minus punter). They are playing lights out and ICE is a huge part of that. His numbers may not be spectacular but he's a rock right now. I think people were expecting a tad too much out of him but he is not disappointing at all.

I must not be watching the D-line that much because Soap has been with the team for around 4-5 years and i'm always wondering if he's contributing. I think i only witnessed 2-3 nice plays from him in the past 4-5 years.

Has Soap actually contributed? I would like to think that he did

Originally posted by ptinerocket:
First of all I understand that his position especially as a 3-4 DE is to draw defenders and not really a stat juggernaut, but


........................Tackle Assist...Solo..Sack..FF
Aubrayo Franklin....28.....19......9......2.0....0
Justin Smith...........45......31.....14.....2.5....2
Isaac Sopoaga.......23......15.......8......1.0...0


clearly Ike hasn't made as much of an impact as the other two,


my question is, is he a keeper or should we he step down for balmer?

He was drafted to be a project, and has he developed or still need more years?

Issac has made a big impact this season,he's part of the reason the 49ers are #5-6 in rush defense this year.

Originally posted by Chico:
I must not be watching the D-line that much because Soap has been with the team for around 4-5 years and i'm always wondering if he's contributing. I think i only witnessed 2-3 nice plays from him in the past 4-5 years.

Has Soap actually contributed? I would like to think that he did

I like watching line play and he has been a beast this year. He doesn't get off blocks real well but usually pushes his guy into the backfield disrupting runs to his side. When teams have had success running against our D it is usually to the opposite side or when he is not in the game on passing downs. He doesn't have great change of direction like Smith or is able to run down backs like smaller DE's but has assisted in tackles pursuing to the right. Part of the reason Willis still has so many tackles is that the D-line and Spikes is keeping him so clean.

Originally posted by Super5:

Originally posted by ptinerocket:
First of all I understand that his position especially as a 3-4 DE is to draw defenders and not really a stat juggernaut, but


........................Tackle Assist...Solo..Sack..FF
Aubrayo Franklin....28.....19......9......2.0....0
Justin Smith...........45......31.....14.....2.5....2
Isaac Sopoaga.......23......15.......8......1.0...0


clearly Ike hasn't made as much of an impact as the other two,


my question is, is he a keeper or should we he step down for balmer?

He was drafted to be a project, and has he developed or still need more years?

Issac has made a big impact this season,he's part of the reason the 49ers are #5-6 in rush defense this year.

ditto, you never see him getn man handled.

Originally posted by Born49R:

Originally posted by Chico:
I must not be watching the D-line that much because Soap has been with the team for around 4-5 years and i'm always wondering if he's contributing. I think i only witnessed 2-3 nice plays from him in the past 4-5 years.

Has Soap actually contributed? I would like to think that he did

I like watching line play and he has been a beast this year. He doesn't get off blocks real well but usually pushes his guy into the backfield disrupting runs to his side. When teams have had success running against our D it is usually to the opposite side or when he is not in the game on passing downs. He doesn't have great change of direction like Smith or is able to run down backs like smaller DE's but has assisted in tackles pursuing to the right. Part of the reason Willis still has so many tackles is that the D-line and Spikes is keeping him so clean.

Well thanks for the update...As long as Soap is contributing, i got his back. He may not be putting up the pretty numbers, but he's sacrificing himself so that others can have those pretty numbers. I just hope he's getting paid for doing all the dirty work for other players.

Sopoaga is no Haloti Ngata, but he does stand his ground and helps set the edge for the L-side. He may not be the Pro Bowl player like the other two DL starters, but there's a reason McDonald or Balmer cannot unseat Sopoaga.

Originally posted by Kolohe:
Sopoaga is no Haloti Ngata, but he does stand his ground and helps set the edge for the L-side. He may not be the Pro Bowl player like the other two DL starters, but there's a reason McDonald or Balmer cannot unseat Sopoaga.

Kolohe, good point. I think that some zoners expect everybody on the team to be Pro Bowlers and forget that some guys are just your blue collar guys that indeed do the dirty work and you always know what you are getting. Solid but not spectacular play.
Oh, and by the by.
Louis Castillo 22 16 6 2
Marcus Spears 20 14 6 2
Tommie Harris 19 15 4 2.5
Alan Branch 13 10 3 2
Balmer 12 5 7 0
Chris Canty 9 8 1 0
Just for some perspective.

Originally posted by Born49R:

Originally posted by Chico:
I must not be watching the D-line that much because Soap has been with the team for around 4-5 years and i'm always wondering if he's contributing. I think i only witnessed 2-3 nice plays from him in the past 4-5 years.

Has Soap actually contributed? I would like to think that he did

I like watching line play and he has been a beast this year. He doesn't get off blocks real well but usually pushes his guy into the backfield disrupting runs to his side. When teams have had success running against our D it is usually to the opposite side or when he is not in the game on passing downs. He doesn't have great change of direction like Smith or is able to run down backs like smaller DE's but has assisted in tackles pursuing to the right. Part of the reason Willis still has so many tackles is that the D-line and Spikes is keeping him so clean.

Agree, Issac has done a very good job keeping our linebackers clean to make the plays.

ICE has been very consistent all season. His play is nothing flashy so you'll just have to watch.

Originally posted by Esco:
ICE has been very consistent all season. His play is nothing flashy so you'll just have to watch.

yeah this has actually been his breakout year. i've noticed him providing pressure consistently and he makes some nice tackles on the RB in open space