Move David Baas to center

Hietman is the Mark Roman of centers, doesn't make many mistakes but not much upside

Originally posted by MadMartz:

Originally posted by MNNinerFan:

Originally posted by DarthNiner:

Originally posted by MadMartz:

Originally posted by dj43:

Originally posted by PatrickJira411:
While Adam Snyder was clearly the main weak link of a bad O-Line, I think Eric Heitman was also a weak link and has been the last few years. I would like to see the team at least consider moving Baas to center a posistion he played some at Michigan and a lot of teams and scouts had Baas projected as a better center than OG coming out of Michigan.

Sign a solid vetran LG and a O-Line of Staley-Vetran OG-Baas-Rachal-Bulaga (or another draft pick) looks pretty good.

You ARE kidding?

Aren't you?

Seriously?

Do you truly believe Eric Heitmann is the weak link in the offensive line?

For real?



I have read some of your other posts and you seem like a reasonably knowledgeable guy but this I don't get at all. You CAN"T be watching the same games I am. Please go to the thread I put up this morning on the OL play-by-play analysis of the Ram game. Read through it as you re-watch the tape of the game, if you recorded it. When you are finished come back and report.

Heitman is one of the worst starting Centers in the NFL! That is fact!

Based on what? What fact?

The same fact that tell Shaun Hill has a noodle arm, he just can't past the eye test. It is like when you know a special player has "it". Sometimes the facts are what you see. Funny part about football is that the "facts" are awfully subjective.

Yeah, watch the tape and show me the push? Remeber when Newberry was here? Damn right you do because he was a monster and you knew it by watching him play! Heitman just doesnt have it. He is serviceable at best! He wouldnt start on many teams in the NFL!

Newberry was a good center but he didn't have to play between David Baas and Chilo Rachal.

Somebody please show me how this team would improve if David (slewfoot) Baas was the center! Of all the starting linemen on the team right now, he is the least likely to be back next year. Come on people. Watch all three of those guys in the middle of the line and tell me who is the weak link. Who is it that is constantly having to help the guy beside them?

Don't just watch the ball. Watch the line play.









I need to leave this thread before I get some warning.

Originally posted by MadMartz:

Originally posted by MNNinerFan:

Originally posted by DarthNiner:

Originally posted by MadMartz:

Originally posted by dj43:

Originally posted by PatrickJira411:
While Adam Snyder was clearly the main weak link of a bad O-Line, I think Eric Heitman was also a weak link and has been the last few years. I would like to see the team at least consider moving Baas to center a posistion he played some at Michigan and a lot of teams and scouts had Baas projected as a better center than OG coming out of Michigan.

Sign a solid vetran LG and a O-Line of Staley-Vetran OG-Baas-Rachal-Bulaga (or another draft pick) looks pretty good.

You ARE kidding?

Aren't you?

Seriously?

Do you truly believe Eric Heitmann is the weak link in the offensive line?

For real?



I have read some of your other posts and you seem like a reasonably knowledgeable guy but this I don't get at all. You CAN"T be watching the same games I am. Please go to the thread I put up this morning on the OL play-by-play analysis of the Ram game. Read through it as you re-watch the tape of the game, if you recorded it. When you are finished come back and report.

Heitman is one of the worst starting Centers in the NFL! That is fact!

Based on what? What fact?

The same fact that tell Shaun Hill has a noodle arm, he just can't past the eye test. It is like when you know a special player has "it". Sometimes the facts are what you see. Funny part about football is that the "facts" are awfully subjective.

Yeah, watch the tape and show me the push? Remeber when Newberry was here? Damn right you do because he was a monster and you knew it by watching him play! Heitman just doesnt have it. He is serviceable at best! He wouldnt start on many teams in the NFL!

DJ43, is Eric Heitman your cousin or brother?

http://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/football/fballam/aabaasd.htm

WOW, REALLY?

Baas has been WAY too inconsistent. Heitmann played MUCH better than either Baas OR Rachal this season. To claim that Heitmann was the weak link is just flat WRONG. Snyder was easily the worst starter on the O-line.

The interior O-line was horrible for most of this season. I don't think you can blame any one player for that. I thought it was a combo of 2 below avg guards and 1 avg center.

Originally posted by PatrickJira411:
http://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/football/fballam/aabaasd.htm

In his first season at the center position Baas was a consensus All-American a shared the Rimington Trophy as the nation's outstanding center. Baas started the season at left guard but moved to center at the outset of the conference slate and helped guide the Wolverines to a share of the Big Ten title. U-M's rushing offense gained 106 yards per game prior to Baas' position shift but finished the conference schedule third in the ground attack at 175 yards per contest. He was named the 2004 Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year and became the 12th player in U-M football history to gain All-Big Ten first team honors at least three times during his career

Originally posted by MadMartz:

Originally posted by PatrickJira411:
http://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/football/fballam/aabaasd.htm

In his first season at the center position Baas was a consensus All-American a shared the Rimington Trophy as the nation's outstanding center. Baas started the season at left guard but moved to center at the outset of the conference slate and helped guide the Wolverines to a share of the Big Ten title. U-M's rushing offense gained 106 yards per game prior to Baas' position shift but finished the conference schedule third in the ground attack at 175 yards per contest. He was named the 2004 Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year and became the 12th player in U-M football history to gain All-Big Ten first team honors at least three times during his career

So what? Doesn't mean squat when you get to the NFL and you should know tht. And Heitmann happens to be a very highly regarded center amongst his fellow players from everything I've read. Like another post said, played at Pro Bowl level last year and while not quite as impressive this year, was probably the most consistent O-lineman we had. You want to try Baas at center, fine, btu don't drag Heitmann thru the mud when he doesn't deserve it. There are guys who are still unconvinced Aubrayo Franklin is the read deal too.

Originally posted by 4evrfan:

Originally posted by MadMartz:

Originally posted by PatrickJira411:
http://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/football/fballam/aabaasd.htm

In his first season at the center position Baas was a consensus All-American a shared the Rimington Trophy as the nation's outstanding center. Baas started the season at left guard but moved to center at the outset of the conference slate and helped guide the Wolverines to a share of the Big Ten title. U-M's rushing offense gained 106 yards per game prior to Baas' position shift but finished the conference schedule third in the ground attack at 175 yards per contest. He was named the 2004 Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year and became the 12th player in U-M football history to gain All-Big Ten first team honors at least three times during his career

So what? Doesn't mean squat when you get to the NFL and you should know tht. And Heitmann happens to be a very highly regarded center amongst his fellow players from everything I've read. Like another post said, played at Pro Bowl level last year and while not quite as impressive this year, was probably the most consistent O-lineman we had. You want to try Baas at center, fine, btu don't drag Heitmann thru the mud when he doesn't deserve it. There are guys who are still unconvinced Aubrayo Franklin is the read deal too.

Exactly! What he did in college doesn't mean squat. Tony Madarich was a great Tackle in college but is one of the biggest busts in the NFL. Heittman makes all the calls for the o-line. thats a pretty important job. I would not trust that job to Baas as a starter just because he did well there in college. Fact is both guard positions need to be improved as well as RT. Maybe the resign Pashos to take care of RT and sign an free agent OL for one guard and draft another.

We need an upgrade not a reshuffle. Baas needs to go to the bench or further away, not to the most important position on the line

Move Baas and Chilo and Snyder to the BENCH!


2010


~ New LG
~ New RG
~ New RT

put it this way. Every time we have a 3rd or 4th and short and we run or qb sneak we usually don't get it. It is directly the fault of the Center and guards. Heitmann is not a good center. Sure he is ok but gets little to no push and i remember a play that summed up his career. We were playing the cards and not only did their D lineman push him back about 5 yards he sacked a smith while Heitmann was still on him. The weakest C i've seen for the niners ever and one of the weakest in the nfl. He may be a good lineman on a BAD OL but people need to understand just because he is the good out of the bad......does not mean he is good.....kinda a tallest midget award

I think you've got it backwards...Heitmann's had to try and cover for both Baas and Rachal's weaknesses. Put two better OG's alongside him and watch how good he is...which is why I want to see them let Baas walk and draft Iupati. Rachal's still young and may yet develop. With Snyder and Wragge in reserve, we'd be in better shape at OG than we are now. Baas is a mauler...which is fine in some offenses. But, he's not much of a pass blocker...we need guys who can do that and be effective as run blockers. More than anything, we need OG's who're mobile enough to lead sweeps and screens so Raye can incorporate those plays into the offense.

Originally posted by lamontb:
Heitmann is a good piece of the o line. He's not great but very solid. why move a very solid player and replace him with a very shaky player who hasn't played that position since college?