Lawrence Okoye Thread of Epic Awesomeness

Isn't DE a very technical position to learn? Operating in small space with lots of hand fighting and leverage of the lower body.

How about as a monster short yardage back? Teach him to lower shoulders and BOOM! Flatten a LB for 2 yards running behind Iupati with Miller leading. He's already familiar with handling the rock. F=ma.

Oops I see FB has been brought up earlier in the thread.

Originally posted by thl408:
Isn't DE a very technical position to learn? Operating in small space with lots of hand fighting and leverage of the lower body.

How about as a monster short yardage back? Teach him to lower shoulders and BOOM! Flatten a LB for 2 yards running behind Iupati with Miller leading. He's already familiar with handling the rock. F=ma.

DE is technical to the extent learning football in general and any position is technical. If you want to think about dumbing it down as much as possible, I would imagine "Okay just get to the QB by any means necessary" is probably on par with "Okay take this ball and take it as far as you can." That is, I can talk myself into both of them being relatively "simple" but I'm really not sure.

Originally posted by LieutKaffee:

Originally posted by thl408:
Isn't DE a very technical position to learn? Operating in small space with lots of hand fighting and leverage of the lower body.

How about as a monster short yardage back? Teach him to lower shoulders and BOOM! Flatten a LB for 2 yards running behind Iupati with Miller leading. He's already familiar with handling the rock. F=ma.

DE is technical to the extent learning football in general and any position is technical. If you want to think about dumbing it down as much as possible, I would imagine "Okay just get to the QB by any means necessary" is probably on par with "Okay take this ball and take it as far as you can." That is, I can talk myself into both of them being relatively "simple" but I'm really not sure.

By that logic, just throw this ball to the open receiver. Or just get open and catch the ball. I'm referring to the non-dumbed down version. There's a lot of technique involved to being a DE as opposed to a short yardage back, imo. However, let me say that the last time I rushed a QB I was counting 'alligators'.

Originally posted by thl408:

Originally posted by LieutKaffee:

Originally posted by thl408:
Isn't DE a very technical position to learn? Operating in small space with lots of hand fighting and leverage of the lower body.

How about as a monster short yardage back? Teach him to lower shoulders and BOOM! Flatten a LB for 2 yards running behind Iupati with Miller leading. He's already familiar with handling the rock. F=ma.

DE is technical to the extent learning football in general and any position is technical. If you want to think about dumbing it down as much as possible, I would imagine "Okay just get to the QB by any means necessary" is probably on par with "Okay take this ball and take it as far as you can." That is, I can talk myself into both of them being relatively "simple" but I'm really not sure.

By that logic, just throw this ball to the open receiver. Or just get open and catch the ball. I'm referring to the non-dumbed down version. There's a lot of technique involved to being a DE as opposed to a short yardage back, imo. However, let me say that the last time I rushed a QB I was counting 'alligators'.

Well I think you and I agree that WR and QB are more technical. By making up those quotes I was trying to make the point that, for someone new and learning the game, becoming marginally effective as a pass rusher or a short yardage back might be more or less tied as the two "easiest." I might give the nod to DE because of the risk of him fumbling and costing us possession.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Originally posted by LieutKaffee:
I honestly think the skepticism is over the top. What are you guys worried about? That he's not going to know how to put on pads? That he's not going to know how to hit people? If he had ONE YEAR of college football with even mediocre production, he'd be a bigger version of Ansah. You guys really don't think he could have gone and racked up 5 sacks in the WAC last year?

People also keep saying stuff like "for every Hunt and Ansah, there are [insert hyperbolic number] raw foreign prospects who failed miserably at football." Who are these prospects? Any names? Are you accounting for the fact that Okoye is a superior athlete to just about every single DL currently playing in the NFL?

Even if this guy is a colossal flop.......................who cares? He didn't cost the 49ers a draft pick, they really have nothing to lose and everything to gain by offering him a shot.

Both of these points. I don't get what the issue is. He has the raw potential, there is no (very little) downside to this if he doesn't work out, just cut him.

Obviously the chances of him coming in and performing to a very high standard are pretty low, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't give him a shot. In fact the Hunt and Ansah examples highlight why you should be willing to invest some time with young freakishly athletic players.

There is no point getting your hopes up that he will be a HoF player, but don't write him off completely or let yourself be annoyed that we are giving him a shot

Originally posted by LieutKaffee:

Originally posted by thl408:

Originally posted by LieutKaffee:

Originally posted by thl408:
Isn't DE a very technical position to learn? Operating in small space with lots of hand fighting and leverage of the lower body.

How about as a monster short yardage back? Teach him to lower shoulders and BOOM! Flatten a LB for 2 yards running behind Iupati with Miller leading. He's already familiar with handling the rock. F=ma.

DE is technical to the extent learning football in general and any position is technical. If you want to think about dumbing it down as much as possible, I would imagine "Okay just get to the QB by any means necessary" is probably on par with "Okay take this ball and take it as far as you can." That is, I can talk myself into both of them being relatively "simple" but I'm really not sure.

By that logic, just throw this ball to the open receiver. Or just get open and catch the ball. I'm referring to the non-dumbed down version. There's a lot of technique involved to being a DE as opposed to a short yardage back, imo. However, let me say that the last time I rushed a QB I was counting 'alligators'.

Well I think you and I agree that WR and QB are more technical. By making up those quotes I was trying to make the point that, for someone new and learning the game, becoming marginally effective as a pass rusher or a short yardage back might be more or less tied as the two "easiest." I might give the nod to DE because of the risk of him fumbling and costing us possession.

Eating up blockers takes a bit more skill than kill the QB. With 0 knowledge of any fundementals or the rules he has a looooong way to go before we can even be trusted on the field.

Originally posted by jreff22:

Originally posted by LieutKaffee:

Originally posted by thl408:

Originally posted by LieutKaffee:

Originally posted by thl408:
Isn't DE a very technical position to learn? Operating in small space with lots of hand fighting and leverage of the lower body.

How about as a monster short yardage back? Teach him to lower shoulders and BOOM! Flatten a LB for 2 yards running behind Iupati with Miller leading. He's already familiar with handling the rock. F=ma.

DE is technical to the extent learning football in general and any position is technical. If you want to think about dumbing it down as much as possible, I would imagine "Okay just get to the QB by any means necessary" is probably on par with "Okay take this ball and take it as far as you can." That is, I can talk myself into both of them being relatively "simple" but I'm really not sure.

By that logic, just throw this ball to the open receiver. Or just get open and catch the ball. I'm referring to the non-dumbed down version. There's a lot of technique involved to being a DE as opposed to a short yardage back, imo. However, let me say that the last time I rushed a QB I was counting 'alligators'.

Well I think you and I agree that WR and QB are more technical. By making up those quotes I was trying to make the point that, for someone new and learning the game, becoming marginally effective as a pass rusher or a short yardage back might be more or less tied as the two "easiest." I might give the nod to DE because of the risk of him fumbling and costing us possession.

Eating up blockers takes a bit more skill than kill the QB. With 0 knowledge of any fundementals or the rules he has a looooong way to go before we can even be trusted on the field.

Fair enough, but there are situational players in the NFL (hell Aldon Smith started out as a pass rusher) and they could find a way to use him as such if they felt he needed a roster space to avoid getting "poached". NB - I'm not saying it will happen, just that it is a possibility

Also, I'm not saying Okoye is anywhere near Aldon's level, just that situational players are a good way to use someone whilst you bring the rest of their game up to speed.

Originally posted by thl408:
Isn't DE a very technical position to learn? Operating in small space with lots of hand fighting and leverage of the lower body.

How about as a monster short yardage back? Teach him to lower shoulders and BOOM! Flatten a LB for 2 yards running behind Iupati with Miller leading. He's already familiar with handling the rock. F=ma.

"As a defensive end, Okoye won't be asked to do too much. At its core, playing defense is still about making tackles and getting after the quarterback, and Okoye may not need much coaching to do those things. Okoye's size will allow him to play a position at which physically gifted athletes can thrive without Peyton Manning's football intellect."


http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1621673-lawrence-okoyes-rookie-projections-with-san-francisco-49ers

Originally posted by buck:

Originally posted by Kolohe:
Don't really see the fascination with this guy, all hes got going for him is 6'6" 300, other than that he hasn't even played a meaningful game before.

It is rather fascinating. The odds are against him. Heck, he has not even played a meaningless game before.

I do not have any idea if he will make the team, but I find it fascinating and wish him the best of luck.

This

Okoye isnt gonna make the 53 man roster, No we can he go from never playing football to an NFL 53 man roster in 1 offseason, he will be on our practice squad and have a chance to make the team next year

Originally posted by kunged:

Originally posted by jreff22:

Originally posted by LieutKaffee:

Originally posted by thl408:

Originally posted by LieutKaffee:

Originally posted by thl408:

Isn't DE a very technical position to learn? Operating in small space with lots of hand fighting and leverage of the lower body.

How about as a monster short yardage back? Teach him to lower shoulders and BOOM! Flatten a LB for 2 yards running behind Iupati with Miller leading. He's already familiar with handling the rock. F=ma.

DE is technical to the extent learning football in general and any position is technical. If you want to think about dumbing it down as much as possible, I would imagine "Okay just get to the QB by any means necessary" is probably on par with "Okay take this ball and take it as far as you can." That is, I can talk myself into both of them being relatively "simple" but I'm really not sure.

By that logic, just throw this ball to the open receiver. Or just get open and catch the ball. I'm referring to the non-dumbed down version. There's a lot of technique involved to being a DE as opposed to a short yardage back, imo. However, let me say that the last time I rushed a QB I was counting 'alligators'.

Well I think you and I agree that WR and QB are more technical. By making up those quotes I was trying to make the point that, for someone new and learning the game, becoming marginally effective as a pass rusher or a short yardage back might be more or less tied as the two "easiest." I might give the nod to DE because of the risk of him fumbling and costing us possession.

Eating up blockers takes a bit more skill than kill the QB. With 0 knowledge of any fundementals or the rules he has a looooong way to go before we can even be trusted on the field.

Fair enough, but there are situational players in the NFL (hell Aldon Smith started out as a pass rusher) and they could find a way to use him as such if they felt he needed a roster space to avoid getting "poached". NB - I'm not saying it will happen, just that it is a possibility

Also, I'm not saying Okoye is anywhere near Aldon's level, just that situational players are a good way to use someone whilst you bring the rest of their game up to speed.

If I'm not mistaken, Okoye knows the rules and likes football even though he hasn't played. His father played for Nebraska in college.

Originally posted by daragon:

Originally posted by buck:

Originally posted by Kolohe:
Don't really see the fascination with this guy, all hes got going for him is 6'6" 300, other than that he hasn't even played a meaningful game before.

It is rather fascinating. The odds are against him. Heck, he has not even played a meaningless game before.

I do not have any idea if he will make the team, but I find it fascinating and wish him the best of luck.

This

He may have 0 experience, but he has very unique physical gifts. Pair that with Tomsula's tutelage, and he may be a great UDFA signee. Obviously, the Niners know they he has a lot to learn, but this is a perfect example of a player who goes undrafted that could potentially be a contributor.

My only concern is he probably wont be one of the best 53 players to make the roster, so another team may swoop him off waivers before he gets to our PS.

Its like some of you are offended that people are excited about this guy. Haha. Some of us are just interested to see what happens, that's all. We understand the odds, but the entertainment value is high on this.

Originally posted by NinerBuff:

Originally posted by daragon:

Originally posted by buck:

Originally posted by Kolohe:
Don't really see the fascination with this guy, all hes got going for him is 6'6" 300, other than that he hasn't even played a meaningful game before.

It is rather fascinating. The odds are against him. Heck, he has not even played a meaningless game before.

I do not have any idea if he will make the team, but I find it fascinating and wish him the best of luck.

This

He may have 0 experience, but he has very unique physical gifts. Pair that with Tomsula's tutelage, and he may be a great UDFA signee. Obviously, the Niners know they he has a lot to learn, but this is a perfect example of a player who goes undrafted that could potentially be a contributor.

My only concern is he probably wont be one of the best 53 players to make the roster, so another team may swoop him off waivers before he gets to our PS.

If they take him off our practice squad, they'll have to reteach him their system and place him on their 53. I'm sure they'll leave him alone.