Lawrence Okoye Thread of Epic Awesomeness

Originally posted by jreff22:
You guys keep saying this like its remotely the same. 22 guys running around in controlled chaos is a lot to take in. Spinning around and throwing a disc is not even close to mental requirement of playing in the NFL.

it's tough but it's not rocket science, or even a law degree.

Originally posted by jreff22:

Originally posted by LieutKaffee:
Yeah I'm just trying to rebut the notion some seem to have that Okoye, if he stays with us, will be completely useless for two or three years. Definitely not saying it's going to be easy, but I think he is going to shock everyone.

I would say he would be useless for at least a year. Learning the rules, assignments, and fundamentals at NFL speed is probably like doing med school in 2 years.....real real hard lol.

Honestly I would take him to high school games and let him watch at a much slower pace.

"Useless" might be an exaggeration, but I think your point seems essentially true.

I think that the difficulty Okoye faces makes this challenge all the more interesting.

And, we know that Tomsula has done this before, so I am not worried to much about the project.

Tomsula, Baalke, and Harbaugh obliviously feel that the effort and cost are worth it. I am going to go with their judgment.

I do hope it work out well--it would be a great story.

you heard it here first... in the 2014 season Okoye is going to sack R. Wilson by discuss throwing him into the crowd, ending wilsons football career

Originally posted by adacosta24:
you heard it here first... in the 2014 season Okoye is going to sack R. Wilson by discuss throwing him into the crowd, ending wilsons football career

Probably already been mentioned, but - he should have a hell of a spin move after practising discuss! haha

Also, I think the rugby leverage comparison isn't great as he played in the backs. However, I do think his tackling should be pretty good; it isn't easy tackling someone in wide spaces (i.e on the wing), as they can change direction because there is more room etc, so you have to wrap up. I think tackling whilst being pushed/under pressure should be one of the "easier" facets for him to grasp.

Originally posted by adacosta24:
you heard it here first... in the 2014 season Okoye is going to sack R. Wilson by discuss throwing him into the crowd, ending wilsons football career

loll. If he ever gets a defensive TD he should discuss the football into the crowd

Originally posted by jreff22:
You guys keep saying this like its remotely the same. 22 guys running around in controlled chaos is a lot to take in. Spinning around and throwing a disc is not even close to mental requirement of playing in the NFL.

I've thrown discus and I played football up through college, and I've also coached both. I can tell you that discus was MUCH more difficult to learn. There are SO MANY technical aspects that must be in sync at all times to prevent an awful attempt. You can't even start throwing hard for weeks, because everything your body WANTS to do is wrong. Once you start throwing hard, it can take a LONG time before you develop the balance, agility, footwork, and spatial awareness to start spinning. You can't compensate for technical deficiencies with raw athleticism if the disc is flying into the crowd end over end (the reaction is pretty hilarious, though, as long as no one gets hit).

Originally posted by kunged:
Probably already been mentioned, but - he should have a hell of a spin move after practising discuss! haha

Also, I think the rugby leverage comparison isn't great as he played in the backs. However, I do think his tackling should be pretty good; it isn't easy tackling someone in wide spaces (i.e on the wing), as they can change direction because there is more room etc, so you have to wrap up. I think tackling whilst being pushed/under pressure should be one of the "easier" facets for him to grasp.

I think Barrows said that Okoye busted out a spin move in practice that was way to good for how new he is. He also mentioned that his get off was astonishing, so that's a good sign.

I have a hard time seeing this happen. Discuss phenom and mega-athlete Margus Hunt spent four years at SMU and was still looked at as a developmental player in this draft.

Originally posted by kent:
I have a hard time seeing this happen. Discuss phenom and mega-athlete Margus Hunt spent four years at SMU and was still looked at as a developmental player in this draft.

Discus phenom Margus Hunt was throwing discus a lot longer than Okoye, and he was a lot less successful (Olympics > Jr. Olympics) at it. It could be he is not the same caliber athlete, in terms of athletic instincts. All that said, he was still a fairly early pick for a project.

Originally posted by buck:

Originally posted by ElephantHaley:
oh ok so he's an olympian and never played football before? Rugby do'nt count. He's 6'6 306 then he's gonna need to learn leverage 1st and foremost but who has time for ametuer hour when the 49ers will be competing for a Super Bowl?

Tomsula has time--and he gets paid for it.

He has experience coaching Europeans how to play football.

Athletes are athletes. And rugby does not count as football. But being someone who's played both, it's a similar sport and will at least help, not many team tackling sports out there. It teaching really good tackling technique. He's also young. Sometimes teaching an athlete a new sport has it's advantages as to not develop bad habits.

....and he won't have a tendency to lead with his head being a rugger. Which is good.

Originally posted by WRATHman44:

Originally posted by jreff22:
You guys keep saying this like its remotely the same. 22 guys running around in controlled chaos is a lot to take in. Spinning around and throwing a disc is not even close to mental requirement of playing in the NFL.

I've thrown discus and I played football up through college, and I've also coached both. I can tell you that discus was MUCH more difficult to learn. There are SO MANY technical aspects that must be in sync at all times to prevent an awful attempt. You can't even start throwing hard for weeks, because everything your body WANTS to do is wrong. Once you start throwing hard, it can take a LONG time before you develop the balance, agility, footwork, and spatial awareness to start spinning. You can't compensate for technical deficiencies with raw athleticism if the disc is flying into the crowd end over end (the reaction is pretty hilarious, though, as long as no one gets hit).

Originally posted by kunged:
Probably already been mentioned, but - he should have a hell of a spin move after practising discuss! haha

Also, I think the rugby leverage comparison isn't great as he played in the backs. However, I do think his tackling should be pretty good; it isn't easy tackling someone in wide spaces (i.e on the wing), as they can change direction because there is more room etc, so you have to wrap up. I think tackling whilst being pushed/under pressure should be one of the "easier" facets for him to grasp.

I think Barrows said that Okoye busted out a spin move in practice that was way to good for how new he is. He also mentioned that his get off was astonishing, so that's a good sign.

Haha, looks like (if he ever makes it) he will have a signature move already!

I've only thrown discuss a few times (when I was much younger), but from what I remember and maybe you can clarify, it can be a real help for his footwork.

Originally posted by WRATHman44:
I've thrown discus and I played football up through college, and I've also coached both. I can tell you that discus was MUCH more difficult to learn. There are SO MANY technical aspects that must be in sync at all times to prevent an awful attempt. You can't even start throwing hard for weeks, because everything your body WANTS to do is wrong. Once you start throwing hard, it can take a LONG time before you develop the balance, agility, footwork, and spatial awareness to start spinning. You can't compensate for technical deficiencies with raw athleticism if the disc is flying into the crowd end over end (the reaction is pretty hilarious, though, as long as no one gets hit)

If you did (is that the right word?) discus I will take your stance that getting it down is hard. But I ask, once you have the motion down is there really that much more to it? I would assume it would fall back to muscle memory after a while. With the complexity of an offensive system coupled with numerous blocking assignments and specific defensive assignments and adjustments...this is never really muscle memory. I would say the technique will become second nature after awhile (what should be easy for him) but the chess game is never static.

I don't think he cant succeed, I just think the transition period for him to "get it" (upstairs) at game speed, will take time. Yes, Tomsula is a great coach but I can point to Balmer and say he cant make gold out of everything.

Originally posted by jreff22:

Originally posted by WRATHman44:
I've thrown discus and I played football up through college, and I've also coached both. I can tell you that discus was MUCH more difficult to learn. There are SO MANY technical aspects that must be in sync at all times to prevent an awful attempt. You can't even start throwing hard for weeks, because everything your body WANTS to do is wrong. Once you start throwing hard, it can take a LONG time before you develop the balance, agility, footwork, and spatial awareness to start spinning. You can't compensate for technical deficiencies with raw athleticism if the disc is flying into the crowd end over end (the reaction is pretty hilarious, though, as long as no one gets hit)

If you did (is that the right word?) discus I will take your stance that getting it down is hard. But I ask, once you have the motion down is there really that much more to it? I would assume it would fall back to muscle memory after a while. With the complexity of an offensive system coupled with numerous blocking assignments and specific defensive assignments and adjustments...this is never really muscle memory. I would say the technique will become second nature after awhile (what should be easy for him) but the chess game is never static.

I don't think he cant succeed, I just think the transition period for him to "get it" (upstairs) at game speed, will take time. Yes, Tomsula is a great coach but I can point to Balmer and say he cant make gold out of everything.

The mental aspect will obviously take some time, but it seems he is a pretty intelligent guy (Oxford etc). Game speed will also be an issue, but I can imagine spinning round and having the ability to know when to release a discuss whilst disorientated could help with decision making under pressure (obviously football will be different as someone will be trying to hit him, but it can't hurt).

Finally it seems he has a lot of athleticism to fall back on, at least more so than Balmer, which can cover some flaws.

The real question is how will he hold up to the mental aspect of trench warfare? Chop blocks, tackle traps, and crack backs aren't all that fun if you dont have that nasty all out mentality. D-line is mostly about muscle memory and leverage at its core, doesnt take a genius to read run or pass... but it does take a little bit of crazy to play in the trenches.

Holy toledo! Did anyone happen to catch the drills of Okoye, (former rugby player, then discus thrower) when working on the DL (or OL) drills of the 3 tire drill? That is where there are 3 tires,( like 3 players), and the coach moves the football from one slot to the next, and then next and then back again...with Okoye moving virtually as fast as the coach could move the ball. My gosh, the guy looks like a huge cat. He moves like a really quick RB, back and forth, back and forth, following the ball with jumps to the slot the line coach points to. If I didn't know he was 303, I would have guessed he was 210-215. Jeez is that guy quick. I will just say this. It is not a NFL game, but Okoye is without a doubt the quickest, most nimble huge man I have ever seen. I know he doesn't know football, but hey, rugby isn't that different...minus the scrums. And the quickness. NFL is light yrs faster than rugby. No slight intended on rugby guys because they have beaten the tar out of me. But watching Okoye literally bounce back and forth between tires, was absolutely incredible. I not only think he makes the team, I believe he plays...either DL or possibly OL, but watching how fast the guy can move, and for how long, I believe he moves up to a credible relief man for justin or aldon...if we were to play Aldon, justin , big mac, and okoye, it would be a nightmare DL for opponents. Watch the replay on local web channel of 9ers. You will not believe your eyes. Incredible moves for a 300 pounder. INCREDIBLE!

And that was just his legs. We all know how strong his upper body is...and LONG ARMS. Good grief, it may just have been one day, and one drill, but no question there is no big man faster than OKOYE that I have seen in NFL. It would be interesting to see how fast Aldon is on that drill, but I bet okoye would be faster. Wholly Cow! You gotta see this local channel 9ers TC footage...sorry, OTA .