Lawrence Okoye Thread of Epic Awesomeness

camp fodder

Originally posted by PRIMETIME21:

camp fodder

Yep

Posted on July 27, 2014 by Steve Corkran

It’s no surprise that 49ers defensive tackle Lawrence Okoye has come a long way in the past year, given he was new to football and just trying to prove he was more than a novelty.

The former British Olympian discus thrower has progressed to the point where he’s now earning the praise of coach Jim Harbaugh.

“It’s just crazy, really,” Okoye said Sunday. “I can’t really watch last year’s tape. It’s just too hard to watch. I cringe too much. Now I feel like a football player. It’s time to just keep progressing.”

One sure sign came Saturday during a one-on-one blocking drill, when Okoye matched up against 49ers Pro Bowl left offensive tackle Joe Staley.

“He had a collision with Joe Staley and he gave Joe everything he could handle,” Harbaugh said Sunday. “Joe stepped up, no question about it, but that’s good to see that kind of competition.”

Okoye also no doubt likes hearing that much more than he did Harbaugh’s blunt assessment of Okoye’s football prowess last August.

“He’s not a good football player,” Harbaugh said. “His next goal is to be ‘not a bad player.’ But he’s made growth from never having played the game of football. So you talk about process, and expectations need to be realistic.

“I want him to be a bad football player because that’s really the next jump up for Lawrence Okoye.”

Okoye called Harbaugh’s critique fair. He also feels as if he no longer falls into that category.

“I can move past that, that’s safe to say,” Okoye said. “But there’s a lot more to go. If I’m satisfied where I’m at now, then I’m selling myself short.”

Okoye knows he has his hands full, both in terms of making the 49ers 53-man roster â€" he spent last season on the injured-reserve list â€" and earning playing time.

To that end, he limited his time in England to three weeks the past year so that he could spend as much time working out with fellow defensive linemen Justin Smith.

http://blogs.mercurynews.com/49ers/2014/07/27/okoye-now-feels-like-a-football-player/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+49ersHotRead+%2849ers+Hot+Read%29

“He’s really playing with a lot better pad level, playing lower and the bull rush right now is a real strength for him,” 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said. “And he’ll learn counters to that, but he’s a very strong man with very long arms. He also had another collision with Joe Staley and gave Joe everything he could handle. It’s good to see that kind of competition.”

http://www.csnbayarea.com/49ers/49ers-dl-okoye-makes-smashing-return-pads

Injuries are inevitable, this guy might make 53 based on that alone. I'm glad that he's improved a lot (from scratch to football player)... I want him to get real good and make the roster.

Love seeing his progression and technique coming through. It basically feels like we created a madden player who has all these amazing attributes, but his awareness is like a 10 and we have to bring it up. So much fun to watch. *i've played way to much madden*

Okoye has superior athleticism. When/if his football knowledge, technique and experience catches up to that freak-of-nature body he will be scary.

Really hope he makes the squad and develops into a forrce3.

The boys are calling him big London. I like it!

Shagadelic

will be cut, zone will cry.

Originally posted by ninerjok:

Okoye has superior athleticism. When/if his football knowledge, technique and experience catches up to that freak-of-nature body he will be scary.

I think - from a potential ceiling point of view- in my opinion, if he ever goes as far as his full potential, he can be a Tony cassillas or a Randy white. Randy and too tall Jones (Okoye and aldon) maybe they could be like mark gastineu and Joe klecko. Man I am totally stoked that he's made the progress he has made.

Originally posted by ChazBoner:

will be cut, zone will cry.

I hope the only one to cry is Midget wilson as he gets Hi-low'ed by aldon and okoye.

Originally posted by Giedi:

Originally posted by ChazBoner:
will be cut, zone will cry.

I hope the only one to cry is Midget wilson as he gets Hi-low'ed by aldon and Tank.

Fixed

Originally posted by simplyfloyd:

Love seeing his progression and technique coming through. It basically feels like we created a madden player who has all these amazing attributes, but his awareness is like a 10 and we have to bring it up. So much fun to watch. *i've played way to much madden*

lol that's pretty much what I was thinking. In madden 07, if I win the Super Bowl all my players get bumped to 99 awareness, so guys like Okoye pan out for me all the time