Will Tukuafu called up from PS

Originally posted by Kolohe:

Originally posted by English:

Originally posted by Kolohe:
I have to agree, Tukuafu is a good pick up. I like his motor and hes pretty quick for a big guy off the edge. I think next year we should move Sopoaga inside to NT, draft a NT and let Ray Mac and Tukuafu man the LE. That's of course if we stick with the 3-4.

I don't have the energy for any more Sopoaga threads. Do you honestly think he is an NFL NT?

Yes, in 2006 he was doing a decent job there, but he wasn't given enough time to settle in at one spot on the DL either till Sing took over. And I'm not even calling for Sopoaga to be the starter, more as a rotational player at the nose.

I have to be honest and say that I am starting to doubt my assessment of our players. I think so many of the problems are or may be down to poor coaching and player development. So until we get a decent HC, all I can say is, you may be right!

Good! He played well in Preseason and hopefully this means we have seen the last of Demetric Evans

Tukuafu, Iupati, & Isaac Sopoaga; Samoans is in the house

is it sad that i was more excited when i found out we picked up some guy from Oregon name Will Tukuafu than i was when we Drafted Kentwan Balmer in the first round.. i was very surprised we picked up a guy in the first who only had one solid(not even great) year under his belt.
i hope this kid turns out great for the team although i think he'd be better suited for a 4-3

Wow Tukuafu up to 293 pounds from 272 in college.

Originally posted by WillisToHOF:
is it sad that i was more excited when i found out we picked up some guy from Oregon name Will Tukuafu than i was when we Drafted Kentwan Balmer in the first round.. i was very surprised we picked up a guy in the first who only had one solid(not even great) year under his belt.
i hope this kid turns out great for the team although i think he'd be better suited for a 4-3

So would we![/b]

Originally posted by English:

Originally posted by Kolohe:

Originally posted by English:

Originally posted by Kolohe:
I have to agree, Tukuafu is a good pick up. I like his motor and hes pretty quick for a big guy off the edge. I think next year we should move Sopoaga inside to NT, draft a NT and let Ray Mac and Tukuafu man the LE. That's of course if we stick with the 3-4.

I don't have the energy for any more Sopoaga threads. Do you honestly think he is an NFL NT?

Yes, in 2006 he was doing a decent job there, but he wasn't given enough time to settle in at one spot on the DL either till Sing took over. And I'm not even calling for Sopoaga to be the starter, more as a rotational player at the nose.

I have to be honest and say that I am starting to doubt my assessment of our players. I think so many of the problems are or may be down to poor coaching and player development. So until we get a decent HC, all I can say is, you may be right!

You said it right there poor coaching. After all no one could've succeeded in Nolan's Big Nickel the way he was calling it, and moving everyone around. The defense was much improved when Manusky simplified it to a one-gap D.

Originally posted by English:

Originally posted by WillisToHOF:
is it sad that i was more excited when i found out we picked up some guy from Oregon name Will Tukuafu than i was when we Drafted Kentwan Balmer in the first round.. i was very surprised we picked up a guy in the first who only had one solid(not even great) year under his belt.
i hope this kid turns out great for the team although i think he'd be better suited for a 4-3

So would we![/b]

AGREED all the way

Originally posted by mcbaes72:
Yeah, he got a sack on his very first play, IIRC. That's more than the whole time Balmer was here. I think Tukuafu is a hidden gem and he'll be a good pass rusher that decent in stopping the run, too. I hope he gets a bigger role these last couple of games and next season as well.

But Manusky doesn't like players who can pass rush so...ride the pine!

Can we add him to this list?

Guys who have/had pass rush ability who don't get many chances under Manusky's vanilla 3-4:
A.Brooks
T.LaBoy
P.Willis
R.McDonald
J.Smith (more d/t playing a 3-4 DE though but it's not like Manusky is moving the guy around to create mismatches like SD does)
P.Haralson (assignments call for more run defense and playing in a vanilla scheme)
W.Tukuafu?
TBC (good example of how he was a successful pass rusher in NE, sucks here and goes back to NE and is effctive again)
J.Peterson (sucked in our 3-4 as a pass rusher but goes to Seattle and pass rushes well again)
B.Moore & R.Green

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by mcbaes72:
Yeah, he got a sack on his very first play, IIRC. That's more than the whole time Balmer was here. I think Tukuafu is a hidden gem and he'll be a good pass rusher that decent in stopping the run, too. I hope he gets a bigger role these last couple of games and next season as well.

But Manusky doesn't like players who can pass rush so...ride the pine!

Can we ad him to this list?

Guys who have/had pass rush ability who don't get many chances under Manusky's vanilla 3-4:
A.Brooks
T.LaBoy
P.Willis
R.McDonald
J.Smith (more d/t playing a 3-4 DE though but it's not like Manusky is moving the guy around to create mismatched like SD does)
P.Haralson (assignments call for more run defense and playing in a vanilla scheme)
W.Tukuafu?
TBC (good example of how he was a successful pass rusher in NE, sucks here and goes back to NE and is effctive again)
J.Peterson (sucked in our 3-4 as a pass rusher but goes to Seattle and pass rushes well again)
B.Moore & R.Green

That's a list which is difficult to argue on Manusky's "vanilla" 3-4D. My only counter to that is that it seemed more stable/effective (especially against run) vs. Nolan's Big Nickel D. But in both cases, the secondary was below average in pass D...probably in part due to lack of a pass rush which, if we improved in that one area, would most likely solve both problems.

So, I take it when (not if) Singletary is fired, you'd support bringing in a new DC? If so, whom do you like that would use our pass-rushing players more effectively?

Balmer got owned by Jamaal Charles of KC

Don't get wet just yet. He won't play.

Good now him and Sopaogna can do a duet samoan war dance.

Thank God

Originally posted by mcbaes72:
That's a list which is difficult to argue on Manusky's "vanilla" 3-4D. My only counter to that is that it seemed more stable/effective (especially against run) vs. Nolan's Big Nickel D. But in both cases, the secondary was below average in pass D...probably in part due to lack of a pass rush which, if we improved in that one area, would most likely solve both problems.

Excellent point...and true that we are 7th against the run this year; a very good ranking BUT when you really dive in, with the exception of KC & TB who game-planned to run on us (and did very sucessfully), most teams just pass on us knowing we don't employ a pass rush and then just run out the clock ala GB in the 2nd half.

I agree that with an aggressive pass rush esp. from the OLB positions you solve three problems: 1) You force teams to run and that is our strength 2) You allow your secondary to play physical, close to the LOS and take chances (all our strengths) and 3) Create more turnovers like last year when we had 44 sacks albeit few from the OLB postions

So in the end, we're still 25th against the pass, 18th in scoring and 14th in yards. Was the big nickle much worse? Pick your poison, I guess.

Originally posted by mcbaes72:
So, I take it when (not if) Singletary is fired, you'd support bringing in a new DC? If so, whom do you like that would use our pass-rushing players more effectively?

I'm all for a move to an aggressive and dictating pass rushing 4-3 (Jets) or a properly run, coached and schemed 3-4 (Steelers). We have parts for both and just need the right coach and personnel guy to bring it together.

My #1 coach ideal for this team would be Jimmy Johnson so I'd be in favor of whoever he chooses as DC.