OT: Tom Brady talk about mediocrity in NFL

[RUBlackout]

ESPN article on this: https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/38951659/tom-brady-bemoans-nfl-play-says-there-lot-mediocrity

This is the part that interested me and this is spot on especially with the transfer portal and NIL nonsense going on where players more around so freely:

"I actually think college players were better prepared when I came out than they are now," he said. "Just because so many coaches are changing programs, and I would say there's not even a lot of college programs anymore. There's a lot of college teams, but not programs that are developing players.

"So as they get delivered to the NFL, they may be athletic, but they don't have much of the skills developed to be a professional. When I played at Michigan, I essentially played at a college program that was very similar to a pro environment. When I see these different players come in, they're not quite as prepared as they were, and I think the game has shown that over the last 12 to 13 years. I think things have slipped a little bit."

 

[ashokan]

A lot of players leave early and position coaches are very nomadic.
As soon as a team show progress the coaches are often lured away.
But I mainly blame the lack of real practices

Navy's former coach Ken Niumatalolo said that the pandemic team that he limited full contact practices for was the worst team he ever had.

“It was the softest our team has ever been, It’s like sending someone to an MMA fight without actually practicing grappling. You can’t just hit the speed bag all day. But you can’t spar for 12 months, either.”

You can run and lift all spring and summer but as soon as you start full contact you will be very sore from head to toe. That's not just from the contact but from using stabilizer muscles and compound movements that have been dormant. Twisting and falling in a pile, diving at a RB running around end, fighting-off DBs in end zone - all that stuff done at full contact cant be replicated in helmets and shells.

NCAA and others limiting contact will get more people hurt since they go into games unconditioned. Your body and mind have to be acclimated to real football. For such reasons Saban has been known for his full contact practices

https://www.si.com/college/2021/05/05/ncaa-football-fall-camp-changes-safety

 

[Plum Street]

Schiano does seem to deliver many guys ready to play in the league.

 

[Roy_Faulker]

First thing I thought of too - was consistent feedback from NFL coaches.

 

[RUBlackout]

Schiano does seem to deliver many guys ready to play in the league.

Would agree and that’s based on development over the course of time in his program. The transfer portal and NIL can causes issues with that

 

[yesrutgers01]

Schiano does seem to deliver many guys ready to play in the league.

He does and so far- we really have not had a ton of NIL movement either to or from our program. Wonder how it may change.
But during 1.0- it was a constant. And most likely why a lot of our UFA's stuck with teams as well.
I remember talking to Gene Smith on the drive to Phily for Kevin's pre season game. And funny in the way we got on the phone with their GM- Smith. Kevin forgot his phone at home and we had it to give to him at the game. Just happened my wife sees a call coming in to him from the "office of General Manager" so, we knew it was important. Wife picks it up and it was G Smith calling Kevin to wish him a good game and we ended up talking to him for about 5 minutes. He went on about how Kevin came in from the first practice and did not need to be taught how to play the OL on an NFL team. And how rare that was. And of course, how impressed he was with our son as a person.
After the game- we were down near the locker rooms - Justin Smiley comes over to us- "Haslam's?" he introduced himself to us and told us he had to meet us and tell us how impressed he was that Kevin could just be a few weeks out of college and how well he picked up everything they were doing on the OL.
It was pretty cool and a proud moment that a veteran on the team actually searched us out to be able to share that.
And I have heard it everywhere about our other players as well- NFL ready "mind" from day 1. Most teams only had to build up the bodies on our guys, which is the easy part.

 

[Plum Street]

He does and so far- we really have not had a ton of NIL movement either to or from our program. Wonder how it may change.
But during 1.0- it was a constant. And most likely why a lot of our UFA's stuck with teams as well.
I remember talking to Gene Smith on the drive to Phily for Kevin's pre season game. And funny in the way we got on the phone with their GM- Smith. Kevin forgot his phone at home and we had it to give to him at the game. Just happened my wife sees a call coming in to him from the "office of General Manager" so, we knew it was important. Wife picks it up and it was G Smith calling Kevin to wish him a good game and we ended up talking to him for about 5 minutes. He went on about how Kevin came in from the first practice and did not need to be taught how to play the OL on an NFL team. And how rare that was. And of course, how impressed he was with our son as a person.
After the game- we were down near the locker rooms - Justin Smiley comes over to us- "Haslam's?" he introduced himself to us and told us he had to meet us and tell us how impressed he was that Kevin could just be a few weeks out of college and how well he picked up everything they were doing on the OL.
It was pretty cool and a proud moment that a veteran on the team actually searched us out to be able to share that.
And I have heard it everywhere about our other players as well- NFL ready "mind" from day 1. Most teams only had to build up the bodies on our guys, which is the easy part.

Nice story . Was flood his OL coach here?

 

[yesrutgers01]

Nice story . Was flood his OL coach here?

Sure was…

BTW- also interesting with that game at Phily since it was his first pro game. 1st game of pre season- so, as parents, we had no idea what to expect.
But, there are no words to describe seeing him come out of the tunnel and take his first steps on an NFL field in a pro uniform. He had told his mom from the age of 8 that he was going to play in the NFL.
Also- game ends and we have our passes around our nexts and a young lady from the Jaguars comes over to get anyone with passes and we follow her. She walks us down to tge field and into the tunnel the players just ran into. In an open shared space between the locker rooms- buffet tables are out with all sorts of food and snacks. Players from both teams, still in uniforms are all hanging out talking etc..,As surreal as it gets. This is where Smiley caught up to us. So, finally, players go in, shower, change and in the meanwhile- we are just hanging out with team officials, coaches and family down between the locker rooms until they all come out.
Such a cool first experience

 

[RUTGERS95]

Schiano does seem to deliver many guys ready to play in the league.

absolutely he did in v1

 

[LotusAggressor]

The coaching in the NFL isn't all that great either. Particularly at the QB position. The combination of college offensive systems that churn out QBs who don't learn how to read defenses, reduced practice time, and sub par coaching at the NFL level is a recipe for bad QB play and overall mediocrity.