The Tape: Two Plays! We Want Two Plays!
by John Morgan on Jun 17, 2009 3:22 PM PDT
18 comments
Instead of a longwinded intro, let's talk about what Deon Butler did do this quarter, and that's not much. Penn State didn't do much. Butler contributed as something more than a decoy on only two plays.
The first...
1st and 10 at PSU 7Usc penalty 10 yard holding accepted.
Involved Cary Harris mugging Butler on an out route. (A quick aside: It's staggering how many scouting reports can be deconstructed and their "positives" and "negatives" explained by the happenings of just one game, typically a bowl game.) Beyond the obvious holding penalty, a penalty I attribute not to Butler owning Harris but only Harris confusing the play for a run and Butler for a blocker, there's a few interesting things about this play. Butler is fast out of the blocks and that's important to a receiver being functionally fast. His route is again soft and I've yet to see the dangerous ambiguity of a great route runner. A great route runner must put options into the head of his opposition and use that deception to gain separation. Butler is not knocked off his route, and that's saying something because Harris is a very strong corner and made no bones about contacting Butler. Butler recovered and had Harris beat, but Daryll Clark was throwing to a spot and Butler wasn't there -- however open. It wouldn't surprise me at all if concerns about Butler being bullied by stronger cornerbacks origin in his listed weight and only his listed weight.
The second...
1st and 10 at PSU 20 Daryll Clark pass complete to Stephfon Green for 30 yards, fumbled, recovered by USC at the USC 42.
Is about as bad as a wide receiver can screw up on a running play. Not that the screw up is so egregious, but the result of his screw up is. The announcers initially credited Taylor Mays for the forced fumble, but it was Harris that jarred the ball loose. Mays wrapped around Green's shoulder pads and steered him towards Harris. Harris was being blocked by Butler, and perhaps proving Butler can only block defenders as much as they let him block them, Harris turned Butler, slid under his arm and landed a jarring and ball-stripping hit on Green.
If Butler succeeds, he will be another in Tim Ruskell's litany of picks that succeed despite legitimate concerns about their tools. Ruskell invokes production and makeup and the picks keep responding in kind. Concerns about Butler revolve around his size. At the moment, I'm more worried about his hands and route-running.
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I remember you saying something about DeSean Jackson's odd routes
that while they weren’t orthodox it doesn’t mean they weren’t good. What makes a good route then? What makes Butler’s routes worrisome?
by Nate Dogg on Jun 17, 2009 4:19 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Just my opinion
a route should be deceptive and dangerous in many ways. Butler’s routes look both long and deliberate.
by John Morgan on Jun 17, 2009 4:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Does deceptive and dangerous, yet unorthodox present difficulties for some offenses?
Like, say, Mike Holmgren’s?
by jacobstevens on Jun 18, 2009 9:57 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't get it.
why do you think Butler has questionable hands? I’ve watched this guy for 4 years, I don’t ever remember him ever having a problem with his hands.
by supraman on Jun 17, 2009 6:10 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
He misgauges the ball in flight and lets the ball into his body or forces him into an awkward stance.
by John Morgan on Jun 17, 2009 6:26 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
But he makes the catch..
with consistency isn’t that the point? How many diving catches did he have with PSU, too many to count. I don’t see how you can imply his hands won’t make the transition to the NFL.
I think I know what you’re referring to when you say it forces him into an awkward stance, but those catches are over the middle..Middle short, Middle intermediate passes aren’t know to be too friendly to small receivers. In those situations he’s tensing himself for a hit.
Not the best idea to judge route running during Bowl games, especially for Big-Ten players since their season ends a week before most other conferences. It’s fair to say the WR may be rusty coming into that game..
by supraman on Jun 17, 2009 7:58 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
NFL DBs are bigger, stronger, and faster than college DBs
what is an tense catch over the middle in the Big 10 can easily become a broken up pass in the NFL. I don’t want to speak for JM, but I think when he looks at how skills will transition he’s looking at the inputs rather than the outcomes.
by cro-mag! on Jun 18, 2009 10:31 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yes
I’m not sure Butler will be able to make catches with consistency in the pros.
by John Morgan on Jun 18, 2009 3:17 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
These "tense catches"
means when Deon goes over the middle he’s not looking to run he’s looking to catch the ball and go down. As you can see from his game film he boxes out the DB from being able to make a play on the ball before. Randy Moss does the exact same thing yet he has great hands.
I don’t understand how you drew a conclusion based on this “awkward stance” assessment. I could see if he didn’t catch the ball cleanly, for example if he bobbled the ball on occasion or if you noticed he didn’t have both hands in position on the football as the ball is just hitting his hands, but neither applies with Butler.
by supraman on Jun 19, 2009 2:17 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I know what you mean about his routes.
He was consistent and productive in college but is by no means a polished receiver. Knapp commented about how he is quick in and out of his routes which is true but he is lazy about setting them up. He must learn to disguise his routes better to fulfill his potential. Butler absolutely possesses the tools to be pretty dangerous in our offense.
I am feeling good about this situation though. He is learning to run crisp, dangerous routes from the best in the business (Housh). He also has a good role model for an effective undersized receiver (Branch). It sounds like he’s got the marbles to make this happen too. Hopefully Branch and Burleson will stay somewhat healthy and he can play a more limited role this season as Branch’s deep threat alter-ego. That’s quite a hope though so he’d better be ready to go haha.
by Hawkhammer19 on Jun 18, 2009 12:58 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Isn't he learning the most from Bobby Engram?
by jacobstevens on Jun 18, 2009 9:56 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm pretty sure this is a joke, but...
Bobby Engram is a Chief now.
by Nate Dogg on Jun 18, 2009 4:27 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Naw, I mean Bobby served as his mentor
since leaving Penn. Now that I think of it, it might have been only for training for the combine & pro day and such, but when I read it I assumed it was going to be an ongoing relationship, even with Engram not here in Seattle anymore.
by jacobstevens on Jun 18, 2009 4:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't expect a whole lot from Butler this year
only that he beats out the four promising-yet-unfulfilling practice squad amigos; Kent, Taylor, Payne, and Obomonu. If he gets 20-30 catches in his rookie year, I’ll be happy. Hell, that’ll be more catches then the four amigos combined.
by B.B.Finnegan on Jun 18, 2009 7:37 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
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