Seahawks Insider
where there is no offseason

Eric D. Williams took over the Seahawks beat and Seahawks Insider blog in December. Williams has covered the Seahawks, Sonics and high school sports for The News Tribune since joining the paper in 2006. Eric lives in Tacoma with his wife and two children.

Tacoma News Tribune columnist Dave Boling also contributes to the Seahawks Insider blog.

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Seahawks Insider
Friday, May 2nd, 2008
Posted by Frank Hughes @ 06:03:33 pm

It was a two-hour session that had a lot of passing drills. Nate Burleson struggled some, had three or four dropped balls over the course of the two practices. Free agent Travis Brown had a blatant dropped ball while wide open in the middle of the field. I thought Jordan Kent looked pretty good, as did Courtney Taylor and Ben Obomanu.

Hugh Millen had a funny observation about the tight ends: If you took their names and numbers off their jerseys, would you even know who is who? (or is that whom?) They all look essentially the same, between 6-4 and 6-7 and weighing about 250-260 pounds. Will Heller stands out because he is 6-6, 270, but everybody else, including John Carlson, looks essentially the same. Somebody asked earlier how Jeb Putzier looked, so I watched him specifically this practice. He looked pretty good, and Matt Hasselbeck commented afterward that he obviously is a veteran, knows what he is doing and is in the right places.

[More:]

Julius Jones looks quick, as does Justin Forsett. Jones got a lot of the action in this practice. Hasselbeck said they are running a bunch of new plays to take advantage of the new personnel. He also said that while it is a little weird not having Shaun there, most players have gotten used to the turnover in the NFL and they just move on. He admitted he did not expect as much turnover as there has been, but that's the way it is so they deal with it.

We watched long snapper Tyler Schmitt for a while and his snaps are crisp and seemingly effortless. I was going to interview Plackemeier to get a scouting report but ran out of time. I'll try to get to that tomorrow.

Baling said he watched Mike Solari coach the offensive line for a while and said he is a huge improvement. I talked to Solari a little after practice, and he said the primary reason he was hired is because he is familiar with the West Coast offense, which he brought to Kansas City from San Francisco, where he said he missed Holmgren by a year. But he knows the system and he knows what Holmgren wants to run. He said they are not changing schemes so much as trying to teach the line how to play as one unit, so that if somebody is hurt they can plug somebody else in and not miss a beat.

Matt said he has had a lot of meetings with new QB coach Bill Lazor and that they have covered essentially everything. They are getting to know each other still, but they things are going well. I asked him if he would prefer throwing the ball as much as he did last year or going back to a more balanced attack, and he said that essentially at some point in the season you are going to have to run the ball. You have to. And so he is glad they addressed that need.

Categories: Notes from practice 10 comments

COMMENTS:

JazBadAzz @ 18:26 - Friday, May 2nd, 2008 Email
I think coach Solari will have this running game powerful and aggresive. Smash and bust you in the chops style, just like it should be done!

Frank, I appreciate your hard work of observation.I would like to know what seems to be better or worse from last year at this time with the offense? (I know it may be to early to tell but, picture a young stallion running in the feild and do you think A. Kentucky derby winner one day or B. He'll make some very fine soap one day.)
kjknight3 @ 18:34 - Friday, May 2nd, 2008 Email
Good stuff. Thanks Frank.


eyeland @ 19:21 - Friday, May 2nd, 2008 Email
How did Owen Schmitt look?.
DJammmer @ 20:17 - Friday, May 2nd, 2008 Email
A few posts back, I posted Mo’s YPC per Down+Distance; and thus claimed this year's running game should be pretty good. I got myself curious, and went and figured at 37s + Duckett’s equivalent numbers…

Morris:
1st 3.9 YPC 64 Carries 6 First Downs
2nd 6.4 YPC 50 Carries 20 First Downs
3rd 3.3 YPC 27 Carries 8 First Downs
4th -1.3 YPC 3 Carries 0 First Downs

Alexander:
1st 2.7 YPC 126 Carries 9 First Downs
2nd 4.8 YPC 66 Carries 24 First Downs
3rd 1.3 YPC 15 Carries 2 First Downs
4th 18.3 YPC 3 Carries 3 First Downs

Duckett:
1st 5.5 YPC 38 Carries 6 First Downs
2nd 3.6 YPC 21 Carries 6 First Downs
3rd 4.1 YPC 6 Carries 2 First Downs
4th 0.5 YPC 2 Carries 1 First Downs

It is interesting to note that Morris had higher Averages than 37 on all Downs, except 4th. 37 had 3 carries on 4th and 1, where he went for 14, 16 (TD), and 25. What a crazy stat!!! Maybe we should have just kept him around for 4th and 1. If you take those 3 carries out, He only averaged 3.3 YPC last year.

On 3rd and short (3 yards or less), here's the 1st down conversion rates for each back:
Mo: 47%
TJ: 66%
37: 14%

4th and 1 conversion rates:
Mo: 0%
TJ: 50%
37: 100%

So I think Mo + TJ will compliment each other nicely. Run Mo on 1st + 2nd downs. Bring TJ in for 3rd or 4th and Short.

Note - I haven't looked at JJs numbers in detail yet; because his 3.6 YPC average is scaring me and I'm thinking I might find something ugly. While he was more efficient than 37 last year (3.5 YPC); he was still 1.2 YPC lower than Barber. It's April - and I'm going to be a glass half full guy until at least Sept.
BobbyK @ 20:38 - Friday, May 2nd, 2008 Email
Not only is the talent improved (Wahle signing, Sims/Spencer year older) improved, but he o-line coaching seems to be much better too. Good!
DJammmer @ 20:53 - Friday, May 2nd, 2008 Email
Matt said he has had a lot of meetings with new QB coach Bill Lazor and that they have covered essentially everything.

I can just see it now. Just like when Mathew is reading his girls bedtime stories... 18 hours of:

300 Jed X-Sluggo G Seam

Change Right A Right Two Jet Dancer Fake 40 X Shallow Cross

Zebra 2 Jed X Stagger Y Shallow Cross

Scramble double wing right X Short

Trips Right Zebra Left

3 Jed X Stagger Y Shallow Cross Fake 40

And my personal favorite:

Y scramble to Red Left Swap Tight Close Z Right Sprint Right G U Corner Half-back Flat
HawksKD @ 00:07 - Saturday, May 3rd, 2008 Email
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/football/popupV2.asp?SubID=3737&page=1&gtitle=Seahawks%20mini-camp%20spring%202008&pubdate=5/2/2008

Pictures to confirm what Frank has seen. Just from the pictures this is what I observe:

TJ Ducket is huge, But julius jones looks pretty big also.

The football looks like an M&M in carlsens hands.

Matt doesn't look TOO bad

Jordan Kent looks like he is 14

Kerney looks like he is wearing a Jets cap

Owen Schmitt looks ridiculously out of proportion with a HUGE head and tiny forearms

Mike Solari looks like a bad ass.
Leroyhill @ 00:24 - Saturday, May 3rd, 2008 Email
Frank,

Dave Boling has been very accurate in his assessment of the long snappers. I wondered if he has a chance to focus his attention on the new snapper, and it would great if you can share with us what his observations are. Thanks.
eyeland @ 07:58 - Saturday, May 3rd, 2008 Email
It's simply exciting that mini camp is here.
WiscCory @ 08:02 - Saturday, May 3rd, 2008 Email
Kicker performances?

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