Continued : "We anticipate that he’s gonna be a good player like he was in college.”
Mike Zimmer on Mazi Smith: “Obviously he was a high draft pick, and I heard that he kinda struggled a little bit last year. We’re gonna start with the basics, get him in a good stance, get him using his hands the right way, getting his footwork the right way, and then kinda go from there..
He had even more comments on the Doomsday podcast that Bobby Belt then shared on 105.3 and Love of the Star. I tried to post one of the sound bites earlier today but Reddit is trippin, but the paraphrased points were:
- asked how the defense will differ from DQ, he said he wants to disguise coverage looks more
- asked about his plans for usage of Micah, he at one point said “in a lot of the games last year where they didn’t play quite as good defensively, the offenses schemed Parsons” (RBs, 2 TEs staying in to block Parsons, etc) and said “our job is, if teams are going to do that, #1 figure out a way how we can still use him how we want him and #2 how we can use other people to affect those kind of protections”
Which are both music to my ears. DQ never had an answer for the teams who threw everything at containing Parsons or got the throw off at season-high time-to-throw rates, so it’s validating to know not only that he saw that immediately but that it’s something he intends to be different this year.
Baldy had a great breakdown on this too. He called out the fact that if parsons is getting TRIPLE and double teamed, someone else gotta be able to get free (which they’re not), or they need to do something to get parsons going again. Either someone on field needs to step up or the coaching staff needs to step up.
We’re back to that phase again: they’re saying all the right things to suck us back in😫
“This is our year” intensifies
Plan the parade, baby!
Just went I thought I was out, they pulled me back In.
sigh, ITS OUR YEAR!
they’re saying all the right things to suck us back in😫
Oh yeah bby. Take me there!
Yep. I feel like Jerry's "Bitch" again.
I'M BEING DECEIVED BY THE HYPE, I'M FORGETTING GB-DAL... HOW BOUT THEM COWBOYS?! WE GONNA WIN THE SUPER BOWL!
I'd have been happy with anything resembling "not change our entire scheme when we get to the playoffs."
Changing the scheme for a playoff matchup isn’t inherently a bad idea (see: Patriots Super Bowl victory over McVay and the Rams), but it just has to be something your defense is built to do and capable of doing well. The sheer number of blown assignments and people looking lost in that one I think has to blow back on coaching and preparation failures. But to also be entirely fair, the 3 passing TDs were all against man coverage so even doing what we had been doing wasn’t working.
Quinn wasn't able to adapt his plan before and during the Green Bay game. He kept running the same sets, and that was the moment I realized we needed a new head of this defense. Now, with Overshown returning 12+ lbs bigger, stronger and more driven, Kendricks, a good solid vet and Liafau who has upside to be a 12 tackle a game kind of dude.
he said he wants to disguise coverage looks more
This was always DQ's m.o. right? His whole bit was just saying "yeah this is what you're in, what are you gonna do about it?" and that works when we get to play Washington and NYG twice each but not so much the other 13 games lol.
DQ did disguise more than he used to and more than we did when it was Marinelli and Richard running the defense, but could have disguised more for sure.
Thanks for the paraphrasing/info.
DQ was a scheme guy. Zim hones in on individuals. His training will be noticeable no doubt. Rookies need basics, not plays. DQ got lucky with quality rookies, largely. But those that fell through the cracks due to not having natural ability, he didn’t help.
Excellent point. Zimmer just helps his players more from what I've heard.
Everyone talks about the two offensive linemen but in my book the development of Mazi Smith maybe every bit as important to the cowboy success this season.
We all know what happens if the team doesn't have anybody who can control the middle and get pushed around in the run
True story . We need him, and I honestly thought he would fit in right away as big ass defender clogging up blockers. But what do I know
I was unpleasantly surprised at his weight loss
As long as he doesn't lose strength, losing bad weight is good. Bad weight (fat) makes you slower, not stronger.
He plays a position where being heavy kinda helps. We want him being moved as slowly as possible on run plays...
Well he's back up to 305 lbs. So we'll see how that goes.
Wasn't he up to 328 just the other day?
I thought so too, but there's another post talking about how he's at 305 now so I edited my comment.
So he lost 23 freaking pounds in 1 week? What did he do? freaking ozempic?
More than Dan Quinn clearly, L ahh DC
We still need Linval Joseph or Calais Campbell
It’s nice to see they empathize the basics. Hopefully, that is a focus for the entire team this year. Being fundamentally sound is key for big time success imo. Usually decreases the amount of dumb penalties, people being out of position, running the wrong route, bad footwork, etc.
Yea, those basics have feelings too.
This. What we need to take down teams in this postseason.
Let him do what he's good at.
I'm not going to call Mazi a bust after one year but I also won't call it anything but disappointing. I had others I preferred when we were on the clock but I wasn't upset about selecting him.
Whether his rookie struggles were coaching or his own fault, I think Zimmer is much more inclined to use a 330+ lbs DT than Quinn. I expect solid improvement and think a realistic expectation is he becomes a contributing starter by the end of the year. We need him to recover from his surgery pretty quickly.
There is also some criticism of Dan Quinn. If they start with the basics in the 2nd year, what did they work on with Mazi in the 1st year?
need him to learn quick
His get off is the worst i have ever seen,not sure any coach can fix it if was never fixed in his whole career including the NFL.
Mazi’s biggest issue is his dreadfully slow get off. If they don’t fix that nothing else will matter.
This. The dude can be 350 but if his feet are stuck in cement it doesn’t matter. I don’t know how you fix the get off.
You can't. You should be able to but it's a bad habit of his that was never corrected in college or his rookie year.
Are we all in yet?
I'm so glad Zimmer is our new DC. Quinn just made bad calls in too many important spots. Zimmer is wiser, older and more mature. He will keep the defense hungry, but even keel and calm.
I liked what he said mazi will be doing. Playing off blocks instead of trying to get up field
I don’t like to give up on players early but my hopes are low.
😂
He’s a first round pick, he should have the fucking basics like hand placement and stance down already! Damn it Dan Quinn, take these shots, you deserve them. You too Micah, Mr. Dan won’t let me down. Yall drafted another Michigan 1st rounder on the d line and looks like another bust but it’s early.
The way I’m reading this makes me think that this is our year
Lol "good player in college" don't have zero career sacks. This player is a bust and he will not be here in 2 years.
And you don't understand what a 1tech is. If he never passed the Line of Scrimmage he could still be a hall of famer.
Yeah, ok. I guess I’m just crazy for expecting a guy that everyone says is this freak athlete to be able to, you know, overpower at least one college OL and get a sack. Even your boy Will McClay thinks he has pass rush upside, which I disagree with, but that’s what he thinks.
So, adding both characterizations that he is a freak and has pass rush upside, why is it crazy to ask for one sack in college? Something stinks…
Sure, unless he's literally coached to do the opposite. Maintain your ground, don't give up an inch and take two OL to the ground with you... Every time. And if he does that for us, he'll be great.
The issue was his coach in the NFL told him to lose 40lbs and become a pass rusher... For the first time in his life at the NFL level. Anyone would look like garbage doing that.
This coach should be able to actually use him the way he's been used likely since he was a kid.
He won’t because his habits that he was taught at Mixhgian work in college, not the NFL. I would prefer to avoid using him like that at all. He is a stiff and not being able to get off the block, use his hands or get off the snap are going to ruin his career before it even gets started.
Again, he's not supposed to get off of a block. He's literally the strongest guy on the team. He's supposed to grab two guys, dig he heels in the ground and stand still.
From our Dline coach:
“I think he’s going to be able to play blocks more than just getting upfield,” Zgonina said. “Not disrespecting the previous coaches that were here or anything. It’s just a different system, a different style of D-line play that Coach Zimm has brought in. So, I think it suits him better. Instead of running upfield, he’s going to play blocks. He’s going to grind blocks and double teams and all that stuff, especially in the run game.”
Won't work without getoff. I also think Tyler Smith is stronger player.
Mazi has no chance if he gets beat to the POA by every OL. It's that simple.
1st round picks should be immediate starters in this day and age!! Weak ass Michigan fuck!!!
Patrick Mahomes sat his rookie year.
Thats why I laughed when people said Tyler Guyton wont start. If I’m taking you first round youre starting
He's going to completely shut down Myles Garrett week 1 and then I'll need to consult my physician for a certain condition lasting longer than 4 hours.
Chill my boy
Heart burn?
3 missing replies
Zimmer pissing on DQ lol