Scout team.....

[thunderkyss]

From wiki
a group of players on a team whose task is to emulate future opponents for the featured (or starting) players. Frequently used in American or Canadian Football, these teams consist of less athletically developed or less skilled players. However, unlike a traditional scrimmage, scout teams often have to learn a variety of different football playbooks in order to simulate the tendencies of future opponents.

From this definition & what I've heard in the past, the Scout team's primary objective is to basically be tackling dummies for the offense. They spend their week learning to look like the opposing team.

If that is the case, that means TJ Yates has spent the majority of his time over the last 3 months (practically his entire pro career) learning the offense of other teams, not the Texans.

Kellen Clemons is signed last Wednesday when the Texans finally put Schaub on IR. Did he run the scout team, did TJ, or did the Texans just run drills against a QB less team (we were only playing the Jags)

Did TJ get any snaps in our offense last week, or did Lienart get them all while Yates ran the scout team?

Is this week the first time TJ has been in "our" offense? I know it's similar to what he ran at NC, but the QB calls, line adjustments... that could all be very new to the young'n.

So how prepared is Tj, really?

But my real question, is who will run the Scout team? Jake Delhomme? The wily cajun with the big arm?

Or Kellen who has had even less success running an offense than Jake did?

[The Pencil Neck]

Remember, Leinart couldn't take any snaps at the beginning of training camp because of the weird Free Agent rules. TJ got a ton of snaps then.

All of the snaps over the bye probably went to Leinart with TJ just getting mental reps.

BUT!!!!

TJ was the guy throwing to AJ during his rehab. They worked on the route trees and all of that and got tons of work in together. If we are lucky, then they've developed some chemistry from that.

[The Pencil Neck]

Oh, and another thing, even if he was running the scout team, he was also in the QB meetings and the offense meetings. He may not have been taking snaps but if he's smart, he's been soaking everything up like a sponge.

[CloakNNNdagger]

There was an interview last Sunday or Monday where Kubiak actually said that TJ had been having reps with the regular O for several weeks before the Jags game because of how banged up Schaub had been.

[DocBar]

With Yates running the scout team, at least he was throwing passes against a desense and having to use his noodle for something other than a helemet rack. That gives an inside track on NFL QB gameplanning. A plus us that he spent the offseason learning all the verbage and seems to have a good work ethic.

[The Pencil Neck]

Originally Posted by CloakNNNdagger

There was an interview last Sunday or Monday where Kubiak actually said that TJ had been having reps with the regular O for several weeks before the Jags game because of how banged up Schaub had been.

I don't recall TJ getting reps with the first team. I thought it was just Leinart.

If TJ was, that's a great thing, then.

[Texn4life]

He's in QB meetings with the other guys breaking down film and going through the game plan so I'm not really worried about him being comfortable with the offense. I'm sure Kubiak will have 20-30 passing plays that Yates has a full grasp of and go into the game with this. The last thing you want from him heading into his first start is for his head to be swimming with too much information going into the game.

That is funny about who's going to run the scout team offense now though. I'm sure Delhomme has no problem with it since everyone says how great of a team guy he is. Plus, the guy is collecting a paycheck no after being unemployed. I doubt he'll object to a whole lot.

[Allstar]

Originally Posted by The Pencil Neck

I don't recall TJ getting reps with the first team. I thought it was just Leinart.

If TJ was, that's a great thing, then.

Not the first team, just not the scout team. He ran Texan offensive drills with the twos.

[dinkatoid]

If I read correctly, Delholme is the #2 now, and so he should be running with the 2s. Clemens is the #3, so he should be working with the scout team

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by Texn4life

He's in QB meetings with the other guys breaking down film and going through the game plan so I'm not really worried about him being comfortable with the offense. I'm sure Kubiak will have 20-30 passing plays that Yates has a full grasp of and go into the game with this. The last thing you want from him heading into his first start is for his head to be swimming with too much information going into the game.

Our QB has a pretty important role in the run game as well. He makes the final decision on how we're going to run, which way, identifying blockers, etc... at the line. He looks at the defense & decides how the play is going to turn out, run or pass.

We don't audible, we adjust at the line for every play. That's where I'm worried about Yates not working with the first team.

[TheCD]

Originally Posted by thunderkyss

Our QB has a pretty important role in the run game as well. He makes the final decision on how we're going to run, which way, identifying blockers, etc... at the line. He looks at the defense & decides how the play is going to turn out, run or pass.

We don't audible, we adjust at the line for every play. That's where I'm worried about Yates not working with the first team.

Keep in mind that Yates ran essentially the same offense as the Texans in college, and I believe this was a major reason why Kubiak drafted him. He's got experience in the system, just not much at the pro level. As long as he's a competent QB, I think our fears can be put behind us.

[BigBull17]

Originally Posted by thunderkyss

Our QB has a pretty important role in the run game as well. He makes the final decision on how we're going to run, which way, identifying blockers, etc... at the line. He looks at the defense & decides how the play is going to turn out, run or pass.

We don't audible, we adjust at the line for every play. That's where I'm worried about Yates not working with the first team.

I imagine our VERY veteren offensive line will help with calls. I expect Myers to make some calls for the young man.

[Texn4life]

Originally Posted by thunderkyss

Our QB has a pretty important role in the run game as well. He makes the final decision on how we're going to run, which way, identifying blockers, etc... at the line. He looks at the defense & decides how the play is going to turn out, run or pass.

We don't audible, we adjust at the line for every play. That's where I'm worried about Yates not working with the first team.

From all accounts TJ seems to be a very intelligent QB. Even though he may not have physically taken a lot of reps with the 1st team I'm sure he's been right there taking mental reps. And again he's been with the other QB's for position meetings the whole season. I doubt that pre-snap defensive alignments will throw him off much which is what all of those calls are made off of.

The concerns I have for him are after the snap. Identifying the right coverage mainly. With the way defenses are able to disguise coverages I just hope its not too much for him. Which is why its vital to keep him out of 3rd and long situations.