What standing up means to Connor Barwin

[prostock101]

Interesting read and I'm kinda pumped to see how these guys make the transition.

http://espn.go.com/blog/afcsouth/post/_/id/26409/what-standing-up-means-to-connor-barwin

HOUSTON -- We can over hype the change.

Guys like Mario Williams and Connor Barwin and Jesse Nading used to have “DE” designations next to their names on the roster. Now they have “OLB.” They go to different meeting rooms. They hear from different coaches. They have new things to worry about.

Coaches generally down play the difference between an end in a three-point stance and an outside linebacker standing up.

But with the first 3-4 team in the AFC South since this blog network revved up for before the 2008 season, I sought insight.

What’s the real difference in the two set ups?

Barwin was just the man to spell it out.

“The biggest difference I’ve learned is you see a lot more. And you have a lot more that you have to be able to do. When you’re down in your three-point stance, you just go. You’re off the edge and you just kind of go and react. Standing up you have a lot more responsibilities and you have to see what’s happening a lot more. Because you not only have to go sometimes, but you have to drop in coverage sometimes as well.

“…The first couple days were hard with the coverage aspect of it. But a couple days into camp you kind of picked up the concept of the coverages that we run and really it wasn’t that complicated. When you’re rushing now, you’re doing a lot of things just like you did when you were an end. There isn’t much difference at all.

“The one thing that is kind of nice about standing up is you actually save a lot of energy. I mean getting down in your three-point stance and sitting there while Peyton Manning is barking his calls, that will tire you out a little bit. When you can stand up and kind of catch your breath a little bit, it’s kind of nice. You never think about it, but you feel it right there in your first practice. It can definitely wear you out a little bit, leaning on your hand all the time.”

So there is a little side perk to it. It may not sound like a big deal, but if guys like Williams and Barwin are a touch fresher in the fourth quarter as a result of the change, that’s an extra benefit for sure.

 

[CharloTex]

Ok, I have some questions that may sound somewhat elementary, but I really don't know. I never played organized football growing up (baseball instead), so I missed out on even the most basic instruction.

Why do defensive lineman get down in a 3-point stance in the first place? Is it a requirement of the rules? Is it like a sprinter coming out of the block? As Barwin said, if it actually takes away energy by maintaining balance and focus from the 3-point, why do it?

In baseball, the defensive fielding "set" position is, legs under/outside your shoulders, hands on your knees until the pitch is being delivered and then hands in front, a balanced, flexed, ready to pounce position as the pitch is released. Why isn't something akin to that, as with 3-4 OLBs in their 2-point stance, also the best for a D-lineman? Is it because no matter what the play, as a DT/DE you have only one duty: rush forward toward the ball, through those other big dudes in front of you?

 

[Rey]

Ok, I have some questions that may sound somewhat elementary, but I really don't know. I never played organized football growing up (baseball instead), so I missed out on even the most basic instruction.

Why do defensive lineman get down in a 3-point stance in the first place? Is it a requirement of the rules? Is it like a sprinter coming out of the block? As Barwin said, if it actually takes away energy by maintaining balance and focus from the 3-point, why do it?

In baseball, the defensive fielding "set" position is, legs under/outside your shoulders, hands on your knees until the pitch is being delivered and then hands in front, a balanced, flexed, ready to pounce position as the pitch is released. Why isn't something akin to that, as with 3-4 OLBs in their 2-point stance, also the best for a D-lineman? Is it because no matter what the play, as a DT/DE you have only one duty: rush forward toward the ball, through those other big dudes in front of you?

I think that it helps defensive linemen maintain a low pad level and it also helps them come off the ball with some momentum since they are leaning forward putting weight on their hands.

If you are standing up directly in front of an offensive linemen you are already at a disadvantage if they run the ball because most times the low man wins.

 

[Lucky]

I think that it helps defensive linemen maintain a low pad level and it also helps them come off the ball with some momentum since they are leaning forward putting weight on their hands.

If you are standing up directly in front of an offensive linemen you are already at a disadvantage if they run the ball because most times the low man wins.

This.

 

[eriadoc]

It means his ankle works?

 

[CloakNNNdagger]

It means his ankle works?

As I've mentioned before, I expect Barwin and Tate to both be able to come back strong from their type of injuries right around the 1 year mark. Not at all so confident about Ryans and Cushing.

 

[nero THE zero]

As I've mentioned before, I expect Barwin and Tate to both be able to come back strong from their type of injuries right around the 1 year mark. Not at all so confident about Ryans and Cushing.

What kind of sense do you make of the reports that Ryans is doing so well in camp? Anomaly or hyperbole?

 

[CloakNNNdagger]

What kind of sense do you make of the reports that Ryans is doing so well in camp? Anomaly or hyperbole?

At this point, I would have to lean much more to the latter. I would be very guarded about commenting concerning his "performance" against OUR O, in camp, or in a limited-appearance preseason game. The true assessment will not be able to come until you can follow someone like this in the course of a full 60 minute regular season setting.

 

[GP]

At this point, I would have to lean much more to the latter. I would be very guarded about commenting concerning his "performance" against OUR O, in camp, or in a limited-appearance preseason game. The true assessment will not be able to come until you can follow someone like this in the course of a full 60 minute regular season setting.

Yep. I watch those videos people are posting, and guys on both sides are not really flying at each other in full speed SUSTAINED for the whole play.

It's an initial burst, at the snap, followed by a flow of traffic toward the ball carrier or "your man" that you're assigned to, and then when a ball carrier is being touched by a defender...the defender is sort of letting him go.

It will be REAL "live firing" action where you see if guys can hang or not.