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I disagree. This can't be good if he isn't even capable of starting right now.

If he begins to play better because of it then yeah maybe, but we'll have to wait and see what the results of this end up being first.
 
gary said:
He has not taken that step like MW has.
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Well in some ways you are comparing Apples and Oranges. Mario is a DE and his job is to get around the edge, apply pressure, get sacks, and stop the edge rush. AO is a DT and his job is to apply pressure up the middle, flush the QB into a DE, or stop the run. If he gets sacks, great, but is job is to apply pressure in a different way than MW. Also, take into account that AO is now only 21. IE, he is the age of many college juniors/seniors. We knew when we drafted him that he was a youngster(19) and needed to grow up mentally and physically. I think this is the right thing for him. Ease him into the lineup and let me get some success. He probably wont make that step this year, but when he does, look out!

That said, I agree that he needs to step it up. I think though that we forgot that this was a pick that would take time to develop and after a fast start to his rookie year we forgot that he is still basically a college student playing with grown men.
 
awtysst said:
Well in some ways you are comparing Apples and Oranges. Mario is a DE and his job is to get around the edge, apply pressure, get sacks, and stop the edge rush. AO is a DT and his job is to apply pressure up the middle, flush the QB into a DE, or stop the run. If he gets sacks, great, but is job is to apply pressure in a different way than MW. Also, take into account that AO is now only 21. IE, he is the age of many college juniors/seniors. We knew when we drafted him that he was a youngster(19) and needed to grow up mentally and physically. I think this is the right thing for him. Ease him into the lineup and let me get some success. He probably wont make that step this year, but when he does, look out!

That said, I agree that he needs to step it up. I think though that we forgot that this was a pick that would take time to develop and after a fast start to his rookie year we forgot that he is still basically a college student playing with grown men.
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The reason I don't post much here is because every time I click on a thread and read through it, I find a post like this.

I completely agree and I couldn't have said it better myself.

Right now AO is what he is. He is pretty good at applying pressure up the middle and not very good at maintaining his position on run plays. Which is basically what we drafted him for. Nobody thought he would come in and shut down opposing teams run games. Hopefully he can build up some strength in the next year or two and improve in that area. Like you said though, the guy is barely 21 years old. He should be a sophomore/junior in college right now.

Actually I have liked what I have seen from Amobi this year, in the pass game. I have seen him make several hurries and he should have gotten 1/2 a sack from one of Mario's sacks this last weekend. I hear the flack on AO but I don't see it myself. Not on passing plays anyways.
 
He seems to me a 'project' player. If an already successful team took him, he would have time to develop without holding the rest of the unit back. Unfortunately, the Texans have too many holes in the roster for project players that take 3-4 years to develop, and since we needed him immediately, we get a starter that is still very young and years away from reaching his potential.

I think he'll turn out to be a decent tackle, though. It's just not going to happen overnight.
 
I posted to the fact that the coaching staff has noticed that AO isn't doing much on the line so they started someone else on some of the play and have since opened up the spot. When you spend a 1st round pick on a guy he shouldn't be fighting for that spot he was drafted to take.
 
Most players either make the big jump from year 1-2 or 2-3. The texans drafted someone with huge upside. He's basically two years behind the players drafted with him. His big jump won't come from year 1-2 but probably from 3-4. It took him a while in college to dominate b/c he was just a highschooler and it will take him a while to dominate pro's because he's really just a college player right now.
 
Double Barrel said:
He seems to me a 'project' player. If an already successful team took him, he would have time to develop without holding the rest of the unit back. Unfortunately, the Texans have too many holes in the roster for project players that take 3-4 years to develop, and since we needed him immediately, we get a starter that is still very young and years away from reaching his potential.

I think he'll turn out to be a decent tackle, though. It's just not going to happen overnight.
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I think overtime, it is worst if a team is taking mediocore people to start immediately over more talented players who take longer to develop. that does not help us who are tired of a substandard product, but to get a legitimate playoff status getting the better player is worthwhile.

Now, do you trust that the teamis getting good long term player is a really different question.
 
ArlingtonTexan said:
I think overtime, it is worst if a team is taking mediocore people to start immediately over more talented players who take longer to develop. that does not help us who are tired of a substandard product, but to get a legitimate playoff status getting the better player is worthwhile.

Now, do you trust that the teamis getting good long term player is a really different question.
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Yes I trust them. He had 5 sacks as a rookie and he's only going to get better.
 
Texecutioner said:
I disagree. This can't be good if he isn't even capable of starting right now.

If he begins to play better because of it then yeah maybe, but we'll have to wait and see what the results of this end up being first.
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Well, first off you have to remember he is still a kid and is even younger then most of the rookie this year. We all knew he might not be a force until his third year when we drafted him.

Annnd so far, this method has shown better result from him, many said he had his best game of the season against the Colts. But then again their o-line was depleted.
 
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Btw, gotta bring back the Anthony Maddox discussion. Doesn't look like a good idea to let him go anymore, huh? Knowing the stubborness of Kubiak and Smith, they're probably not going to bring him back no matter how bad we're hurting at the position.
 
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The thing to keep in mind about Amobi is he is still so young I think he is 21 about to be 22. His main problem is strength and his ability to hold up against the run. As he ages he will get stronger and this will become less of an issue. You physically cannot turn into an all-pro in one off season, especially at his age. I think what the Texans are doing is smart, focus on his strengths (quickness and pass rushing ability) and minimize his weaknesses (run defense). He looked goood rushing the passer against the Colts playing is passing situations and hopefully this will continue.
 
There are plenty of rookies who come into the league at age 21, about to be 22. Okoye just has one more year professional experience than them, so he should be better than them.
 
dc_txtech said:
Nobody thought he would come in and shut down opposing teams run games. Hopefully he can build up some strength in the next year or two and improve in that area. Like you said though, the guy is barely 21 years old. He should be a sophomore/junior in college right now.
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Amobi Okoye Louisville 6020 302 5.07 29 30 9'3" 7.46
http://www.thehogs.net/Draft2007/combine/2007-combine-results-defense.php#dt
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For those who make excuses for AO because they claim he's smallish and not strong, here's his combine numbers from last year at Indy.
He weighed in at > 300 lb and did 29 reps on the 225 lb BP, so he's got fairly average size for a 1-gapper and he's anything but anemic. We'll need to come up with more novel ideas to explain his lack of production.
 
nunusguy said:
Amobi Okoye Louisville 6020 302 5.07 29 30 9'3" 7.46
http://www.thehogs.net/Draft2007/combine/2007-combine-results-defense.php#dt
********************************
For those who make excuses for AO because they claim he's smallish and not strong, here's his combine numbers from last year at Indy.
He weighed in at > 300 lb and did 29 reps on the 225 lb BP, so he's got fairly average size for a 1-gapper and he's anything but anemic. We'll need to come up with more novel ideas to explain his lack of production.
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The bench press isn't exactly the "be all end all" measurement for strength. Watching Amobi get blown off the line consistently on running downs shows you that he needs to improve his strength at the point of attack.

You could be partially right in saying that he's not as weak as some posters make him out to be, which would mean he needs to improve his technique at the POA. Use his hands better, etc. Mario had the same issues earlier in his career. But he is definately weaker at the POA than the average NFL starting DT at this point in his career and its due to both strength and technique.
 
awtysst said:
Well in some ways you are comparing Apples and Oranges. Mario is a DE and his job is to get around the edge, apply pressure, get sacks, and stop the edge rush. AO is a DT and his job is to apply pressure up the middle, flush the QB into a DE, or stop the run. If he gets sacks, great, but is job is to apply pressure in a different way than MW. Also, take into account that AO is now only 21. IE, he is the age of many college juniors/seniors. We knew when we drafted him that he was a youngster(19) and needed to grow up mentally and physically. I think this is the right thing for him. Ease him into the lineup and let me get some success. He probably wont make that step this year, but when he does, look out!

That said, I agree that he needs to step it up. I think though that we forgot that this was a pick that would take time to develop and after a fast start to his rookie year we forgot that he is still basically a college student playing with grown men.
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I was not really comparing the two. I know that they do not have the same jobs. But I was just saying that at this point and time at his spot on the field he has not taken his game to the next level just yet but it's not that I feel he's not going to be a good player for the team I am sure that he will be. We must give him some time to work on his game and do a little tweaking on it by woring with his coaching staff and really in the next two or three years he'll be that player that we thought he might be but he's still very young right now so it's too early to tell just how good he is going to be. We all remember how MW looked in first season it was almost like OMG who have the Texans just drafted and now he is the beast of the D and besides DM he's most key player on our D and one of biggest fan favorites on this team and even in the NFL for that matter. Right? Over time I think the samething will happen with AO or at least I hope so then we'll have a three headed monster D in MW, DM, and AO. Time is the key for AO and all there is do is wait a couple more years and see what type of player AO turns out to be I really look at next season as being AO's breake out season and of course the season that that this team makes the playoffs.:texflag::texflag::texflag:
 
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Wow is that Pat Willis guy doing these days?

AO was so overrated comming out of college it wasn't funny. With the defensive linemen in the 2008 draft AO probably wouldn't have cracked the 1st round in that draft.
 
The1ApplePie said:
Wow is that Pat Willis guy doing these days?

AO was so overrated comming out of college it wasn't funny. With the defensive linemen in the 2008 draft AO probably wouldn't have cracked the 1st round in that draft.
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Seeing how both glenn dorsey and sedrick ellis are struggleing I don't see how you can say that.
 
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