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Earl Mitchell Thread-Tape Break Down

from what I have seen and watched of Earl Mitchell, he kinda reminds me of this guy....

johnrandle.jpg

nfl_g_randle1_sw_200.jpg


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QERsU3dsDYE

same size
same speed
same motor

Man I hope this becomes true....
 
m5kwatts said:
Haha I'll be happy if he's Tommy Harris. Heck, I'll be happy if he's rookie year Amobi Okoye.
Click to expand...

I've watched Randle for a long time. He played my brother when he was in Hearne, TX in high school.

Every clip I have seen of Mitchell, reminds me of Randle. Explosive first step off the ball and can get into the back field in a hurry...
 
The Holiday Bowl was a ho-hum for Mitchell as the Cornhuskers had a good game plan: Playing keep away from Earl.

He was very consistent.
He had a couple of plays in which he looked kinda bad but not terrible.
But he had more plays in which he looked good to very good.
He held the double-teams fairly and did his job but never got the support from his teammates.

Actually, Suh was a little more inconsistent.
He looked good a few more times but also looked kinda bad a few more times than Mitchell. And the Wildcats didn't play keep away from Suh.

For the game, Mitchell recorded 3 solos, 3 QB pressures and 1 hurry.
(On one of those pressures, the CB could have intercepted a pass easily, but dropped the ball.)

For a ho-hum game, I think it was pretty good.
 
Oh, let me bring my notes of Mitchell's plays against the big RG from Oregon.
(Besides that play I had mentioned).

1. Got past the RG to seal off the back side, checking the QB keeper. Good

2. Bulled the RG 5 yds into the backfield toward the running lane (how is that for a weakling?), checking the RB and forcing the QB to keep the ball. Excellent. (Wildcats lost containment however)

3. First and goal at the 5.
Beat the RG, set the edge and pursued very well.
Stopped the RB for a 1/2 yd gain. Excellent.

4. Play previously mentioned in another post.

5. Was handled well by RG. Not good.

6. Penetrated ahead of the double-team RG & RT, effectively cut off the option to RB. Excellent.

7. Pushed RG into running lane (too quickly for the C to arrive in the double-team). Stopped the QB sweep for a 3yd loss. Excellent.

8. Neutralized by the RG in pass pro. Not good.

9. 3rd and goal at the 1. Neutralized by the RG. Bad.
(Though it's not his fault that they scored a TD).

10. Pushed back by the RG in pass pro. Very bad.

11. Mostly neutralized by the RG in pass pro.
Showed effort and kept fighting, but still poor.

12. Penetrated inside RG, chased QB to sideline.
Ball thrown away on 3rd and 4. Excellent.

13. Fought off the RG to pursue a run to the other side and tackle the runner.

14. Cut block by RG on a quick pass. Not good.

15. Totally neutralized by the RG on a run play. Very bad.

16. On first and goal at the 4, Mitchell pancaked the RG to tackle the RB, limiting it to a one-yd run. Excellent.

What a mixed bag!
 
Against USC last year who also played keep away from Mitchell, but not as much as the Cornhushers, he was also consistent.

He had one played in which he looked very bad, and a few other plays where he didn't look too good.

But he had more good and very good plays.

Mitchell recorded 1 assist and 5 solos (including 1 for loss and 2 sacks).

With the Wildcats leading and about 3 mins to go:

1-10 (RDT) Mitchell took the LG past the QB and sacked him for a 5 yd loss.
He started with a left club to get the LG to open up then jabbed him with the right hand to the chest to push him back. He continued with a left hand into the chest to take him back further, all the while getting down low for leverage. Then he disengaged to sack the QB.

Then on 3rd and 15, Mitchell pushed the double-team in the pocket, forcing the QB to scramble away and throw the ball long and out of bound.

The Trojans would get the ball ball with a few seconds to go and a hail mary pass, but Mitchell fought the double-team. Even though he fell down due to all the tussles and falling bodies, he got right back up and sack the QB to end the game.

Note: In his 3-yr NFL career Okoye had 33 games in which he registered fewer than 3 solos.
 
USC O-line for 2009:

C Jeff Byers 6'3, 301 - 33 reps bench press; UDFA Seahawks
RG Alex Parsons 6'4, 300-305; UDFA Raiders; played all 5 positions after converting from DT.
LG Butch Lewis 6'5, 285-305, All Pac 10 HM; projected 4-5th round in 2011 by Walter Football (if he can maintain his quickness playing at the higher weigh they would project him higher.)
RT Tyron Smith 6'6 288; rated #25 overall draft prospect (ie. first rounder) in 2011 and 5th best OT by CDSDraft.com
LT Charles Brown 6'6 285-303; drafted #64 by the Saints; All Pac 10.
 
This is the last of the series and the clincher (at least for one person in attendance at the game).

East Roster from the East-West Shriner Bowl Website:
55 AJ Trump Miami 6’3 310
64 Jim Cordle Ohio St 6’4 301
65 Thomas Austin Clemson 6’4 315
70 Sergio Render Vtech 6’3 317
71 Cord Howard Ga Tech 6’4 312
76 Roger Salford, Ind 6’5 318
66 Chris DeGeare Wake Forest 6’6 335

Those are the guys that Mitchell faced.
The big LG DeGeare was drafted in the 5th round.
I believed the rest were all picked up as UDFAs
I guess their plays against Mitchell didn’t help, LOL!

Playing in just over half of the game, Mitchell had only 1 solo and an assist. But he had 3 QB Pressures and 3 Hurries.
That does not include the times he got close to the QB or push his blocker(s) close to the QB and the things he did that allowed sacks to happen, things like that.
(The website credited Mitchell with 2 solos and 2 sacks.)

Here are a couple of quotes before the game:

SI:
“Mitchell had three solid days of practice and definitely elevated his draft stock.
He’s explosive, quick and built low to the ground, which he used to his advantage.
Mitchell also displayed power and pushed a number of larger opponents off the line,
To the delights of scouts in attendance.”

National Football Post
“Mitchell showcases good burst off the snap and has the lateral ability
To slip blocks and create behind the line. “
 
The rules of this game is vanilla coverage and not much blitzing; that should favor the O-line.

1-10 (RDT) Mitchell penetrated outside C 64 Cordle as LG pulled to the other side.
2yd loss on the run. Pretty good for Earl but not involved.

2-12 (LDT) started penetrating to the outside of RG 70 Render, read the run inside and disengaged quickly with a spin move. Pretty Good but not involved.

3-12 Quick screen pass – NA but looked quick with a right-handed club move (he had shown a left-handed club move before).

Punt

Mitchell was not involved in this drive but shows his quickness, his ability to penetrate, and his flexibility in the hips with a spin move and his dexterity with a club move.

The club move is not powerful like Jenkins'.
He uses it to set up another move, whether it's a dip move to get past the blocker, or some punch to the chest.
 
1-10 Double team – Quick Pass - NA

2-3 Pushed the Huge LG DeGeare 66 into the running lane, got ahead to separate, forcing the runner to go east-west, and tackled him after a 3 yd gain. Very very Good.
This play could easily be a loss of yardage with Kareem Jackson; instead, the RCB was taken inside by the X receiver and couldn’t disengage quick enough.
Also, the RDE was pushed back badly by the double-team LT & TE, cutting off the flow of the SAM to the outside.

1-10 Threw the huge LG 66 aside then sustained the block of the LT 76 Salford.
Very Good.
5yd RB cut to the outside.
The DE, OLB, and SS did Fair-Good;
but the CB played way back (10-12 yd) and reacted very late as the WR came inside to take on the safety close to the LOS. To make it worse, he missed the ankle tackle.
Jackson would have read that play as a run right of the bat and closed off that edge in a hurry,
Most likely for a loss.

2-5 Went outside the LG as usual, but read the run back to the inside and quickly disengage but not involved in the play. But he and the RDE shut off the outside, turning the play in.
With the NT taking on the C & RG, the OLB can take on the FB at the LOS in the A gap.
RB cut to his right, inside the lead FB.
The safety was free to go after the RB but missed the TFL.
OLB was able to get off the FB and slid over to limit it to a 2yd run.

3-3 Quick pass – NA – Good job pushing the LG.

1-10 NA as LG pulled on a run away. C switched and helped LT to double-team Mitchell at the start.

2-8 Quick pass – Worked on LG to the outside with C moving back looking to help. Fair

3-6 Penetrated quickly outside the RG 71 Howard to force the QB out of the pocket.
Alert play by the QB as he saw all the LBs drop back to pull up and run just enough for the first.
Very very good by Mitchell.

1-10 (LDT) Worked hard on the double-team to allow the LDE to slip in and chase the QB out of the pocket and throw the ball away. Very good.

2-10 Push the pocket a little on the LG
LDE beat the RT quickly to put a hit on the QB. Ball thrown away.
NA or Fair on Mitchell’s part.

3-10 Got off to a rare late start for some reason and just settled for holding off the RG at the LOS.
Below average to Poor.
He started penetrating to the outside, read he draw play and tried to disengage toward the inside but was held off firmly by the RG at jersey’s shoulder(s).

PUNT
In this drive, he took on the big 335lb LG DeGeare (5th round pick Vikings) 6 times and did not lose any battle. He won two of them big-time, and looked good on another 2. You've just got to love how he pushes on that guy.
 
1-10 Was so quick into the pocket that the QB had to throw the ball away on a screen pass.
Very very good

2-10 Got pretty good penetration/push on the RG 70 Render back in the pass rush.
Good to very good

1-10 Nothing going on the RG 70 in the pass rush;
below average.

1-10 Worked on the double team RG & C 64- Decent

2-2 Quick pass – NA

1-10 Pushed the pocket on RG Render; sliced at the feet of QB, forcing him to hurry the throw.
Almost an INT as CB dropped the ball.
Good to very good.
 
1-10 Run inside RG for loss of 3.
(LDT) Mitchell penetrated the outside of RG 71 Howard then pushed him inside toward the running lane impeding the FB then into the RB. This slowed down the RB plenty enough for the RDE to come in and make the tackle.
Also, Mitchell almost got to the RB himself.
Here, the NT got pushed back by the double-team C & LG; otherwise, the RB wouldn’t have any room.
Also, with the FB slowed down by Mitchell, the MLB should have come up stronger to knock the FB back.
Excellent play by Earl.

3-13 (RDT) Penetrated very quickly outside LG and got close to QB Skelton.
RCB played with too much of a cushion; otherwise, the QB would have to throw that ball away.
Or if the QB had to hold the ball a hair longer due to tighter coverage (like from Kareem), the safety would have a chance to come up for an INT. Just saying that there are possibilities.
Instead, it was a first down pass.
Good to very good on Mitchell’s part,

2-7 This time, quick penetration (from RDT) outside the RG forced the QB to throw the screen pass too quickly before the linemen can set up the block. His teammates, in kind, turned the RB back for Earl to come back and make the tackle for a 2yd loss.
Excellent.

3-9 Penetrated very quickly, (this time from LDT ) to the inside of RG 71 and chased the QB hotly out of the pocket. QB grounded the ball desperately. Excellent.

3-19 Pushed the double-team 66 & 55 Trump right into the QB forcing a hurried throw high.
It sailed long over the 6’10 WR Villanueva.
Excellent.
(Throwing over a 6'10 guy must be pretty high!)

There’s a couple of shots of Kubiak in short and a jacket at the game, no doubt impressed by Mitchell’s play. I guess it was the clincher for the top dog! :)
 
1-10 Penetrated to the outside of the RG 71 with a dip move, getting real close to the QB
(just over 2 secs). QB hurried a dump pass to the flat to the RB (a little behind).
RB managed to make a couple of defenders miss and gain 7, however.

2-3 Penetrated quickly past the LG Austin Thomas on the screen pass.
QB got off the ball to the RB for a loss of 2.
Mitchell turned to chase showing good lateral movement.
Austin came around to cut block Earl cleanly but Mitchell got back up quickly and joined in with the tackle.
NT had fallen down; otherwise, Austin wouldn’t have the chance.
Good job by Mitchell.

3-4 Quick pass – NA

1-10 Double-teamed by Austin & the C. Fair.

1-10 Play fake to the left (the same as what we do a lot with MS running the bootleg to the right)
Mitchell was fighting hard with Austin but was still able to read the play and turned back very quickly with a nice spin move. There’s no doubt that he has good lateral movement required for the spin move.
NA in the play.

1-10 Not much doing against the RG in the pass rush.
Quick pass. Would like to see him a little more active though.
Below average to average.

2-10 Double-teamed/combo. Fair.

1-10 Quick pass – NA
 
2-10 Worked quickly to the outside of LG Austin pushing in, then accidentally got his feet caught in the LT’s leg.
Austin used the leverage to turn him around and pin him down.
In that regard, the result was very bad; but due to the fact that it was an accident, I would call it poor.

Not sure if Thomas didn’t hold though.
When I slowed it down; Mitchell was regaining his balance and started getting inside to chase the RB from behind.
Had Thomas’s hands been inside Mitchell shoulders, his best course of action would have been to shove Mitchell to the ground.
It really only makes sense that he had both hands outside and was trying to hang on for dear life.
In fact, I am sure that was the case. Mitchell had both hands inside pushing on Austin’s chest.

At any rate, even if we score it a take down for Austin, Mitchell’s initial start did not lose too much at the POA. And he took away the outside, turning the play in, which is always good.

The RB cut inside LG, but the LBs were able to flow to the gap and limited it to a 4yd gain.


3-5 Quick pass – NA

4-6 Playing patsies with the RG. Poor.
Incomplete pass.
 
1-10 Screen pass – NA – turned around to chase quickly showing good lateral movement.
There was no need since the LB read it perfectly for a 3yd loss.

2-13 Pushed Austin pretty close to the QB.
Pretty good to Good.
Complete pass for 12

2-10 Gave Austin a right-handed club move to get him to the inside, then dipped his shoulder to get past the RG and attacked the QB.
QB stepped up and delivered a pass as he was hit by the NT.

3-10 Pushed the double-team a little.
Pretty good.

1-10 Push the RG 70 Render back pretty close to the QB in pass rush.
Good.

2-4 Pushed the LG 66 DeGeare back pretty close to the QB in pass rush.
Good

2-10 Pushed the Big LG 66 and the C back really close to the QB (only Mitchell commands the double-team).
Pocket collapsed.
Very good.

QB looked to be a dead duck but somehow managed to get away from the NT & the LDE
and srambled away for 9.

3-1 Was handled well by the RG in the pass rush.
Poor to bad.

End game.
 
Bonus.
A glimpse on the two O-linemen from CSU
RG Shelley Smith and RT Pemberton

The competitions were good.

LDT Mike Neal #56 pick Packers

RG 74 Smith looked fairly quick on a couple of pulls, fairly quick on the second level.
Didn’t quite get a cut block on the MLB
Got pushed back by LDT 92 Mike Neal (Purdue) but recovered quickly and pushed him to the ground.
Looked good again against 92 in the pass pro
Pancaked the LDT one time

LDE Willie Young #213 Pick Lions (7th rd)
LDE Doug Worthington #243 pick Steelers (7th rd)

RT 68 Pemberton looked capable on LDE Willie Young 97 (NCSt)
A good cut block on 93 Doug Worthington (Ohio St)
Looked good in pass pro a few times

They worked well in tandem and protected the QB Reesing well.

Overall they did not have any problem in pass pro at all.
Nothing like being pushed back, allowing pressure or hurry, none of those.

They also look pretty good in the running game.
Never really great, but good, or at least decent on most plays and did not got beat badly on any.
 
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