SB Nation - Demetrius Byrd

Fans Will Be Watching LSU Defense

Richard Pittman — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 09:30:18 -0000

With the season fast approaching, I was trying to think of good topics to discuss to help you, the viewer, watch the right things and know what you're watching. Yesterday, I talked about the defensive line. Billy Gomilla helped me out and posted a nice piece on our wide receivers that actually used [gasp!] data. I was trying to come up with the next topic in this little pseudo-series, and I was thinking about the linebackers and the defensive backs, and the special teams units, and the reserves, and it finally occurred to me that the entire defense is one giant, barely differentiated topic of conversation that has been sadly neglected.

The whole defense is changing. Not only do we have a new defensive coordinator, but it is possible that literally none of the opening night starters from the 2008 season will be opening night starters at the same position in 2009. All four defensive line starters are gone, as are middle linebacker Darry Beckwith and free safety Curtis Taylor. Starting strong safety Harry Coleman is now starting strongside linebacker Harry Coleman. Former strongside linebacker Perry Riley is now weakside linebacker Perry Riley. Former weakside linebacker Kelvin Sheppard is battling Jacob Cutrera for the middle linebacker job and is backing up Harry Coleman at strongside. The two starting cornerbacks against Appalachian State in 2008 are now battling each other to start on the other side of Patrick Peterson in 2009. Former dime-back/linebacker/rover Chad Jones is now just a free safety. No one knows who the strong safety will be.

It's massive wholesale changes in personnel and in scheme. It's like starting over, and that's not a bad thing given the results last year, which were miserable on the defensive side of the ball.

I wish I knew what to tell you to expect. It's all a mystery for right now. I'll tell you what I'm looking for, but it seems so basic, like any fan could make the same list if they just sat and thought about it.

1. The pass rush, both in a base set and in a blitz. Last season, despite having one of the best sack artists in the conference along with a top 5 overall NFL draft pick on the defensive line, we pretty much failed to get any sort of a pass rush except when we sold out and brought in our "Express" package of 4 defensive ends, and we were still only 6th in the league in tackling the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage. Even blitzes seemed to consistently fail to disrupt the opponent's passing game. This was a contributing factor to a miserable pass defense. This year, with [all together now] an entirely new defensive coaching staff, the most obvious place to look for immediate dividends is at the pass rush. You don't have to get sacks to have an effective pass rush. Making a quarterback throw the ball away is almost as good as a sack. A good pass rush can contribute to an interception or a tipped pass. A good pass rush can help you in so many ways, that it's no wonder our defense was so ineffective without one. I'm interested to see how we do in obvious passing situations, as well as how we do in less obvious passing situations.

2. Zone or Man? And who are the blitzers? John Chavis is definitely known as a zone guy, and I see no indication that he is going to change his general tendencies. The man knows zone. He has made his name on zone. Like most fans, I have a hard time getting excited about zone, but you don't go out and buy a Cadillac so you take it off-roading. Bringing in Chavis to run an aggressive man-to-man scheme unlike what he's had success with in the past would be foolish. Let the man run zone, but mix it up a bit too.

People misconstrue a zone. They think that playing a zone means playing passively, and that just isn't true. In a Chavis zone, the idea is to get the ball into the air and then to go get the ball. Chavis's defense picked off 17 passes last year and scored 4 defensive touchdowns off of interceptions. LSU's picked off 8, and did not score. Man defense is aggressive in the secondary before the ball is thrown. Zone defense is aggressive after it is thrown.

Plus, playing zone does not preclude blitzing. It merely changes how you do a blitz. Sometimes, you pull a defensive end back into a zone and overload the opposite side with rushers. That is, obviously, a "zone blitz" and if it works right you will have one offensive lineman not blocking anyone (essentially taking him off the field and forcing the offense to play with 10 players) while one or more rusher on the other side of the field comes free. If that's a speedy safety or a corner, all the better. With more speed on the field, I expect to see blitzes coming from a lot of directions.

3. Will we punish receivers? In a year that was frustrating in a lot of ways, one of the frustrating things that went relatively unnoticed was the fact that opposing receivers, and in particular the tight ends, could catch passes over the middle without any fear of taking a big hit. Case in point, the first play of this highlight reel of the game against South Carolina:

I think that's something that's going to change. The zone defense, with its aggressive-after-the-ball-is-in-the-air philosophy will make sure that receivers who go over the middle to catch passes have to pay a price for it. The linebackers and the safeties will be looking to light up some receivers. And if you watched Demetrius Byrd towards the end of last year, you know what getting hit hard can do to a receiver. It can make him not want to catch passes. Not all will actually act on that impulse, but the thought affects some receivers. Plus, it looks cool on TV.

4. Will players be rotated in and out as much? More? In 2008 and in previous years, LSU has fairly extensively rotated defensive linemen in and out of the game, but except for bringing in nickel- and dime-packages, linebackers and defensive backs remained more-or-less constant unless injury required a shift. I wonder if that will change. Will we see Brandon Taylor and Karnell Hatcher rotate at safety? Will we see Ryan Baker get an opportunity to play in the base defense in meaningful snaps?

5. Will Patrick Peterson, Perry Riley, and Chad Jones be as good as advertised? The question pretty much says it all, there.

San Diego Chargers 2009 NFL Draft Grades

John (obviousman) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 12:23:30 -0000

More photos » by Jack Smith - AP

San Diego Chargers' first-round draft pick Larry English, second from right, holds up his new jersey as, from left to right, general manager A.J. Smith, president-CEO Dean Spanos and head coach Norv Turner look on during a news conference Sunday, April 26, 2009, in San Diego. English, a linebacker, is from Northern Illinois. (AP Photo/Jack Smith)

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Larry English, OLB, N. Illinois (Round 1, Pick 16 - 16th Overall)

I don't think anyone was really surprised by this choice. In the past week we began discussing AJ Smith's past picks and how we almost never know who the guy is before he's drafted. AJ did it again, drafting what he believed to be the best player available at 16. This was not the most exciting pick, but it's one that provides the defense with some sorely-needed depth.

The more I watch of Larry English, the more he looks like a fearsome pass rusher. He's built in a similar mold as Merriman - strong, fast and tenacious. After sitting through 2008, I like the idea that an injury to Merriman or Phillips no longer means our defense turns into wet paper. This pick also has me fearing the upcoming offseason and negotiations with Merriman a little less. Most importantly though, our pass rushing linebackers are deeper than ever with Merriman, Phillips, English and Jyles Tucker.

2009 Outlook: Not a starter, but Larry English will see plenty of time on the field.

Pick Grade: B+

Louis Vasquez, OG, Texas Tech (Round 3, Pick 14 - 78th Overall)

Immediately Louis Vasquez becomes our widest offensive lineman. McNeil is the heaviest at 335lbs, but Vasquez matches that weight while being three inches shorter. This pick is all about potential. He has unbelievable size and strength to go with great quickness off the line and quick, nimble feet. Louis' only drawback seems to be that he spent so much time in pass-blocking at Texas Tech that he has little experience driving the defender back or pulling down the line. These things can be taught.

2009 Outlook: With an outstanding camp Louis Vasquez could possibly compete for the starting RG spot. It's more likely that he'll sit out most of 2009 while having his skills refined.

Pick Grade: B

Vaughn Martin, DT, Western Ontario (Round 4, Pick 13 - 113th Overall)

Here's the risk pick. The one that the fans know nothing about because we don't typically watch Canadian College Football. At 6'4", 330lbs Martin has the size to be the Chargers Nose Tackle of the future. Although he was not invited to the combine, during his workout for NFL teams Martin ran the 40 in about 5 seconds, did 33 bench press reps and somehow did the 20-yard shuttle in 4.31 seconds. By comparison, Larry English ran the 40 at 4.88 and did the 20-yard shuttle in 4.38 seconds. It's quite possible the Chargers just drafted a player with Jamal Williams' size and Shawne Merriman's speed.

The one reason I'm down on this pick is it seems to be a major reach. Martin was expected to go undrafted or possibly get grabbed in the 7th round.

2009 Outlook: Because the Chargers need depth on the defensive line, Vaughn Martin may end up as a backup of some sort for the upcoming season. However, he is a project and will need to adjust to the rules of American football as well as the size, speed and ferocity of the game before he has any chance of starting.

Pick Grade: D

Tyronne Green, C, Auburn (Round 4, Pick 33 - 133rd Overall)

A pick of tremendous value. Green will replace Newberry, who was effective but might have the creakiest knees in football. Tyronne provides good size (6'1.5", 309lbs), strength and versatility (he played OG at Auburn). To add to that, his athleticism makes him a tremendous pull blocker who hits the second level with power and keeps his head on a swivel.

2009 Outlook: Barring any injury, Tyronne Green will not see any playing time in 2009 but will be sitting behind a former Pro Bowler and learning the Center position from him. Grabbing a Center in the draft was seen as a priority after consecutive injury-plagued seasons from Hardwick.

Pick Grade: A

Gartrell Johnson, RB, Colorado St. (Round 4, Pick 34 - 134th Overall)

This is a pick I'm very excited about. Although I believe LaDainian Tomlinson to be a great player, I have spent many games screaming at my TV for the Chargers to get a power back. Or, when they knew they had one in Michael Turner, for them to use a power back. Not necessarily because I think a big, bruising runner would have more success in certain situations of the game but because LT needs to be taken care of so we can extend his career and get the most from him. This was gone over in great depth here, but to summarize: The Chargers have worked Tomlinson harder than any other back in the league since his rookie season and he's starting to break down because of it. It's time to let somebody else take that pounding and have LT healthy for the playoffs.

As for Gartrell Johnson, I think he's a fantastic player. He's built like a MAC truck and he runs like one too. From what I've seen of him as a college player, he almost never goes down from the first or second hit. As a matter of fact, it usually takes two or three guys to get him down. Johnson is the polar opposite of Darren Spoles. He is not very fast and is not going to be able to make it to the corner for an outside run. Gartrell Johnson takes the ball and runs straight up the middle, but his strength and determination make him very effective at that.

2009 Outlook: Gartrell Johnson is going to get a lot of looks. He's going to be out starting RB in the preseason to save Sproles from the pounding and I think he's going to impress a lot of people. As the Charger short-yardage back I'm looking for a first-year similar to Brandon Jacobs' second year: 96 attempts (less than 7 per game), 423 yards (4.4 yards per attempt), 9 TD.

Pick Grade: B

Brandon Hughes, CB, Oregon St. (Round 5, Pick 12 - 148th Overall)

I thought after a night of sleep I'd wake up and realize why this pick was made. Nope. Brandon Hughes is an undersized corner (5'10.5", 182lbs) with good speed. The scouting report on Hughes describes him as "feisty, physical and quick" when playing the run or a screen pass, so he likes to hit. Due to his size he has a hard time fighting through blocks and has only average ball skills (and hands). His ceiling seems to be as a nickel corner.

2009 Outlook: Brandon Hughes will not see the field in 2009. With five or six cornerbacks ahead of him on the roster, Hughes will most likely end up on the practice squad.

Pick Grade: D-

Kevin Ellison, S, USC (Round 6, Pick 16 - 189th Overall)

Rodney Harrison, part two. Kevin Ellison is a linebacker with good enough ball skills to play safety. He is without a doubt a strong safety, one who likes being the 8th man in the box and laying a big hit on a RB or a WR coming across the middle. Ellison's scouting report says he's very good at defending TEs over the middle, but struggles with covering a RB or WR near the sidelines.

The question I'm asking with this pick is if the big, hard-hitting strong safety with marginal cover skills is still an asset in the NFL. The Chargers let Rodney Harrison go, the Cowboys let Roy Williams go and it seems teams are looking more for fast/quick players that can lay the lick (like Polamalu) than a linebacker to play in the secondary.

2009 Outlook: Kevin Ellison could end up taking the starting safety spot away from Clinton Hart with a good training camp. If he shows the same level of ability or better in coverage as a rookie, I have no reason to believe they'd put Hart out there. Even if Ellison doesn't win the job out of camp, he could be the starter by the end of the season.

Pick Grade: B-

Demetrius Byrd, WR, LSU (Round 7, Pick 15 - 224th Overall)

I always liked Demetrius Byrd. He was one of those players that I couldn't quite put my finger on why I liked him so much, but it seemed like when the ball was in the air he just wanted it more. In reality, there are several things I can take out of that sentence and translate. One, he plays with passion. Two, he has the strength to fight for the ball. Three, he's a QB's best friend (a receiver who comes back to the ball). Four, he's tough. Fifth, he's the best college receiver I've seen at making an over-the-shoulder catch in-stride. And finally, Byrd has a burst of speed that cannot be captured in statistics or measurements.

Byrd was projected to go in the 5th round or higher, but a recent one-car accident has put him in the hospital with no news as to the severity of his injuries. If he fully recovers, it's a steal. If he doesn't, it was still a good risk to take.

2009 Outlook: Recovery, I imagine. Depending on the severity of his injuries, Byrd may not be able to play at all this season. In his first healthy year I expect Byrd to be our 4th receiver and push for the slot receiver spot.

Pick Grade: B

Poll

What did you think of the Chargers 2009 draft?

Loved it! We filled our needs on both sides of the ball

284 votes

Hated it! These guys will not contribute!

55 votes

Too early to tell

630 votes

969 votes | Poll has closed

Curtis Taylor and Ricky Jean-Francois to San Francisco; Demetrius Byrd to San Diego

Richard Pittman — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:56:54 -0000

More photos » by Bill Haber - AP

8 months ago: FILE - In this Sept. 27, 2008, file photo, LSU wide receiver Demetrius Byrd (2) breaks away from Mississippi State defender Tay Bowser (28) on his way to a touchdown during an NCAA college football game in Baton Rouge, La. Byrd was in critical but stable condition Monday, April 19, 2009, after a car accident in Miami, and his agent said the NFL prospect was expected to fully recover. (AP Photo/Bill Haber, File)

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Three Tigers were picked in the final round of the draft today as safety Curtis Taylor was picked by San Francisco, in what I would say was a bit of a surprise, especially considering Darry Beckwith, Demetrius Byrd, Marlon Favorite, Kirston Pittman, Brett Helms, and Ricky Jean-Francois had all not yet been picked. Favorite, Beckwith, Helms, and Pittman would not hear their names called at all. I find that to be a mild surprise in all cases, but especially with Beckwith who some thought would go as high as the second round.

Ricky Jean-Francois was the last Tiger selected, and he will join Curtis Taylor in San Francisco. Jean-Francois was an enigma at LSU, spending more time away from the field than on it for one reason or another, and not having the big season that was expected of him in 2008. He's exactly the kind of player who sometimes makes a better pro than amateur however, as he sometimes shows outstanding athleticism.

Between Taylor and Jean-Francois, San Diego picked wide receiver Demetrius Byrd, who probably would have gone a little earlier had he not gotten into a somewhat serious car accident earlier this week. Byrd will join former Tiger Craig Davis, but Byrd never played with Davis as Byrd was a JUCO transfer who came in after Davis left.

It is a big disappointment that Beckwith was not drafted. He came back for his senior season, but then lost time due to injuries and was not as productive as a senior as he had been as a junior. From his freshman season, he appeared destined to be a solid draft pick and I imagine he must be devastated at being overlooked.

In all, six Tigers were drafted, and that's a pretty nice number, but half of them were drafted in the closing round, and only one was drafted before the 5th round. With Favorite and Pittman not being drafted, it ends a long streak in which every regular starting defensive lineman at LSU was drafted into the NFL. I do not have the numbers, but the streak goes back a number of years, into the Lavalais, Spears, Hill era and perhaps beyond.

One is forced to conclude that the 2008 version of the LSU Tigers just were not all that talented, at least among the seniors. Between players being drafted lower than expected and players not being drafted at all, this was a rather disappointing draft for LSU, despite Tyson Jackson's surprise top 3 pick. The deficit spans the transition time between the Saban and Miles eras, as H. Johnson, Favorite and Pittman were Saban signees and Beckwith and Francois were Miles signees.

Clearly something was off this year, as I firmly believe that Beckwith, Favorite, and PIttman all would have been drafted had they declared in 2007.

San Diego Chargers select Demetrius Byrd, WR, LSU

John (obviousman) — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 22:15:18 -0000

via photos.al.com

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Demetrius Byrd

#2 / Wide Receiver / LSU Tigers

Height: 6-3

Weight: 200

Year: senior

The San Diego Chargers selected Demetrius Byrd from LSU with the 224th pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. He will be a project WR that could provide our receiving corps with some much-needed depth. Keep in mind that after 2009 Vincent Jackson's contract is up and Chris Chambers is having a harder time staying healthy as he gets older.

The Valley Ranch Review: Dallas’ Draft Board - Chock Full of "Tough Guys"

Aaron Novinger — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 04:00:13 -0000

Tom Ciskowski, Dallas' director of college and pro scouting, succeeded in his first draft last year, hitting on 5 of 6 players. With eleven picks this year, the organization has the ammunition to trade around to target guys who fit Ciskowski's vision of Cowboys; not just talented, but are football "tough" with football "smarts".

Ciskowski has devised a position-by-position set of characteristics he seeks for any player, and the consistent themes throughout every spot are willingness to work, and intelligence. It's a value system where toughness is almost as important as talent. He is pushing in the direction of the increasingly popular, if slightly boring, tough-guy, fits our-mold football player.

Ciskowski has his outline, his plan, and his vision for what he wants. According to various Valley Ranch sources, Ciskowski is allowed to set up the draft board the way he wants it; it's almost as if it's Jerry proof, and there will be no chance of taking a Quincy Carter in the second round.

Toughness and a willingness to do the grunt work is why Sam Hurd is still a Cowboy.

Rick Gosselin analyzes how the prospects in this year's draft can help Dallas' special teams units.

A Tyson Middle School student interviewed Ken Hamlin about what makes a team successful.

"It's little things that are going to make you great," Hamlin said. "We have things that are making us good right now. We have to make the next step and do some little things here and there to make us great."

More Isaiah Stanback and Wild Cat speculation.

The DMN's draft series features wide receivers, beginning with Rice's Jarrett Dillard.

NBC's DFW affiliate discusses which positions will make up Dallas' draft board.

Here is an update on LSU's Demetrius Byrd. The WR is expected to make a full recovery from Monday's car accident.

Around the NFL 4/21

John (obviousman) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 17:41:29 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sancya - AP

Detroit Lions president Tom Lewand unveils the new team logo in Madison Heights, Mich., Monday April 20, 2009. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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The Jaguars signed Torry Holt to a three-year deal. I watched a lot of Holt last year, after he was auto-drafted onto my fantasy team, and he is finished. Physically he's no longer fast enough, quick enough and strong enough. Mentally he doesn't understand that and gets angry when the balls not thrown to him. If he's agreed to be a number 2 in Jacksonville he might be able to be an Eric Parker-like player, but this signing is not the news it would've been several years ago.

Former LSU receiver Demetrius Byrd is in intensive care after a car accident in Miami. I liked Byrd a lot in college and was hoping the Chargers might grab him in the 5th round, but now he most likely won't be drafted and will have to work out for teams once he's healthy to prove that there's no risidual effect.

The Detroit Lions unveiled a new logo, new lettering and new uniforms for the upcoming season. I've secretly rooted for the Lions since the days of Barry Sanders (I even have a Joey Harrington bobblehead doll) and love the new logo and lettering. It looks fierce and it takes them into the 21st century. Reminds me of when the Cardinals switched to the "meaner" bird logo, it just freshens things up.

Remember those stories of B.J. Raji, Clay Matthews, Vontae Davis and Brian Cushing failing their drug tests? Turns out, they're all clean.

SI.com has an extensive list of scouting reports for all of your NFL Draft needs. Here are direct links to some of the players that have been discussed here:

Talking points: What? No national championship this year?

Joel — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 11:46:20 -0000

More photos » by Wade Payne - AP

Whaddya mean no national championship this year!?

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Tennessee Football

John Adams cautions fans that it will take years of solid recruiting to turn Tennessee into a championship program. Likely true, although, and I don't have the link for it handy, but Bruce Feldman has the evidence to show that most national championships occur in a new coach's first four years. Generally not the first, though, and Mike Griffith thinks the safe pick for the Vols next season is third in the SEC East with an over/under of eight wins in the regular season.
Lane Kiffin spoke at a fan rally yesterday -- and took no shots at any rivals or otherwise made any inflammatory comments. Dude's losing his touch already! He did say this about the Vol Walk, though:
I've been in three Rose Bowls, two Orange Bowls. Halfway through that Vol Walk, I kind of blanked out a little bit and didn't know where I was. I was really feeling like I was at a national championship or something because of all the energy. I got in the locker room and had to remind myself that this is only the spring game.

They've been at South Carolina, Auburn, Alabama and Ole Miss and they said they'd never been a part of anything like that. I don't think it was just the sheer numbers, because I think they've been a part of the numbers. But the energy that was there, the emotion that the fans were pouring out was really special.

That's almost certainly an overexaggeration, but it tastes good going down.

SEC

Alabama fans are mighty proud of their new promotional ads.
War Eagle Atlanta made his first A-Day game in 24 years as a fan.
Former LSU WR Demetrius Byrd has been hospitalized following a car accident. It's sounding like he's going to be okay.

NCAA

Rumor alert. SEC Live News says they're hearing that Home Depot is insisting on a shakeup of the ESPN GameDay crew, which, if true, is really dumb. According to the rumor, Corso is out and Holtz is in, and Fowler is out, to be replaced by ESPN Baseball Tonight and Sports Center anchor Karl Ravech.

Scouting the news

Mocking Dan — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 21:59:14 -0000

The Bears have set up a private workout with Oklahoma offensive tackle Phil Loadholt. Huh. Someone had the Bears taking taking Loadholt in their latest mock. The Bears' pick is a challenging one to project. By all accounts, the top four offensive tackles could be gone by the time they pick, and a receiver could be a stretch pick.

Former Wisconsin running back P.J. Hill was arrested Saturday on suspicion of drunken driving and leading police on a chase. The question for Hill now becomes whether he'll be drafted or not. He was impressive at the NFL Scouting Combine, showing up trimmed down at 222 pounds. He was at best a fourth round pick and could be completely off some team's boards at this point.

For former LSU wide receiver Demetrius Byrd, the biggest question during 2008 was about his maturity. At the Tigers' pro day, he admitted to being frustrated with the team's quarterback situation. He let that demeanor show in a somewhat disappointing season. However, the damage may be done. Seventeen teams showed up at the LSU pro day, including Saints head coach Sean Payton and Panthers coach John Fox.

Dan Pompei, the great columnist for the Chicago Tribune, weighs in on who should be the No. 1 pick. He says Jason Smith. Of late, that seems to be the consensus after he reportedly impressed members of the Lions front office in an interview.

In other Chicago news, the Bears are going to work out Ohio State's Todd Boeckman. For me, Boeckman looked like an NFL quarterback his junior season. As a senior, he seemed less confident when pressure was on and really struggles passing on the move. He's a sleeper though, for sure. Chicago will also work out North Carolina wide receiver Hakeem Nicks.

Arguably no team this offseason has improved itself more than Detroit. The trade for Julian Peterson is being considered a good one. And don't forget Detroit has picks 1, 20 and 33 in the draft.

Staffers at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (one of my favorite sports staffs in the nation) weigh in on which direction the Rams might go in the second round.