SBNation.com User Blog: SDNativeinTX

A History of the San Diego Chargers – Part 7 – Not Quite Good Enough

SDNativeinTX — Fri, 10 May 2013 12:44:16 -0000

The Chargers went through the remaining four seasons of the 60’s with Gilman as the Head Coach, John Hadl as the QB, a future Hall of Fame Receiver (Alworth), and a future Hall of Fame RT (Mix). Although the Chargers did not return to the AFL Championship Game before the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, they also did not have a losing season in that timespan. Why did the team fall short of another shot at an AFL Championship? As is the usual case in these sorts of things, there were many contributing factors.

Catch up on previous installments: Part 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1

Poor Drafts and Lack of Acquiring Quality Veteran FA’s

A review of the team’s drafts from 1966 through 1969 shows that there was exactly ONE impact player taken in those drafts that actually signed with the team: Russ Washington in 1968. Washington was an excellent Tackle that played with the team through 1982. Many of the other players drafted in that time remained with the team through the early–or–mid-Seventies, so you could hardly term the picks "busts", but they were journeyman–level players. Good enough to make the team, but not good enough to be standouts at their positions.

Prior to the announcement of the common draft — due to start in 1967 — word was starting to get out that the Charger’s management was difficult to deal with in getting paid well unless you were a marquee player at a marquee position (sound familiar?).

In 1966, the team drafted a fine LB in Doug Buffone, who signed with the Bears and played until 1979. Baron Hilton was having financial issues — his "Diner’s Club" credit cards were a dismal failure — and he was putting pressure on Sid Gilman to keep salaries down, except for those few stars that would put people in the seats.

The financial issues finally led to Hilton selling the team in 1967 — which was also the team’s first year in their new $27 Million state–of–the–art stadium in Mission Valley — for $10 Million dollars to a mostly–LA–based group of 21 investors, headed by a personal friend of Hilton’s: Beverly Hills developer Eugene V. Klein.

In his drafting, free agent acquisitions, and contract negotiations from 1964 through 1969, Sid Gilman the General Manager made life a lot more difficult for Sid Gilman the Head Coach. This was in contrast to the drafting and free agent signings that GM Gilman did in 1961 and 1962 that set up Head Coach Gilman’s division–winning runs that ended in 1965.

Departing and Declining Talent That Was Not Replaced

1966 hit the defense HARD. Before the month of January was done, both Earl Faison and Big Cat Ladd were gone. An attempt to trade the two to Houston was voided: the league determined that Bud Adams, the Houston owner, had tampered with the two players.

The trade was meant to "resolve" a contract dispute that had been simmering since 1963. The dispute concluded with the team trading Ladd to Houston later (the league approved that trade) and receiving little in return. Faison had a far worse outcome. Dealing with a worsening back problem, he eventually re-signed with the Chargers, but was cut on October 18, 1966 after ineffective play. Faison was out of football after 1966.

Perhaps an even bigger loss in January was the departure of Defensive Backfield Coach Chuck Noll to the Baltimore Colts.

Whatever the reason — the loss of key defensive linemen and linebackers, or the departure of Noll, or both — the Chargers defensive performance dropped to 4th in scoring and 7th in yards allowed in the 8–team league in 1966.

The offense also dropped off and much of it can be traced to the decline in Paul Lowe and the loss of Dave Koucerek, an original Charger and reliable TE to the Miami Dolphins in the expansion draft. Lowe only rushed for 643 yards during the 1966 season (he led the team in rushing yards), despite the offensive line returning intact. It was Lowe’s final year starting with the Chargers and his replacements in the late 60’s were just not as good as Lowe was in the early 60’s.

The team started the 1966 season 4-1, but finished with a 7-6-1 record and 3rd place in the AFL West. The meltdown over the last 9 games was pretty bad. I was able to find highlights for the first 5 games and maybe it was a blessing not being able to locate the next two parts.

1966 SAN DIEGO CHARGERS SEASON HIGHLIGHTS (via GRIDIRONBYCINEMA88)

The Rest of the AFL Figured It Out

Al Davis left the Chargers right before the 1963 Championship season. Faulkner had left for Denver the year before. Both men were Gilman disciples and knew the "Field Balance Theory" and vertical passing game well. As they began to implement the vertical passing game, the rest of the AFL began to figure out how to defend it or implemented the offense themselves (or both). In the case of the Oakland team and others (the Jets once they got Namath), some teams were even able to improve upon it.

The Kansas City Chiefs went another direction. Hank Stram’s innovations were in the run game and his formations are still seen in today’s offenses. The offset T, the offset I, the slant formations; all of them were developed and perfected by Stram.

The league’s defenses were being constructed to deal with the vertical passing game, too. Linemen that were capable of putting on a pass rush, fast defensive backs, linebackers that could either blitz or cover TE’s and RB’s, and safeties that terrorized any receiver over the middle were now featured on many AFL teams. This was a marked difference from the "stop the run first" defenses in 1960.

Zone coverage and double team coverage, especially on the deep threat receiver, were other innovations to answer the "Field Balance" type of offenses. Defenses had ideas on how to control the vertical passing game by 1964; assembling the talent was in progress, nearly done, or completed for many teams by 1966. The decline in Alworth’s receiving yardage in 1966 through 1970 illustrated the adjustments the league’s defenses were making. The final statement on this type of defense was seen in the early 70’s with Chuck Noll’s "Steel Curtain" defense in Pittsburgh.

The improvement in the rest of the AFL West was clearly seen in the 1967, 1968, and 1969 seasons. The Oakland team won the division in 1967 with a 13-1 record; the Chiefs went 9-5. The Chargers 8-5-1 record, which had gotten them a division title in 1964, was good for 3rd place. Kansas City and Oakland both went 12-2 in 1968. The Chargers went 9-5 and came in 3rd again. 3rd place was also the result of the 1969 season with the Chargers finishing 8-6, behind the Oakland team (12-1-1) and the Chiefs (11-3). The Charger teams of the late 60’s were still good teams, just not quite good enough.

The team had their chances through the late ‘60’s. Hot starts would be followed by late season meltdowns (’66 & ’67). The team would lose key games to divisional opponents after playing fairly well throughout the season (1968). Or a mid-year losing streak would put the team into 3rd place again (1969). The Chargers had some great performances, like Speedy Duncan putting up 203 return yards with two TD’s, while single handedly dismantling the Chiefs at home in 1967. Hadl to Alworth was still a deadly combination, it just was not happening as often during these years as it had during 1963 – 1965.

Charger Football could still be fun to watch, whether it was happening in a Buffalo mud bowl in 1968:

Chargers at Bills 1968 (via nitroradio99)

Or a blowout win against Buffalo in San Diego in 1969:

Bills at Chargers 1969 (via nitroradio99)

1969, the final AFL season, was significant for the Chargers. Right Tackle Ron Mix, the last of the original Chargers from 1960 and a 9–time Pro-Bowler, announced that he would retire at the end of the season. 1969 was also the first time the team played games under a head Coach not named Sid Gilman. On November 14, 1969, Gilman stepped down as Head Coach, for what was stated as "poor health". He retained the job of General Manager. Offensive Assistant Charlie Waller took over as head coach and went 4-1 over the last 5 games.

As the decade ended, both the team and professional football were radically changing. The merger of the AFL and NFL was completed after the fourth Super Bowl Game played in January of 1970. San Diego fans welcomed the new decade with optimism that a new Head Coach would breathe new life into a team that had experienced only one losing season in 10 years, but missed the playoffs with 3rd–place finishes in their division for 4 straight years.

Unfortunately, the optimism going into 1970 had become despair by 1972.

San Diego Chargers History: Jack Kemp's Revenge

SDNativeinTX — Sat, 04 May 2013 17:41:32 -0000

The 1964 Season

Entering into 1964, the "World Champion" San Diego Chargers were at the top of the AFL. They had suffered only one losing season of the four they had played. It was easy to imagine that their success would be as constant and wonderful as the Southern California weather. I imagine that if somebody would have told Sid Gilman on January 6, 1964 that the Chargers would go at least another 49 seasons without winning a league championship, the Chargers' Head Coach would have laughed in their face.

The Chargers were dealing with the problems of success, such as Assistant Coach Al Davis leaving before the 1963 season to become Head Coach of the Oakland Raiders, but all challenges looked manageable in 1964. The coaching staff, starting with Gilman and Chuck Noll, was still excellent. The team was loaded with stars in the prime of their careers. Let the good times keep rolling…

The Chargers selected LBs (Ted Davis and John Kirby) for the first choices of the 1964 draft, but the 4th round yielded Dave Parks, a WR that remained with the team through 1973. Parks would finish his career with 360 catches, 44 TD’s, and 5,619 total receiving yards. Not a bad 9 year career, but not spectacular.

Drafts like this would characterize the Charger’s efforts for the next few years; unlike the spectacular 1961 and 1962 drafts, the team would get a solid player or two but few standouts. One free agent addition would make the Charger’s 50th Anniversary team as a Kick Returner, right next to Darren Sproles. That was Leslie "Speedy" Duncan.

A Man They Called Speedy (via nexlev818)

Tobin Rote started the first five games in 1964, but yielded to John Hadl for the remainder of the season. (Gilman, for reasons not fully articulated at the time or later, started Rote in the AFL Championship Game.) The Chargers promptly ran off a 5 game winning streak, going 7-2-1 through their first 10 games of the season. During the 10th game, a 28-14 victory against the Kansas City Chiefs, disaster struck in the form of Lance Alworth suffering a season ending knee injury. The Chargers went 1-3 in the last four games, finishing with an 8-5-1 record, barely beating out the Oakland team, which finished at 7-7.

The 1964 AFL Championship Game was played in Buffalo, which had held off the Boston Patriots (finishing with a 10-3-1 record) for the East Division crown by posting a fine 12-2 record. Already without Alworth, Keith Lincoln left the game in the 1st quarter with a broken rib resulting from a hit by LB Mike Stratton that has reached almost legendary status in Buffalo. Without two major weapons on offense, playing in the cold weather of Buffalo, the resulting final score was predictable; 20-7, Bills. The Chargers had fallen short in a championship game again.

The 1965 Season

The draft ushering in the 1965 season leaned heavily on San Diego State players; 3 Aztecs graduated from the Bowl on Montezuma Mesa to Balboa Stadium. The best of the group was Gary Garrison, a receiver that turned out to be a good complement to Lance Alworth in the late 60’s. Four other players turned out to be journeyman level players; Steve DeLong, Gene Foster, Bob Evans and Steve Tensi were solid players that stayed with the team for years, but were not difference makers.

The real splash in the 1965 draft produced quite a stir on the other coast, with the selection of Joe Namath by the New York Jets. Namath’s decision to sign with the Jets (and not the St. Louis Cardinals), plus the incredible boon of the "outrageous" TV contract that NBC signed with the AFL, for the (at the time) incredible sum of $36 Million a year, convinced a majority of the NFL owners that the AFL was here to stay and needed to be dealt with in a different way. During 1965, the term "merger" was starting to be openly discussed.

With Hadl firmly entrenched at QB (Rote had retired after the 1964 Championship Game), plus Alworth and Lincoln back on the field, the Chargers blew through the first part of their schedule in 1965, not losing a game until Halloween that year; although there were two ties. Statistically, the 1965 team was as dominant as the 1963 squad, finishing 1st in the AFL in offensive yards and scoring; 1st in defensive yards allowed and 2nd in defensive scoring.

The unquestioned leader of the team was Lance Alworth. In a spectacular 14 game performance during that season, he accounted for 1,602 receiving yards and 14 TD’s on 69 receptions. At the time, that was good for #2 on the single season receiving yards record list (Charlie Hennigan, a receiver for the Houston Oilers posted 1,746 receiving yards in 1961). Alworth’s place on that single season record list would remain unchanged until 1995. Paul Lowe added in 1,121 rushing yards and 6 TD’s. Keith Lincoln and Gene Foster, splitting time at Fullback, combined for another 5 TD’s and 1,346 yards from scrimmage (rushing and receiving).

Big Cat Ladd and Earl Faison, both named to the "All-AFL Team" (think 1st team Pro-Bowl) continued to dominate the line of scrimmage on defense. Chuck Allen was a stalwart at Mike LB. The secondary was superb, with two being named as "AFL All-Stars" (think named to the Pro-Bowl), Kenny Graham and Speedy Duncan. Duncan was also a special team weapon, contributing 1,026 all-purpose yards in kickoff and punt returns.

All-in-all, the 1965 Chargers were a team loaded with talented football players and they were superbly coached. Winding up the 1965 regular season, the team even looked like it was peaking at the right time of the year, winning the last three games of the season by a combined score of 99-47. The stage was set for a rematch with Buffalo in the AFL Championship Game. The Chargers were the hosts this time and went into the December 26, 1965 contest favored by 7 points.

As much as the 1963 Championship Game illustrated the best of Sid Gilman the Head Coach, the 1965 contest illustrated the worst. The Monday before the game, Coach Gilman gave an interview to a reporter from the Buffalo News. In that interview, Gilman offered up his opinion on the game and Jack Kemp: "You know, there is no way we can lose this game on Sunday…We’re going to win this game because Kemp has the maturity of a 10-year-old girl." Going into the game, Gilman did not put any winkles into the offense or defense. On the other hand, Lou Saban (no relation to Nick), Buffalo’s head coach did.

Defensively, the Bills double teamed Alworth (which was a rare defensive tactic in those days) on nearly every play. Saban also blitzed one or more of his linebackers on any pass play. As a result, Hadl’s primary read was usually covered and he had insufficient time to make proper progression reads. Hadl hurried many of his throws, forced others, was sacked 5 times, and finished the game with a poor 11 completions on 23 attempts and two INT’s. The Chargers got close enough to try two field goals in the first half; one was blocked and the other missed.

Offensively, the Bills used a two TE formation frequently in the game, another rarity at the time, which permitted them to run, use play action passes, and bootlegs to keep Ladd and Faison off of Kemp. Kemp did not have a spectacular day either, but he did throw one TD pass and had one interception. The biggest play of the game was a 74 yard punt return by Butch Byrd. The game ended with Buffalo winning 23-0 in a game where the stat lines were not spectacular for either team. It was a game where Buffalo gave max effort, got a couple of big plays, and executed a well-conceived game plan. For the Chargers, the missed field goals, lack of in-game adjustments, and failures to execute added up to a bad day at the worst possible time.

The highlights of the 1964 and 1965 Championship games start around the 5:00 mark in this video and the hit on Lincoln in the ’64 game is at 6:10: (Warning: Bills-centric video.)

buffalo Bills 2 (via padmasterdude)

For the Chargers, the bad days at the worst possible times were just getting started.

An Alternative History of the San Diego Chargers' 2013 NFL Draft

SDNativeinTX — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 14:53:00 -0000

Round 1 (11) Desmond Trufant – CB

National Football Post: The ~~Falcons~~ Chargers address a big need with the selection of Trufant after ~~cutting~~ losing CB ~~Dunta Robinson~~ Quentin Jammer and ~~losing CB Brent Grimes~~ Antoine Cason to free agency. Trufant is a very smooth, fluid athlete with great ball skills. For a cornerback who is willing to come up and defend the run, he also excels in coverage because of his excellent instincts and awareness.

Tom Telesco’s comments after Round 1: “There were several players we considered here and just about drafted a lineman we really liked. What this pick came down to was getting an outstanding all-around cornerback for the Chargers that fills a team need. All of us believe Desmond will be an immediate starter and cornerstone for our defense.”

Round 2 (45) Terron Armstead – T

National Football Post: The ~~Saints~~ Chargers address a major need with Armstead, a potential starting left tackle. Armstead's technique is inconsistent, and he clearly needs to improve his core strength, but he displays an outstanding ability to shuffle and redirect on the edge. Armstead will likely serve as the understudy to ~~Charles Brown~~ King Dunlap as a rookie, but don't be surprised to see him develop into an NFL starter on the blind side.

Tom Telesco’s comments after Round 2: “Offensive line was a major issue for this team last year and we had come into this round, really this draft, with a goal of improving our line, beyond some of the guys we’ve brought in as free agents. This player’s athletic potential is off the charts; he’s smart, competitive, and loves playing the game. Our offensive coaches are really excited to begin teaching him the finer points of how to play tackle in the NFL. This is a player with a great future in this league and that future may not be too far off.”

Round 3 (76) Jonathan Jenkins – NT

National Football Post: The ~~Saints are transitioning to~~ Chargers run a 3-4 defense, so it is no surprise to see them select a true nose tackle this early in the draft. Jenkins must improve his conditioning, but he possesses the natural strength and leverage to control the line of scrimmage and surprising foot quickness for a man his size. The ~~Saints~~ Chargers are doing an excellent job filling glaring holes on ~~a historically awful~~ an improving defense with players that also present good value.

Tom Telesco’s comments after Round 3: “This was a tough decision for all of us. There were a couple of amazing athletes, really talented football players, still available in addition to Jenkins. It really came down to need. If we would have had any need at all, we would have probably gone a different direction and been really happy with our pick. With that being said, adding a guy like Jonathan to our defensive line can only help this team get better. Now we have Thomas, Liuget, Reyes, and Jenkins and we believe this could be one of the best 3-4 defensive line rotations in the league right now. Most of our fans remember Jamal Williams and we see the same kind player in Jenkins.”

Round 4 (110) Barrett Jones – OL

USA Today: Jones is one of the most decorated linemen in college football history, earning three national title rings and multiple All-America accolades with the Tide. He has played all five spots on the offensive line — well — but ~~left guard~~ an as yet to be determined line position in ~~St. Louis~~ San Diego could be his ticket. Jones has played through myriad injuries and gutted out Alabama's 2012 title march with a Lisfranc (foot) injury, which says a lot about his toughness.

Tom Telesco’s comments after Round 4: “As I mentioned after taking Terron, we were not satisfied, even after free agency, with the offensive line going into the draft and wanted to improve that unit during the draft. Jones fits in with what we want to accomplish on offense; he’s smart, he’s tough, a passionate competitor, loves the game, puts his team’s needs first and will be a solid asset for the Chargers. We have a few ideas of where he can play. A lot of people seem to forget about him winning the Outland Trophy two years ago. His doctors and ours tell us he’ll be ready for the June mini-camp and good to go for training camp.”

Round 5 (145) A.J. Klein – ILB

Charlotte Observer: Klein can play all three linebacker spots, and essentially fills the role of ex-~~Panther~~ Charger ~~Jason Phillips~~ Takeo Spikes~~, who signed with Philadelphia as a free agent this offseason~~. Klein is best suited as a run-stopper at the middle and strong-side spots. The knock on Klein is his straight-ahead speed, although he ran the 40-yard dash in a respectable 4.66 seconds at the combine and returned four of his five career interceptions at Iowa State for touchdowns.

Tom Telesco’s comments after Round 5: “I guess this franchise needs to have at least one AJ around. Seriously, we were really surprised to see AJ Klein drop into the 5th round. We jumped at the opportunity to make sure our inside linebackers are a strong unit of our defense. It’s not a stretch at all for me to envision Klein coming into camp and proving that he is a starter in this league right away. This player has fantastic tackling technique, was the captain of his college football team, and has incredible instincts. This may be our biggest steal of the draft; we thought he might be gone in the 3rd round!”

Round 6 (179) Baccari Rambo – S

USA Today: If Colonel Trautman can rein him in, Rambo's always a good guy to have on your team, right? In this case, the ~~Redskins~~ Chargers are getting a player who's occasionally gone rogue off the field but has shown plenty of ability on it. Maybe he can become an impact ~~player~~ Strong Safety for a team that hasn't had one on the back line since ~~LaRon Landry~~ Rodney Harrison was on the team ~~healthy~~.

Tom Telesco’s comments after Round 6: “We felt this was a justifiable risk pick in this round for a player that physically graded out 1-3 rounds higher depending on who you talk to. If it were not for the off the field issues, he probably would have been selected in the 4th round; that was where we had him. We’re hoping that with the accountability we can ask from him and his representatives, that he can make good decisions off the field and become a productive professional football player. I absolutely expect him to compete for playing time. I think he’ll be able to learn a lot about playing safety from Eric Weddle and our coaches. I like the potential Rambo brings to the Chargers.”

Round 7 (221) Reid Fragel – T

Land Grant Holy Land (SB Nation Ohio State Blog): On tape, his physical upside was apparent. There were a few games where he looked promising as a mid-to-late round pick. The combine only confirmed what most thought; Fragel is on everybody's list of developmental players with a starting NFL future. I really like him, and I think he'll add strength, bulk and technique with an NFL team. (Joe Goodberry)

Tom Telesco’s comments after Round 7: “Reid has a lot to learn about being a right tackle, but he sure looks the part. Coach D’Alessandris thinks that he could develop into a good all-around right tackle in this league with some work, so we decided with our last pick to get him on the team and see what he has to contribute.”

Poll

Which is better?

Tom Telesco's Draft

419 votes

SDNativeinTX's Draft

124 votes

543 votes | Poll has closed

Analysis: How far are the San Diego Chargers from being a playoff team?

SDNativeinTX — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 02:05:41 -0000

Since the NFL expanded to 32 teams, 6 teams from each conference earn a playoff spot at the end of the regular season. This is something that the San Diego Chargers have not done since 2009. What has happened to a team that made the playoffs 5 out 6 seasons in the 2004-2009 run has been well chronicled on this site. Discussions on how to fix the problem usually feature a lot of emotion and far too little clinical analysis.

My idea was to look at the formation of the most recent playoff teams and evaluate significant differences between those teams and the 2012 Chargers. The next step is to figure what changes need to be made to get this franchise back into the post-season.

Method of Analysis

I listed the 22 starting positions of an offense and defense and looked at how the team got the player, through the draft (D), in a trade (T), or by signing the player as a free agent (FA). I then investigated which round the player was drafted in (1-7) and assigned those players that were never drafted an 8 to the "draft round" column for each team. This gave me an average of the talent level on each team, based on draft position. An average of 1 would be a team composed exclusively of first round picks and an average of 8 would be a team made from all UDFA’s.

A UDFA that was picked by their current playoff team was listed as D8; they were selected by the team, but not in the draft. A player that signed a contract with another team as an UDFA and was released or otherwise allowed to walk that later signed with the playoff team after being in the league on another team was labeled FA8. All FA’s were assigned their original drafted or undrafted status for the "draft round" figure.

Going across, I could then see which positions had the lowest values (highest draft picks) to give an idea of where the GM’s for the playoff teams put their attention and which positions were more of a "spare parts" proposition. I normalized for the difference between 3-4 and 4-3 defenses by only averaging the players involved that are unique to their positions (Nose Tackles and the linebackers). There were 6 of each type of defense that made the playoffs last year, so any of the arguments based on 3-4 teams not making the playoffs is simply not valid. (This was one of the first revelations; in the modern NFL, a defense can be successful using either base scheme. Even more to the point, both of the teams in the Super Bowl that crowned the Ravens as league champions use a 3-4 defense.)

You can view the entire spreadsheet here

The Results

The overall talent on the 12 playoff teams did not show too wide of a distribution. The team with lowest average was the 49ers, with a 2.95 average. This indicates that the "typical" 49er player is a 3rd round pick or, to put it another way, the 49ers have held on to more of their first and second round picks than other teams.

The team with the highest average was the Washington Redskins, with a 4.71 round starter average. The Redskins were also the outlier on FA composition; 11 of their starters at the end of 2012 were signed by the ‘skins as free agents. The playoff team with the lowest number of FAs as starters were the Green Bay Packers with 2.

What I found interesting was the average draft choices by position. Yes, QB was ranked fairly high, with a 1.92 average draft round for QB, good for 3rd highest. There was more variation in the AFC than the NFC (3 QB’s were less than 1st round picks in the AFC, two in the NFC). The two positions that ranked higher than QB, was ROLB in the 3-4; all 6 of the starting ROLB’s in the playoffs were former 1st round picks for an average of 1. Combining the 4-3 "Sam" linebacker with the ROLB in the 3-4’s gives a 1.25 average, still good for the most highly ranked draft position on the playoff teams.

The second lowest average (signifying the use of higher draft picks) was at Left Tackle, with a 1.42 average. All of the LT’s for the playoff teams were drafted; none were acquired via free agency. The only two teams without a former first rounder trying to block the defense's former first round picks were Green Bay (5th round pick) and Cincinnati (2nd round pick). It is worth noting that the Packers allowed more sacks than any other team in the NFL last year.

Tied with the QB ranking was "CB1" with a 1.92 average ranking. This was also a position that had one of the highest FA numbers; 6 of the starting "CB1" players began their careers with another team before scoring a nice contract with a playoff team. WR1 was next (2.33), followed by DT (in a pure 4-3) at 2.67, and WR2 (tied with FS) at 2.92 rounded out the top 8 positions. The next two were RT at 3 even and TE at 3.17.

There were a few surprises for me:

Centers ranked next to last with an average Draft Round of 6.25.
There was no difference between a 3-4 NT and a DT2 in a4-3 defense at 4.5 and that draft round was a lot lower than I thought it would be.
Mike LB’s in a 4-3 (3.5) were more highly valued than the Will LB’s (5.0) and all of the other 3-4 LB’s. The 3-4 LB’s, a 3-4 defenses "playmakers", were ranked anywhere from 4.5 to 5.17.
Left Guards were more highly prized than Right Guards, 3.42 and 4.33 respectively.

So, What About the Bolts?

Comparing the average draft picks by aggregate of the playoff teams, some real discrepancies show up between those teams and the Chargers. Note the Wide Receivers; Malcolm Floyd and Danario Alexander were good pick-ups, but the model indicates that having one, if not two big gun receivers is a common trait among playoff teams.

The deficiency on the left side of the O-line has been well documented. Based on what the blueprint calls for, the sooner the Bolts get a first round pick plugged in at Left Tackle, the better. Right Tackle also needs an upgrade. The ROLB position, currently manned by Jarret Johnson is under allocated and needs to have Melvin Ingram, or another first round pick take over to match the blueprint. It also looks like the previous GM over-allocated draft picks and free agent signings on the Defensive line and ILB positions.

One final note: RB1 showed a high variation among the playoff teams; for every Adrian Peterson, there is an Arian Foster. While the Bolts have a 1st round pick on the team as their RB1, the production from the RB1 position, for whatever reason, has not matched the team’s investment in him by any objective measure. The same statement can be made for at least one of the team’s starting CB’s last season. While playoff teams do have at least one big gun CB, having two 1st round CB’s is not typical of the playoff teams from 2012. Having two is another over allocation, although that has been dealt with by letting the former first round picks walk. It looks like the team will need to get another top shelf CB fairly soon to match the blueprint.

Draft Time: Evaluating the Defensive Tackles

SDNativeinTX — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 17:06:49 -0000

Shariff Floyd, Florida (Projected: Top 10)

6’2", 300 pounds – Floyd had an upbringing that will remind many of Michael Oher’s. Floyd spent two years playing DE before getting moved back to his "natural" position at the interior line. He is the consensus #2 overall pick in this draft, right behind Joeckel. Floyd carries his 300 pound weight well, with wide shoulders and a powerful lower frame. This helps his game by giving him a solid base to anchor himself and hold his ground on run plays. His upper body and arm strength allows Floyd to knock away a blocker’s hands and get free in pass rush situations. He shows flashes of top end lateral agility, good burst, and short area quickness.

Scouts have cited 3 weaknesses to his game; lack of sustained quickness, playing too high at times (loss of leverage), and turning sideways when playing gaps. Two of those weaknesses can be coached out of him; the quickness may improve with NFL physical training. Floyd has shown steady improvement in his 3 years at Florida and many scouts believe he is only scratching the surface of his ability.

He is being compared to a familiar lineman, Corey Liuget. Most draft watchers predict Floyd going to the rivals or perhaps Jacksonville. While I think Floyd has a good future in the NFL, I doubt he will drop to the 11 pick and even if he does, we already have Liuget and Reyes. Our needs lie more in the Nose Tackle area and I do not believe that Floyd is stout enough to play that position well. He will play better as a traditional DT in a 4-3. Your evaluation may be different, though:

2013 NFL Draft Profile: Sharrif Floyd - Florida (via Erick Ward)

Star Lotuleilei, Utah (Projected: Top 20)

6’3", 315 pounds – Star has been playing DT for the last two years drawing double teams often and triple teams on occasion. His natural power and strength still enabled him to post a pretty respectable stat line and make frequent impact plays from a DT position. Star is a big man with a classic Pacific Islander build, which makes him almost impossible to move without perfect technique from a double team. He does show the rare ability to retain leverage and power while moving laterally and has field quickness, not just short area quickness. His initial move can be awesome and devastating; it was not unusual for him to blow up plays before they even really started to develop.

The biggest weakness scouts have cited is somewhat familiar when evaluating young men that were, by a wide margin, superior athletes to their competition at the college level. Star relies on his strength and the violence of his initial burst to win his match-up. He does not possess a lot of moves to shed blockers or win his match-up battle. When a blocker can resist the initial power move, Star can be stalemated. He will need to work on his technique in the NFL to become a complete player. Scouts have also cited his shorter than usual arms (33"+) and "carrying too much weight in the midsection" (Scout speak for packing a spare tire)as physical issues.

Some questions about a heart irregularity (this issue was medically put to rest right after the combine) may have driven down his value, but he is still expected to be a first round choice. Star grades out well as either 3-4 NT or 4-3 DT. This may be a viable option for the team if he drops to 11 and a trade back is not done. The Bolts could do a lot worse for a nose tackle in this year’s draft. Here is Star’s draft profile. It is impressive:

Star Lotulelei - 2013 NFL Draft Profile (via Erick Ward)

Jesse Williams, Alabama (Projected: 1st Rd)

6’4", 323 pounds – Jesse Williams is a fire hydrant of a man with short arms and legs for size, which gives him an imposing center of gravity. The Australian native is also freakishly strong, bench pressing 600 pounds, repping 30 times at the 225 mark and choosing to let that stand (scouts at his pro day thought he was good for at least 5-10 more based on his smoothness over the last 3 lifts). Williams is new to the game (he started playing when he was 15), but has learned well and has shown a good work ethic and passion to improve his game.

He has improved in his hand technique to shed blockers and is developing into a cognitive defender that can diagnose plays and drive to the point of attack. His weaknesses lie in his quickness and agility in pass rushing. He has little of either. Like a lot of other big men, he is vulnerable to cut blocks, especially when he gets his pad level high, which he does too often. He also seems to not be comfortable with clutter at his feet. The effort and strength are there, but the quickness and agility are not. He is compared to Vince Wilfork and that is not a bad thing. I believe his 2nd round grade is proper and if he is able to improve his agility, may be a steal. His draft profile shows a guy that takes up a lot of room in the middle and is pretty active:

Jesse Williams - 2013 NFL Draft profile (via Erick Ward)

Johnathan Hankins, Ohio St (Projected: 2nd Rd)

6’3", 320 pounds – Overuse by Urban Meyer probably did not help Hankins’ draft stock this year. Expected to be a top 12 pick at the beginning of the season, Hankins simply did not come off the field in 2012, playing for 65-70 snaps a game. He noticeably wore down at the end of games during the season, some scouts even stating that he looked like he was "taking plays off". Hankins has a large frame which permits his weight to be evenly distributed. He has good feet and a nice initial burst to split blockers and disrupt. He also possesses good agility, has field quickness, and is capable of being active outside the line box.

His scouted weaknesses raise some real concerns for me. He has a tendency to lose his cool or play out of control, which results in penalties for late hits or other PF’s. He has had a knee sprain that has not seemed to heal over two seasons. Scouts described his effort as "streaky". And like other big men, he is susceptible to cut blocks. Hankins also had a better year statistically in 2011, despite less playing time. Word from Ohio St. also leads some to believe that his weight and conditioning needs to be closely monitored.

Hankins is my least favorite of the three highest rated NT prospects. He does have some good physical tools, but the NFL requires smart play along with the physical requirements. The issues with perceived uneven effort and less than stellar off-season conditioning are deal breakers for me, too. And the recurring issue with the knee is the capper. Spending a second round pick on Hankins is too high of a price for player with that set of question marks. If he is there in the 3rd round, and he is the only option left, perhaps that would be fair value. Maybe you see something different:

Johnathan Hankins - 2013 NFL Draft Profile (via Erick Ward)

John Jenkins, Georgia (Projected: 2nd Rd)

6’4", 332 pounds – "Built like a Coke Machine and just as difficult to move." If that is not a good starting point for an NFL Nose Tackle, what is? For a man his size, he does show a good level of quickness and agility. He does not completely depend on his brute strength to win; he keeps his hands and feet active to either drive towards the QB or slide to the ball carrier. His balance is above average and he does have the ability to shrug off a blocker and tackle a runner trying to get by. Not surprisingly, he is a good bull rusher that can simply drive one or two blockers backwards if he wins the pad level (leverage) battle. He does a good job locating the ball.

His pass rush is hindered simply from his size; even with a good jump off the ball, he is simply too wide to avoid contact and being slowed by blockers. Possessing "phone booth quickness", Jenkins will make very few plays outside his immediate area. Scouts commented upon how early in games he wore down last season and consequent rising of his pad level when fatigued. One factor in his faster wearing down last season was his weight. He recently confessed to weighing 370 pounds during the SEC Championship game. In the first half of that game, he was giving Chance Warmack and Barrett Jones all they could handle, but became a non-factor in the 2nd half.

Jenkins has lost 40 pounds since last December and seems to be concentrating on his fitness headed into the draft. I prefer Jenkins over Hankins. If he is still available in the 3rd round, we should definitely get him; he should be considered if he is still on the board in Round 2. This is a player that should have some specific weight and fitness goals included in his contract. Right now, he is being compared to B.J. Raji which is pretty good, but given the right coaching, weight training and nutritional discipline, he has the potential to be the best Bolt NT since J-Wall. Take a look at the human Coke Machine yourself:

John Jenkins - 2013 NFL Draft Profile (via Erick Ward)

Some concluding notes

While I believe that Lotulelei, Williams, Jenkins, and Hankins would all be contributors this season, they would need to be part of a NT rotation. Hankins and Jenkins are probaly best if used for less than 40 plays, Williams perhaps a few more, and Lotulelei, the best athlete in the bunch, can probably be counted on for 60 plays in a game without breaking down at the end.

Draft Time: Evaluating the Guards (and One Right Tackle)

SDNativeinTX — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 23:52:50 -0000

Jonathon Cooper, North Carolina (Projected: Top 10)

6’2", 311 pounds - When you are getting compared to current or past pro-bowlers, the comparison really helps your draft stock. When you are getting compared to 9-time pro bowler that will likely be enshrined in Canton, that sends your value through the roof. Such is the case with Cooper. He is a fluid athlete that shows incredibly smooth mechanics in pulling and drive blocking. His pulling abilities have drawn comparisons to the great Alan Faneca. His only deficiencies for now seem to be a lack of elite strength and some footwork issues in pass pro. Scouts believe he may be susceptible to larger, stronger bull rushers early in his career. Still, both he and Warmack may the highest drafted Guards since Mike Iupati was taken in the 17th spot a few years ago by the 49ers.

While it may be tempting to take Cooper or Warmack at the 11 spot if the top shelf LT’s are gone, this team needs to restock talent at many positions that have relative scarcity for top rated prospects. If the Bolts do trade down in the first, I could see taking guard at 15+ in the first round, but spending an 11 pick on a guard, not matter how good they are, is a luxury the team can’t afford right now. Still, Cooper does look good:

Jonathan Cooper - 2013 NFL Draft Profile (via Erick Ward)

Chance Warmack, Alabama (Projected: Top 10)

6’2", 317 Pounds – A human fire hydrant, Warmack is built as solidly as a football player can be. Despite his stout frame, he is actually fairly light on his feet and slides as well as he anchors. Does not mind blocking interior D-linemen or hitting the second level to blast a linebacker. His only limitation is his size. He will play only Guard in the NFL. At this point, he is probably the better guard than Cooper, but with proper coaching and physical training, Cooper may actually turn out to be better a NFL guard. In any event, both Warmack and Cooper should be fine NFL interior linemen. Given the skill sets and body type, it is easy to project Pro Bowl level play from either, if not both of them within a couple of seasons.

Had the Chargers not gotten Rinehart and still had a hole at the Guard position, the drafting of either of these players at the 11 spot would have been OK in my opinion. Warmack is projected as high as a number eight pick in some mock drafts. Unfortunately, the team needs to acquire superior level talent at LT, and if that is not going to happen in the first round, there are just too many other roster spots that need a talent upgrade. Take a look at a fine interior lineman that will likely be playing for somebody else:

2013 NFL Draft Profile: Chance Warmack - Alabama (via Erick Ward)

Justin Pugh, Syracuse (Projected: 2nd Rd)

6’5", 307 – Pugh is listed as a Tackle but, while he has the height of a typical tackle, he does not have sufficient athleticism to play there in the NFL. Pugh is the opposite of Kyle Long. He started every game for three seasons at Syracuse (he missed 4 games in 2012 due to a shoulder injury), but is not an athletic freak. The main concerns to me are his shoulder injury (although to be fair, scouts say he looked fine after coming back from the shoulder injury) and his short arms (31.5"). Pugh showed up at the combine 17 pounds heavier than his 290 pound playing weight.

His mobility projects to the NFL, but he has suspect core strength and is widely criticized for having terrible hand technique. Should the Bolts go this direction, it should only be after thorough medical review of his left shoulder and further evaluation on his physical growth potential and ability to get stronger. Simply put, he is better suited to play Guard and the Bolts do not have as pressing a the need for that spot. Perhaps worth a 3rd pick or lower as a Right Tackle, but a reach in the 2nd round.

Justin Pugh - OL - Syracuse (via XOSSports)

Larry Warford, Kentucky (Projected: 2nd Rd)

6’3", 332 – With only one inch more of height on Cooper and Warmack, Warford routinely is scouted as being "too stout around the middle" (scout speak for "flabby"). He is also slow on pulls after showing what is described as "adequate" initial burst. He does drop his head at times which means a swim move from a quicker DT (which will be many of them in the NFL) will work against him. He is also lacking in straight line speed, which makes him delivering a block at the second level a fairly unusual sight.

He grades as a 2nd rounder by virtue of his ability to consume space in a pocket, unexpected balance and agility, and large shoulders that make it difficult for a defender to get by him. Scouts are also pleased with his hand strength and good awareness of stunts and blitzes. His size and good initial pop can knock smaller or weaker defenders off the ball. Overall, I do not like Warford in the 2nd round, but if he is there in the 3rd, that may be worth it. If he is on the Bolts, perhaps some fitness incentives in his contract may be beneficial. Even Guards need some speed in today’s NFL. Take a look for yourself:

2013 NFL Draft Profile: Larry Warford - Kentucky (via Erick Ward)

Brian Winters, Kent St (Projected: 3rd Rd)

6’4", 320 pounds - I must confess, Winters intrigues me a little more than Warford. Winters was a 3 year letterman in both wrestling and football in high school and it shows in his play. He has really good hand technique and seems to have instinctive feel for getting and maintaining leverage. Scouts praise his wide base, good natural weight distribution, and a really nasty streak in run blocking. He seems to really enjoy the one on one nature of line assignments. The man is also tough. He injured his left shoulder while wrestling as a sophomore in High School. He did nothing special to treat it. Playing his remaining High School and first three years of college, he dislocated the same shoulder in the 3rd game of the 2011 season, played through it at "70%" (his words) and then had to get surgery to repair the shoulder that had apparently never quite healed for five years.

Winters is not ranked higher due to the quality of competition in the MAC, playing with too high of a pad level too often, and questionable foot speed and flexibility. He played mostly at LT during college, but scouts believe he is better suited to play guard in the NFL, which means he would have to learn a position. Still, he has strength and tenacity. The mean streak he has on the field reminds me of a young Kris Dielman; he just gets after it. He may be worth a 3rd round pick, but will still need some development at the Guard position, but judge for yourslelf:

2013 NFL Draft Profile: Brian Winters - Kent State (via Erick Ward)

Dallas Thomas, Tennessee (Projected: 3rd Rd)

6’5", 300 pounds – Thomas played at Guard his last season at Tennessee. He did play his first two seasons as a starter at LT. He grades out higher at guard due to suspect footwork and lower body strength. He does show a natural knee bend and ability to sit into his blocks. His talent for anchoring his blocks is matched by superior agility. He has a tendency to lunge at his target, which can result in overextension and allowing the defender to get by. Footwork needs to catch up with agility and speed. The subpar footwork gets him unbalanced sometimes. Again, not a player that the Bolts need this draft, unless he falls into the 4th round or lower.

NFL Combine Preview: Dallas Thomas (via utsportstv)

Bonus Coverage - Right Tackle

D.J. Fluker, Alabama (Projected: 1st Rd)

6’5", 339 pounds – an absolute mountain of a man, Fluker projects exclusively at RT. He is the quintessential road grader; big, strong, and nasty. As dominating at run blocking as he has been during his Alabama career, his pass pro, especially against speed rushers is abysmal. He does have a bad habit of dropping his head and stopping his feet at contact, which permits disengagement by the defender. While he has very long arms (36+") and really good hand technique, his lack of balance and agility limit his upside. A team that wants a guard upgrade may even consider drafting Fluker. He is not a player that the Chargers need right now, unless he drops to a lower round, can play guard for a season or two, and learns pass pro to take over for Clary. He looks great at everything, except pass protection against speed rushers:

D.J. Fluker - 2013 NFL Draft Profile (via Erick Ward)

Draft Time: Evaluating the Offensive Tackles

SDNativeinTX — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 23:28:04 -0000

When I reviewed tape and measurables on the Offensive Tackles in the top 50 for this draft, what jumped out at me was the athleticism. That is the theme for the Tackles available in this year's draft, which is composed of elite athletes with the only real differences between the top 3 and the others tier being experience and better technique, which projects to immediate starter status in the League.

The Top Three

These players are projected to be starters as rookies.

Eric Fisher, Central Michigan (Projected:Top 5)

6'7, 302 pounds – Showing great footwork, patience, and strength, this late bloomer rocketed up the draft boards after the Senior Bowl and Combine. He has the same issues as other tall tackles; his height will often result in too high of a pad level and loss of leverage. He has added 70 pounds since his freshman year and many scouts believe he needs to get into the 320 pound range to reach his potential. His athletic skills served him well in the MAC, but he may have a problem with power rushers in the NFL until he fills out. He will not make it to pick 11. Watch this tape and wonder what might have been if Lewan Taylor and Jake Matthews had declared for the draft:

2013 NFL Draft Profile: Eric Fisher - Central Michigan (via Erick Ward)

Luke Joeckel, Texas A&M (Projected: Top 5)

6'6, 306 pounds – Thought of as the best pass blocker in the draft. His quickness, hand work, ability to finish a pass block, and initial burst from the stance earned him both the Outland Trophy (best Tackle in the Country) and the Jacobs Award (best blocker in the SEC). He does have a tendency to come out high from a two point stance. Every now and then, he can get flatfooted in pass pro, and showed some difficulty in adjusting on spin moves to the inside once he got his hips turned to deal with speed rushers outside. With that said, he is the best technician among the Tackles in this draft. Get used to him in a Chiefs uniform. Here is a preview of what Liuget and Ingram will be dealing with twice next season:

Luke Joeckel - 2013 NFL Draft Profile (via Erick Ward)

Lane Johnson, Oklahoma (Projected: Top 10)

6’5", 305 pounds - Johnson is intelligent, a fast learner, and has seen the football field from many different spots. Johnson is a well-rounded athlete, moves well, and has long (35") arms. He is being compared to Joe Staley by some scouts and this is a good thing. With one year at LT, he is still viewed as "raw" and inexperienced at the position. Tests at average strength and plays like it sometimes. Scouts have noted that his footwork and technique get "sloppy" at times, as does his hand placement (exposure to holding calls). Here is his draft preview:

Lane Johnson - 2013 NFL Draft Profile (via Erick Ward)

With proper coaching and some weight training, he could turn into a handful for defenses. I believe he will be a starter this year for whichever team drafts him and possible All-Pro in 3-5 years. He should be a solid starter for as long as his body holds up. If he is still there at 11, this should be our pick. He may not make it past the Eagles or Cardinals.

The Next Tier

Terron Armstead, Ark-Pine Bluff (Projected: 2nd Rd)

6’5", 305 pounds - I’ll refer you to our editor in chief’s post that extol the virtues of Armstead. To reiterate, the man is a freakish athlete, repping better than Johnson on the bench press, while running the fastest 40 time for a tackle at the combine "ever. Through out time." He is smart, due to graduate this spring with a degree in Industrial Technology. The combination of speed, strength, and smarts make him an ideal tackle in a zone blocking scheme. Armstead is also compared to Joe Staley.

The criticism on Armstead (and I believe it is accurate) is that he is a better athlete right now than he is a football player. This is born out in the tape from the senior bowl (Armstead is #71):

Terron Armstead (LT Arkansas-Pine Bluff) Senior Bowl (via footballmixtapes)

I watch the tape and see a tackle with decent technique, but very uneven in run blocking, adjusting to moving defenders on run blocking, and maintaining good separation and/or balance on occasion in pass blocking. Some flashes of good to solid and some flashes of Mike Harris. Probably not a starter this year, but should develop quickly with NFL talent to practice against and has a very high upside.

Menelik Watson, FSU (Projected: 1st Rd)

6’5", 310 Pounds – Watson may have benefited from using his one remaining year of NCAA eligibility at Florida State. The English born Watson, another freak of an athlete has only been playing American Football for 3 years. He played basketball at Marist College in NY and then turned his focus to boxing briefly before deciding to give football a go. Playing on the same team as Kyle Long at Saddlebrook JC, Watson attracted more attention from recruiters than Long. He signed with FSU and became a starter in 2012 which was exactly his third year playing american football.

The man’s balance and footwork can be dazzling. A natural knee bender, he will sink to absorb contact and retain leverage. His straight line speed is a major plus, as he regularly delivered blocks 20 yards down the field. His deficiencies though, are many. Watson is as raw as they come, being the last lineman to fire out if his stance as often as he is the first. He has trouble recognizing stunts and blitzes and properly reacting to them. And as impressive as his downfield blocking is, there is a problem with recognizing which defender to block once he gets downfield.

This pick would no doubt be a gamble, especially in the first round. Some have questioned his focus and dedication, but I believe that incentives in the modern game (HUGE money) make that a red herring. I would be more concerned about what he does after getting a large contract rather than his development before, but that is a concern I have with a lot of players. A second round pick is closer to his real value than the 1st round rating, but I would not be suprised to see a team reach for him at the 15th-30th overall pick. Here is the good, the bad, and the ugly; judge for yourself:

Menelik Watson - 2013 NFL Draft Profile (via Erick Ward)

Kyle Long, Oregon (Projected: 2nd Rd)

6’6", 313 pounds – Given that Kyle is the spawn of Howie Long, I would not be surprised if at some point in this draft, if the Bolts have not drafted a tackle and Kyle is still on the board, Howie channels his inner Archie Manning. Long is a huge man with good weight distribution, balance, and flexibility. His primary skills are great burst, strong leg drive, and short area quickness. He is even rawer then Watson, with only four starts (at Guard) at the FCS level in college. As a result, he also struggles against stunts and blitzes, lunges at opponents instead of latching on and sustaining a block, and also has issues with hand placement. Long also had a DUI while pitching for the FSU baseball team in 2009.

Long is not yet the sum of his parts. He has a brother (Chris) in the NFL and a HOF defensive lineman father. Both Howie and Chris have stated that Kyle is the most athletic in the family. While I usually love blood lines in the NFL, when the blood is silver and black my bias emerges and I say no. Of course the irony of watching dear old Dad rooting for the Bolts, 25 years after breaking Dan Fouts nose on typical satan’s team dirty hit, (not that I’m bitter or carry grudges) may be worth the 2nd or 3rd round pick on Long. Long will probably need to be a back – up or practice squad player for a year. He is a gifted athlete that has big potential for a team willing to be patient with him.

Many believe that Long will be an NFL guard, but his height and athleticism suggest Left Tackle as a viable option. No doubt he is a project and I believe that his 2nd round grade is too high. 3rd Round is a fair grade for Long. You may think he is worth more, though:

Kyle Long - 2013 NFL Draft Profile (via Erick Ward)

The Outside-the-Box Option

There is another alternative that I believe is viable for Left Tackle in this draft, and at this point, all of you should know my opinion about him.

The San Diego Chargers Should Draft Barrett Jones

SDNativeinTX — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 23:34:27 -0000

In some (OK, several) comments this offseason, I have stated my fascination with Barrett Jones, the Center for the National–Champion Crimson Tide of Alabama. Jones won the Rimington Award in 2012, which is awarded to the best Center in NCAA football for the season.

Hey Tex, you know the Bolts still have Hardwick on the team, right? The Chargers don’t need a Center, nimrod, we need a left Tackle.

In this year's draft there are two winners of the Outland Trophy (given to the best Tackle in the NCAA). Luke Joeckel, the consensus #1 overall pick, won it for the 2012 season. The 2011 Outland Trophy winner was Alabama's Left Tackle, Barrett Jones. If you don’t believe me, here is the National Championship game from January 2012, featuring Jones (#75) playing Left Tackle, fresh off his Outland Trophy–winning season:

Alabama offense vs. LSU defense (BCS National Championship) (via maj0915)

This was after the 2010 season, when he was named to the All-SEC team playing Right Guard.

If he’s that good, why didn’t he stick to one position?

Because of Nick Saban. When Saban would find the weakest link on his line, he knew he could count on Jones to slide into that spot and turn the weakness into strength. Last year at Alabama, Center was looking shakier than Left Tackle and into the Center slot went Jones.

OK, Jones is a special kind of player. But we don’t pick until 11 and if he is that good, he may be gone by then and definitely gone by the time the Bolts’ second round pick comes up.

Unfortunately for Jones, during the 2nd quarter of the SEC Championship Game against Georgia, played on December 1, 2012, he injured his left foot.

Hey, I remember Jones playing all of the game against Georgia and then in the National Championship game, too. So the injury was not that bad, right?

Well, the team and Jones said throughout December and the first week of January that he had a "sprained foot" and that he would play in the National Title game. He did play on January 7, 2013, and played well. After the game, the team and Jones revealed that he had a lisfranc break in his left foot.

Tex, you’re nuts! Nobody comes back from a lisfranc break and is the same player they were before! The only real cure for that is to amputate the foot! He’ll never play football again!

I actually studied up a lot on this type of injury, trying to convince myself that my budding bromance was misplaced. What I discovered was actually encouraging with respect to the object of my man crush.

Darren McFadden had this injury in 2011 and it sure seemed like he could play last year. The literature suggests that the surgical treatment for a lisfranc displacement is advantageous. Screws or wire stabilizes the joint forming the arch of the foot and leads to quicker recovery time. Jones had the surgery done by Dr. Bob Anderson on January 9, 2013. (Anderson is recognized as the nation’s best lisfranc surgeon.) This indicates that the foot should be ready for full weight bearing in the first week of May and with the ability to rehab fully for more than a month, Jones being ready for OTA's and training camp is not unrealistic.

Even if he takes longer to ~~heel~~ heal, there is a large drop off in Draft talent after Lane Johnson. The Left Tackles after Johnson are not projected to be reliable starters in 2013 (a group that includes Terron Armstead.) I was unable to find any sourced information on the web suggesting that Barrett has had any setbacks in his recovery, only vague un-sourced rumors.

Here's another thing: Jones played 6 quarters of football at a high level in Championship Games with an untreated Lisfranc injury. I'm pretty certain he will say he's ready when camp opens.

OK, assuming he can come back from the foot surgery, what makes him so special? Why are you so sure he’s the answer and not just some college guy that won’t make it in the NFL?

McCoy has talked a lot about attention to detail. I think that a young man with a Master’s Degree in Accounting (and accompanying 4.0 GPA) would fit in with the "attention to detail" philosophy. The offensive system (as much as it has been discussed) seems to highlight flexibility and week–to–week adjustments, something that requires intelligent players. I think Jones would thrive in that type of system.

Telesco has talked about changing the team culture. Could a young man that was team captain on two NCAA national championship teams (and played on a 3rd FCS winner) maybe help bring a culture change to the Bolts?

Jones was recognized as "the absolute best scholar-athlete" in the nation in 2012, winning the William V. Campbell Trophy. He has also earned the Weurffel Trophy for his play, academic achievments, and off–the–field work in the community and beyond. While at Alabama, Jones went on two mission trips to Haiti and one to Nicaragua. He was also active in Campus Crusade for Christ. Jones is a natural leader; a positive force in the locker room and on the practice field.

Inside the Huddle-Barrett Jones (episode 6) (via Britton Lynn)

OK, Tex, we get it – you think he is a great guy and would be positive guy to have on the team. But what about playing in the NFL? Can he make it the NFL?

Absolutely he can. When you play Offensive Line in the SEC, you are regularly playing against guys that are going into the NFL. Last September, a survey of opening day rosters revealed that fifty (yes, five–zero, 50) defensive linemen in the NFL played in the SEC. Fletcher Cox, Michael Brockers, Melvin Ingram, Dont'a Hightower, Courtney Upshaw, and Jake Bequette were all front–7 SEC players taken in the first 3 rounds last year. Marcel Dareius, Nick Fairley, Kelvin Sheppard, Justin Houston, Drake Nevis, and Akeem Dent were also picked in 2011.

This year’s list of SEC Defensive front–7 prospects ranked 3rd–round or higher includes Sharriff Floyd, Jarvis Jones, Barkevious Mingo, Sheldon Richardson, Jesse Williams, Damontre Moore, Kevin Minter, Jonathan Jenkins, Corey Lemonier, Sam Montgomery, and Lavar Edwards. Jones either played against or practiced against all of those guys in his career and dominated them en route to winning his awards.

During film study throughout the 2013 season, it is likely that Jones will have some special insight into one or more starters on an opponent’s defense, because he'll have played or scrimmaged against a good number of them. His draft profile suggest that his game has some flaws, but I see a guy that is able to sustain his blocks and either shield or steer his defender away from the play more often than not, even if he cannot overpower his opponent.

Barrett Jones - 2013 NFL Draft Profile (via Erick Ward)

Well, all that’s fine, but does he have that nasty streak that an offensive lineman in the NFL needs? And does a guy that played center even want to play Left Tackle in the NFL?

Well, let me put it this way. If PR has a problem with something on the Offensive Line, he may want to yell at somebody other than Barrett Jones:

AJ McCarron & Barrett Jones - Shove Then Hug in BCS Title Game (via SECDigitalNetwork)

Good hand technique.

The National Title game was 42-14 at that point, Jones could have easily been sitting out of the game way before that. Nobody on the Tide would have said anything negative about him not playing the entire game on a broken foot (which I’m sure was really, really painful). Even with a known and diagnosed serious injury, Jones insisted on playing and he was still playing with passion in a blow out. Quite a contrast with the "I won’t play unless I’m 100% healthy" that has been heard around here recently from a nameless Left Tackle previously employed by the Chargers.

As to the question about whether he wants to play Left Tackle, I’ll let him speak for himself:

I'll play whatever position I'm asked to play. If you made me choose I'd probably choose Center right now because number 1: I played there last year and number 2: I'm kind of a control freak. But that being said, wherever they think the best fit for their team and can help them win, that's where I want to play.

-- From AP Sports at the Alabama Pro-Day, 3/16/13. (Emphasis mine)

So there it is my friends, my unhealthy mantasy for a Center with a busted foot that I believe may be a future Pro-Bowler at any O-line position he is asked to play, including Left Tackle.

I’ll leave you with this video from the SEC Championship game. Savor the play of Jones (75), Chance Warmack (65), and D.J. Fluker (76) going up against Jarvis Jones and Jonathan Jenkins. Remember that Jones played on a broken foot after the 8 minute mark in the 2nd quarter. All five of these players will hear their names called in New York starting on the last Thursday of April.

Chance Warmack,Barret Jones, DJ Fluker vs Georgia 2012 (via JPDraftJedi)

Please talk me out of this obsession or you know that I will be crushed if the draft concludes without hearing "and with the _____ pick of the 2013 NFL draft, the San Diego Chargers select Barrett Jones, Center, University of Alabama". Otherwise, join me and let the team know you want them to take a serious look at Barrett Jones to become the team’s next great left tackle.

Poll

Assuming that Jones' rehab is medically verified as progressing on schedule, what is the highest round you think the team should draft Barrett Jones, if at all?

1st Round

46 votes

2nd Round

232 votes

3rd Round

135 votes

4th Round or lower

41 votes

Don't draft him at all

4 votes

458 votes | Poll has closed

A History of the San Diego Chargers, Part 5: "The Pinnacle"

SDNativeinTX — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 10:35:44 -0000

I was born in San Diego in 1962, where I lived until 1990, and continued to visit frequently until 2005. In all my travels around San Diego County and Southern California, I never visited the town of Boulevard. This town, located about 10 miles east and slightly north of Campo, is where the 1963 Chargers would pay the price for the failures of the 1962 team. Along with organized weightlifting and anabolic steroids, the team was subjected to a near–hellish training camp in the middle of nowhere. As it turned out, Rough Acres was the incubator for the team’s only League Championship Season.

Catch up on previous installments: Part 4 | 3 | 2 | 1

Training at Rough Acres

Rattlesnakes, fields where grass refused to grow, temperatures in the high 90’s to low 100’s, a constant hot wind, and isolation were some of the special amenities of “Rough Acres”, a failed dude ranch just outside of Boulevard. There were exactly two rooms with air conditioning at Rough Acres; Gillman used one and the other was used by newly–signed free–agent QB Tobin Rote¹. Dust, driven by the incessant hot wind, would often fill the players' bunks. To describe the conditions as “Spartan” is only the beginning. Stories from that time indicate that 7 rattlesnakes were killed at Rough Acres during training camp.

To get a feel for what that camp was like, we have a fantastic personal history from Ron Mix. His diary of that training camp — published in SI in November of 1963 — gives us an amazing insight into professional football in the early 60’s. It even includes descriptions of the team, and kind of a glimpse at society in the United States some 50 years ago. I strongly recommend taking the time to read it. There is also a description of the camp and first part of the team’s season from “Full Color Football”, the documentary about the AFL produced by Showtime:

1963 San Diego Chargers (via Nick Pruitt)

The 1963 Season

The season began on September 8, 1963 with a 14-10 win over the Buffalo Bills at Balboa Stadium. Contrary to the legendary status this team has gained over the years, the team was not quite the dominating juggernaut that has been created with each retelling of the story of the 1963 season. The Chargers played in many close games, lost to the Oakland Raiders twice, and got blown out 50-34 in Denver by the Broncos, one of the worst teams in the league at the time. Those were the only 3 losses for the team in 1963.

Looking at the wins, the big advantage with this team seemed to be that it could find a way to win. A case in point was during the 3 game east coast road swing in November. In the most lopsided game the team played during the season, they simply crushed the Jets 53-7 on November 2. The next week, the team would score its fewest points in any game that year with a 7-6 win over the Boston Patriots. The following week, the team won 23-10 over the Bills.

Statistically, the '63 team was just dominant, which may partly explain the legendary status given to them. The offense was number one in the league in both yards and scoring. The defense was number four in yards allowed, but number one in scoring defense. The Chargers road record was 5-2; the home record was 6-1. The offense led the league in rushing and was 3rd in passing yardage.

The team had so many standout players. On offense, Rote was the starting quarterback and in his only season as a starter with the Chargers, he was the All–AFL selection at QB. Lance Alworth stayed healthy all season and was named league MVP, accounting for 1,205 receiving yards. Paul Lowe rushed for 1,010 yards — remember, this was only a 14–game season — including a 5.7 YPC and “fullback” Keith Lincoln chipped in another 826 yards and 6.2 YPC line.

The defense was still anchored by Faison and Big Cat Ladd. The linebackers that year were also excellent, Emil Karas, Chuck Allen, and Paul McGuire. The star in the secondary was Dick Harris with 8 INT’s that year.

The last part of the season was delayed by the assassination of President Kennedy on November 22, 1963. The Chargers cemented their 1–win margin of victory in the AFL West by crushing the Broncos 58-20 at home on December 22.

The championship game was further delayed by the Patriots and Bills having to play a tie–breaker game to determine the winner of the East Division. For the Chargers, though, their 11-3 record was good enough to hold off an Oakland team that went 10-4 and held the tiebreakers over the Chargers. For the 3rd year in the four year history of the AFL, the Chargers would get a shot at winning the League Championship.

Preparing to Win a Championship

Coach Gillman, looking at the Chargers performance against the Patriots in 1963 and the Chargers performances in the previous two championships, decided that some shaking up of the Chargers’ typical game plan was needed. This was Gillman at his finest: he used the extra week afforded to his team thanks to the tie between the Patriots and Bills, which resulted in a Divisional playoff between those two teams.

Once he knew his players would be facing the Patriots, Gillman dusted off the back of the playbook and put together a game plan that emphasized deception, short passes to the Tight Ends and Fullback, and misdirection by faking handoffs to Paul Lowe and then really handing the ball off or pitching it to Keith Lincoln. Gillman had noticed through film study that the Patriots liked to blitz and hoped his game plan would take advantage of that. Gillman dubbed it the “Feast or Famine” game plan. I suspect that another objective of Gillman’s was to ramp up the intensity of his team to get a victory in a Championship game.

For Keith Lincoln, it was a feast indeed:

1963 AFL Championship (via sdchargersboltz)

349 yards of total offense was set free by Lincoln that day. His performance in that game was ranked #20 of the “Greatest Playoff Performances” by ESPN. (I call East Coast bias.)

Chargers Win the Championship

The game was basically over by halftime with the Chargers up 31-10. At the end of the day, the Chargers were League Champions after beating the Patriots 51-10 on January 5, 1964. That season remains the sole League Championship season for the Chargers in their 53 year existence. In just four years, the team had finally reached the pinnacle.

After the game, Gillman challenged the NFL Champion Chicago Bears to a final game to determine the “World Champion” of football. Chicago Head Coach/GM/Owner George “Papa Bear” Halas refused. Gillman ordered that the Chargers Championship Rings had “World Champion” on them. Although the Bears turned down the “World Championship” Game, the idea did get the attention of a few TV network sports programming executives and owners from both football leagues.

A History of the San Diego Chargers - Part 4 - "I Could Not Do That Before"

SDNativeinTX — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 02:04:21 -0000

Part 2

Part 3

The story of the 1963 season started in an obscure Louisiana High School 8 years before, at the 1960 Olympic Games, and in the Balboa Stadium training room during 1962. Coach Gillman, watching the injuries and losses mount in 1962, began to think about how to change things for the next season. He reasoned that if his team was bigger and stronger, that many of the injuries he had seen would not have happened. His attention was drawn to Baton Rouge and LSU, where stories about the conditioning routine of Houston Oilers star Billy Cannon and a presentation given by a weightlifting trainer at a coaches’ conference made him willing to investigate the possibilities.

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The speaker at that conference was Alvin Roy and dating back to 1958, he was de facto strength and conditioning coach for LSU. LSU saw the value of Roy’s theories after he developed eventual Heisman Trophy winner Billy Cannon; Roy had worked with the young man in high school going back to 1955.*

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One of Roy’s professional activities included coaching the US Men’s Weightlifting team during the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome. During the run-up to those games, the US team debated about whether to incorporate into its training regimen a drug invented in 1958 by Ciba Pharmaceuticals in Switzerland called "Dianabol". Dianabol was actually methandrostenolone, a form of artificial testosterone that was designed to promote muscle growth and quicker recovery from work-outs. (When you hear the term "anabolic steroid", Dianabol was the first effective one invented.)

The US weightlifting team, despite hearing about the use of the drug by the Soviet team, elected to not take the Dianabol, even though there were no rules against it or any stigma in those days attached to the use of "performance enhancing drugs". The team was crushed by the Soviet weightlifters, with the USSR taking 5 of the 7 gold medals awarded for weight lifting. The US Olympic team quickly incorporated Dianabol into its training regimen. Alvin Roy began to include the drug in his organized conditioning programs for athletes.

Gillman met with Roy in Baton Rouge in February of 1963. The two men got along well enough for Gillman to send some of the Chargers to Louisiana for injury rehabilitation during the ’62-‘63 off-season. The Charger’s draft for that year did not yield too many players of consequence; although 1st round pick Walt Sweeney (G) would stay with the team until 1975 and 3rd round LB Dave Robinson would also become a long-term starter. The team also brought in veteran QB Tobin Rote.

DE Bob Petrich, selected in the 11th round of the draft remembers getting a package of pink pills in the mail about a month after he signed, with instructions to take one pill 3 times a day. When the team reported to Rough Acres in July of 1963**, Gillman’s response to the injuries and failures of 1962 were fully implemented.

Hall of Fame Tackle Ron Mix recalls that at the first team meeting, Gillman introduced Alvin Roy, saying "this man is what every team will eventually have; a strength coach." Roy then addressed the team -- "I still remember his speech, almost verbatim," Mix says. "He said, 'Because you're going to be lifting weights in addition to working out twice a day, you're going to need more protein.' And he said, 'When I was a trainer for the U.S. team in the Olympics, I learned a secret from those Rooskies.' And he held up a bottle of pink pills, and he says, 'This stuff is called Dianabol and it's going to help assimilate protein and you'll be taking it every day.' And, sure enough, it showed up on our training tables in cereal bowls."

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Reports vary about the use of Dianabol at that training camp. Virtually all of the linemen, offense and defense took it (with the threat of fines if they refrained). Skill players such as Hadl and Alworth did not, mostly because they did not see the point, but; "The linemen did, and they started looking like Popeye a month later," Hadl says. "We both decided that we knew what we were doing." Paul McGuire says he did not either, but only because he never lifted weights. "They told us that if you lift weights and take the pills, it will all come together for you, but if you were not going to lift, don’t take the pills."***

Some players began to notice the difference by the end of camp. Pat Shea, an offensive lineman remembers walking down a hall toward the end of camp, seeing a barbell in the hallway and picking it up and carrying back into the weight room. "It was like it was nothing." He found out later that the bar had 350 pounds of weight on it. His thought? "The pills – they really work. I could not do that before." Other Chargers insisted that the pills did not have any effect; others were not sure if it was the pills or the weightlifting was helping them get bigger and faster since they had never systematically lifted weights before. Ron Mix does not believe that the Dianabol made him stronger, but does believe they helped his stamina.

Pat Shea also remembers his wife noticing some differences, too: 'You're a different person -- what's wrong with you?' I had no patience, and she was alarmed about it,'" he says. Other reactions emerged from the use of the steroids. Ron Mix recounted Dave Kocourek visiting his personal physician 5 weeks into camp to get help for a nagging injury. When the doctor asked him if he was he taking other medications, Dianabol was mentioned. "[Kocourek] said the doctor was actually shocked," Mix says. "'They're giving you this stuff? Have they ever shown you the literature that accompanies these pills?' I still remember what it says. It was in big red letters. It said, 'Dangerous. Not to be taken over extended periods of time, will cause permanent bone damage, liver damage, heart damage, testicle shrinkage.' "Now comes the obligatory joke," Mix says. "The other three we could live with. But the last -- no!"

Mix says he approached Gillman, and Gillman told him, "You know, our doctors say there's nothing wrong with this." Sweeney remembers a stronger reaction from Gillman. "Sid looked at [the literature] for a couple of minutes and he threw it on the ground and said, 'What do these guys know? They don't know anything about football. They're doctors,'" he says. "That was it." Mix and others asked Gillman for a team meeting just prior to the start of the season. From then on, the players say, the team no longer required them to take the pills. Most of them stopped taking Dianabol. (The amphetamines were another story; Paul McGuire recalls that in those days, speed pills "were just sitting in guy’s lockers for chrissakes!" This was a league wide situation that would reach epidemic proportions by the late 60’s and result in a league wide response in the late 70’s.)

By all accounts, the organized distribution of Dianabol by the team stopped right at the start of the season. Reports would later surface that Dianabol and amphetamines remained available (in some cases, prescribed) to the players through the rest of the ‘60’s. The team’s opponents don’t recall the 1963 Chargers being "different". But the team was different; different from any other Charger team in the history of the franchise. The 1963 Chargers became league champions.

* Roy had become interested in weightlifting while he was in Europe and saw it as the future of competitive sports; organized activities to improve strength and speed by systematically building muscle. He eventually started bodybuilding clubs in Louisiana that led to a nationwide chain of 24 clubs. With a 1958 National Championship and a 1959 Heisman trophy winner, the workouts being done at LSU began to batter down the conventional wisdom of the day regarding weight training.

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Alvin Roy had seen that contrary to making athletes "muscle bound, slow, and inflexible", weight training actually improved speed and athletic performance. He was able to convince the coach of Istrouma High School (in Baton Rouge) in the early 50’s to let him work with his team and other IHS athletic teams; this resulted in 12 state championships in track and football in 8 years. LSU followed that road too, and continuing to this day, the Tigers annually give out the "Alvin Roy Award" to the football player that shows the highest level of year round commitment to weightlifting and conditioning.

** The training camp at Rough Acres was the other part of Gillman’s fix to the 1962 season; an isolated place with no distractions and a really difficult environment to get his team focused and tough. That story and the 1963 season will be covered in Part 5.

*** As difficult as it may be to believe in this day and age, there was a stigma attached to weightlifting in professional football in those days. The attitude was "you only need to do that if you aren’t good enough". Assistant coach LoCasale stated that the only reason why Gillman could implement an organized weightlifting program was because he could point back to the 1962 team and tell the players in the 1963 camp that they were a bad football team and needed to regain their advantage. Many players still retained their pride that weightlifting was for a player that lacked something, so some of the veterans passed up lifting. There was also still the idea that weightlifting was actually detrimental to athletic performance, impeding flexibility, stamina, quickness, speed, etc., although that belief was starting to erode around that time. In less than 5 years, virtually every team had strength and conditioning coaches and an organized weightlifting program.

Much of the material in this segment was taken from an "ESPN Outside the Lines" story called "Pumped Up Pioneers: The '63 Chargers". I am grateful for the work that T. J. Quinn put into his story.

Part 2

Part 3

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via cdn0.sbnation.com

via img381.imageshack.us

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Much of the material in this segment was taken from an "ESPN Outside the Lines" story called "Pumped Up Pioneers: The '63 Chargers". I am grateful for the work that T. J. Quinn put into his story.

A History of the San Diego Chargers - Part 3 - Championships to Cellars

SDNativeinTX — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 23:17:26 -0000

Part 1 Part 2

The Charger’s draft for the 1961 season (actually held in December of 1960) would produce immediate impact players. The first pick was a giant of a defensive tackle (Ernie "Big Cat" Ladd). At 6'9" and 315 pounds, Ladd was said to be the biggest and strongest man in professional football during his era: 52-inch chest, 39-inch waist, 20-inch biceps, 19-inch neck, and size 18D shoes.*

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(This was in an era when a 275 pound lineman was considered large.) The Chargers also drafted Earl Faison, a 260 pound All-American DE.

via www.afefoundation.org

These two players, added with returning defensive linemen Bill Hudson (DT) and Ron Nery (DE) formed the second defensive line that would be referred to as "The Fearsome Foursome" (the first one was the NY Giants line of 1957). Earl Faison would be awarded Rookie of the Year for 1961. Other significant draft picks included DB Claude "Hoot" Gibson, plus receivers Reg Carolan and Glenn Bass.

The 1961 season began on the road in Dallas, with the Chargers beating the Texans 26-10. On September 18, 1961, the team christened its new stadium in the finest style possible; a 44-0 blowout against the Northern California team (which had actually moved a little closer to Oakland by moving from Kezar Stadium to Candlestick Park).

1961 Season Highlights - 1

Season Highlights - 2

The team went on to dominate the AFL West, winning 11 games in a row, but did start to run out of gas at the end of the season, losing 2 of the last 3 games. The 12-2 record was more than enough to win the division title and put the Chargers into the AFL title game once again, where they would face the Houston Oilers in a rematch of the 1960 title game.

San Diego and Houston had split their season series, with each team winning at home. The Oilers had beaten the Chargers just 3 weeks before the title game on December 3, 1961. The Oilers had the best Offense in the AFL that season, the Chargers Offense was ranked 3rd, but led the AFL West in scoring. What many people were figuring to be an offensive shootout, the AFL’s typical type of game in those days, failed to materialize…

The Chargers had the number 1 ranked defense in the AFL in 1961 and Houston’s defense was ranked number 2. In the two regular season match-ups, the Chargers scored 47 points on Houston and Houston had scored 57 points total, which did not point to a gritty defensive slugfest, but that is exactly what happened. In what would be described by Houston coach Wally Lemm as "the most vicious, hard-hitting football game I have ever seen", Houston won its 2nd straight AFL Championship by winning the Christmas Eve title game 10-3. 13 players from the two teams would be carted off the field for injuries. Players and coaches on both sides later described the game as the toughest defensive battle in which they had ever been involved. The Chargers did have a chance to tie the game late in the 4th quarter, but Oliers’ DB Julian Spence (a 153 pound safety, he was the smallest player in the league) jumped Dave Kocourek’s route and picked off a Jack Kemp pass. (Note: The incorrectly titled "Los Angeles Charger’s 1961" videos apparently included a part 3, but I was unable to locate it. I would have liked to have seen some footage from the Championship game.)

So, the inaugural season of The San Diego Chargers ended in disappointment. The team did extremely well, posting an overall 12-3 record (with a terrible December), with the league’s best defense and third best offense. Individual player awards reflected the excellence of the team; rookie of the year for Faison, 1st team all-star selections for Ron Mix (T), Ernie Ladd (DT) Charlie McNeil (S), Dick Harris (CB), Ron Nery (DT)and Earl Faison (DE). 2nd team All-Stars selected from the team were Dave Kocourek (TE/WR), George Blair (K), Bill Hudson (DT), Paul Lowe (RB), Chuck Allen (MLB), and Jack Kemp (QB). The selection Kemp is a little strange, given the drop in his passing yards and TD’s during this season, together with an uptick in picks and fumbles.

In a league noted for offense and a wide open passing game, it could certainly be argued that the league’s defenses were also pretty good. While Houston did have the league’s #1 offense, with a spectacular 4,392 passing yards (in 14 games!) and another 1,896 rushing yards, no other AFL team cracked the 3,000 passing yard mark. Kemp was able to throw 17 touchdowns, but also chucked 25 picks. The Chargers added another 19 fumbles (10 from Kemp), but they were far from the worst in protecting the ball. The Broncos led the league in turnovers, with an absolutely horrible 45 INT’s and another 23 fumbles.

The Chargers defense was able to more than even out the turnovers, collecting 49 interceptions (leading the league) and recovering another 17 fumbles. 9 of the interceptions were pick sixes. Think about the 1961 defense for minute. 3 of the 4 defensive linemen were 1st team all-stars and the remaining lineman was a 2nd teamer. Two members of the secondary were 1st team all-stars and one linebacker was a 2nd team selection. 5 Pro-Bowl starters and another 3 pro-bowl selections would be the modern era equivalent. The 66 takeaways produced by the defense (in 14 games!) set a season record in ANY Football league that has stood to this day and without being seriously challenged in more than 50 years.

It was fortunate that the team had a great first year, because if the city’s first taste of pro football had been the disaster of the 1962 season, they might have sent the Chargers back to LA. The season was set up well, with the Chargers drafting John Hadl, an athlete that coach Gillman believed was the franchises’ quarterback of the future, plus engineering a trade with the Oakland team for a player that would become the face of the franchise for the ‘60’s – Lance Alworth.** The draft was about the only thing that went right for the Chargers in 1962.

via cdn.bleacherreport.net

The tone for the season was set in preseason, when Bob Laraba, an original LA Charger and a quality LB, was killed in a car crash. The season’s problems began early when starting QB Jack Kemp dislocated the middle finger of his throwing hand in the second game of the season. Coach Gillman, already fostering doubts about Kemp’s ability to win a "big game", but wanting to keep him as a veteran back-up, placed him on waivers, believing that no team would take on an injured QB. The Buffalo Bills proved that wrong and the Bills’ acquisition of Kemp would come back to haunt the Chargers later. Alworth tore his quad while horsing around with a teammate during practice after the seasons 4th game. The Chargers injury situation in 1962 ruined the season; eventually 23 players would miss at least two games during the season with injuries.

1962 Season Highlights - 1

Dick Wood, the Chargers back-up QB, was inserted into the starting slot with the absence of Kemp. After going 1-1 in his two starts, Gillman benched Wood in favor of rookie QB Hadl. Hadl’s 10 games starting were marred by interceptions (24 in 10 games) and the injury situation. The Chargers went 2-8 in those games, finishing the season with a 4-10 record, good enough for 3rd in the AFL West.

1962 Season Highlights - 2

The journey started in September 1961 with 20,216 fans watching a throttling of the team from Northern California and continues on as part of league with annual revenues of $9 billion. Conrad Hilton could have only dreamed about the success of league he and the other members of "The Foolish Club" started. Even with the poor showing in 1962, the city was forgiving of its first major sports franchise. And for the next 50 years, the team would take it fans to championships and to cellars. It was professional football San Diego style; occasionally glorious, often innovative, and frequently frustrating to a fan base anchored by its early successes and later resurgences.

No one could have guessed that the franchise would have its finest year, a league championship effort that the team would not repeat for 50 years, after the pratfall of the 1962 season.

* Ernie Ladd supplemented his football salary with professional wrestling in the offseason. After a serious knee injury ended his football career in 1969, he turned to wrestling full-time.

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Ladd was an early example of some of the bizarre personnel decisions which plagued this organization throughout its history. Ladd became embroiled in a public and nasty salary dispute with Head Coach and GM Gillman in 1966. After trying to engineer a trade with Houston (it fell through), Ladd was released, becoming a free agent, signing with Houston while taking a 10% pay cut. He was later traded to the Chiefs and teamed with another huge DT (Buck Buchannan) to help the Chiefs rise to the top of the AFL West in 1968 and 1969. This early instance of personnel mismanagement became an unfortunate pattern that continued throughout the teams’ history. This pattern has manifested to various degrees of team detriment with every owner and front office group put together since the original Gillman – Hilton days.

** Lance Alworth was drafted by the Oakland team with the 1st pick (9th overall) of the second round in the 1962 AFL draft. He was also selected 8th overall in the first round of the NFL’s draft by the 49’ers. Offensive Assitant Coach Al Davis, recognizing the potential of Alworth convinced Gillman to work a trade with the Oakland team for Alworth. The Chargers traded three players to Oakland, halfback Bo Roberson, quarterback Hunter Enis, and offensive tackle Gene Selawski for the RIGHTS to Alworth. Davis, who would in 1978 be Alworth’s presenter for his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, was able to persuade Alworth to sign with the AFL Chargers instead of the 49ers. Davis personally travelled to New Orleans and got Alworth’s signature on a $30,000 contract just prior to the 1962 Sugar Bowl.

Part 1 Part 2

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(This was in an era when a 275 pound lineman was considered large.) The Chargers also drafted Earl Faison, a 260 pound All-American DE.

via www.afefoundation.org

1961 Season Highlights - 1

Season Highlights - 2

via cdn.bleacherreport.net

1962 Season Highlights - 1

1962 Season Highlights - 2

No one could have guessed that the franchise would have its finest year, a league championship effort that the team would not repeat for 50 years, after the pratfall of the 1962 season.

* Ernie Ladd supplemented his football salary with professional wrestling in the offseason. After a serious knee injury ended his football career in 1969, he turned to wrestling full-time.

via www.wrestleprints.com

A History of The San Diego Chargers - Part 2 - The Los Angeles Year and the Move to San Diego

SDNativeinTX — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 02:17:07 -0000

Part 1

The 1960 Los Angeles Chargers played their first official game in franchise history on Saturday night, September 10, 1960, in the Los Angeles Coliseum before a crowd of 17,724. The team was behind 20-7 at the start of the 4th quarter, but rallied to win the game 21-20. The team struggled for the next 4 games, losing 3 out of 4, but then went 8-1 to finish atop the AFL West and earn a spot in the first AFL Championship Game with a 10-4 record. The largest crowd to "fill" the Coliseum that year was the 21,805 in attendance on November 13 to watch a match – up between the two best teams in the league, the Houston Oilers and the Chargers. It turned out to be a preview of the 1st AFL Championship game. The team clinched its Western Division Title and spot in the championship game, before an intimate gathering of 9,892 fans at home on December 10, 1960, by beating the Denver Broncos 41-33.

via www.remembertheafl.com

The Championship game, played on New Year’s Day of 1961, did not end well for the LA Chargers; they ended up on the short end of a 24-16 score against the Houston Oilers. Los Angeles was up 6-0 at the end of the 1st quarter, but had fallen behind 10-9 at the half. The teams traded TD’s in the 3rd quarter, but Houston took a commanding lead on an 88 yard pass from George Blanda* to Billy Cannon**. The Chargers were driving for a potential tying score (yes, the AFL allowed 2 point conversion attempts, which went by the wayside after the merger), but time expired with Chargers on the Houston 22 yard line.

The emphasis on the passing game could be seen in the team’s season stats: 441 passing attempts for 3,177 yards. That the passing game needed working out is seen in Jack Kemp’s 20 TD’s and 25 INT’s. Kemp also fumbled 9 times, but did add another 8 rushing TD’s. The penchant for interceptions seemed to be a league wide affliction; the Chargers’ defense recorded 28 picks that year. The INT rankings were 6th in the 8 team league for the offense and 3rd in the league for the defense. All in all, a pretty sweet season for DB’s. Kemp, RB Paul Lowe, and DB Dick Harris were AFL "All-Star" Selections (think Pro Bowl).

Just look at some of the INTs here!

The AFL Unearthed # 1 - Introduction (via TheAFLhistory)

Even before the loss in the AFL Championship game, played on New Years’ Day of 1961, rumors were swirling about the Los Angeles Chargers moving to San Diego. Legendary sports writer Jack Murphy wrote on December 21, 1960: "The story will be denied and I’ll probably be denounced as a third-rate fiction writer but it comes on excellent authority that the Los Angeles Charger franchise is San Diego’s for the asking." By the end of the season, Conrad Hilton badly wanted to leave LA. Despite living there, crowds ranging from less than 10,000 to 22,000 convinced him that "we’ve got to get out of Los Angeles. We can’t compete in the same market with the Rams." Reports from the AFL indicate that Hilton lost $900,000 in 1960 on his team. A decent home could be had for $10,000 in those days.

The City, for its part, wanted the recognition of having a major sports franchise call America’s Finest City home. At that time, San Diego was the 18th largest city in the US (in 2010 it was the 8th largest), but wanted recognition beyond being a remote military town. One sports executive at the time described San Diego as an "an airport tied to a submarine". Even the minor league Padres, with their own dreams of a major league franchise, were on board: "The Chargers will be good for baseball," said Padres executive Doug Giddings, "because they will awaken spectator sports in San Diego."

It also made good business sense. Hilton’s team was a million-dollar company with a player payroll of $385,000. Jack Murphy predicted that every dollar spent by the city for the Chargers would come back seven times.

The AFL had no objections. This move would actually fit in better with the AFL’s basic business model; putting football teams in cities that did not have an NFL team. The Chargers and the New York Titans (to be renamed the "Jets" after a move to Shea Stadium in the mid-60’s) were the only two teams out of the 8 team league that deliberately went against that business plan, but those teams were in the two largest cities bookending the coasts and the AFL went along. The Dallas Texans ownership (Lamar Hunt) did not envision having to compete against the NFL in Dallas, but the NFL deliberately put the Dallas Cowboys franchise opposite the Texans and to even out the franchise they had awarded to the prospective AFL franchise in Minnesota.

The AFL was not concerned so much with the size of the markets the teams called home, as the league was built on a fundamentally different business model than the NFL. The AFL instituted a 60% Home Team – 40% Visiting Team split of every game’s gate receipts. (The NFL operated on a home team keeps all system.) The AFL also signed a league – wide blanket TV broadcast contract with ABC for $10,625,000 prior to the start of the 1960 season; the revenue from this contract was evenly split among the 8 teams of the league. (The NFL had each team negotiate with local CBS affiliates for broadcast rights to its home game – CBS did broadcast the NFL Championship to each affiliate station.)

Two weeks after Jack Murphy’s editorial and 4 days after the AFL Championship game (January 5, 1961), Barron Hilton and Sid Gillman paid a visit to San Diego and Balboa Stadium. They were appalled by the conditions at the stadium. Sid Gillman later stated that the locker room was "A real hell-hole". The visiting team’s locker room was particularly sparse; it was a small space, dark, cold, and with no actual lockers. Visiting teams had to use baskets and coat hangers to store their clothes.

By the end of the visit Hilton said Chargers would relocate if the city would renovate the locker room and increase stadium seating to at least 30,000. Hilton also wanted a fan base that could provide season ticket sales of 20,000. The following week Coach Gillman and a team of engineers, architects and landscapers scoured the stadium to determine exactly what improvements the Chargers would request from the city. "If the club is going to be on television every week, Balboa Stadium has got to be made a showplace," said Gillman.

via www.remembertheafl.com

Barron Hilton personally presented the final proposal to the city council on January 24. With some dissent, the Chargers got the City to agree to renovate the locker room and add a second deck of seating to Balboa Stadium. The expansion would increase the stadiums capacity from 23,000 to 34,000. The cost was expected to be $700,000 and would be paid out of city operating funds. In return, the Chargers would pay no rent during the first season, pay rent of $2,000 for the second season, and 5% of the gross ticket sales every year after that.

The Los Angeles Chargers announced their move to San Diego on January 25, 1961.

The Chargers got off the longest quick kick in Civic Center history yesterday, booting themselves right out of apathetic Los Angeles and into eager, enthusiastic San Diego. -Jerry Magee, San Diego Union, January 25, 1961.

The five-year contract was signed on February 9. One week later the Chargers announced the ticket scale for the 1961 season. Premium sideline seats would go for $5, reserve seats outside that area would be $3, and general admission $2. Season tickets for seven league games were $35.

Work began on Balboa Stadium right away. Construction went on around the clock, with a view to finishing the upgrades to the facility before the start of the 1961 season. Some changes to the original plans resulted in delays and increased costs. The increased costs resulted in delays to other budgeted projects of low priority, such as libraries, police and fire stations, and Mission Bay improvements. The stadium was ready for the San Diego Chargers home opener on September 17, 1961 against the Raiders.

via www.stadiumsofprofootball.com

(Attribution: I am indebted to www.sandiegoyesterday.com as the source for much of this post.)

* Yes, that George Blanda. Already 33 years old, Blanda had retired from the Chicago Bears in 1958. He came into the AFL when Bud Adams reached out to him and promised him a shot at starting QB for the Oilers. After torturing the Chargers (and most of the AFL) as one of the league’s best Quarterbacks for Houston and Oakland during the 60’s, he later went on to become the oldest man to QB in a playoff game in 1971 at the age of 43. He played his last professional game in a playoff loss against the Steelers in January 1976 at the age of 48.

** Billy Cannon was the Heisman Trophy winner in 1959 and easily the most high profile signing of the new AFL in 1960. The Blanda to Cannon combination would prove lethal to the Eastern Division and the rest of the AFL in 1960 and 1961. Sid Gillman, after hearing some details of Cannon’s workout regimen at LSU, visited Baton Rouge after the 1962 season. This trip would result in the introduction of structured weightlifting and physical conditioning to professional football during the Chargers legendary 1963 training camp.

Part 1

via www.remembertheafl.com

Just look at some of the INTs here!

The AFL Unearthed # 1 - Introduction (via TheAFLhistory)

via www.remembertheafl.com

The Los Angeles Chargers announced their move to San Diego on January 25, 1961.

via www.stadiumsofprofootball.com

(Attribution: I am indebted to www.sandiegoyesterday.com as the source for much of this post.)

A History of The San Diego Chargers - Part 1 – "In the Beginning"

SDNativeinTX — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 00:32:46 -0000

Well, happy bye week. After seeking some advice from the editor in chief, he thought it might be a fun (and maybe a little educational) to trace the history of our favorite team from the beginning to a point of common memmory (let's call that the mid-2000's, to be determined). For some of you, this may be new information and a new insight into the rich legacy of a 53 year old sports franchise, that maybe you did not follow until 7 or 8 years ago. For a few of us, a lot of the history from the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s will be reminders of things barely remembered or a fresh look at moments and games never to be forgotten. My own personal history with the Chargers began in 1971 at the age of 9, a pretty gloomy period in the team’s history. In 1971, the team was starting its 12th season.

To start all the way back to that beginning, go past the jump…

The origin of the Chargers can be traced back to 1958. That is the year the NFL rejected the bid by an heir to a Texas oil fortune, Lamar Hunt, to bring professional football to Dallas.

via www.remembertheafl.com

In the year following the NFL’s rejection of expanding into Texas, Mr. Hunt reached out to some other rich guys and eventually found 7 other people or groups of people that in mid-1959 formed the original 8 teams of the American Football League. The group included Barron Hilton, a multi-millionaire that was making his fortune in expanding his father's (surprise!) hotel business.* He wanted to own a team close to his home in Los Angeles.

via www.glorifythepast.com

On August 14, 1959 the future owners of the 8 American Football League teams met in the Conrad Hilton Hotel in Chicago. They called themselves “The Foolish Club”.

via www.remembertheafl.com

Barron Hilton chose to name his team “The Chargers” because of his love for the bugle playing and the crowd screaming “Charge” at Dodger and Trojans games. He wanted to make sure that the “Charge” cheer would be made several times during his team’s home games.

As a side note, the new league lost one of its teams shortly after that meeting, when the NFL promised Max Winters and Bill Boyer a franchise in Minnesota. The Minnesota franchise pulled out of the AFL. The fledgling league scrambled to find their 8th team and was able to get a group of eight Northern California investors that would plant a team in the Bay Area (they who must not be named played in San Francisco for the first few years of their cursed existence). So the next time you root against the arch rival, remember, they would not have existed in the form we know and loathe, except for the Vikings.

The league was organized into two divisions, east and west, with a 14 game schedule (each team played against each other twice, once each home and away). The Western Division was composed of the Denver Broncos, the Dallas Texans (who moved to Kansas City in 1963**), the Bay Area team, and the Los Angeles Chargers. Never again wonder about how bitter the rivalries are in today’s AFC West; consider that all four of these teams have been competing against each other for post-season slots since 1960, without interruption. (The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were in the division for one year [1976] and the Seattle Seahawks were members from 1977 through 2001. Neither team really fit in all that well in the AFC West. The hatreds among the original four were already too deeply established.)

League rules called for 35 man rosters, with a minimum salary of $7,200 a year for each player. The AFL’s first draft was held on November 22, 1959. This 30 round affair was followed by another 20 round draft on December 2. Significant draft choices for the Chargers were Paul McGuire (P & LB)

via www.remembertheafl.com

and Ron Mix (OT).

Free agents from the NFL and CFL were also used to stock the team. These included Jack Kemp (QB, previously from the Detroit Lions)

via www.remembertheafl.com

plus CFL escapees Dave Kocourek (TE & K)

via www.remembertheafl.com

and Sam DeLucca (OT).

via www.remembertheafl.com

Reports from that year describe some AFL training camps having 200 players competing for the 35 roster slots when the camps opened in July 1960! (Denver was mentioned as one of the teams having that large of a training camp.)

The coaching staff, even without considering that it was put together for a new team in a new league, proved to be stellar. The Chargers ended up with Sid Gillman (Barron Hilton originally wanted Frank Leahy, but Leahy decided against taking the job) as head coach. Gillman was coming off a 2-10 season for the LA Rams that cost him his job. It would be possible to do a whole series on Gillman and the way his innovations changed the game of football, many still recognizable 50 years later.***

Gillman was a relentlessly hard worker and demanded much from his assistants. He received much because the assitants were special. In two cases, Hall of Fame special. Chuck Noll was the defensive line coach; he went on to coach the Pittsburgh Steelers to four Super Bowl titles. Jack Faulkner, later GM for the LA & St. Louis Rams was the defensive backfield coach. Joe Madro was Gillman’s offensive line coach and a longtime assistant. The other offensive assistant, the backs and receivers coach, remained with the Chargers for three years, until he took over as head coach of the Oakland team. His name was Al Davis. The less said about him on a Charger’s blog, the better. Think about that team’s coaches. 3 out of 5 members of the coaching staff now have busts in Canton, Ohio. Some have argued that this was the best coaching staff ever. It would stay intact for only two years, when Faulkner took the head coaching job in Denver following 1961 season.

The next installment of this series will cover the 1960 season and the move to San Diego.

* His Father, Conrad Hilton, is the one that started Hilton hotels. Barron grew and expanded the business. He is Paris Hilton’s Grandpa and reportedly does not like his granddaughter’s behavior, believing it has tarnished the family name.

via images.buddytv.com

** The NFL, in a fit of spite directly aimed at Lamar Hunt, awarded the Dallas Cowboys franchise to Clint Murchison, Jr. and Bedford Wynne in January of 1960, less than two years after rejecting Hunt’s bid for a NFL team in Dallas. The team was organized too late to participate in the NFL draft and had to field a team of castoffs from the NFL, AFL, and CFL during its first season. The owners of the Redskins tried to block this expansion, but pressure from the NFL, (together with Murchison and Wynne purchasing the rights to the song “Hail to the Redskins” accompanied with a threat to prohibit playing this song at Redskin’s home games), changed the Redskins owner’s mind. This is the source of the Cowboys – Redskins rivalry. The “Dallas Texans” had attendance problems from the start, which were fixed with the 1963 move to Kansas City and a name change to the Chiefs.

*** Gillman’s impacts were many and varied. He was the first coach to make use of film study on his own team and opponents. His was the first staff to include the position of strength and conditioning coach (1963). His main contribution, though, was in the development of the passing game. Many of these innovations were covered earlier in the season, here. Gillman developed the "passing trees" and the “The Field Balance Theory” which split the “offensive ends” wider (and turned them into wide receivers in the process) to get the defense stretched horizontally and use a dedicated fast receiver as a deep threat to stretch the defense vertically. In fact, fans of modern football have two San Diego Coaches mostly to thank for the game as it now, Sid Gillman and Don Coryell, but mostly Gillman. Coryell was an extreme innovator with I-Formation football in the 50’s, until he got to SDSU and saw what Gillman was doing with the passing game. It did not take long for the student to surpass the master in pushing the passing game further along. He was helped by league wide rule changes in the mid-seventies, but we’ll get to that later.

What is Zone Blocking Anyway?

SDNativeinTX — Sat, 08 Sep 2012 21:02:06 -0000

There has been a lot of talk around here about the condition of our Offensive line. With all the talk about the health and turnover of our line, we need to consider the advantage our Offensive Line will have when compared the opponents Offensive Line and it is a big one. We are running basically the same scheme that we have used for the last few years. The opposition is not. Our opponents have changed offensive systems this offseason (par for the course for that team) to a "West Coast Offensive" (short passing game) with a "Zone Blocking Line Scheme".

Explaining a west coast offense would require about a few fan posts of its own, but the fundamentals of Zone Blocking can be easily grasped. Before that explanation, though, we'll review basic conventional blocking after the break…

Drive Blocking

The basic technique, when the Offensive lineman is trying to push their man backwards. My Grandpa called this "knock the stuffings out of the guy in front of you".

Hook Blocking

In this technique, the blockers are trying to force the D-linemen laterally down the line of scrimmage. Note the seals set on the outside. Also note the center, he can free up a guard by taking on a DT; the free Guard can then pull to the play side to block for a ball carrier; using two offensive linemen to set the edge was Vince Lomardi’s innovation that became known as the Packer Sweep.

Angle Blocking

A variation of the basic drive, but instead of pushing the defense backwards, the Offensive line is trying to force the defenders at the line of scrimmage off their spots and move them in the same direction. Variations of this involve a pull by the Tackle or TE to the direction away from the angle (a "down" block). This blocking scheme is used in trap plays, bootleg or reverse runs, speed options (see the second Denver game last year), and screens.

And now, Zone Blocking

Understanding how this scheme is supposed to work begins with the individual offensive lineman and whether he is "covered" or "uncovered". A covered lineman means that he has a defender lined up directly opposite of him. Conversely, an offensive lineman is uncovered when there is space directly in front of him. In this diagram, both Guards and the TE are uncovered against the 3-4 defense’s front 7.

What the Zone Blocking Scheme is trying to accomplish is to create overloads at certain points along the line. This starts with the first step by a COVERED lineman:

In a traditional blocking schemes, the offensive lineman’s first step is into the defender. With the slide step, the gap between O-linemen extends from the standard 18 inches to a yard or a little more. The defensive end’s natural reaction is to penetrate that gap and disrupt. The scheme plays off this instinct and coaching by giving him a gap right at the snap. But, if things work right, the DE should be stopped with the second step…

Either way the DE has moved, the RT should have leverage to move him further outside or drive him into his Guard help that is looking to create the overload on the right. The uncovered guard has used angle block technique toward the DE:

This scheme requires a LOT of discipline and practice by the Offensive lineman. These men are used to double – teaming a player, but the Zone Blocking Scheme lives or dies on overloading a POSITION on the field. This can be a tough adjustment for an offensive lineman. This also requires EXCELLENT communication between the Guard and Tackle here, depending on how the ‘backer reacts. If he reacts in or to the DE, the Guard must disengage and pick him up. If he goes outside, the Tackle leaves the DE and engages the LB outside. Both linemen leaving the DE usually results in disaster, leaving the LB free probably results in no gain or maybe a yard or two. Whoopee...

Now let’s look at the entire line of scrimmage. Here we have a pretty common defensive look for the Bolts, our base 3-4 with the Sam LB crowding the TE at the line of scrimmage. The "B" in this diagram will be Jarrett Johnson on Monday Night. The dotted circles are pre-snap and the solid circles are after the first step taken at the snap.

Observe that all the covered linemen are taking a slide step in one direction and all the uncovered linemen are all angle blocking in the same direction. Here, the offensive coordinator has created what he hopes will be a 3 on 2 situation to the right, with the G or T looking to disengage and take on the closest ILB when the ILB commits. There is a 2 on 1 that the NT has to deal with and the Left Guard will look to disengage and block the other ILB when he can. So what kind of play does this basic Zone Blocking Scheme set –up for the run?

Now comes the RB’s part to play in this offense – his responsibility is to read where his hole is and get there. The system demands a back with good vision, a measure of patience, good burst, and most of all, being able to cut-back. See the play below:

The back can start to the left side and hit the hole between LT and LG, with the option of cutting back right to go between C-RG hole. A variation is a pitch to the HB for him to take advantage of a seal on the right (if it’s there) or cut back to the C-RG hole. The challenge for the defense is to win your individual battle if you have one, or absorb the double team and keep your LB’s clean. This is not an easy task, particularly if the defensive lineman tries to change direction to make a play. Usually, a change of direction will cause the defender to lose leverage and end up on the ground.

This blocking scheme also lends itself to play action passes – defenders get used to the initial slide steps to one side or another and look to stay engaged with the lineman to free up the LB’s. And the LB's have a tougher time diagnosing the play when the blocking starts off looking exactly like all of the running plays they have seen.

So how does the opponnent playing thir first game using this scheme benefit us? As you can tell, the communication on pre-snap line calls has to be superb. Additionally, the timing and knowledge of which O -Linemen are going to release and hit the 2nd level is a big deal. Finally, McFadden's recognition of where to run has be accurate or the play will fail. The Bolts facing they who must not be named's new scheme for the first time it has been used in a game that matters may give our favorite team the edge they need to win.

You Gotta Play Hurt, Right?

SDNativeinTX — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 21:08:00 -0000

I was not sure where to start this post, but probably the best way is with the three news stories on the Daily Links for September 4, 2012. In two stories, we are told of Ryan Mathews pestering the coaching staff to get back on the field to practice a mere 3 weeks after fracturing his clavicle. In another story, we read of Jared Gaither’s insistence that he not return to the field until he is at “his best”.

Most of us, me included, are having some real problems as fans with Gaither’s statement – we have a feeling that 75% of Gaither would give us a better chance to beat the arch rival we open the season against on Monday the 10th than 100% of Mike Harris. I know that I (and I think a few of you) are also mindful of Gaither’s history as a malingerer, prone to nursing injuries beyond the usual point of health (as the NFL defines it), and being a player without much desire or lacking in the “work ethic” that is so often referred to as an “intangible” that coaches love.

The reputation seems to be earned on the basis of a December 2009 injury that kept him on the shelf the last 3 games of the year and then either that injury or another keeping him on IR for all of 2010. (It is interesting to note that Gaither came into the league early due to not making grades at the University of Maryland in the spring semester of 2007. He declared for the supplemental draft and the Ravens used a 5th round pick to get him in July 2007.) What is not mentioned is that he injured his ankle in 2008 and played virtually all of that year in constant pain on a bad ankle.

We would probably feel a lot better about Gaither if the Training staff had popped out an MRI or CT scan on July 30th and said “well, you see this ______ here has gotten ______ and so it is really affecting the _________ and the inflammation around this injury isn’t helping matters any. We need to deal with the inflammation and then go after the root cause of the problem by __________________. He should be good to go in 6 weeks, give or take or week.”

We have that with RM24. The only thing we are aware of with Gaither is his absence and the statement that the team wants him to be “his best”, which we suspect is not a true statement. Locker rooms throughout the NFL are filled with guys that have been on the “doubtful” or “questionable” list for week or more and played after getting their Toradol or Cortisone injections or popping enough Oxycontin or Vicodin to dull the pain enough to perform. Perhaps even Gaither did that in 2008.

As fans, we are all aware of the violence of the game and the culture among the players in this league of playing through the pain. And we as fans are offended with the idea of guy getting $5 Million guaranteed and then shutting it down. Contrast that with the retirement of Kris Dielman, who made a decision and honorably walked away without extracting additional financial gain from his team.

Maybe I should not be too hard on Gaither. Every year, it is not too hard to find reporting on the culture of pain and the conflict every player has between the conflicting desires to do what is right for yourself versus the taught, ingrained attitude of doing what is needed to “help the team”. This was a particularly good series.

And so Gaither sits amid suggestions that maybe he should try and give it a go, and questions about his “character and work ethic”, even suggestions that he is faking the injury that has kept him out of 2012 so far; into Week one at least. Gaither got some got guaranteed scratch and still has a roster spot. He is also under a cloud, but I wonder – while we are pushing him onto the field, maybe we should be pulling Mathews off of it, since we would like him to be fully re-calcified before game contact. After all, the Bolts need him to be 80% or better for most of the season to have a shot at the playoffs. If he re-injuries his shoulder, we don't have a shot at post-season...

An unofficial BFTB Fantasy Football League

SDNativeinTX — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 00:08:11 -0000

In response to John's kind invitation I just formed a new Yahoo league for this community:

League ID: 686346

Password: ThanksJohn

League URL: http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/league/unauthorizedbftb

Live draft on 9/3 at 7:00 pm Pacific, 9 pm Central.

Check the settings carefully, this is a points per reception league, with some interesting bonuses for yards from your QB, RB, and Receiver positions. This being an unofficial league and all, I have only set it up for 14 teams...

In response to John's kind invitation I just formed a new Yahoo league for this community:

League ID: 686346

Password: ThanksJohn

League URL: http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/league/unauthorizedbftb

Live draft on 9/3 at 7:00 pm Pacific, 9 pm Central.

Search Committee - What names do we present to Spanos for new HC?

SDNativeinTX — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 23:37:29 -0000

Although I doubt that any of the owners read this, I thought it might be beneficial for all of us to have a serious discussion about who we the fans want to replace Norville Turner. I had been giving the matter some thought during November (before the 3 game run) and really serious thought since the Christmas Eve disaster.

Please post your nominees for the search committee. You can even defend coach Turner if you want. Please convince the committee as to why your nominee is the guy to lead us to the promised land. After the jump, I give you my five candidates to start our search; one retread and 4 current NFL assistants.

1, Jeff Fischer, former HC for the Tennessee Titans: USC player under John Robinson. He was drafted by the Bears in the 7th round in 1980, made the team, playing under Buddy Ryan. Went on IR in 1985 and was Ryan's assistant while on IR. Followed Ryan to Philadelphia in 1986 and then was promoted to Defensive Coordinator in 1988 at the age of 30 (at the time the youngest coordinator in the league). In 1994, he got the DC gig under Coach Pardee in Houston. Pardee was fired in November and Fischer took over as interim HC. Remained HC of the Oilers/Titans until the end of the 2010 season. Overall record 142-120 (regular season) and 5-6 in the playoffs, including one SB appearence.

Pluses – Experience; he has coached outstanding teams, bad teams, rebuilding teams and teams on the way up. Reputation; Fischer is probably the most credible former coach out there. Time away and not being on TV; only out a year and has not become part of the football media. Minuses – Has never really been considered an innovator, although some of his coordinators (Jim Schwartz, Greg Williams, and Mike Munchak) seem to be having success. He has not coached a 3-4 style defense.

2. Perry Fewell, current DC for the NY Giants. Fewell played his college ball at a small school. Between 1985 and 1997 punched his ticket at 4 college programs in position coaching on the defensive side of the ball and ending as the DC for Vanderbilt in 1995 through 1997. Hired as DB coach by Jacksonville in 1998 and did that job for Rams and the Bears until 2005 when he was hired by the Bills to be their DC. He was named interim HC after Jauron was fired in 2009. The Bills had a 3-4 record on his watch. Last two years he has been the Giants DC.

Pluses – Defensive minded coach that is noted for his intelligence and charisma. He is also noted for having the ability to make quick adjustments during games or to shake up his teams during rough stretches. Minuses – He has not served under elite coaches. He would need a good OC for the side of the ball he has not coached. He also lacks playoff experience.

3. Winston Moss, current assistant head coach / ILB coach for the Green Bay Packers. He was an NFL LB, the 50th pick in the 1987 draft after playing his college ball at Miami (FL).the Seahawks and the team we don’t name on this site, in addition to TB. He retired in 1997 and his first coaching job was as Defensive QC assistant coach for Seattle. Was a Saints assistant coach from 2000-2005, leaving New Orleans to become the LB coach for Green Bay in 2006. Was promoted to DC in 2007 and was the only defensive coach to NOT get fired after the disaster season of 2008.

Pluses – Another defensive minded coach that knows what a championship team looks like. Minuses – Same as Fewell’s, except that Moss does have playoff experience.

4. Mike Zimmer, current DC for the Cincinnati Bengals. He played college ball at Illinois State, starting at QB and then moving to LB after a hand injury. Defensive position coaching at college programs from 1978 – 1984, becoming the DC for Weber St. in 1985. He became the Washington St. DC in 1989, staying there until 1993. Joined Dallas Cowboys staff in 1994, and stayed there through several coaching changes through 2006. Was Cowboy DC from 2000-2006. Was Bobby Petrino’s DC in Atlanta for the 2007 season. DC for the Bengals in 2008 on.

Plus – Has showed an ability to develop defensive players and is considered “a player’s coach”. He also has been quite flexible in his career – when Parcells put in the 3-4 defense in Dallas in 2005, he coached it good enough to stay for another year, despite never coaching a 3-4 defense before then. Got a defensive back on track after a good 2009 season followed by a terrible 2010 campaign. Minus – Very little experience coaching winning teams and virtually no playoff experience.

5. Rob Chudzinski – Current OC for the Carolina Panthers. Played TE with Miami (FL) from 1986 – 1990, and was the starter for two National Championship teams. From 1994-2003, he coached for Miami, the last 3 years as OC, including a National Championship team in 2001 (remember Jeremy Shockey?). TE Coach for Cleveland in 2004. TE Coach for the Bolts in 2005 & 2006. OC for the Browns in 2007 and 2008; four Cleveland Offensive players went to the Pro-Bowl in 2007 (including Derek Anderson). Back to the Bolts for the 2009 and 2010 seasons, he then followed Ron Rivera to Carolina.

Plus – Player development; he seems to get more out of the guys that he coaches than even they may think is possible. Kellen Winslow Jr., Antonio Gates, Phillip Rivers, and Derek Anderson have had some of their best seasons when he has been on the coaching staff. He does know a lot of the Bolts current players and has recently coached many of them. Minus – May be too familiar with many of the players for what may be a reloading program. Also, he has not seemed to show a real commitment to any one organization or has not been around long enough to have a track record anywhere. (This may be actually plus, if the reason why he changes teams so often is due to being recognized as a genius and being in high demand from those he has worked with.)

My own personal favorites are Jeff Fischer and Winston Moss, but I would like to be further educated. There are certainly a number of other names out there.