Stephon Heyer-Our Right Tackle!!

[Miller101]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

My prediction is Bridges is the starting RT come week 1. I'm not as high on Heyer as some are. The kid has potential but he still has some pretty glaring weaknesses in run blocking and he needs to be more consisent overall.

Bridges is more physical and more polished at this point. I think he will beat Heyer out.

Well, I am. I won't forget the game where Jansen "twisted" his ankle. And we had this rookie come in. That dude was huge. I mean, he's like 7ft tall, 300 something pounds! And his hair cut! No wonder his teammates call him "Wookie". He had some issues but for someone that we hadn't seen before he did very well. He was pass blocking well. Run blocking well. And he was doing this all from the right side of the line. He is a left tackle. Not a right tackle, but a left one. And all of a sudden this rookie is playing the right side of the line. He did very well that game. Especially in overtime.

I won't forget we were 3rd and 5 and just outside of field goal range. They ran it to the right. Heyer got under a much shorter lineman and just literally carried him out of the hole. He pushed him five or ten yards. Parted that freakin sea. Portis was able to pick up 15 yards and then just laid down. The game was over.

Heyer can do it. He's done it from the left side. He's done it on the right side. Its time to give him a full time job at one position. Let him develope there. And Don't forget that Samuels wasn't the best run blocker when we drafted him either. That was something the coaches really had to work with him on. After several years Samuels became darn good at it.

[53Fan]

Heyer has been working his ass off and has changed his body quite a bit. I think he'll start at RT and do a good job. I like his attitude and think he plays well on the right side. I expect him to start.

[Stuck in TX]

Originally Posted by JoeRedskin

Let me ask this, which is more difficult to learn/be proficient at? run or pass blocking?

It strikes me that pass blocking requires much more athleticism and that, as such, you can teach a good pass blocker to run block, but you may not be able to teach a run blocker to pass block. (Similar to baseball where you can't teach heat; but u can teach a fastball piticher to mix it up).

IF Heyer can learn to bend and drive in the run blocking, he has the potential to be a MUCH better tackle. I admit its a big "if" and one that will only be demonstrated in game time. I truly hope it works out.

Based on experience, I can tell you that it takes quite a bit more athleticism to pass block. Sometimes you have to take on an end and a LB at the same time. You are also required to sacrifice quite a bit of yourself to protect that QB. One advantage, however, is that you cannot move upfield, and in our backfield we have CP and one of the most underrated FB's to pick up your slack. Run blocking is where the mental toughness comes in. There are just as many if not more blocking schemes as there are WR patterns. A run blocking O lineman has to know each and every run play, where he needs to be, where he needs to move his assigned man, and where the run is going. Sometimes he is required to pull, or pick up a blitz. Honestly, I looked forward to pass plays when I played because I could take a break from thinking and just protect my QB. Any of our linemen, namely the Tackles, need to have mental toughness and intense athleticism.