ckparrothead
Premium Member
Let's get this part straight because some people don't realize that when we talk about NOSE TACKLE, that is not a term that is limited strictly to the 3-4 defense. I know the Phins will use mostly 4-3 fronts, and switch into and out of the 3-4. BUT, even on their 4-3 fronts, they will make use of a nose tackle...on almost every play. If this confuses you, please see this article:
http://www.phins.com/articles05/3-4defense.php
Though this article was written a long time before anything became clear about Saban's defense through the traditional media, I have found this article to be DEAD ON RIGHTS with our personnel moves...including how Jason Taylor will be played, how Zach Thomas will be played (weakside linebacker), and how Junior and Crowder will be played. Anyway...that said...
There's a lot of chatter and chirping among the local media about seeing Vonnie Holliday play the NT position during public mini-camps.
I guess I could see why they won't let this issue just drop. Holliday is a 6'5", 290 pound defensive end, and to see him playing nose tackle just blows peoples' minds.
Holliday himself just explained it away saying his playbook is bigger than any he's seen before, and he plays all positions on the line.
But, you know what, I haven't seen the media talking about Kevin Carter at NT, or Matt Roth, or David Bowens, or Jason Taylor.
The media has taken it as something to just criticize blindly, a defensive end not just playing defensive tackle, but NOSE tackle? I mean, come on. That screams of a mistake, right?
BUT, they should really know by now that there's always a method to these guys' madness...ESPECIALLY Nick Saban.
Hear me out:
1. We have tons of depth at DE. We have JT, Kevin Carter, David Bowens, and Matt Roth...and Vonnie Holliday. Those are 5 DEs that (call me a homer) you wouldn't exactly be shocked to see any one of them starting on another team.
2. Vonnie Holliday played Defensive Tackle in college, and made the transition to defensive end when he played in Green Bay. There was some question as to whether he could make the transition to DE in the pros, but he was so talented that pro teams wanted to place him in a position to make game-changing plays, rather than stick him in at DT.
3. Back on the Packers, he was one of the strongest men on the team. They had both lines, OL and DL, benchpress 315 pounds as many times as they could, just to get a measure of their offseason conditioning. Holliday, with 15 reps, had the most reps on the team as a rookie, bar none (even big fat Gilbert Brown).
4. Holliday is no longer considered such a talent that you need to keep him on the outside in a passrush position so he can make game-changing plays. In fact, at the End position, he's in danger of getting buried on the depth chart by playmakers such as Jason Taylor, Kevin Carter, Matt Roth, and even David Bowens, who made an interception in camps while dropping back into coverage.
5. Holliday is signed to a two-year deal, which could be extended if he found a permanent home on this defense. If it were a one-year deal, neither he nor the team would be willing to have him do something drastic like change his playing weight...
My conclusion:
I believe the Phins are serious about Manuel Wright. But no matter how serious you are, unless you're willing to give up way too much, you never know if you're going to get the guy you want in the supplemental draft. We're thin at DT, thick at DE. We have a DE who was a 300+ pound DT in college, and has become a very talented run stopper at DE in the pros, who is threatening to be buried as the 5th DE on the depth chart, yet we're thin at DT. What do you do? You place him at defensive tackle, and even nose tackle, and you see if he shows you something you like. If he does, and if Manuel Wright either turns out to not end up a Phin, or not be capable of playing Nose Tackle, you have your man gain 30 pounds and he plays tackle all year long....regular DT and NT.
We have Keith Traylor (who use to be a MLB btw, talk about weight gain and a dramatic position change!) but he can't be counted on to play nose tackle on every single play. After all, the guy admits he's got nothing left in the tank in this heat, and he's trying to get into shape to play in this weather. Larry Chester is a half-step from an injury settlement and being cut, depending on who you believe. I say keep an eye on this one. Vonnie Holliday at nose tackle is an idea that I think we had all better get use to. He does not have to gain 30 or 40 pounds of pure muscle in order to play that position. All he needs really is the mass. He's got a lot of the strength already.
http://www.phins.com/articles05/3-4defense.php
Though this article was written a long time before anything became clear about Saban's defense through the traditional media, I have found this article to be DEAD ON RIGHTS with our personnel moves...including how Jason Taylor will be played, how Zach Thomas will be played (weakside linebacker), and how Junior and Crowder will be played. Anyway...that said...
There's a lot of chatter and chirping among the local media about seeing Vonnie Holliday play the NT position during public mini-camps.
I guess I could see why they won't let this issue just drop. Holliday is a 6'5", 290 pound defensive end, and to see him playing nose tackle just blows peoples' minds.
Holliday himself just explained it away saying his playbook is bigger than any he's seen before, and he plays all positions on the line.
But, you know what, I haven't seen the media talking about Kevin Carter at NT, or Matt Roth, or David Bowens, or Jason Taylor.
The media has taken it as something to just criticize blindly, a defensive end not just playing defensive tackle, but NOSE tackle? I mean, come on. That screams of a mistake, right?
BUT, they should really know by now that there's always a method to these guys' madness...ESPECIALLY Nick Saban.
Hear me out:
1. We have tons of depth at DE. We have JT, Kevin Carter, David Bowens, and Matt Roth...and Vonnie Holliday. Those are 5 DEs that (call me a homer) you wouldn't exactly be shocked to see any one of them starting on another team.
2. Vonnie Holliday played Defensive Tackle in college, and made the transition to defensive end when he played in Green Bay. There was some question as to whether he could make the transition to DE in the pros, but he was so talented that pro teams wanted to place him in a position to make game-changing plays, rather than stick him in at DT.
3. Back on the Packers, he was one of the strongest men on the team. They had both lines, OL and DL, benchpress 315 pounds as many times as they could, just to get a measure of their offseason conditioning. Holliday, with 15 reps, had the most reps on the team as a rookie, bar none (even big fat Gilbert Brown).
4. Holliday is no longer considered such a talent that you need to keep him on the outside in a passrush position so he can make game-changing plays. In fact, at the End position, he's in danger of getting buried on the depth chart by playmakers such as Jason Taylor, Kevin Carter, Matt Roth, and even David Bowens, who made an interception in camps while dropping back into coverage.
5. Holliday is signed to a two-year deal, which could be extended if he found a permanent home on this defense. If it were a one-year deal, neither he nor the team would be willing to have him do something drastic like change his playing weight...
My conclusion:
I believe the Phins are serious about Manuel Wright. But no matter how serious you are, unless you're willing to give up way too much, you never know if you're going to get the guy you want in the supplemental draft. We're thin at DT, thick at DE. We have a DE who was a 300+ pound DT in college, and has become a very talented run stopper at DE in the pros, who is threatening to be buried as the 5th DE on the depth chart, yet we're thin at DT. What do you do? You place him at defensive tackle, and even nose tackle, and you see if he shows you something you like. If he does, and if Manuel Wright either turns out to not end up a Phin, or not be capable of playing Nose Tackle, you have your man gain 30 pounds and he plays tackle all year long....regular DT and NT.
We have Keith Traylor (who use to be a MLB btw, talk about weight gain and a dramatic position change!) but he can't be counted on to play nose tackle on every single play. After all, the guy admits he's got nothing left in the tank in this heat, and he's trying to get into shape to play in this weather. Larry Chester is a half-step from an injury settlement and being cut, depending on who you believe. I say keep an eye on this one. Vonnie Holliday at nose tackle is an idea that I think we had all better get use to. He does not have to gain 30 or 40 pounds of pure muscle in order to play that position. All he needs really is the mass. He's got a lot of the strength already.
