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Liwienski starting over Toledo?

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jim1

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Chris Liwienski opened camp as the starting left guard. What happened to Joe Toledo? The supposedly huge, athletic, finally healthy Joe Toledo? They bring Liwienski in off the street and he's plugged in to start right away over Toledo. Either I have underrated Liwienski, or I've got to think that this is a warning sign regarding Toledo. And yes, I know that Cameron and Liwienski were at Indiana University, so there's a connection there. Thoughts?

From the Miami Herald:

That is what third-year pro Anthony Alabi is trying to avoid as he spent Friday taking first-team snaps at left tackle. After spending his first two seasons either inactive or as a reserve, he hopes to show the coaching staff he is worthy of a chance to start.
''This is a critical time because this is my turn to show what I can do.'' Alabi said. ``I'm [starting] there right now. That's all I know. It's my job to try to make it a permanent situation.''
Cameron said he would mix and match linemen throughout the offseason and possibly during training camp to find the best five. But it seems unlikely right tackle Vernon Carey or center Rex Hadnot would be moved around too much.
The left side of the line, however, is in flux.
''Yes it is,'' said second-year pro Joe Toledo, who will compete for the starting left guard spot with newcomer Chris Liwienski.
Liwienski took the starter's snaps Friday and said he might soon start feeling confident about the position, although he is still learning the line calls.
A LOT TO PROVE
''I mean, everybody wants to be the man, no doubt about it,'' Liwienski said. 'But I've got to prove myself to this team, too. I was plugged into a position and I have to make sure I earn it in my teammates' eyes and my coach's eyes.''

http://www.miamiherald.com/616/story/73747.html
 
I haven't heard anything about him, whether he is healthy or injured.

besides, it makes sence he doesn't start, because there is no professional film on him!
 
dolfanmark said:
Who says Joe Toledo is healthy?
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He was healthy late last year, and then he cut himself in a hot tub or something like that. What makes you think that he's not healthy? There was no mention of him not being healthy in recent news, at least from what I've seen.
 
It's only mini-camp. Where someone is playing right now doesn't mean a whole lot. It could be that Liwienski is taking snaps with the first team because he has more experience than Toledo. Things could change rather quickly over the next couple of months, especially when they put the pads on.
 
Liwienski has starting experience, Joe Toledo does not. It doesn't mean Toledo won't start. It only means that Liwienski is the "starter" for now.
 
Geforce said:
It's only mini-camp. Where someone is playing right now doesn't mean a whole lot. It could be that Liwienski is taking snaps with the first team because he has more experience than Toledo. Things could change rather quickly over the next couple of months, especially when they put the pads on.
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This is the part that struck me:

''I mean, everybody wants to be the man, no doubt about it,'' Liwienski said. 'But I've got to prove myself to this team, too. I was plugged into a position and I have to make sure I earn it in my teammates' eyes and my coach's eyes.''

That tells me that Liwienski is slated to start, at least right now. He has starting experience, Toledo has the size, athletic talent, and a year under his belt in the Dolphins system. I thought that Liwienski was brought in to be a backup. It's just a little curious to me.
 
jim1 said:
This is the part that struck me:

''I mean, everybody wants to be the man, no doubt about it,'' Liwienski said. 'But I've got to prove myself to this team, too. I was plugged into a position and I have to make sure I earn it in my teammates' eyes and my coach's eyes.''

That tells me that Liwienski is slated to start, at least right now. He has starting experience, Toledo has the size, athletic talent, and a year under his belt in the Dolphins system. I thought that Liwienski was brought in to be a backup. It's just a little curious to me.
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I think it was the fans who jumped to that conclusion that Liwienski was brought here to be a backup and not compete for the starting job.

Both Liwienski and Toledo have something to prove and the Dolphins will benefit from it. Maybe Cam and Houck put Liwieski with the starting unit to push/motivate Toledo to bring it and take the job away from Liwienski?

Toledo may have been here last year in the "Dolphins System" but thank goodness it will be a different one this year. :wink:
 
I think that Hud Houck knows what he has in Toledo. He has to evalutate EVERYBODY including the new comers. Liwienski is a proven LARGE body, but Houck probably wants to see what he can do with a starting unit....
 
azfinfanmang said:
I think that Hud Houck knows what he has in Toledo. He has to evalutate EVERYBODY including the new comers. Liwienski is a proven LARGE body, but Houck probably wants to see what he can do with a starting unit....
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I disagree. If so that's a slap in the face to Toledo, assuming that Toledo actually is the 1st team guy. It just doesn't make sense- if you want to evaluate fine, but Liwienski took the first snap. Big difference in my book.
 
Geforce said:
I think it was the fans who jumped to that conclusion that Liwienski was brought here to be a backup and not compete for the starting job.

Both Liwienski and Toledo have something to prove and the Dolphins will benefit from it. Maybe Cam and Houck put Liwieski with the starting unit to push/motivate Toledo to bring it and take the job away from Liwienski?

Toledo may have been here last year in the "Dolphins System" but thank goodness it will be a different one this year. :wink:
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Does Toledo need to be pushed or motivated? That's the kind of stuff that I'm talking about. If that's the case, I don't like it one bit at all.
 
jim1 said:
I disagree. If so that's a slap in the face to Toledo, assuming that Toledo actually is the 1st team guy. It just doesn't make sense- if you want to evaluate fine, but Liwienski took the first snap. Big difference in my book.
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This is mini-camp, not even training camp. How is this a slap in Toledo's face? Not like he has even done anything on the field yet. Not even sure it was ever Toledo's job to keep
 
And I'm not jacked to hear that Hadnot is necessarily a lock at Center, either. He was a turnstile on several occasions last year and he's physically better suited at Right Guard, I feel.

What I'd like to see is our pick at the bottom of the 2nd go to one of the top two Centers (who may both be there when we pick).
 
azfinfanmang said:
This is mini-camp, not even training camp. How is this a slap in Toledo's face? Not like he has even done anything on the field yet. Not even sure it was ever Toledo's job to keep
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Frequently in minicamps, when last year's starter is gone, the most veteran guy with the most starts gets the "starter" designation at the beginning. This is especially true when there's a new coaching staff.

It's no big deal, especially since the Fins get extra OTAs because they have a new HC. There's a lot to sort out between now and TC, and between TC and opeing day.
 
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