Austin looking to make impact with Rams/Latsch

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RamBill

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Austin looking to make impact with Rams
By Nate Latsch

http://www.scout.com/nfl/rams/story/1555292-austin-looking-to-make-impact-with-rams

ST. LOUIS — Tavon Austin has heard that people think he is a bust.
The Rams’ diminutive speedster, the No. 8 overall pick of the 2013 Draft, is determined to write a different story in his third NFL season.

“Just because of how all the media say I’m a bust and all that stuff,” Austin said during a Rams’ OTA session last week. “I really don’t pay too much attention, but for the most part I know one thing about it — when I’m focused, I’m focused. It’s going to be a different story this year.”

The 24-year-old said it used to bug him a lot when he heard the negative commentary regarding his play, but now he tries not to pay attention to it. He did offer that it serves as a source of motivation.

“For the most part I let my family motivate me,” he said. “I don’t pay much (attention) to the outside world. They don’t really know what’s going on. They’ve got something to say about everything, but at the end of the day the Rams know what’s going on and I know what’s going on so that’s all that matters.”

Austin established himself as one of the most dynamic players in college football during his senior season at West Virginia in 2012 when he caught 114 passes and racked up 1,932 yards from scrimmage (1,289 receiving, 643 rushing) and 17 total touchdowns (12 receiving, three rushing and two on kick and punt returns).

The Rams, seeking to add a playmaker to the offense for quarterback Sam Bradford, made a draft day deal with the Buffalo Bills to move up to pick Austin. St. Louis traded its picks in the first, second, third and seventh rounds to Buffalo for the Bills’ first and third rounders.

The Rams took Austin at No. 8 overall and then safety T.J. McDonald with the third-round pick. The Bills selected quarterback E.J. Manuel in the first, linebacker Kiko Alonso in the second, wide receiver Marquise Goodwin in the third and then tight end Chris Gragg in the seventh.

Austin has flashed his playmaking potential in his first two seasons but failed to find a role as a consistent contributor in a Rams offense still searching for success. Which has led onlookers to wonder and theorize why he hasn’t made more of an impact.

Is it because of the scheme and play-calling of former offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer led to fewer opportunities? Is it because of the unsettled situation at quarterback, where Bradford’s devastating knee injuries led to Kellen Clemens, Shaun Hill and Austin Davis leading the offense? Or is it that Austin just isn’t good enough?

In 13 games as a rookie, Austin had 569 yards from scrimmage and six total touchdowns — he caught 40 passes for 418 yards and four touchdowns, ran nine times for 151 yards and a touchdown and added a 98-yard punt return touchdown.

In his second season, in 15 games, Austin accumulated 466 yards from scrimmage and three total touchdowns — he had 31 receptions for 242 yards, ran 36 times for 224 yards and two scores and returned a punt 78 yards for another score.

Now, the Rams have a new quarterback in Nick Foles and a new offensive coordinator in Frank Cignetti. Austin is hoping that he’ll have more chances to make more plays.

“Basically it depends on opportunities,” he said. “Last year I didn’t have too many opportunities out there. Different offensive coordinator. Different quarterback. I’m just thankful. Things are working out in my favor right now. Hopefully everything just keeps going my way and I’ll make some good plays.”

Austin said Cignetti, who was previously the Rams’ quarterbacks coach, has been talking to him about what the speedy wide receiver sees out on the practice field and what he likes.

“He’s trying to get me a little more involved in the offense, so I’m definitely happy with that,” Austin said. “Hopefully we just keep rolling over into camp and keep going from there.”

Austin was asked if he wasn’t as involved with the offense in the past.

“I wouldn’t say that,” he explained. “When it’s your time, it’s your time. I just felt like it wasn’t my time back then, but I feel like now might be my time, so I have to step up to the plate and take advantage of it.”

Austin then described his first two seasons as a learning experience.

“Right now I feel like I’m ready,” he said. “Not saying I wasn’t ready the other two years, but I feel I’m a little more confident. I’m just taking it day by day and getting better.”
 

A55VA6

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I believe in Austin. I know he works hard and I hope Cignetti can get the most out of him because I still think he can be a dangerous weapon.
 

Alan

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I'd love to comment on this but I don't have an open space on my wall for the award I'd win. :(
b7d.jpg
 

-X-

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So let me get this straight.

Austin professes he is going to make an impact.
Brockers professes he is going to make an impact.
Britt professes he is going to make an impact.
Cook professes he is going to make an impact.

The fuck have you guys been waiting on? lol.
J/K. I'm glad to see the renewed focus.
 

Faceplant

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So let me get this straight.

Austin professes he is going to make an impact.
Brockers professes he is going to make an impact.
Britt professes he is going to make an impact.
Cook professes he is going to make an impact.

The freak have you guys been waiting on? lol.
J/K. I'm glad to see the renewed focus.

COMM-year-of-the-goat-01092015.gif
 

RAGRam

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I think if Austin was say a 4th round pick we'd all be happy with him, around 500 yards each of his 2 seasons, and a good punt returner. Just one of those unfortunate facts that as long as he's a Ram he'll always be the guy we could have got 2 excellent players instead, not his fault that he has to live up to that.
 

Rmfnlt

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Austin professes he is going to make an impact.
Brockers professes he is going to make an impact.
Britt professes he is going to make an impact.
Cook professes he is going to make an impact.

I am STOKED for this season now!!
 

DR RAM

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So let me get this straight.

Austin professes he is going to make an impact.
Brockers professes he is going to make an impact.
Britt professes he is going to make an impact.
Cook professes he is going to make an impact.

The freak have you guys been waiting on? lol.
J/K. I'm glad to see the renewed focus.
You'd think that Foles, would really try to be proving himself this year too.
 

snackdaddy

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Austin is a good specialty player. He can return punts, run jet sweeps and reverses, catch WR screens. But he's a one trick pony. He'll never a be a number one receiver. And if he makes a pro bowl it'll be as a returner. IMO, He won't be at or near the top of any receiving categories. And that would be fine if he wasn't such a high draft pick. Every team needs a utility guy like that. But not many trade up for that. If he's a bust, its only because of his draft position. I doubt he'll ever give them a return on their investment.
 

LACHAMP46

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“I wouldn’t say that,” he explained. “When it’s your time, it’s your time. I just felt like it wasn’t my time back then, but I feel like now might be is my time, so I have to step up to the plate and take advantage of it.”
Fixed that for ya Tavon....There is no try, only do....or something yoda would say....
 

BonifayRam

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The impacts that Tavon has experienced since his arrival to the NFL & the Rams in 2013 have taken place. I can name three impacts below that Tavon has been involved with.....

#1- The hopeful impact of decision of utilizing a highly priceless & ultra high value first round top #8 pick selection for a RB/KR/WR/PR/SL player Tavon has had some measurable impacts on Fisher & Snead professional career where questions of this decision have been thrown @ them as they continue to trend downwards even after the selection of Tavon for 2 losing seasons. (?? Would they be in this trending position if that #8 pick has been better utilized elsewhere??)

#2-The 2013 Ram offensive playbook impact...the force exerted by a new playbook concept & standard NFL ideology with Tavon's immature brain was sizable. These constant impacts over & over again was evident & still continued till the end of the 2014 season. Tavon continues to be knocked silly by these such impacts.

#3- The impacts of defenders striking of smallish Austin & the forceful contact & collision impacted on Austin took its toll where Tavon was forced to missed 3 complete games & parts of 2 others due to injuries his rookie season. Could one think that the sparsity of the use of Tavon in actual on field plays might be linked to this concern.
 
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Warner4Prez

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When it comes to my stance on Austin, let me sum it up:

kgb-splash-the-pot-gif.gif


Get your number 11 jerseys out.
 

fearsomefour

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These guys doing interviews just kills me....
Saying you pay attention to media immediately after saying it bothers you....by saying this year is going to be different because you are focused is also saying you were not focused before....
I am just waiting for the annual JL interview where he talks about everyone needing to step up so the team can take the final step.
I am looking forward to see if the team with a new OC can figure out how to use Austin. He has the ability to be a difference maker....stop talking about it.
 

RamBill

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  • #14
Rams wide receiver Tavon Austin speaks to Palmer Alexander of The St. Louis American about the upcoming NFL season. Austin gives his insight on working with a new offensive coordinator, his role in the offense and expectations in his third season as a pro.

Watch Austin Interview
 

RamBill

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Rams' Tavon Austin aiming to shed bust label in 2015
By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-ra...avon-austin-aiming-to-shed-bust-label-in-2015

EARTH CITY, Mo. -- Two years into a thus-far disappointing NFL career, St. Louis Rams receiver Tavon Austin has heard the whispers. For Austin, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft, one word rises above the rest: bust.

Entering his third season, Austin says he has made it a point to block out what others have to say but he hasn't been able to completely avoid the criticism. It's part of why Austin views this season as critically important to his NFL future.

"I think it’s real big to be honest just because of how the media say I’m a bust and all of that stuff," Austin said. "I really don’t pay too much attention to it but I know one thing about it is when I’m focused, I’m focused. It’s going to be a different story this year and we’ll see what happens when we get to the end of the year."

For both Austin and the Rams' sake, the hope is that in 2015 Austin will drastically change the narrative of his career to this point. When the Rams traded up to take him at No. 8, they envisioned him becoming the type of dangerous Swiss Army Knife capable of dissecting opponents as a receiver, running back and punt returner.

As it's turned out, the bulk of Austin's production has mainly come as a returner, which makes trading up and spending the No. 8 overall pick a costly proposition for a special-teamer. As a receiver, Austin has 71 catches for 660 yards and four touchdowns in his first two seasons. Those numbers dipped to 31 receptions for 242 yards and zero touchdowns last season.

In the meantime, the Rams converted Austin into more of a running back under then offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. He had 36 carries for 224 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in 2014, though Schottenheimer's insistence on running him between the tackles on a consistent basis left many scratching their heads.

Which is why some view Schottenheimer's departure and the subsequent promotion of Frank Cignetti Jr. to coordinator as a glimmer of hope that Austin can deliver on his pre-draft promise.

Cignetti said Tuesday that Austin looks poised for a breakthrough.

“Tavon Austin’s had a great offseason," Cignetti said. "Tremendous. It starts in the classroom. He’s learning, he’s paying attention. He’s bringing it to the practice field. You can just see it from his route running. What a difference. His effort, his attention to details. Every day out here, the guy’s made plays. Tavon’s had a great offseason and he’ll continue that into training camp.”

In a Rams offense that figures to be power-run heavy, the obvious question is where Austin fits into the scheme.

Skeptics might say that a 5-foot-8, 176-pound receiver in a run-heavy offense is the football equivalent of forcing a square peg in a round hole. Optimists might view Austin as the ideal complement to that offensive approach, capable of taking jet sweeps and short passes the distance to give the offense another look.

Cignetti wants to get Austin back to basics.

“Tavon Austin’s a wide receiver," Cignetti said. "I wouldn’t say he’s a change-of-pace guy. He’s a guy you can put out there every down and the defense has to recognize, ‘Hey, Tavon’s on the field.’ So, whether it’s running down-the-field routes, intermediate routes, short routes or manipulating his touches, the defense always has to be aware of where is Tavon Austin.”

Austin's lack of production to this point doesn't solely fall on lack of creativity, either. By his own admission, he's struggled to pick up the playbook and the nuances of route running. During organized team activities, Austin has been sharper than in the past, showing a newfound knack for making plays in traffic. Of course, he's flashed in practice in the past and it hasn't translated to the field.

Much like the rest of the offense, the proof will be in the production.

"Coach Cignetti has got a good scheme, good plan for me, going to try to get the ball in my hands as much as possible," Austin said. "But in this league, you have got to be patient. Even if it comes to me blocking somebody or catching a deep ball, I’m definitely up for the challenge and hopefully I can touch the ball a little more this year."
 

Mikey Ram

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I think if Austin was say a 4th round pick we'd all be happy with him, around 500 yards each of his 2 seasons, and a good punt returner. Just one of those unfortunate facts that as long as he's a Ram he'll always be the guy we could have got 2 excellent players instead, not his fault that he has to live up to that.


It's not his fault that he got drated when he did...The only thing that bothered me was his comment 'That when I'm focused, I'm focused"...My question would bthen be: Were you not focused the last 2 seasons ??? And if not, why not ???...I'm more of the opinion that the Rams never have really figured out how to best use his talent, but that comment still caused me some heartburn...
 

RamBill

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  • #19
Austin Ready for Next Step
By Austin Lankford

View: http://www.stlouisrams.com/news-and-events/article-1/Austin-Ready-for-Next-Step/55fe4d1a-a9da-4638-a06d-6aa5f636d03d


The Rams’ OTAs conclude this week and an element to monitor going into training camp is how first-year offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti will utilize Tavon Austin.

Austin enters his third year as a Ram remaining a tremendous threat in open space, which is what makes him so dangerous in the return game. The past two seasons, Austin totaled 617 yards returning punts, finishing No. 3 in the league in 2014 with 391.

The two-time All American out of West Virginia hopes to continue this special teams trend, but having him as a consistent part of the offense is what Cignetti says can make opponents have to think even harder.

“He’s a guy you can put out there every down and the defense has to recognize, ‘Hey, Tavon’s on the field,’” Cignetti said after Tuesday’s practice. “So, whether it’s running down-the-field routes, intermediate routes, short routes or manipulating him touches, the defense always has to be aware of where’s Tavon Austin.”

Over the last two years, the eighth overall pick in 2013 has accounted for 660 receiving yards and 375 on the ground. Austin wants to build off his first two seasons and feels that 2015 is going to be different.

“I definitely feel good about this year,” Austin said. “My first two years were pretty much learning years and I feel like it’s time for me to step my game up on my end and keep doing what I’ve always done. Have fun, make plays and hopefully it will be a switch from the other years.”

Making that next step begins with building chemistry with the new additions to the system.

“I feel like I’m definitely learning things and there’s a learning curve with a new quarterback and new offensive coordinator,” Austin said. “For the most part I believe things are coming together. We just need to patch up a few things and we’ll go from there.”

Having served as Rams quarterbacks coach since 2012, Cignetti already had a relationship with Austin and the receivers. But he’s approaching the unit on a different level as offensive coordinator.

“He is always communicating with me and talking about certain things. I’m thankful for that,” Austin said. “He’s always teaching me how to get open and stuff like that. I’m just listening and being a learner. Hopefully some balls come my way and I’ll take advantage of it.”

Austin also said he is meshing well with new quarterback Nick Foles, which is crucial.

“I feel like we have a good connection and he’s looking for me a lot,” Austin said. “We connected a few times during this camp and I’ve made a couple big plays for him and he’s trusting in me. I really believe it’s going to be a good year for all of us. We have to keep on pushing and keep on getting better.”

Cignetti might give hints along the way as to how he will use the weapon he has in Austin, but it may not be fully evident until the regular season starts. But for now, Cignetti communicated that Austin is taking all the right steps.

“Tavon Austin’s had a great offseason, tremendous,” Cignetti said. “It starts in the classroom. He’s learning, he’s paying attention and he’s bringing it to the practice field.

“You can just see it from his route running, his effort and his attention to details. Every day out here, the guy’s made plays. Tavon’s had a great offseason and he’ll continue that into training camp.”
 

Rmfnlt

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I'm so glad to read that Tavon has figured it out.

Looking forward to him creating trhe nightmares we were told he would create when we drafted him! (y)