Ray-Ray Armstrong taking on expanded role/Wagoner

[RamBill]

Ray-Ray Armstrong taking on expanded role
By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/9962/ray-ray-armstrong-taking-on-expanded-role

EARTH CITY, Mo. -- Growing up in Sanford, Fla., St. Louis Rams linebacker Ray-Ray Armstrong couldn't help but admire the way then Miami safety Sean Taylor played football.

In an area where football doubles as a way of life and a way out, Armstrong patterned his game after Taylor's hard-hitting style. When doing a search for the photos of Taylor one day, Armstrong came across one bearing a nickname he immediately liked: the "Boom King."

Taylor was tragically murdered in 2007 but Armstrong wanted to find a way to honor him and embraced the nickname. For the uninitiated, Armstrong's Twitter handle is @boom_king26, which includes the nickname and Taylor's number.

"(He) was my favorite player growing up and my favorite player of all time, really, so it was on a picture of his I googled once so I just ran with it," Armstrong said Monday. "I tried to model myself after him."

As this version of the Boom King surveyed his kingdom in Monday morning's special-teams-only practice, he couldn't help but take a moment to think of how far he'd come. It was at a practice just like Monday's where Armstrong and fellow linebacker Daren Bates first left the indelible impressions on the coaching staff that would help unseat some of the special teams' core veterans. To see him was to see just how far he's come in a year.

"It makes a big difference," special-teams coach John Fassel said. "It feels like they are veteran guys but really it's only the second year. Last year, there were some veteran guys that got beat out on a day like today by Ray-Ray and Daren and Chase [Reynolds]. That's how they made the team. The rookies and new guys this year are trying to do to them what they did last year to the guys that didn't make the team."

The journey was even deeper for Armstrong.

Armstrong was once a highly regard college prospect at Miami, playing safety and quite literally following in Taylor's footsteps. But Armstrong ran into some trouble off the field and was kicked off the team in July 2012. He attempted to play at Faulkner University, an NAIA school in Montgomery, Ala., but was eventually ruled ineligible.

Instead of building on a strong sophomore season with the Hurricanes, Armstrong was out of the game completely. The Rams signed him after he went unselected in the 2013 NFL draft and promptly moved him to linebacker. It was a new position for the former safety but his path to the roster was clearly on special teams.

Fast forward to Monday afternoon and Armstrong is back for his second training camp in a much different spot than he was in 2013.

"It means a lot," Armstrong said. "Coming from a whole year off of football and coming back into it, I felt pretty good going out and playing. I didn’t lose too much. Now this year, the second year in a row competing at this level so I feel like -- I don’t want to say I’m there yet, not at all -- but just moving forward."

After a rough start to his rookie season in which Armstrong was prone to costly penalties, he settled in and made 12 tackles and helped the punt coverage team to an NFL record in limiting return yards. Fassel has even asked Armstrong and Bates to take on more of a leadership role on special teams.

"We were kind of the leaders on the field last year on core teams, along with Rodney McLeod, so to just move forward with that, he told us to take a little more responsibility and bring the other guys along," Armstrong said.

For his part, Armstrong is also taking aim at expanding his role beyond leadership. While the Rams seem mostly set with starters at linebacker in Alec Ogletree, James Laurinaitis and Jo-Lonn Dunbar, Armstrong is like any young player hoping to get more opportunities to help on defense.

Now that Armstrong has a year at linebacker to his name, those chances could arise on a more consistent basis.

“That would be the case with both Daren and Ray-Ray," coach Jeff Fisher said. "Both of them were core guys for us last year, big play guys. They’re both settling in and making big plays on the defense.”

While the different ways Armstrong can be used remain to be seen, he left little doubt about who rules the roost in special-teams practices with his performance Monday morning. He and Bates took the first rep of full contact as a means to set the tone and Armstrong was involved in the first scuffle of this camp, engaging linebacker Lawrence Wilson in a war of shoves and words.

"It’s all competing," Armstrong said. "Competition is football. Some tempers flare up here and there. We’ve got pads on, it’s the first day."

And nobody knows better than Armstrong what a difference one day can make.

 

[LACHAMP46]

Always wondered where that name came from...He has a short clip on his instagram/twitter account where he's doing some drills...Let's see if this young gun can get on the field some more. Seems to be an impact player....Loves to hit, sure the Snisher love that about him...

 

[12intheBox]

Give him another year to hone his defensive instincts from the LB position - once all of the diagnoses becomes second nature - watch out.

 

[CoachO]

Starting to think Wagoner is acting as Armstrong's de facto agent. I have never seen one writer try to build up one player more than Wagoner has this entire off season as he as with this guy.

While Armstrong ( I refuse to call him Ray Ray) flashes as an athlete, and can be impressive in a zone scheme, until he shows me he is willing to take on a block rather than run around it, I still will not be sold on his value as a LB.

Now, that being said, after seeing what Williams is doing with the Linebacking scheme in general, having Ogletree lining up as the SLB, I will concede that IF ( I said IF) something were happen to Dunbar, I can see Armstrong being much more able to handle the WLB role. Not having a TE across from his would allow him to free lance (something he seems to like to do) and just concentrate on making plays.

Anyone familiar with my previous posts regarding this player, will know just how huge of a concession that is for me., LOL

 

[DR RAM]

Starting to think Wagoner is acting as Armstrong's de facto agent. I have never seen one writer try to build up one player more than Wagoner has this entire off season as he as with guy.

While Armstrong ( I refuse to call him Ray Ray) flashes as an athlete, and can be impressing in a zone scheme, until he shows me he is willing to take on a block rather that run around it, I still will not be sold on his value as a LB.

Now, that being said, after seeing what Williams is doing with Linebacking scheme in general, having Ogletree lining up as the SLB, I will concede that IF ( I said IF) something were happen to Dunbar, I can see Armstrong being much more able to handle the WLB role. Not having a TE across from his would allow him to free lance (something he seems to like to do) and just concentrate on making plays.

Anyone familiar with my previous posts regarding this player, will know just how huge of a concession that is for me., LOL

I do, CoachO, and I am glad that the backers are not right/left anymore. Ogletree with his former work at Safety, should make him a pretty good linebacker as far as covering guys, and Armstrong can certainly chase a guy in the open field, has good instincts, we've seen that on ST's, and I would love to see him get a few rushes at the QB....well maybe not, LOL.

 

[12intheBox]

Ogletree is much more likely to slip around a block than take it head on .... I know the old school code says to crush the point of attack - but if you are slippery, use it - the important thing is to get to the ball. Ray Ray (and I have no problem calling him that) does that very well.

 

[CoachO]

Ogletree is much more likely to slip around a block than take it head on .... I know the old school code says to crush the point of attack - but if you are slippery, use it - the important thing is to get to the ball. Ray Ray (and I have no problem calling him that) does that very well.

I get all that, unless it breaks down gap integrity, and exposes him by running himself out of the play. Which is what I see way more than it should.

 

[FRO]

I'm excited to watch him play in preseason. He is a great athlete and hopefully he has learned the position. The Rams are very high on him.

 

[FRO]

I get all that, unless it breaks down gap integrity, and exposes him by running himself out of the play. Which is what I see way more than it should.

Last year was his first year at the position. He has a lot of growing to do. Can't expect a guy who never played the position before to play it at a starting level. That's not to say he will ever get it. The kid is a great athlete and fierce hitter. I'm hoping he gets the mental part down.

 

[DR RAM]

I get all that, unless it breaks down gap integrity, and exposes him by running himself out of the play. Which is what I see way more than it should.

We've had a real problem with gap integrity, until last year, it seems. Langford is one of the guys that finally seemed to get it. You can't always make the play, but do your job. We had some sketchy Safety play too, as far as that is concerned, but you can't expect a Backer, or a Safety to cover two or three holes...NFL backs are too talented if they have that much room.

 

[Sum1]

His athleticism excites me. I'd like to see some special packages put in for him.

 

[CoachO]

Last year was his first year at the position. He has a lot of growing to do. Can't expect a guy who never played the position before to play it at a starting level. That's not to say he will ever get it. The kid is a great athlete and fierce hitter. I'm hoping he gets the mental part down.

Baby steps Fro. At least give me some credit for admitting I could see him being "not awful" as a WLB.

 

[mr.stlouis]

Boy that sure was inspiring. Bates and Armstrong are true Rams. I mean they're underdogs to start with and play with a lot of passion.

Now it begs the question...

Are Bates and Armstrong two of the key reasons we didn't draft a single LB'er despite many considered it a need? I sure did after the way Dunbar's production fell. Very, very, interesting. I will watch preseason religiously lol.

 

[Memento]

Boy that sure was inspiring. Bates and Armstrong are true Rams. I mean they're underdogs to start with and play with a lot of passion.

Now it begs the question...

Are Bates and Armstrong two of the key reasons we didn't draft a single LB'er despite many considered it a need? I sure did after the way Dunbar's production fell. Very, very, interesting.

I think Phillip Steward was another reason why. They have a lot of faith in him; he's running with Armstrong and Bates. They kept him after he had a season-ending injury, and his college tape looks amazing.

 

[mr.stlouis]

I think Phillip Steward was another reason why. They have a lot of faith in him; he's running with Armstrong and Bates. They kept him after he had a season-ending injury, and his college tape looks amazing.

Man, I need to look up Steward. His name alone throws me off. I think of Darian Stewart off the bat. It's amazing how Snisher's vision differentiate from those outside the loop, especially the media.

 

[CoachO]

Boy that sure was inspiring. Bates and Armstrong are true Rams. I mean they're underdogs to start with and play with a lot of passion.

Now it begs the question...

Are Bates and Armstrong two of the key reasons we didn't draft a single LB'er despite many considered it a need? I sure did after the way Dunbar's production fell. Very, very, interesting. I will watch preseason religiously lol.

As I mentioned earlier, the switch back to a more traditional SLB/WLB scheme will not only be beneficial from a coverage standpoint (having Ogletree being the one lined up over the TE), it also moves Dunbar back to the position he played in 2012 when he put together a pretty successful season. He will be freed up to be more of a playmaker, both in blitz packages, but also in run support.

While I won't go so far as to say he is flying around, I have seen nothing thus far to suggest he won't return to form.

 

[12intheBox]

I get all that, unless it breaks down gap integrity, and exposes him by running himself out of the play. Which is what I see way more than it should.

I remember back in my high school days (black and white memories here) - my coach was non negotiable on the issue - you don't slip around blocks - you go thru them. One play that sticks out in my mind a big galooga of a guard had pulled out in front of a reverse - I (playing safety) had read him and was completely all on my own to make the play - as the rest of the defense had either been fooled or blocked. A mammoth but slow guard lumbering towards me with the ball carrier right behind him. I, being a good soldier, took out the guard. I put everything I had into him which was enough to knock us both down and into the sideline. The ball carrier sailed inside and pranced down for a 20-30 yard TD run.

When we went back to watch tape, the coaches couldn't say enough good things about me on that play. All I kept thinking was - I could have slipped that tub of goo and taken that play for a 5 yard loss. To this day - not a doubt in mind I could have made that play.

I do get gap integrity - and I can understand why from an X and O standpoint you can't get away from it. But Ray Ray led our STs in tackles. Ogletree led the defense in tackles.

Sometimes you just have to use your instincts and go get the ball. You may roll the dice a bit when you do - but if you can play as a defender - your instincts will serve you well.

But that's why I am a fan and not a coach.

 

[CoachO]

I remember back in my high school days (black and white memories here) - my coach was non negotiable on the issue - you don't slip around blocks - you go thru them. One play that sticks out in my mind a big galooga of a guard had pulled out in front of a reverse - I (playing safety) had read him and was completely all on my own to make the play - as the rest of the defense had either been fooled or blocked. A mammoth but slow guard lumbering towards me with the ball carrier right behind him. I, being a good soldier, took out the guard. I put everything I had into him which was enough to knock us both down and into the sideline. The ball carrier sailed inside and pranced down for a 20-30 yard TD run.

When we went back to watch tape, the coaches couldn't say enough good things about me on that play. All I kept thinking was - I could have slipped that tub of goo and taken that play for a 5 yard loss. To this day - not a doubt in mind I could have made that play.

I do get gap integrity - and I can understand why from an X and O standpoint you can't get away from it. But Ray Ray led our STs in tackles. Ogletree led the defense in tackles.

Sometimes you just have to use your instincts and go get the ball. You may roll the dice a bit when you do - but if you can play as a defender - your instincts will serve you well.

But that's why I am a fan and not a coach.

I am not necessarily talking about out in the open field. You do what you have to make a play. But when you are "in the box" and have an assigned gap you better find a way to fill it. And lets assume for a minute BOTH Ogletree and Armstrong are on the field at the same time...... Do you really want TWO OLBs who BOTH have a tendency to "slide around blocks? I don't!

 

[12intheBox]

Fair point. There is a fine line between discipline and aggressiveness. You want guys who will walk right up to that line and play there, but not cross it.