Schottenheimer: "Tavon Austin Playing Much Faster"

[A55VA6]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap20...-playing-faster-for-rams?campaign=Twitter_atl

The Around The League Podcast spent the majority of the 2013 season bemoaning St. Louis Rams offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer's lack of creativity in deploying game-breaking first-round draft pick Tavon Austin.

Now that Austin has adjusted to the playbook and the speed of the NFL game, Schottenheimer suggests his role will be expanded.

"Moving him around to a lot of different spots," Schottenheimer recently said, via the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "You'll see us hand him the ball, do some different things. He's playing so much faster just because he knows what we're doing. He has the system down cold."

Much like Dexter McCluster of the Titans, Austin's jitterbug size makes it imperative to get the ball in space.

It's a promising sign that Schottenheimer plans to accomplish that more often in 2014. It's also easier said than done.

Austin wasn't the only player earning praise from Schottenheimer. Here are a few more notes from the Rams' offseason program:

» Third-year wide receiver Brian Quick is the most improved player on the roster. "He's competing for playing time," Schottenheimer said. "He's made the most of his opportunities." Let's see if that remains the case once the pads come on in August.

» Kenny Britt made "one or two big plays" on a daily basis, but Schottenheimer cautions that the former Titans receiver is still learning the system. Jeff Fisher has been "very, very impressed" with Britt.

» Despite all of that optimism, it's a bit disconcerting that the Post-Dispatch still believes an underwhelming Austin Pettis is the most consistent performer at the position.

» Schottenheimer's early prediction for Defensive Rookie of the Year: "Aaron Donald has my vote ..." Schottenheimer said. "He's a really good player." The Rams' defensive line is going to be nasty.

In the latest episode of the "Around The League Podcast," the guys discuss Rob Gronkowski's expected return to action and Cordarrelle Patterson's potential rise this season.

 

[NJRamsFan]

Great to hear. I for one have not lost any faith in Tavon awesome and still think he is going to be a star

 

[LACHAMP46]

Is this the psychological ploy known as "deflection"? He seemed to be playing fast enough, just not as open all the time, and making some huge drops....I thought he was coming along fine until the injury....It's hard to be 175 lbs in the pros and NOT get injured.

 

[LesBaker]

Great to hear. I for one have not lost any faith in Tavon awesome and still think he is going to be a star

I think we may have talked about this but it is amazing to me how some people think he isn't that great and wasn't worth the draft slot. He's clearly going to be a guy that changes how the defense responds pre-snap and post-snap every time he is on the field. Truthfully the only time I wouldn't have him on the field is third and inches or other obviousl run plays. Make the defense stress about him all fucking day even if he only gets 3 targets!!!

 

[Rambition]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap20...-playing-faster-for-rams?campaign=Twitter_atl

» Despite all of that optimism, it's a bit disconcerting that the Post-Dispatch still believes an underwhelming Austin Pettis is the most consistent performer at the position.

it kind of makes sense that pettis would be the most consistent performer of the group, since he is the so-called "possession" receiver. no such thing as an inconsistent possession receiver, i'd say. nothing wrong with austin claiming that title...as long as the rest of the crew manages to become significantly more dependable than they were last season. that's what is most disconcerting to me, and perhaps that's what the writer was getting at.

 

[DCH]

I think we may have talked about this but it is amazing to me how some people think he isn't that great and wasn't worth the draft slot. He's clearly going to be a guy that changes how the defense responds pre-snap and post-snap every time he is on the field. Truthfully the only time I wouldn't have him on the field is third and inches or other obviousl run plays. Make the defense stress about him all freaking day even if he only gets 3 targets!!!

I didn't like the trade up for him and didn't think he was worth the pick. Hope he proves me wrong - and he really flashed nicely before his injury - but I wanted Warmack or Cooper (both of whom would have been gone by our original pick) and Justin Hunter (so my WR prognostication isn't all that good). I probably would have, given how the draft broke down, gone Reid or Jarvis Jones at 16 followed by Hunter at 23.

Not saying I was right - certainly impossible to tell right now, and Hunter has done nothing yet - but just being up front with how I saw last year's draft.

 

[LesBaker]

I didn't like the trade up for him and didn't think he was worth the pick. Hope he proves me wrong - and he really flashed nicely before his injury - but I wanted Warmack or Cooper (both of whom would have been gone by our original pick) and Justin Hunter (so my WR prognostication isn't all that good). I probably would have, given how the draft broke down, gone Reid or Jarvis Jones at 16 followed by Hunter at 23.

Not saying I was right - certainly impossible to tell right now, and Hunter has done nothing yet - but just being up front with how I saw last year's draft.

I have a Fez too.

 

[DCH]

 

[LACHAMP46]

I didn't like the trade up for him and didn't think he was worth the pick. Hope he proves me wrong - and he really flashed nicely before his injury - but I wanted Warmack or Cooper (both of whom would have been gone by our original pick) and Justin Hunter (so my WR prognostication isn't all that good). I probably would have, given how the draft broke down, gone Reid or Jarvis Jones at 16 followed by Hunter at 23.

Not saying I was right - certainly impossible to tell right now, and Hunter has done nothing yet - but just being up front with how I saw last year's draft.

Opportunity Cost of Tavon

Patterson & Warford.....once I heard that, I was just wow, kid has a lot to live up to...But I was pleased with how explosive he still seems, even against pros.

 

[DCH]

Opportunity Cost of Tavon

Patterson & Warford.....once I heard that, I was just wow, kid has a lot to live up to...But I was pleased with how explosive he still seems, even against pros.

Yeah, losing out on Warford in the 2nd hurt. A lot.

 

[CoachO]

I didn't like the trade up for him and didn't think he was worth the pick. Hope he proves me wrong - and he really flashed nicely before his injury - but I wanted Warmack or Cooper (both of whom would have been gone by our original pick) and Justin Hunter (so my WR prognostication isn't all that good). I probably would have, given how the draft broke down, gone Reid or Jarvis Jones at 16 followed by Hunter at 23.

Not saying I was right - certainly impossible to tell right now, and Hunter has done nothing yet - but just being up front with how I saw last year's draft.

I get the logic at the time, but where they are now, I feel a whole lot better with Austin and Robinson long term.

 

[DCH]

I get the logic at the time, but where they are now, I feel a whole lot better with Austin and Robinson long term.

There's plenty of reasons I'm not an NFL front office member. In my defense, we would also have taken Larry Warford in the 2nd after not trading up. All water under the bridge, but I'm hard pressed to pick Austin and Ogletree (although Ogletree is a huge piece already on this defense) over Reid, Hunter and Warford. I also think they would still have taken Robinson at #2 had they grabbed Warford.

 

[RamsAndEwe]

My biggest worry is Schottenheimer. We need more creativity out of our offensive coordinator. Great actors can't make great movies, if the script sucks.

 

[CoachO]

My biggest worry is Schottenheimer. We need more creativity out of our offensive coordinator. Great actors can't make great movies, if the script sucks.

All we need out of his offense is another 3-4 pts per game. This doesn't have to be a video game offense to accomplish that. With "normal" progression from the 2nd-3rd yr players, which should equate to better execution, and a healthy O-Line, and an improved defense from Game ONE, that formula will be exactly what they need to succeed.

 

[ReddingRam]

Just as much as HE being able to "live up to the draft status" ... is the key of BS using him CORRECTLY. Thinking all he could do was screens and reverses .... like defenses weren't just waiting on that ... and trying it over and over and over ... shit.

Get him down field. ... run him on some slants and dig routes. Just get him out in space! Be creative with him. And don't try and FORCE the ball to him. If other guys (Britt, Cook, Quick, Bailey) can take some pressure off ..... he'll get open.

 

[Rams and Gators]

I didn't like the trade up for him and didn't think he was worth the pick. Hope he proves me wrong - and he really flashed nicely before his injury - but I wanted Warmack or Cooper (both of whom would have been gone by our original pick) and Justin Hunter (so my WR prognostication isn't all that good). I probably would have, given how the draft broke down, gone Reid or Jarvis Jones at 16 followed by Hunter at 23.

Not saying I was right - certainly impossible to tell right now, and Hunter has done nothing yet - but just being up front with how I saw last year's draft.

I'd of gone Allen then Warford, but the rest of my draft (other than pick 13) would have sucked so it evens out. As we sit here today it's not the worst pick this regime has made (24) and I have a felling it will be a lot better.

 

[DCH]

All we need out of his offense is another 3-4 pts per game. This doesn't have to be a video game offense to accomplish that. With "normal" progression from the 2nd-3rd yr players, which should equate to better execution, and a healthy O-Line, and an improved defense from Game ONE, that formula will be exactly what they need to succeed.

Nasty O-line (that hopefully stays healthy), steady diet of Stacy/Mason/Pead and an opportunistic Bradford doing damage on play action and we should very easily see another 4+ points per game.

 

[Bluesy]

Not to sound like a debbie downer, but I'm not sure how you can claim someone is the "most improved player" after a few OTA's. Sounds like coach speak to me, unfortunately. Still keeping my fingers crossed that that's not the case though.

 

[CoachO]

Not to sound like a debbie downer, but I'm not sure how you can claim someone is the "most improved player" after a few OTA's. Sounds like coach speak to me, unfortunately. Still keeping my fingers crossed that that's not the case though.

Well, given they see him everyday in meetings, and see how he is more comfortable with the system, I would say he is a pretty good person to comment on that. We seem to think that the ONLY thing that these guys are evaluated on are the "on field" stuff. That just simply isn't the case in most instances.

How is he interacting in the meeting rooms? Is he showing improvement in all the areas he struggled in previously? A lot more goes into an OC making a statement like that, especially when there isn't much to gain from making it (if it truly is just "coach speak).

 

[LACHAMP46]

All we need out of his offense is another 3-4 pts per game. This doesn't have to be a video game offense to accomplish that. With "normal" progression from the 2nd-3rd yr players, which should equate to better execution, and a healthy O-Line, and an improved defense from Game ONE, that formula will be exactly what they need to succeed.

I was thinking the same thing 23-27 would be excellent. Plus the defense to hold them south (north?) of <20....Sounds like a plan...and the offensive part may be the easiest....