Mark Barron hoping for Alabama-like turnaround with Rams

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RamBill

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Mark Barron hoping for Alabama-like turnaround with St. Louis Rams
By Mark Inabinett

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2015/04/mark_barron_hoping_for_alabama.html

When Mark Barron arrived at Alabama in 2008, the Crimson Tide hadn't won the SEC championship since 1999, the longest title drought in the Crimson Tide's history. In Barron's sophomore season, Alabama won the conference championship as well as the BCS national title. By the time, Barron left, he was a three-time All-SEC safety and the Tide had won another BCS national crown.

"People felt like my class that came in, the 2008 class, turned it all around," Barron told the St. Louis Rams' official web site. "But even when we first came in, we didn't just win a championship that first year because it's a process. You have to come here and learn certain things and develop a certain mentality. It took time."

Barron joined the Rams in a midseason trade with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2014, with the Bucs getting St. Louis' fourth- and sixth-round choices in the 2015 NFL Draft.

St. Louis hasn't been to the NFL playoffs since 2004. The former St. Paul's prep star is hoping to be part of a turnaround with the Rams, too.

"I'm very excited about it," Barron said. "Believe it or not, I really didn't even want the season to end, I was having so much fun playing. I just wanted to keep playing because I was having so much fun. So I'm looking forward to next year, and, hopefully, that same feeling continues."

The Rams traded fourth- and sixth-round picks in the 2015 NFL Draft to the Bucs for Barron, even though St. Louis coaches liked the Rams' starting safeties, T.J. McDonald and Rodney McLeod. But they had an idea of how to use Barron beyond strong safety in what St. Louis calls its big nickel package. Barron came on the field and strongside linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar came off in the scheme, bringing him closer to the line of scrimmage.

"We were just getting started looking at it, but very, very impressed with what he did," St. Louis coach Jeff Fisher said. "Sacks and tackles and all the things that he does well. So, yeah, there's a chance to expand some things with him. He's not much smaller than most linebackers, and he's pretty talented and great to coach."

In its seven games without Barron, St. Louis had a 2-5 record, gave up an average of 30 points and 376 yards per game and came up with eight takeaways. In their nine games with Barron, the Rams had a 4-5 record, gave up an average of 16 points and 333 yards per game and came up with 17 takeaways.

Barron had two sacks in 37 games with Tampa Bay. He had three sacks in nine games with St. Louis.

"That's what Mark gives us, that flexibility to play around the line of scrimmage, cover big tight ends and just all those things and blitz," Fisher said. "He's just a very instinctive player."
 

OnceARam

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Here's a nice video illustrating why we traded for Barron;

Hint: He doesn't like RGMe either.

 

JonRam99

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Very excited about another season of Barron. With more time to scheme to player's strengths, Williams is gonna turn him & Ayers into beasts!
 

CGI_Ram

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Very excited about another season of Barron. With more time to scheme to player's strengths, Williams is gonna turn him & Ayers into beasts!

I agree. Those guys plus Fairley... Williams D has the potential to be insane. This could be a very fun season.
 

RaminExile

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Barron had two sacks in 37 games with Tampa Bay. He had three sacks in nine games with St. Louis.

I love that stat. It tells me that if he didn't live up to the pre-draft hype in Tampa it was because of their crummy coaching and bad scheme match for him. He's the player they thought he was when they drafted him - he just hasn't had the opportunity to show it really in Tampa Bay. We saw in 9 games more from him than 2 full seasons in Tampa Bay!? They must be kicking themselves down there.
 

A55VA6

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I like Barron a lot. As mentioned several times before, he's kind of a hybrid LB/SS and fits very well in Williams defense.
 

Rams43

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Clearly, Barron wasn't used optimally in Tampa. Their loss.

Maybe, just maybe, Tavon hasn't been used optimally here by Schotty? Ya think?

This season should answer that question, huh?
 

lockdnram21

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I hope he can displace McLeod in the starting lineup....seriously.
dont see it they love Mcleod. you see they put a second round tender on him. He played well last season. He got beat a couple times. but some of those plays were jenkins fault. Plus looks like they are using Barron like Roman Harper . If anybody displace Mcleod it will be Joyner
 

Ky Ram

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Clearly, Barron wasn't used optimally in Tampa. Their loss.

Maybe, just maybe, Tavon hasn't been used optimally here by Schotty? Ya think?

This season should answer that question, huh?
:bow:
 

den-the-coach

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Not that I was a fan of his, but in the words of Al Davis...Just win baby!
 

LACHAMP46

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If anybody displace Mcleod it will be Joyner
Oh, so our defense can become even weaker at open field tackling? JK....I don't see Joyner as a safety....Hell, I don't see Joyner as a corner...not yet...wasn't a fan of this pick....But back to McLeod, Since OJ Atogwe left, we still haven't found an adequate FS..We may have one, TJ McDonald and we refuse to utilize him...Until this defense is top 5, there is no way we can say we played OK...17th in the league is garbage with all the talent we've invested on that side of the ball...Barron should start...So should TJ....With Tru, JJ, and EJ....Joyner shouldn't be on the field unless we run a dime defense or he's on every special teams....
 

lockdnram21

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Oh, so our defense can become even weaker at open field tackling? JK....I don't see Joyner as a safety....Hell, I don't see Joyner as a corner...not yet...wasn't a fan of this pick....But back to McLeod, Since OJ Atogwe left, we still haven't found an adequate FS..We may have one, TJ McDonald and we refuse to utilize him...Until this defense is top 5, there is no way we can say we played OK...17th in the league is garbage with all the talent we've invested on that side of the ball...Barron should start...So should TJ....With Tru, JJ, and EJ....Joyner shouldn't be on the field unless we run a dime defense or he's on every special teams....
Neither Barron or TJ can play FS. I think Chili's more problem then Fs
 

Thordaddy

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Pretty well agree Barrons worst problem was he didn't fit Lovies scheme, then again IMO most of the Martz cant draft meme is founded in the choices he let Lovie have