Simmons: WR Coach Eric Yarber Stays in L.A. to Work with Rams

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den-the-coach

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WR Coach Eric Yarber Stays in L.A. to Work with Rams

Myles Simmons

While many of the Rams’ new coaches have had to pack up and move across the country, one of them hasn’t had to go far at all.

Wide receivers coach Eric Yarber has spent the last five seasons at UCLA as the wide receivers coach under Jim Mora Jr. But now he’s moving up the road from Westwood to Thousand Oaks to work for head coach Sean McVay.

“I’m very excited about working with coach McVay,” Yarber said in an interview with therams.com. “He has a world of knowledge. He’s a very sharp offensive mind and he’s one of the up and coming head coaches.”

But what’s more is having grown up in Los Angeles, Yarber used to root for the team that now employs him.

“I remember Jackie Slater, Lawrence McCutcheon, and my all-time favorite was Harold Jackson,” Yarber said. “I thought one day, I would play for them. But that didn’t happen. But the next best thing is to coach for them.”

Yarber did play in the NFL for three seasons in the 1980s, and was part of the Washington team that won Super Bowl XXII in 1988. That year, he led the club with 37 punt returns.

Now as a coach, Yarber sees it as his job to ensure players under his purview reach their highest potential. And he’s embracing the challenge of getting Los Angeles’ receivers to perform at a higher, more consistent level.

“It’s a chance for me to get those guys off their mark,” Yarber said. “It’s up to me to take them to the next level, take them to a place that they can’t go by themselves. So I’m up for the challenge and I know that speaking with some of the guys, they’re up for the challenge, also.”

And while there’s still much work to be done, Yarber likes some of the traits he’s seen displayed on film.

“When I took a look a the receiving corps, I saw a variety of guys’ skill sets,” Yarber said. “You’ve got guys who can run your option routes, you’ve got guys who can take the top off. You’ve got big targets. So, it’s a nice variety to have.”

[www.therams.com]
 

den-the-coach

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This was a hire most of us did not see coming as McVay worked with Yarber when they were in Tampa...I like the vibe I get from Yarber and Gary Klein reported that Yarber was an excellent coach, but where he came up short at UCLA was recruiting.

I urge all of you to go to the site and listen to the interview as he was a Ram fan back in the day his favorite player being Harold Jackson and that is I needed from Coach Yarber, hopefully his unit will remind us of Harold Jackson, Jack Snow & Ron Jessie.
 

ArkyRamsFan

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Loved Harold "The Flea" Jackson. Never forgot the game when he caught 3 TD passes from John Hadl.
Harold was fast and had great hands.
Sure hope Tayvon can become the player that "The Flea" was........
 

den-the-coach

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Loved Harold "The Flea" Jackson. Never forgot the game when he caught 3 TD passes from John Hadl.

Stolen from @Florida_Ram
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Florida_Ram

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Yarber likes some of the traits he’s seen displayed on film.“When I took a look a the receiving corps, I saw a variety of guys’ skill sets,” Yarber said. “You’ve got guys who can run your option routes, you’ve got guys who can take the top off. You’ve got big targets. So, it’s a nice variety to have.”

I will give Mr. Yarber a tiny bit of cred with these comments but he gets a big pie in the face overall with cliche coach speak to the media.

Guys who can run option routes?
Guys who can take the top off?
A variety of skill sets?
A nice variety to have?


The Rams talent level at the wide receiver position group hasn't changed much in several consecutive years.

(we heard the same spin from Mike Groh when he got hired last season)

This unit needs another infusion of new talent even after the most recent group of M.Thomas, P.Cooper. N.Spruce & P McRoberts. Odds are only one and a big maybe that two of these guys go on to have successful careers with the Rams.

This position imo is not going to sprout new wings of star players because of a coaching upgrade (assuming coach Yarber is even that guy)

If McVay and company don't find a way to snatch up one of the better WR UFA's this current group again will be another big question mark going into 2017. The Quick, Britt and Tavon show ended last season for good. Britt only comes back if the Rams fail to get someone in free agency and the Rams offer him a ridiculous contract. Quick packed his bags after the 49er game.

The problem is we wont know who the new staff really values on this roster until Free Agency is over. The draft could be a wildcard but free agency is more dependable gauge. For now we are in limbo again with Tavon being the only real lock to get lots of snaps in 2017. I'm being patient like many others and waiting for March to sort this mess out.

football16.gif
 

Dxmissile

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Britt will be back with either Stills or Woods I'm hoping for Woods
 

den-the-coach

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I prefer Woods too. Not sure why so many like Stills, but I think Woods is the more complete receiver and has a higher ceiling.

Stills runs a 4.38 and Woods a 4.51 and unless you pair Woods with a deep threat (DeSean Jackson) your routes can be suffocated.
 

ReddingRam

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I prefer Woods too. Not sure why so many like Stills, but I think Woods is the more complete receiver and has a higher ceiling.
Stills is a pure deep/speed threat. He would draw attention for the pure and simple fact that he can take the top off a defense. And he is pretty good at it. I would like it to be Garcon and Stills ... or Woods and stills. We need that deep threat, but we also need that guy who is the pure route runner as well. This thing about Tavon being the guy who can take the top off a defense ... well .. .yes, he has the speed ... BUT ..... he has not shown that he can handle being jammed at the LOS, nor does he have the size (height) or the hand size needed for that designation. At least not to be able to do it consistently. And if you are going to bring up the height comparison between he and DJax ... DJ is a legit 5'10" and has BIG hands for a guy his size. TA is a legit 5'8" and has tiny freaking hands for a WR.
 

ReddingRam

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Britt will be back with either Stills or Woods I'm hoping for Woods
I highly doubt Britt will be back. Remember ... he is a PURE "Fisher guy". He is going to go for the $$ as this might be his last contract and I'm not so sure he is down with his boy JF getting the boot.
 

JackDRams

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Stills runs a 4.38 and Woods a 4.51 and unless you pair Woods with a deep threat (DeSean Jackson) your routes can be suffocated.

Chris Givens ran fast. Donnie Avery ran fast. I can care less about speed right now. Tavon has that. We need a receiver that's more then a one trick pony. I'm hoping for a Garçon and Woods offseason. Garçon and Woods with Tavon, Thomas, Cooper and Spruce and I'm good. A nice mix of speed, deep threats, and sure hands. Stills just doesn't get me excited. If he does sign with us and pans out, you won't hear me complaining though.
 

den-the-coach

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If he does sign with us and pans out, you won't hear me complaining though.

Good Points and what really matters is the ability to cut on a dime as Isaac Bruce proved time and time again. Good opportunity to sign Woods being he's a USC alum as to Stills people see the big play ability, but he has also dropped some key passes. Who knows? At this point I just want receivers that can get open and catch the ball, that in itself would be a major improvement over the last several years.
 

ReddingRam

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Good Points and what really matters is the ability to cut on a dime as Isaac Bruce proved time and time again. Good opportunity to sign Woods being he's a USC alum as to Stills people see the big play ability, but he has also dropped some key passes. Who knows? At this point I just want receivers that can get open and catch the ball, that in itself would be a major improvement over the last several years.
Well ... I can say this much.... Still is a better RECIEVER than both Donnie Avery or Chris Givens so ....there is that ;)
 

Dxmissile

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Woods is my guy because he plays faster then his time. I can't remember if he ran right after he had an injury or what. But Woods ran every route with USC and he has very good hands and is a good route runner. He would fit right in. We need a guy that can run every route. The thing about Austin is the coaches didn't have him run those routes and when he did go deep it usually went for a completion. So I'm not going to say Austin couldn't be our deep threat with the type of coaching he had. Because I fully expect McVay and co to use him like DJax.
 

Ramrasta

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The sad reality is that the measure of success at the WR position will be less about the coaching and more about who we are able to bring in. Goff needs receivers that can hold on to a football and we don't have anyone who has proven they can be that with any consistency.
 

LACHAMP46

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This unit needs another infusion of new talent even after the most recent group of M.Thomas, P.Cooper. N.Spruce & P McRoberts. Odds are only one and a big maybe that two of these guys go on to have successful careers with the Rams.
I'm curious, In you honest opinion, which ONE outta this list is it? LOLOLOLOLOL

Mike Thomas can play man....I hope he's been working this offseason.

I prefer Woods too. Not sure why so many like Stills,
Stills is the more explosive offensive player in the pros. Woods has had a bunch of injuries.
Chris Givens ran fast. Donnie Avery ran fast. I can care less about speed right now. Tavon has that. We need a receiver that's more then a one trick pony.
Speed by itself is rather useless. Stills is fast.(don't know what happened to Wood's speed, he used to run a 4.4 too) ..Stills also has had some bad drops...but continues to display the ability to get open in the NFL. I think with work he'll prove to be the more competent player. Both Stills & Woods catch the ball better than every player you've noted. They are TRUE wide receivers.
 

RamsFlash80

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Any under the radar/cheap WRs you guys like in FA? Kind of how we got Britt a few years back on a prove it deal. Maybe Kamar Aiken, Kendall Wright, Andre Holmes, Markus Wheaton, or Marquess Wilson? I dont think most of these guys would be too expensive so wouldnt mind bringing one or two of them in to compete.
 

Ram65

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“I remember Jackie Slater, Lawrence McCutcheon, and my all-time favorite was Harold Jackson,” Yarber said. “I thought one day, I would play for them. But that didn’t happen. But the next best thing is to coach for them.”

I guess he a little older.