FrontSeven
Rotational Player and Threatening Starter's Job
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2007
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I've heard complaints about Maroney's style, like the stutter step that he does as he approaches the pile. I am no big fan of that stutter step, but then I noticed that Kevin has been doing that (it's more like a sideways shuffle step) for years, and more often than not it finds him a hole and some yardage. So my jury is still out on the shuffle step. It just looks awful when it doesn't work. He gets hit while going sideways, which is kind of ugly and dangerous.
One thing I definitely don't like is his upright style. I don't watch films but in some highlights I see the same old thing - he gets stuck at around chest level. What I mean is that they stick it to him at chest level. I think he's got to fix this problem and I'm not sure why he has been unable to do so. Maybe it's a vision thing. Maybe he doesn't trust his vision if he gets lower?
But when he takes a hit he *really* takes a hit, and I don't think he can hold up with fat guys belting him in the chest like that. He needs to get lower.
I remember Terrell Davis used to use a very low angle of attack and even if he got hit he could make more yards because nobody could stand him up straight, and he could drive with that low angle. Laurence is already stright up, so standing him up is easy when you weigh 30-50 pounds more. He should put that head down low and force defenders to either go low (which means they have to anticipate it), or miss high with arm tackles.
Even Antowain used to just lower his head and move the pile. If you are doing that and happen to pop through a hole you're golden, but if not, at least you have the proper angle to push the pile a little.
Let's face it, Laurence and "pusing the pile" are not usually used in the same sentence. I think it's about the style, not the strength. I think he can learn, but I'm baffled at why the holdup in the learning curve.
One thing I definitely don't like is his upright style. I don't watch films but in some highlights I see the same old thing - he gets stuck at around chest level. What I mean is that they stick it to him at chest level. I think he's got to fix this problem and I'm not sure why he has been unable to do so. Maybe it's a vision thing. Maybe he doesn't trust his vision if he gets lower?
But when he takes a hit he *really* takes a hit, and I don't think he can hold up with fat guys belting him in the chest like that. He needs to get lower.
I remember Terrell Davis used to use a very low angle of attack and even if he got hit he could make more yards because nobody could stand him up straight, and he could drive with that low angle. Laurence is already stright up, so standing him up is easy when you weigh 30-50 pounds more. He should put that head down low and force defenders to either go low (which means they have to anticipate it), or miss high with arm tackles.
Even Antowain used to just lower his head and move the pile. If you are doing that and happen to pop through a hole you're golden, but if not, at least you have the proper angle to push the pile a little.
Let's face it, Laurence and "pusing the pile" are not usually used in the same sentence. I think it's about the style, not the strength. I think he can learn, but I'm baffled at why the holdup in the learning curve.
