This kid was the #1 rated offensive lineman in the country in high school and talent compared to that of Michael Oher of the Ravens except Arik is 4 inches taller with a wider wingspan. That is some amazing praise! It wasn't till last night watching him play basketball for the Ducks that I realized it's time for Coach Greatwood to have a fatherly talk with Arik. This conversation ties directly into words I heard Big Suke say on the radio one day and few years ago. Suke basically said in a Suke sort of way, " I don't care if Armstead thinks he's a kicker he's an O lineman and that's what he's meant to be. I'm an O lineman and we know our own. He's an O lineman!" In the basketball game last night Arik was supposed to come in and be the muscle and the glass man, the intimidator if you will, but just like with his football on the D line he doesn't have that impose my evil on you mentality. It's hard to see that with a helmet on but in hoops very clear. This kid is a protector, not an instigator, and on defense you have to live for the attack, it's in you or it's NOT! O lineman are big, good technique guys who understand their blocking schemes and for Oregon that means run blocking down the field. Arik is BUILT for this role! Coach Greatwood needs to say to Arik especially with "Tyler Johnstone rehabbing his knee". " Arik, it's time for you to ask yourself a question? Do I want to be an undrafted DE and an undrafted NBA hopeful, or do I want to go #1 in two years to the NFL as an O lineman? You're a once in a decade O lineman, I don't think you came to Oregon to ride the pine on the basketball team and be unremarkable on the football field, did ya? Time to come on over to where you belong!" Think about the line with Arik on it protecting Marcus alongside Grasu and Hunt? Marcus would have weeks back there to make decisions and Arik is fast enough to run block like a man among boys too. I'm fine with letting the young bucks have their dreams of two sports and such, but at some point AA is going to want to get paid. The only way that's going to happen for him at the next level is on the O line. There his skill will stand out!
I agree 100%. I've been extremely disappointed with him thus far. Doesn't seem like much of a difference maker at all on defense.
LOL Watch some film and see what Buckner and Armstead are asked to do on defense. He's not playing the Dion Jordan role, if that's what you thought he'd be.
I was hoping for this player. Not Jordan. [video=youtube;Zah9wc3n9cI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zah9wc3n9cI[/video]
I agree what they've asked AA and Buckner to do in a two gap against teams like Stanford is ridiculous especially with a pretty green LB crew backing them last year! Buckner is a D line guy for sure, AA on the other hand is an O line superstar who talked himself into playing defense and the coaches were scared to lose him to another school so they acquiesced. His ability is clearly on the other line.
Armstead quit the basketball team today to focus on academics and football. Saying he's been a disappointment is funny to me, but whatever, this gives him more time in the weight room.
everyone wants a Ngata, but that wasnt ever going to be the role Armstead was going to play here. Best case I remember "HEARING" about was a Richard Seymour comparison
Armstead is best-suited as a 4-3 DE. Never was he supposed to play over center, like Ngata. In the 3-4, his job is to basically eat up blocks and let the LBs make tackles.
yep. Hopefully the LBs coming off RS and and further maturation of our LBs who already play can handle it. It looks really good with guys like Kiko and Clay back there.
Why would he want to take on a role that would hide his talents, instead of playing on the OLine which would highlight them? He could have been a first round pick as an O Lineman. Is he a first rounder right now as a defensive lineman?
some guys just have different preferences. Budda Baker for example in an interview since he decommitted says he prefers to play Defense, while Oregon wanted him on Offense.
I don't think his talents are being hidden. In the NFL, a lot of teams are going back to 3-4, and learning 2-gap is something that is necessary. If he goes to a 4-3 team, then it's not that hard to have a guy play 1-gap.
Well, I think this is a perfect example of why I stopped getting into recruiting. It built up unrealistic expectations for kids, half of which didn't even stay with the team (Seastrunk, Blackmon, Sumler, etc) and the other half never really lived up to. Only DAT really met my expectations when we first signed him. I just find it's better if I have no idea who they are coming in, so I can be pleasantly surprised when they do well.
I had higher expectations for Armstead, too, until I saw where they were going to play him. As a 3-4 end, he can still get sacks on passing downs, and hopefully improves on it next year. He doesn't have the same skills as Dion Jordan or even Tony Washington Jr., and I too think Arik would be a lock for the first-round at OL. Think Kyle Long...
Armstead also got a lot of extra attention after Tosh blew up the Cal program, and really was only a 4* recruit at DE, compared to perhaps the best 5* OL recruit in the country. I think we all had huge expectations for Armstead, and he still has 2 years to live up to them. Meanwhile, Buckner is the much better 3-4 DE at this point, and he came in with much less fanfare.
I've never understood why someone would throw away a lottery ticket like that. He could still go to the NFL, but I think he would have been a lock on the OL. Never made sense to me.
It may be simply Arik thought that if he played O line he'd never make basketball weight for hoops. Something tells me at his size and skill at the O line a pro scout may have said.... "Hey BIG GUY ya want to go pro or go home?" Maybe that's why he's stopped hoops now, and who knows maybe by spring he announces he'll be on the O line next year! It's a WIN WIN for Arik and the Ducks!!
roughly how many of his HS games did you watch him play on the OL to come to this locked for the NFL conclusion? Recruiting services had him rated highly there, but they've a well documented hit & miss factor that should dissuade anyone paying attention from taking their ratings as gospel. Unless someone is claiming OL guru status, facts are we don't know how he'd be doing on Oregon's OL right now let alone if he was fast tracking it for the NFL. honestly, I'm not disappointed in his play at all probably because I formed most of my opinion of his ability after seeing him at Oregon. Sure it was exciting landing a highly rated prospect, but haven't you seen enough of those produce zippo to know to keep your hopes in check? I appreciate him for what he is, a pretty decent DLman. After a while you have to blame yourself for falling for the same things over & over STOMP
