Coach Mitchell talks up McLendon

Mclendon is just like his mentor hoke. He puts a ton of time in the film room. I think if the reports of him being 330 pounds he will put up a fight for the starting role. I remember reading a story about him actually crying when hoke retired. I gues they were really good friends and mclendon larned a lot from him so imo if ta'amu turns out to be a beast then we have another back up that can step in and there be no real fall off but ta'amu slips mclendo could easily make a push to start

 

He's got some guns on him

 

In my evaulation I concluded that he's a very good player and a good solid backup who simply wasn't strong enough to be a starter. He's a good penetrator who sometimes gets pushed back like Hampton never ever has, and can't stand up to the double team that well. I would have guessed he was around 300 pounds. If he's really up to 325, and a good portion of the new weight is muscle, he may have solved that problem and we could be looking at a surprising group of nose tackles this year. One of the things I love about him but didn't know until after the season is that he's apparently BFFs with Chris Hoke, and talks to him every day and picks his brain about everything.

With he and Ta'amu going forward, I'm very satisfied with our new NT situation.

 

Please please please let Mclendon and Te' Amuu (or how ever the hell you spell it) be the next Hampton Hoke duo. I would love for this spot to be what it was like going from Wester to Dawson.

 

We get Casey back to mentor, have a capable B/U in Mclendon, and have introduced a serious contender with size and power into the mix. Excellent. The question is can Ta'amu be as quick as Big Snack for a big man. Mclendon is but lacks the overall size as a run stopper. I think Alameda is that man.

The job is Ta' amu's to earn for years to come. In the not so distant future, on this very MB, we'll be making jokes of him coming into camp fat but still recognizing his abilities. He is Casey redux and that is the best possible outcome for the position. IMO.

 

MOO.

 

I honestly could see us going with a lot of line comibnations next year. Think about the guys we have on line next year. We got the beard, hood, hampton, heyward, mclendon, and ta'amu. All those guys can play so I wouldn't be totally shocked if we didn't see some 4-3 maybe DL goes really old school and pulls out the 4-4 lol. We absolutely should be completely fresh come the 4th quarter. That will go along way keisel is older but got a very late start and has a motor tht doesn't quit plus he's country strong.

 

I'm not so sure that's the question. I'm glad you're giving Casey props for his quickness, but Ta'amu looks extremely athletic to me so I'm not too worried about that (although half of quickness at that position is instinct). I think once he gets his job down, which may take a year or two, he'll be plenty quick. If we're going to worry about how he stacks up to Casey (in ways other than intelligence and instincts, which take time to develop), I think power is the bigger question. Yes, he is enormous and strong, but Casey has always been freakishly strong even for a NT, and stronger than guys much bigger than him -- especially when he uses that 6'1" frame and gets underneath them. I hope Ta'amu can get to that level of power, but I think it's far from a given.

 

Well, the article said that some guys think he's the strongest player on the defense now. So maybe it's technique and natural ability combined with his current power that we need to wait and see. Just as the coach said.

 

how about goaline situations. hood,mclendon,hamptom,ta'amu,heyward. yikes!!

 

What if Ta'amu and McClendon are neck and neck when decision time comes and both deserve a starting spot. And either of them are better than Hood and Heyward. Could one get moved to an DE position with Hood or Heyward backing up? Should we have a back up at Nose that grades out higher than the ends? Are the positions that different to switch to? We have been shuffling the O-line for years now.

Is this even a possibility? Best man for the job wins it.

 

Nah. Let's not mess with a good thing. And the positions are different. We do shuffle the OL, but usually because it's necessary due to injury, and because those guys have experience playing those positions. And it's not a good thing either.

They are NTs, and we have the DEs. We're stacked at DE as it is. Ziggy + Heyward + Keisel for only two spots is a great problem to have. We don't need to add to it. We aren't struggling there. And only like 5 minutes ago we were thin at nose tackle. Casey might miss the beginning of the season. Everything is in the right place. We are strong at all three positions, and we have good depth as well.

I will say that I think McLendon should be able to fill in at DE in case of emergency, or for a few reps per game if needed.

1's = Hood - Hampton - Keisel
2's = Heyward - McLendon - Heyward
3's = McLendon - Ta'amu - McLendon

 

Rotation will be the key for the Steelers DL, I firmly believe we need fresh
people on this DL at all times to put forth a pass rush that will be needed
in this pass happy era of the NFL. I like are DL prospects I just hope they can generate
a more substantial pass rush, and still be able to control the run.ATTACK

 

i've read many things about mclendons ability to play DE in our system as well as NT. that is alot of the reason they like him so much. i'll have to dig around to find it, but more then once i've seen this talked about.

moo will get plenty of time to show what he's got. casey isn't going to be ready right off the bat.

http://www.steelersdepot.com/2012/05/po ... sive-line/ here is one of them.

 

Yep. My sense of it was last season, if we added an effective pass rush from the d-line, we would be an absolutely devastating defense. If you think of the stats they put up without turnovers or too much of a pass rush last season (or so it appeared to me - HugeSnack and anyone else, feel free to disagree), then imagine what they could do with a rotating, fresh, aggressive front 3.

 

This is talked about every year by fans and coaches. Then someone gets hurt and it goes to crap.

 

We have two players doing that rotation thing.We have 3 nt's and but only four de's

 

Absolutely, I've seen him do it. That ability will let him be the 4th DE in addition to the 2nd NT, and keep us from needing a 7th active DL player. I just disagree with putting him ahead of Hood/Heyward, or really even letting him compete with them. I don't want to stunt their development as DEs or his as NT.

 

That's a fair point and I'm inclined to think that's the best plan also. But, the cliche' coaching position of having your best players be on the field (starting) is a strong opionion too and tough to argue against. No?

 

It's a good position. That's the position I'm taking on the OL, arguing against having Essex/Scott on the field. I'd rather flip Willie Colon back to RT if Adams can't cut it and put him back at LG whenever Adams is ready. Some think that's too much movement for the veteran, I think it's no big deal and better than having Scott/Essex on the field.

But this is too different. I don't think McLendon even is or will be better than Hood/Heyward at DE. Tough to tell since he's only had a couple of snaps there, but I just don't think it's possible. If he was, it wouldn't be by much, and everything is already perfectly in place as it is. It's not just about keeping Hood/Heyward in. We need McLendon at nose tackle.

 

They like McLendon because he's young, got some size and strenght and is hungry. He is eager to learn and seems to be a good character guy.

Last year he was forced to play more than we wanted due to injurys and our DL performance reflected it. He's not as good as Hampton or Hoke and that hurts this team when he was in there. Good side is he got alot more reps and experience so maybe this year he'll be approaching Hokes skill level.

I'd rather see McLendon at DE where I feel he's a better fit but needs dictate NT for him. He is, unfortunately our best option right at nose. I'll be glad when Alameda gets some reps but it'll be next year before he makes an impact on this team.

Cajun-

 

i don't think he would play ahead of those guys at DE, but your right about keeping only 6. it helps from that perspective. if casey starts on the PUP list, i think bryant will be active for the first 6 weeks. they like him too and by the following season, if and when casey retires, he will be next in line at DE backup and mclendon goes to hokes spot.