Shaq turning heads at Senior Bowl

Whiskey_Clear

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vamosjackets said:
How much are we going to miss Shaq next year? Does our offense take a step back due to his loss (ie from most efficient to like 5th most efficient)?
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As high as I am on the guys coming back on Oline......I think we would all be very foolish to think losing Mason wont hurt some. Dude was a beast...flat out. Even if someone steps up and plays very well, I doubt they will match his elite play from this year.
 

babuka

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Would like to see him at center for the Falcons. Although adjusting to the NFL and a new position could take a year in a backup role.

At 6'1.5" with shorter arms he is probably too short to play guard.
 
OldJacketFan

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wxl said:
I believe he was a zero star with no offers when he came to GT camp. Road graded everyone at camp and got an offer from PJ and accepted on the spot. Eventually was given a 2* at 24/7 and a 3* at Rivals but never got another offer from another college.
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Yep, diamond in the rough ;) I saw him play in high school as a jr and sr. When he committed to Tech I knew they had found themselves a good 'un! It's going to be fun watching him play on Sundays!
 
deeeznutz

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He would fit in very well with the Eagles and Chip Kelly's offense. Would not be surprised if they target him above other linemen. Not sure of their need but he definitely fits their style.
 

takethepoints

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I was surfing TV during lunch and came on the Senior Bowl South team practice. Shaq was really good in the practice. The two block sequence I saw had him burying a DT after pushing him out to the side of the field. On the next block, the next DT up got a little off balance and Shaq drove him right off the LOS and into one of the other DLs (who looked a bit surprised, I might add).

When they scrimmaged, he did miss one block, but he hit all the others. A real plus for a Tech fan: he cut one of the DLs on one play and took him down completely. When he starts in the NFL - and he will, sooner or later - it'll be fun to watch him do that occasionally. He was getting to the second level more then the other OLs too; you got the impression - correctly, I'm sure - that the others came from programs where getting down field to block was not a priority.
 
GTJason

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deeeznutz said:
He would fit in very well with the Eagles and Chip Kelly's offense. Would not be surprised if they target him above other linemen. Not sure of their need but he definitely fits their style.
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I think this too, or anyone with a short QB. Would hate to see him in New Orleans. Could work out at Seattle I suppose...
 

mmbt0ne

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GTJason said:
I think this too, or anyone with a short QB. Would hate to see him in New Orleans. Could work out at Seattle I suppose...
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I wouldn't overthink it, trying to pair short linemen to short QBs. Coaches are more worried about the wall holding than whether the QB's throw will make it over that wall. That's why they block for passing lanes.

The Seahawks starting OL is all 6'5" or taller. Saints are all 6'3" (center) or taller. Eagles all 6'3" (center) or taller.

Shaq's got an uphill battle to prove he can outplay his size and length. I think most people here expect him to do it, and it seems like he's done a pretty good job so far, but it's still going to be tough for him to earn a spot.
 

TechPhi97

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cuttysark said:
ESPN's Ed Cunningham, a former football player from Washington back in the 70's (Center/Guard) who is a pretty sharp guy and covers lots of games as a color anayst said that: "Shaq Mason was the best O-Lineman that he saw all year and he watches a ton of film!" (Their Bowl Selection Show)

Really happy for Shaq as he will get drafted and probably play center in the pros. This will stop the crap about all GT offensive linemen do is: "cut D-Linemen and dive at their knees all game long." Anyone who watched the games will see that the offensive line was knocking folks off the line scrimmage all year long. That's how the B-Backs were able to get so much yardage in the A and B Gaps. Just watch the OB against MSU and see how that D-Line was getting knocked back every play!
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I'm not at all surprised. I watch all games on TV as I live up in North Carolina and have a bunch of kid coaching stuff to do during the fall, and i can't tell you how many times this year announcers would make the booth rewind a play to discuss exactly how Shaq Mason dominated the play, or to show how he took the other teams best defender and put him on the ground. Announcers have a script to talk about the best players, and usually use common platitudes throughout the game. However, in almost every single one of our games the announcers (especially the former players) would talk about his technique or athletic ability on specific plays.

I hate Jessie Palmer, but I've never heard him gush about one of our players like he does for Mason. He laughs when he watches the replays of Shaq because of how he dominates other players.
 

Skeptic

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xenoabe said:
Disspelling another myth. The "GT O-line can't pass block" myth.

It's not as if we never pass block. We don't do it as much but the Air Raid teams don't run block as much either and you don't hear that knock on them (at least to my knowledge).
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Along the same line as whining that "this offense" won't work against the better teams, when most offenses struggle against "the better teams" because they are better for a reason. Yet nobody ever says any other offense won't work against better teams. GT's passing scheme, because of JT's size apparently, copies Hank Stram's "moving pocket" with Len Dawson at Kansas City. Seems perfect for Mason, who can move.
 

takethepoints

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I don't think Shaq's size will hurt him … with the coaches who pay attention to results instead of stereotypes and have a say over drafting.

It never ceases to amaze me that people with money on the line and a big business to run will often pay more attention to what everybody else says they should be doing then to what their lying eyes are telling them about what is right in front of them. Human beings are group animals and we all have to fight against that if we want organizations to succeed. I think anybody who wants to run the ball, watches the draft candidates owing up, and pays attention to what the aforementioned lying eyes are telling them about Shaq will draft him, probably in a later round. People who are like the old baseball scouts in the movie of Moneyball won't. Too bad for them.
 
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