Former Panthers Guard Geoff Schwartz MMQB guest column today

[KB_fan]

Former Panthers guard Geoff Schwartz filled in today for Peter King writing the MMQB main column.  It's a really interesting read that gives a taste of the life of a journeyman lineman in the league...:

http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2016/07/11/geoff-schwartz-guest-monday-morning-qb-nfl-detroit-lions

Some excerpts:

Quote

 

My high school coach enjoyed clichés. The one that has stuck with me the most is: Don’t lie to yourself. Basically, know who you are. As hard as it is for me to say, I’m a journeyman who’s been prone to injury. Yet here I am, on my fifth team entering my ninth season, having gone through six surgeries, a severely dislocated toe and badly injured groin. How does a late seventh-round pick make it this far with an injury list like mine? I beat the odds. Why? I'll lay it out in a bit. But first I want to take a few shots at the label “injury-prone journeyman.” 

Challenging the toughness of a football player is the worst insult we can receive. This game is tough, physically and mentally. The tag “injury-prone” has a connotation of softness, even if it’s not meant that way when said or written. I hate this label. Injuries are not created equal. There’s no way to prepare your body for guys falling on your legs. Or your big toe dislocating while trying to anchor a bull rush. S--- happens. I feel awful about not being reliable. I pride myself on showing up prepared to work every day. If I could have done something different to prevent these injuries, you can bet I would have. But there was nothing to be done. (Click for picture of dislocated toe. Editor’s note: It’s not pleasant.)

It’s easier to accept the term “journeyman.” If you look at my career path, five teams in nine seasons, that’s the definition of a journeyman. However, when I think of a journeyman, I picture the end-of-a-bench basketball player, or long man in the bullpen. Journeymen are good chemistry guys and just average in talent. They’re role players, nothing special and certainly not starters. Well, that hasn’t been me.

I have been an above-average player. I started 19 games in a row when I played for Carolina, never missing a snap in 2010. But then the injuries happened, and I had two hip surgeries, one core surgery and one awful season as a Viking in 2012. I went to Kansas City in 2013 and was not promised anything but a chance to compete, and I won a starting spot in the middle of a playoff push. That is rare. We were 9-1 after I became a regular starter. I played well. I signed with the Giants in 2014. And then the injuries happened again.

[...]

Each team has a different scheme. You need to learn the new scheme and then apply what you do best within each scheme. Knowing what you do best and applying it correctly keeps you in the league.

I’ve played for six offensive line coaches in the NFL. You might think OL play is simple enough that the coaches are basically teaching the same things. Nope. Only two of my OL coaches taught the same technique. Ironically, these also have been my favorite OL systems.

Everything linemen do in a system is for a purpose and has a reason. I can get down with that. So I’ve had to adapt to various ways to pass block. Some OL coaches teach strong inside hand, some want vertical sets, some want a jump set at 45 degrees. I’ve been taught two-hand punch, independent hand usage and outside hand punch. I’ve been taught three different ways to stop a bull rush and different aiming points on zone plays. How difficult could it be to pull right? Well, if you’re pulling on power, some schemes take the guard inside (but always outside of the double team) and ask him to “swab out” anything in the hole. Other schemes, if the guard sees it’s congested inside, then he adjusts and pulls around the blocks. It’s all madness. So you have to adapt and obey. You find out what the OL coach demands. You follow that.

[...]

These zone run plays are my favorite, in part because they work. Back in 2009 when I was a Panther, DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart etched their names in NFL history, becoming the first teammates to each scamper for more than 1,100 yards in a season. I was one of the “hogs” blocking for them. How satisfying, especially when they presented the entire starting line with a token of their appreciation.  Every time I put on that fancy watch I’m reminded of that amazing season.

So as you can see, even a seemingly simple running play has many, many nuances. You’ve got to be able to figure all this out, and then play fast. This is what the best can do. I believe the talent gap at the bottom of a roster, and between the 5th through the 8th linemen, isn’t much. So if you know what you’re doing, and adjust on the fly, you can live the NFL dream. 

 

 

[2jakefansinva]

Interesting read..............I love that sh*t !!

[cookinwithgas]

Here are some of the guys getting their gifts from Jonathan and D-Will, they gave them out at a Double Trouble party it was a blast

[MV%doe]

Remember a couple Geoff stories. One was of all people Michael Irvin went on a mini- rant about how Geoff was the steal of draft during the 7th round. Other was gross and Kalil made a point to make a certain player a "project". They picked Geoff in his rookie year and show him how to be a pro. Mainly what lifts he needed to focus on, how to eat, and come next year Geoff was a NFL player.

[the butch]

Quote

These zone run plays are my favorite, in part because they work. Back in 2009 when I was a Panther, DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart etched their names in NFL history, becoming the first teammates to each scamper for more than 1,100 yards in a season. I was one of the “hogs” blocking for them. How satisfying, especially when they presented the entire starting line with a token of their appreciation.  Every time I put on that fancy watch I’m reminded of that amazing season.

So many good gifs from this season.

[d-dave]

I have always enjoyed Schwartz.  Good dude. Very smart.

[Jeremy Igo]

7 minutes ago, d-dave said:

I have always enjoyed Schwartz.  Good dude. Very smart.

I see your Schwartz is as big as mine,  Lonestar. 

[d-dave]

3 minutes ago, Jeremy Igo said:

I see your Schwartz is as big as mine,  Lonestar. 

Let's try not to get them twisted!

Welp, time to introduce my son to that movie too while mommy is out today!