“You Can See Indecision In A Guy’s Feet”
June 6th, 2012
About 10 days ago, Bucs offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan took to the SiriusXM NFL Radio airwaves and talked about how Josh Freeman likely could benefit from improved mechanics.
Greg Schiano was asked about that yesterday and didn’t offer much in the way of specifics on Freeman, but did say “sometimes you can see indecision in a guy’s feet.”
Schiano went on to say Freeman has started from scratch in his approach and the suggestion was that attention to the details will lead him back to his 2010 form.
Joe doesn’t doubt former Bucs quarterback Jeff Carlon’s contention that Freeman has easily recognizable flaws in his mechanics. Joe hopes those are addressed and fixed. However, even if they’re not, Joe has to figure that the New Schiano Order’s detailed approach, a big-time runing game, and the addition of an accomplished route runner and talent like Vincent Jackson, should cure a lot of Freeman’s ills.
June 6th, 2012 at 12:32 pm
Play-action will be Freeman’s best friend this season.
June 6th, 2012 at 12:55 pm
Rex Ryan agrees.
June 6th, 2012 at 12:57 pm
I think Mike Sullivan and Jeff Carlson are right on the money. When the draft Tebow controversy was going on, I saw that Josh often dropped the ball below his hip to make a throw. A mirror image of Tebow. This made for a very slow release and ample opportunity for a defensive lineman to bat the ball down. It also leads to a lack of accuracy.
When you shoot a firearm, you look down the sight and fire. When you shoot from the hip, the accuracy is harder to control. That’s why you want to cock the ball behind your ear and quickly release it as close to your eye as possible. Jeff Carlson has studied the mechanics and has taught the art to many students.
Perfecting the mechanics does not necessarily make you a great QB. You need size, speed, intelligence, coordination, leadership and overall superior athletic ability to make it all work. These intangibles, I believe Josh has. With the proper coaching, he can be the best QB in the division, although right now he is the worst.
Alstottsmart has a good point as well.
June 6th, 2012 at 1:00 pm
I know the guy had some success with Eli…and focusing on fundamentals should be helpful…but to ignore the fact that the Bucs were one dimensional last season would be a a mistake.
Freeman has demonstrated what he is capable of if you simply utilize the run…and have receivers that can get separation…his fundamentals worked fine just a few months before the start of the 2010 season.
Hoping they’re really just “tweaking” fundamentals and not actually starting from scratch. That can NEVER be done…you can only build from past experiences, positive and negative.
June 6th, 2012 at 1:28 pm
Pro Football Players are not supposed to have these flaws. Why was this not spotted before we drafted Freeman ?
If a player has been doing this all his life, how are you going to get him to change ?
How do we draft guys who arm tackle, can’t tackle, and spend first round picks on a QB with flawed motion ?
June 6th, 2012 at 1:31 pm
I hope they put their best foot forward and become good lil’ Schiano foot soldiers.
June 6th, 2012 at 1:51 pm
@apple roofing.
You gotta stop asking questions like that.
Attention to detail is gonna smooth it all out.
June 6th, 2012 at 2:09 pm
We drafted these players from a particular conference because the GM and previous head coach had strong ties to that conference. The fundamentals of these players had much to be desired. It doesn’t mean the players can’t learn.
The Little General and his coaching staff have to recognize deficiencies and cure them. Their apparent attention to detail is a good omen in that direction. Proper throwing technique is simple muscle memory and trusting the technique when all Hell breaks through. Even Happy Gilmore could be taught to play golf correctly. Byron Leftwich could not be taught, too late.
June 6th, 2012 at 2:25 pm
Perfect picture. Stare that receiver down Josh. The entire defense knows right where it’s going.
June 6th, 2012 at 2:26 pm
ALmost all top 10 picks have flaws … Bad habits … Technique issues .. Most rookies have relied on talent and speed in college and need 2-3 years to learn how to be a pro.
To expect Freeman to be perfect at 24 is ridiculous
June 6th, 2012 at 3:07 pm
I often wondered why Freeman doesn’t simply wear a shaded or mirrored shield on his helmet. He has very dark, piercing eyes and maybe its too easy to see exactly where he’s looking from downfield. This would also protect his eyeballs from gouging fingers in a scrum.
He could simply learn to cock his head to the side and glance sideways at his target receiver. Ever talk to someone who’s cockeyed while in a group of people, its very disconcerting.
June 6th, 2012 at 4:03 pm
I’ve always said it wasn’t his mechanics, it was his decision making. He was always tentative in his throws and late in a lot of them He did not trust his receivers to be open so he didn’t throw before the break and that’s why he got picked so much. That will be cleared up. His mechanics are not bad at all. They need some work like any young QB but it’s more his indecision that needs to be addressed than his mechanics.
June 6th, 2012 at 4:59 pm
“Perfect picture. Stare that receiver down Josh. The entire defense knows right where it’s going.”
Given that Free HAS to look at the receiver before throwing him the ball. And also that it takes 1/200 th of a second or less to snap this sort of photo
to ensure a lack of motion blur….just, exactly, how have you determined he’s staring down a receiver ? Since a receiver isn’t even in this pic…? Methinks you are jumping to a conclusion based on your opinion that he does this too much. True, or not, that opinion isn’t supported by this picture, or any other, since staring down a receiver implies LoOOKING AT HIM, FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, something that can’t be shown by ANY single photo. Use your head.
June 6th, 2012 at 5:44 pm
Wow fritz you need to relax. It’s not like the article is based on the pic
June 6th, 2012 at 7:19 pm
He made a crapload of big plays throwing late in 2010.
Those turned into a crapload of ints in 2011.
Never been a precision quick throwing timing guy.
Sullivan hss a formidable challenge.
June 6th, 2012 at 7:59 pm
Fritz..
Look at the angle of his helmet. left shoulder, left hand. Now LOOK at his EYES and THE Direction of the ball. Where do you think he wants to go with it??
June 6th, 2012 at 11:47 pm
free looks like he’s answering that question you just asked with “i dont know” (if you look at his hands and facial expression)
it kinda looks like he is throwing and praying with this one
June 7th, 2012 at 5:54 am
Its a friggin 1 in a zillion action shot! DONT TRY TO ANALYZE A MAN FROM A PICTURE! C’mon guys!!!!
June 7th, 2012 at 7:15 am
It’s a still frame of what’s wrong with Freeman.
June 7th, 2012 at 9:00 am
You guys crack me up, Fritz and Brock are right. This looks like any given pic of any given QB throwing the ball on any given Sunday (or anyother day for that matter. Staring down the receiver has to do with watching run the rout and not looking elsewhere, you do have to look at your target when you actually throw the ball. I cannot beleive how you so called Bucs fans have started turning on every player on the team. Freeman will be better coached staff and a better game plan this year.
June 7th, 2012 at 12:25 pm
I have little to no confidence in this guy as QB at this point…. It appears as though he is quickly becoming yet another 1 year wonder….