Ali Marpet: Jameis Is “Struggling Through The Playbook”

June 26th, 2015

Jameis Bajakian

Joe’s learned in life that verbs are very important, like if a woman says she likes you. That can have a lot of meanings.

Enter Bucs rookie guard Ali Marpet, the pride of Division III Hobart College, and one of the two savior second-round picks pegged to repair the Tampa Bay offensive line. Marpet jumped on SiriusXM NFL Radio last night and talked about his rookie experience. (Of course, Joe was listening. Joe’s not one of these fancy media outfits that claims to cover the Bucs but hibernates in the summer.)

Marpet talked a bit about Jameis Winston, America’s Quarterback, and said, “He’s struggling through the playbook” with Marpet and other rookies.

It was a telling verb — struggle — a painful reminder of what rookie QBs usually look like, especially with rookie offensive linemen under a new coordinator.

No surprise on the “struggle” for Jameis, but it represents a contrast to the picture painted by Lovie Smith and others on Jameis’ development.

31 Responses to “Ali Marpet: Jameis Is “Struggling Through The Playbook””

  1. Ray Rice Says:

    THE MESSIAH doesn’t struggle. He’s just letting all of his disciples catch up.

  2. Mo_Downs Says:

    I’m not sure what size shoe Ali wears but I think he may have to rent a construction crane to remove his foot from his mouth. Kudos to the Bucs PR Machine for letting little Ali do an interview without handler.

  3. BucFan20 Says:

    Where has anyone said he is perfect, great or painted a picture of he is where they expect him to be at this point?

  4. BlogTalkFootball Says:

    A Hobart, they probably had 10 plays, so to him, the Bucs playbook is something of an enigma! He probably mistook Jameis slowing down for him as struggling.

  5. BucFan20 Says:

    The only thing I have seen is he is working hard, learning and is where they expect him to be at this point.

  6. The Buc Realist Says:

    It just goes to show you why MG8 was so amazing in his rookie year!!!

  7. Buccfan37 Says:

    I don’t put a whole lot into the word “struggle” used on a rookie at any position. For most alive, life is a freaking struggle of sorts. Winston will be fine, I hope the same can be said for Marpet.

  8. Buc1987 Says:

    This hit, that ice cold
    Michelle Pfeiffer, that white gold
    This one for them hood girls
    Them good girls straight masterpieces
    Stylin’, whilen, livin’ it up in the city
    Got Chucks on with Saint Laurent
    Got kiss myself, I’m so pretty

    That’s all I got for ya!

  9. WS99 Says:

    I find that hard to believe.

  10. The Real Malloy Says:

    Thanks Buc1987….that was, um….very special

  11. Buc-A-New Says:

    Afternoon fellas. I see 87 is still on meds.
    The interesting thing about Marpet is that he played every Madden ever made and his profile was always as a Lineman. I would think he would know about every blocking scheme there is on paper. At least in his head.

  12. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    I would be very concerned if all rookies didn’t “struggle” with the playbook….if not, it would probably be far to simple to be effective.
    From the article, Marpet simply included Winston with the rest of the rookies….think he simply spoke the truth.

  13. mjc Says:

    I wonder what phone call Ali got last night.

  14. Eric Says:

    Wow Jameis hasn’t mastered the offense in a few rookie and OTA sessions.

    Obvious bust.

  15. Simpleasthat Says:

    Ali Marpet …. the jaugernaut savior holdout from Hobart college!!

  16. Alstott up the Gut Says:

    Remind me again why anyone is talking to a unproven lineman from a Div 3 school. That guy can’t carry Jameis’ jock. He played at 13th grade college basically and more people will show up for a Bucs training camp practice then any game he has ever played in. Have you seen his interview? He’s about as smart as a brick wall. And I know for a fact that Jameis has just as much knowledge as everyone else on the offensive side of the ball.

  17. gracelivin Says:

    Why so mad, he said all the rookies are struggling through the playbook. I took it to mean it is a lot of hard work, not trying to demean anyone. I would think that true for any person on a new team with new schemes you struggle through.

  18. The Real Malloy Says:

    Yeah, back off Marpet people…just stating the facts. They’re all struggling. Who do you think The Barbecue Master is going to be passing on the reigns to….

  19. JMan Says:

    But he’s day one playoff ready guys…

  20. BuccaneEric75 Says:

    Joe, the last part of your article said the word “struggle” was in contrast to Lovie’s comments. He is a Rookie, so maybe Lovie knows Winston will struggle but is still ahead of where he should be. Then, in Lovie’s eyes, he doing great. I hope this is the case.

  21. BuccaneEric75 Says:

    I’m always in favor of letting a Rookie QB sit for a year and not get thrown to the wolves. I want to see Winston play now as much as anyone, but he had success sitting out his freshman year and came out prepared as a red-shirt and lit it up. I think long term it would be better for him to sit. But nowadays that won’t happen.

  22. Señor Mofo Says:

    LOL at the childish, oversensitive Winston nard-swingers in attack mode because they feel like Marpet slighted their lord and savior.

    Why wouldn’t Winston be struggling through the playbook at this point? Koetter came right out and said that he wasn’t going to ease Winston into it, that he was going to throw everything at him from the jump.

    I’d be more concerned if it looked like he wasn’t struggling, because that might mean he wasn’t really diving into it whole-hog.

  23. Danati74 Says:

    @ Bucs Realist, How many games did this great QB win?

  24. R.O. Says:

    Exactly I took it as fighting to learn it all in time…. Not to understand.

  25. Cobraboy Says:

    Anyone who doesn’t think ALL rooks are “struggling” don’t know football.

    Hell, Peyton Manning and Joe Montana “struggled” as rookies.

    Better come to grips with reality before some DC schools the rook when the bullets are live…

    Methinks Joe has oversold Winston to the point that he has no ceiling, just a basement…

  26. BuccaneEric75 Says:

    Winston is a Rookie QB. He will struggle. Luck and Manning both struggled early, but also showed flashes of the future.

  27. 1sparkybuc Says:

    The struggle he referred to just might be getting the OL on the same page. Winston will undoubtedly make some rookie mistakes but most will be on the players around him, imo. The Bucs no longer have the fourth best QB in the division, also imo. This isn’t the NFCW. The Bucs could pull a worst to first and still not be a solid playoff contender. This whole division sucked last year. The Bucs could win the division and still be a bad team. The foundation is being built for a great future, again imo. Winston is the cornerstone.

  28. White Tiger Says:

    Hopefully this is the reality check that you newb fans needed to get thru your hard heads: no matter who the QB is, it is highly unlikely that the Bucs will win more than they lose…

    …that means they will lose, a lot.

    It’s partly due to having a bad offensive line, partly to do with a new playbook Er’body will have to learn, partly a mixture of both of those facts.

    Don’t expect miracles. No one is immune, It’s a process.

    Sit tight, sometimes it gets better.

  29. gotbbucs Says:

    …in other news, the sky is blue.

    Veterans take time to learn new play books. Big whoop.

  30. bucfaninaz Says:

    Here we have one rookie telling people that the other rookie is struggling with the playbook. Is there anything of substance in his statement?

  31. Warthog Says:

    WE’RE DOOMED. DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED