Evan Mathis Thoughts on OLine Schemes

[THE PISTONS]

So Evan Mathis couldn't get on the field here. He was a backup and he went to the Eagles and graded out as the Best Guard in football.

I read a Reddit Q and A with him in 2012 where he had some interesting insight:


User Question:
Hey Evan! thanks for doing this AMA. I know /r/eagles is gonna be psyched. A few questions
1) People talk about you as the prototype for someone who benefits from Howard Mudds scheme. Can you give us a better idea of some specific things he preaches that are vastly different? Most of the conventional wisdom doesn't go any farther than "he likes smallish guys".
2) How important is chemistry between you and your neighbors?
3) How much of a beast is Jason Peters?

Mathis Reply:
He doesn't like smaller guys, he likes athletes. More often than not it's just guys that aren't 340 who are the athletes. Take 40 pounds off of 340 player and I'll guarantee you he can move better. Howard's techniques are aggressive. It's not sitting back, it's attacking. A primitive caveman like myself thrives when I can attack somebody on every single play.
Very. Communication is critical to offensive line success.
If there's anybody you could consider a natural tackle in the NFL its Jason Peters. Extremely athletic for his size and willing to work to refine his techniques. He's the best in the game right now.

User Question:
Cool. Great stuff. Seems like a lot of pass protection is sitting back, does mudd not do that? Or am I wrong here?
One last question, how many of the players drink? It seems like so many don't. What's up with that?
Take care big guy, looking forward to seeing you again next year.

Mathis Reply:
Mudd teaches us to initiate contact whereas most coaches teach guys to set back. There's some that do, some that don't, some that do too much. Just like in most work environments I'm sure.

[THE PISTONS]

Stuff like this gives me hope for Ced and Fisher if we'd switch O-line schemes.

[JumboTron]

Anyone ask how good Howard Mudd is at the piano?

[THE PISTONS]

(11-21-2016, 04:47 PM)JumboTron Wrote: Anyone ask how good Howard Mudd is at the piano?

He very aggressively strikes the keys. Alexander sits back and lets the keys initiate contact with him. 

[wolfkaosaun]

(11-21-2016, 04:45 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Stuff like this gives me hope for Ced and Fisher if we'd switch O-line schemes.

Fisher doesn't really get playing time. He's done decent, but very limited. So can't have an opinion.

Ced's issues aren't blocking scheme. It's his own technique. He doesn't stay engaged in blocks and doesn't anchor. He doesn't give a punch.

He can move with guys. He's athletic, but he doesn't have good technique nor leg strength to plant and push. Also, needs to keep engaged in blocks. There's been numerous times where he is blocking someone and then lets up and that player makes a play.

[SunsetBengal]

(11-21-2016, 05:01 PM)wolfkaosaun Wrote: Fisher doesn't really get playing time. He's done decent, but very limited. So can't have an opinion.

Ced's issues aren't blocking scheme. It's his own technique. He doesn't stay engaged in blocks and doesn't anchor. He doesn't give a punch.

He can move with guys. He's athletic, but he doesn't have good technique nor leg strength to plant and push. Also, needs to keep engaged in blocks. There's been numerous times where he is blocking someone and then lets up and that player makes a play.

True fact, when the OL initiates contact with the DL on a pass play, the DL instinctive natural first motion is disrupted, even if it is for just .5 second.  Even is the DL has to anticipate that OL initial contact, and have a plan for what next, his initial motion is still disrupted by .5 second.

.5 second is often the difference between a QB finding a receiver, or bailing on a play..

[Fan_in_Kettering]

All this talk about sack statistics is nice but what about run blocking?

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

I addressed a similar conversation a couple of weeks ago, and was pretty much called a liar for it.  Thanks for the link.

[*Go Cards*]

Bengals just to drop PA ASAP and move on down the road.

[fredtoast]

(11-21-2016, 04:44 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: So Evan Mathis couldn't get on the field here. 

Until he got injured Evan Mathis was splitting starting time with Nate Livings in '09.  He started 7 games for us that year.

When he arrived in Cincinnati in '08 he was a journeyman who had been cut by two different teams (Panthers, Dolphins).  Under the coaching of Paul Alexander he developed into one of the better guards in the league in '09 and took starting time away from Nate livings.  However he was hurt in the 8th game of the season, and when he returned later in the year he was not as effective.  IN 2010 he was fat and out of shape so he did not play much.  The Bengals did not re-sign him and he settled for a league minimum contract to be a back up with the Eagles. He got back in shape, and when he got his chance (due to a starters injury) we won a job and went on to be one of the best guards in the league since then.

As for the talk about the technique taught with the Bengals versus the Eagles it should be noted that in the four years he was with the eagles they gave up more sacks than the Bengals every single year.  In fact over that 4 year span they gave up 35 more sacks (158 to 123) while the Bengals only averaged allowing 30 sacks a season.

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

Apparently some folks know more about Evan Mathis than Evan Mathis does.

[*bengalfan74*]

(11-21-2016, 04:44 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: So Evan Mathis couldn't get on the field here. He was a backup and he went to the Eagles and graded out as the Best Guard in football.

I read a Reddit Q and A with him in 2012 where he had some interesting insight:


User Question:
Hey Evan! thanks for doing this AMA. I know /r/eagles is gonna be psyched. A few questions
1) People talk about you as the prototype for someone who benefits from Howard Mudds scheme. Can you give us a better idea of some specific things he preaches that are vastly different? Most of the conventional wisdom doesn't go any farther than "he likes smallish guys".
2) How important is chemistry between you and your neighbors?
3) How much of a beast is Jason Peters?

Mathis Reply:
He doesn't like smaller guys, he likes athletes. More often than not it's just guys that aren't 340 who are the athletes. Take 40 pounds off of 340 player and I'll guarantee you he can move better. Howard's techniques are aggressive. It's not sitting back, it's attacking. A primitive caveman like myself thrives when I can attack somebody on every single play.
Very. Communication is critical to offensive line success.
If there's anybody you could consider a natural tackle in the NFL its Jason Peters. Extremely athletic for his size and willing to work to refine his techniques. He's the best in the game right now.

User Question:
Cool. Great stuff. Seems like a lot of pass protection is sitting back, does mudd not do that? Or am I wrong here?
One last question, how many of the players drink? It seems like so many don't. What's up with that?
Take care big guy, looking forward to seeing you again next year.

Mathis Reply:
Mudd teaches us to initiate contact whereas most coaches teach guys to set back. There's some that do, some that don't, some that do too much. Just like in most work environments I'm sure.

Paul Alexander disagrees 

While playing his rendition of Elton John's  "Don't let the sun go down on me" on the piano.

[BengalChris]

(11-21-2016, 05:01 PM)wolfkaosaun Wrote: Fisher doesn't really get playing time. He's done decent, but very limited. So can't have an opinion.

Ced's issues aren't blocking scheme. It's his own technique. He doesn't stay engaged in blocks and doesn't anchor. He doesn't give a punch.

He can move with guys. He's athletic, but he doesn't have good technique nor leg strength to plant and push. Also, needs to keep engaged in blocks. There's been numerous times where he is blocking someone and then lets up and that player makes a play.

In other words you are saying that the coaching either isn't getting home or isn't being done or either or both of them just don't have the skill to actually perform the actions.

[THE PISTONS]

I'd love to see a new line coach come in and teach an aggressive blocking scheme. Alexander teaches a passive style.