AP: Colts see stronger, faster end in Hughes

[TopFrog]

AP: Colts see stronger, faster end in Hughes

MICHAEL MAROT | Associated Press

ANDERSON – Colts defensive end Jerry Hughes struck out in his rookie season.

This year, he’s striking back.

Indianapolis’ 2010 first-round draft pick has come to training camp with a stronger body, more knowledge of the defensive system and a new perspective on pro football thanks to the advice from his older teammates.

“They say you have to be a pitcher, not a thrower,” Hughes said Monday. “Right now I’ve got three pitches I’m working on, so I’ve added depth in my repertoire.”

To Indianapolis, pass-rushing is all about swings and misses. ...

 

[VictoryLap]

He definitely looks bigger in that picture in the article. He has a good head on his shoulders and if it can work out he will make it work out. We are rooting for you Jerry.

 

[SnoSki]

The thing with Jerry in Indy is that they're using him in a position that isn't optimal for him.. he needs to be an OLB not a DE. And on top of that it's hard for him to get reps and get better quickly when Freeney and Mathis take a large majority of the snaps.

 

[Cougar/Frog]

I blame the DC for failing to find a place for Jerry. Good luck for him and Indy to actually use his talents.

 

[West Coast Johnny]

That is the first balanced artical I've ever read on Jerry in the Indi newspaper.

 

[tcuball3]

was just thinking I wonder how Jerry is playing thus far, he always did look a little weak in the upper body but not anymore, great kid, I hope he can put it together this year

 

[Horny 4 Life]

The thing with Jerry in Indy is that they're using him in a position that isn't optimal for him.. he needs to be an OLB not a DE. And on top of that it's hard for him to get reps and get better quickly when Freeney and Mathis take a large majority of the snaps.

Except that he's not suited for OLB in their scheme. He's perfect for the DE spot in Indy, he just has to make the most of it. By all accounts the failures of last year were on his shoulders and nobody elses. He was drafted to be the rotation DE but he couldn't even crack that.

I'm all for seeing Jerry succeed, but he needs to earn it not have it handed to him.

 

[tetonfrog]

The thing with Jerry in Indy is that they're using him in a position that isn't optimal for him.. he needs to be an OLB not a DE. And on top of that it's hard for him to get reps and get better quickly when Freeney and Mathis take a large majority of the snaps.

This sounds like you are making excuses for him. Would Jerry have started at OLB for any playoff team last year? Probably not. And it makes no difference any way. Indy plays a 4-3 and Jerry will have to play well at DE to make an impact. The better he plays, the more reps he will get in practice and in games.

The best thing Jerry has going for him is he won't have to listen about how the Colts need an OT instead of a DE this year. He can get after it and play ball. Hope he makes a lot of plays for Indy this year.

 

[AEAfrog]

This sounds like you are making excuses for him. Would Jerry have started at OLB for any playoff team last year? Probably not. And it makes no difference any way. Indy plays a 4-3 and Jerry will have to play well at DE to make an impact. The better he plays, the more reps he will get in practice and in games.

The best thing Jerry has going for him is he won't have to listen about how the Colts need an OT instead of a DE this year. He can get after it and play ball. Hope he makes a lot of plays for Indy this year.

I think the idea was more that the Colts shouldn't have drafted him as he didn't fit their system. If he does the work, he could potentially fit the 4-3 system that team runs, but he really would have been better suited to go to a team running a 3-4.

 

[tetonfrog]

I think the idea was more that the Colts shouldn't have drafted him as he didn't fit their system. If he does the work, he could potentially fit the 4-3 system that team runs, but he really would have been better suited to go to a team running a 3-4.

Is there a difference between rushing the passer as a DE or an OLB? And, I don't think Jerry would be strong back in coverage. Could he stay with quick RBs in coverage?

Regardless, I hope he plays better this year. Best of luck to him.

 

[SnoSki]

Is there a difference between rushing the passer as a DE or an OLB? And, I don't think Jerry would be strong back in coverage. Could he stay with quick RBs in coverage?

Regardless, I hope he plays better this year. Best of luck to him.

He proved at TCU that he is fast enough to run down RBs out in the flats.

Coming out of a 3 point stance in the NFL is tougher than standing upright as a 3-4 OLB for sure since you're right there against your blocker to begin with. If Jerry was a 3-4 OLB then he would be at top speed by the time he approached the line.

Yes I do think he would've been better suited for a different defense.

 

[Horny 4 Life]

I think the idea was more that the Colts shouldn't have drafted him as he didn't fit their system. If he does the work, he could potentially fit the 4-3 system that team runs, but he really would have been better suited to go to a team running a 3-4.

Yeah, and the Colts shouldn't have drafted Dwight Freeney either because he could be a good 3-4 OLB.

Hughes fits their system just fine, he's right in line with the Freeney/Mathis mold of DE that Indy uses in their defense. There are really just 2 teams left who utilize this type of player at DE, the Colts and Eagles.

I know that all the pre-draft talking heads kept mentioning him as a 3-4 OLB, but that was because most NFL teams are transitioning to a 3-4 defense and there's no way Jerry could play DE in the 3-4. It didn't mean that he couldn't play DE in the right 4-3 scheme. However, it seems like a lot of people on this board took that as gospel.

The "he would be better in the 3-4" talk is pure speculation. Not every college DE out there can make the transition to playing OLB. For every DeMarcus Ware there's a Vernon Gholston. It's a lot different playing with your hand off the ground plus you're learning a completely new position, not everybody makes that transition.

 

[BABYFACE]

Disagree with a few here, Hughes would have fit in very well as rush/OLB in a 3-4 ala Demarcus Ware. Hughes is a former RB and speed is his asset not his detriment. But I think he will do fine as a DE in a 4-3.

 

[SnoopFrogs11]

I'm sure Jerry will turn it around this year with a year getting adjusted to the NFL game. He knows what he needs to do to keep in shape with the guys ahead of him. I just hope he gets a chance to start when he is back to Jerry Hughes from the TCU days.

 

[AEAfrog]

Yeah, and the Colts shouldn't have drafted Dwight Freeney either because he could be a good 3-4 OLB.

Dwight Freeney is exactly who the Colts were trying to replicate when they drafted Jerry. The problem with that is that Freeney is fairly unique in his dominance versus his size. Jerry very well may end up turning into a Freeney type player. That doesn't change the fact that his physical attributes at the time of the draft tended to make him project to an outside LB in a 3-4 system. Not being drafted into that kind of a system meant he had a lot more preparation to do in order to see the field than he otherwise would have had to do. That transformation led to him being a non-factor last year. I still have faith that Jerry will succeed in the NFL whether he is a 4-3 DE or a 3-4 OLB. I'm just of the opinion that success would have come sooner in a 4-3.

 

[Horny 4 Life]

Dwight Freeney is exactly who the Colts were trying to replicate when they drafted Jerry. The problem with that is that Freeney is fairly unique in his dominance versus his size. Jerry very well may end up turning into a Freeney type player. That doesn't change the fact that his physical attributes at the time of the draft tended to make him project to an outside LB in a 3-4 system. Not being drafted into that kind of a system meant he had a lot more preparation to do in order to see the field than he otherwise would have had to do. That transformation led to him being a non-factor last year. I still have faith that Jerry will succeed in the NFL whether he is a 4-3 DE or a 3-4 OLB. I'm just of the opinion that success would have come sooner in a 4-3.

Come sooner in a 4-3, eh? :tongue:

His attributes were really no different than those of Freeney or Mathis hence Indy drafted him. More teams are moving to the 3-4 defense, hence, more DE's get projected there. It doesn't mean that they can't succeed in a 4-3. If you're a good enough player, you'll succeed regardless of the scheme. I agree that his attributes project well to a 3-4 OLB, but that doesn't mean they don't project to 4-3 DE in a scheme such as Indy's. People on this board act like Indy moved him to DT or something. He's a perfect fit for DE in Indy's scheme at DE. It seems that Jerry's failure to see the field had a lot to do with his own mental attitude and preparation, not with the scheme or the team drafting him.

I too think he will find success in the league, it just may take a couple years.