Lion H-Back ... A.C. Leonard

[WestCoastJoe]

http://www.theprovince.com/sports/footb ... story.html

Ullrich: Massive tight end hopeful for the Lions has sights set high

A.C. Leonard could give defences something to think about as he aims for a hall of fame berth QB John Beckhas hepatitisCamp calendar

BY LOWELL ULLRICH, THE PROVINCE JUNE 4, 2015

Ullrich: Massive tight end hopeful for the Lions has sights set high

Promising tight end A.C. Leonard has yet to play his first professional football game. Ric Ernst/PNG files

KAMLOOPS — It came off as nothing more than a mindless boast during adolescence, but there was a eye-opening quality nonetheless when Alcorus Devonte (A.C.) Leonard once said he wouldn’t be satisfied until he was in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Informed that there is also a Canadian Football Hall of Fame, the behemoth tight end with the B.C. Lions gave the appearance of someone who had just adjusted his sights. To get there, the first thing he has to do is play his first regular-season game in pro football.

It’s way too early for any kind of proclamation, but if there were an early ballot to be cast for promising import training camp newcomer on offence, one vote would go to the 23-year-old Floridian.

Leonard will be given every chance to take a roster spot simply by the fact a new position has been created in the offence of coach Jeff Tedford and offensive co-ordinator George Cortez.

Leonard had a support role in one practice Thursday, but before that point had been running almost exclusively all week with the starters.

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Fellow import Cam Morrah was first up during the offensive mini-camp in April, and this week the Lions also brought in Reggie Jordan, which might suggest that Leonard might consider not unpacking yet.

He might not even be the best import receiver so far. That vote might be cast in favour Bryan Burnham, who is catching everything in sight during the early stages of his second Lions camp.

But at 6-feet-2 and a muscular 253 pounds, with 4.5-second speed in the 40-yard dash, Leonard fits the criteria set out by the Lions to adjust their offence to include a bruising receiver who can punish smaller linebackers and defensive backs both as a blocker and as a receiver.

At the very least, the last Lions receiver who filled out the same uniform (82) was Jason Clermont. And at 227 pounds during his prime, Clermont would give up 26 pounds to Leonard.

Ask Leonard if the idea of taking on defenders who are lighter by 20 pounds or so is intriguing, and a grin emerges.

“When coach Tedford told me that they really don’t use tight ends, I thought I could be someone that changed the game,” said the soft-spoken Leonard. “I’d love making a trademark up here.”

He had similar thoughts upon being recruited by coach Urban Meyer in college at Florida, but decided to transfer to Tennessee State after receiving six months’ probation as a 20-year-old for misdemeanour battery.

A Gainesville, Fla., police report accused Leonard of attempting to drag a woman out of his house by her hair, which may not make the receiver the Lions’ first choice to participate in their community programs aimed at domestic violence.

But he is a father of two girls now with a fiancée at home, and is trying to turn a career page with a team that is also keen to write a new chapter after last season. Tedford recognized quickly upon taking the Lions job that a position for players like Leonard and Morrah could give his team an unmatched edge until opponents adjust.

Receivers coach Khari Jones, who didn’t have players with a similar skill set when he was the Lions’ offensive co-ordinator last year, said such players “give defences something to think about.”

“Defences are going to have to react to that H-back body type,” said Jones. “(Teams) used to play more fullback and receiver, but if you can have the same guy in one (body) you’re better off.”

So far, so good.

“I’m excited to see A.C. and Cam in live settings,” quarterback Travis Lulay said.

“Cam is a smart guy, a pro for years. A.C. has been a really quick learner. Sometimes you’ve got to harp on a guy for a few days before they understand. A.C. has shown to be a quick study. We’re intrigued.”

Intrigued enough for the Lions to let the receiver who hopes to be discovered in Hamilton, Ont., or Canton, Ohio one day play his first pro game.

[WestCoastJoe]

Leonard will be given every chance to take a roster spot simply by the fact a new position has been created in the offence of coach Jeff Tedford and offensive co-ordinator George Cortez.

But at 6-feet-2 and a muscular 253 pounds, with 4.5-second speed in the 40-yard dash, Leonard fits the criteria set out by the Lions to adjust their offence to include a bruising receiver who can punish smaller linebackers and defensive backs both as a blocker and as a receiver.

“When coach Tedford told me that they really don’t use tight ends, I thought I could be someone that changed the game,” said the soft-spoken Leonard. “I’d love making a trademark up here.”

Tedford recognized quickly upon taking the Lions job that a position for players like Leonard and Morrah could give his team an unmatched edge until opponents adjust

Looking forward to seeing our H-Backs play.

[Blitz]

Looking forward to seeing our H-Backs play. WCJ

I am too WCJ. Its going to be interesting to see how we scheme our H Back...how often we line him up tight or spread, whether we line him up as a slot, use him in motion, how often we throw to him, whether we'll send him deep etc.

Washington introduced the H Back concept in the NFL because they had struggled against the pass rush of the New York Giants at the time. But the H Back concept has really evolved since then and is making a comeback in college and the NFL with a few teams too.

Certainly the days of the spread are mostly over in the NFL. Its now multi-formational with the spread mainly only used on longer passing downs. When New England came out of the spread and went with two tight ends it spelled the end of the spread religion.

But not in the CFL, which is still a spread offence league. We saw it up close and personal in B.C. last year under Khari Jones, who used the spread to its fullest, with lots of six receiver pack empty backfield for the first half of the season while Glenn crawled out from under a pile of opposition bodies. Thankfully that will change this season under Tedford - the guy who innovated the spread offence to the CFL is not using it. The 90's are over. Most moved on from Pearl Jam and the Smashing Pumkins and its time more offensive coordinators moved on from the spread. Its as dated as Rammer's choices in summer wear!!

[WestCoastJoe]

Looking forward to seeing our H-Backs play. WCJ

I am too WCJ. Its going to be interesting to see how we scheme our H Back...how often we line him up tight or spread, whether we line him up as a slot, use him in motion, how often we throw to him, whether we'll send him deep etc.

Washington introduced the H Back concept in the NFL because they had struggled against the pass rush of the New York Giants at the time. But the H Back concept has really evolved since then and is making a comeback in college and the NFL with a few teams too.

Certainly the days of the spread are mostly over in the NFL. Its now multi-formational with the spread mainly only used on longer passing downs. When New England came out of the spread and went with two tight ends it spelled the end of the spread religion.

But not in the CFL, which is still a spread offence league. We saw it up close and personal in B.C. last year under Khari Jones, who used the spread to its fullest, with lots of six receiver pack empty backfield for the first half of the season while Glenn crawled out from under a pile of opposition bodies. Thankfully that will change this season under Tedford - the guy who innovated the spread offence to the CFL is not using it. The 90's are over. Most moved on from Pearl Jam and the Smashing Pumkins and its time more offensive coordinators moved on from the spread. Its as dated as Rammer's choices in summer wear!!

"(we) used the spread to its fullest, with lots of six receiver pack empty backfield for the first half of the season while Glenn crawled out from under a pile of opposition bodies" -- Blitz

Too funny, Blitz. Except it was hardly funny for Kevin Glenn. We did not give him much/any help.

What goes around comes around. Big. Fast. Power. Speed. Small. Spread. Tight. Simplicity. Intricacy. Big. The innovators lead the pack while the followers play catch up.

The timing right now to go with huge H-Backs seems excellent. Tedford and Cortez know exactly what to look for. And guys are readily available from the US pipeline. Very cool. Morrah. Leonard. Jordan.

Guys with this blueprint are some of the most amazing athletes out there. 6'3'' 250 ... 4.5 in the 40. Time to integrate such athletes into the CFL offence.

They won't say it publicly, but I expect Tedford and Cortez are very pumped to unleash these guys.

[Blitz]

What goes around comes around. Big. Fast. Power. Speed. Small. Spread. Tight. Simplicity. Intricacy. Big. The innovators lead the pack while the followers play catch up.

The timing right now to go with huge H-Backs seems excellent. Tedford and Cortez know exactly what to look for. And guys are readily available from the US pipeline. Very cool. Morrah. Leonard. Jordan.

Guys with this blueprint are some of the most amazing athletes out there. 6'3'' 250 ... 4.5 in the 40. Time to integrate such athletes into the CFL offence.

WCJ

You are so right WCJ....what goes around comes around, often with new wrinkles.

The timing to go with an H Back or use more pro sets with tight ends or at least use some kind of offence other than the spread should have been done years ago.

I applauded Chap in 2011 because he began to use more pro sets than any other team in the league. We usually lined up pro set with a fullback and tailback or we went with a fullback/tailback and single tight end or when tailback and double tights. The problem was that we had Lumbala as one tight end and a spare offensive lineman as the other. Neither had route running and receiving skills.

The spread was a great offence in the 90's because it used five and six receiver sets and defenes were still using a standard 4-3 defense with five defensive backs. The fifth and sixth receiver were being covered by a linebacker. No wonder Calgary chewed up defenses in the 90's and they had very good quarterbacks to make the job even easier.

But defenses adjusted with nickel and dime backs, tweener linebackers, combination/man zone defenses, zone blitzes, blitzes, dropping nine in coverage, etc. as well as adjustments to the types of linebackers and defensive backs that were recruited. Defenses also went with huge defensive tackles to plug up the middle because it wasn't easy for spread offensive teams to run outside. The advantage of the spread was gone by the mid-2000's.

The spread offence originated at the U.S. college level as a way for teams who could not recruit the stud offensive lineman and running backs that usually chose the big name football programs to compete and win. Eventually it found its way to the NFL and HUfnagel and Tedford introduced their version of it in Calgary.

Before too long every CFL offensive coordinator was using it and almost all of them still are, even though most of its advantages don't exixt anymore. When Chap moved away from it somewhat in 2011 and went more motion/misdirection and pro set I applauded it, even though we did not have the right personell to run it. Last season, as Khari Jones returned to a very spread offence, I thought it was so regressive.

What is the point of having a fifth and sixth receiver if you can't get a matchup advantage. The quarterback doesn't have time to read all of them (our quarterback usually only had time to read his primary receiver before he experienced the avalanche of defenders). In Calgary, Flutie went up to the line of scrimmage, looked at which linebacker was covering his fifth receiver and threw to him. Sometimes, when they went with six recievers the sixth reciever was completely uncovered as defenses were slow to adapt. Not anymore. They have more than adapted (which is why the CFL changed the pass coverage rules this year).

Defenses have dominated over the past few years dispite the wide CFL field and the motion rules which favor CFL offences in comparison to their counterpart. That fifth or sixth receiver is now covered by a nickel back or dime back or he's running into a nine man zone or the quarterback never gets a chance to look at him as the bltz comes fast and hard from all directions.

Try to think when a CFL team last went with a tight end offence with a pure tight end as a starter as part of the package? Saskatchewan with Ray Elgaard perhaps but even he was used much more as a spread receiver.

The H Back concept is at least a break from same old, same old. It attempts to exploit the advantage of the weaknesses of present day CFL defenses. We could have gone with a tight end concept but the H Back concept provides more options and better still it allows the offence to go no huddle and the defense will not be able to sub in the dime back or if they start with a dime back it advantages our running attack.

We could have gone with two tight ends as New England did as another alternative but I prefer what we are attempting to do on offence this season.

The next innovation (its humourous to call it an innovation) I would like to see is our quarterback not always being lined up in the shotgun. NFL teams are now doing this. Tom Brady and Russell Wilson take a lot of snaps directly under centre (but still use the shotgun as well). This allows the offence to run quick dive plays, quick trap plays to the fullback, as well as power runs with a lead blocker. It also sets up play action well.

As you point out WCJ....these hybrid tight ends are amazing athletes who are big, strong, can block, run routes, and catch the football. They have been available again for a few years, as college programs began developing them again but CFL teams have ignored recruiting them.

If Tedford is successful we can anticipate copy cats. There are very few couraageous, confident innovators but many who emulate others success.

At least Tedford is trying to get ahead of the curve, as he did in the 90's in Calgary, but in a different way. I'm looking forward to seeing his offence in game action.

But like any offence, no matter its philosophy, structure, or even its innovativeness, it still needs good quarterbacking and more importantly it needs good offensive line play.

[WestCoastJoe]

What goes around comes around. Big. Fast. Power. Speed. Small. Spread. Tight. Simplicity. Intricacy. Big. The innovators lead the pack while the followers play catch up.

The timing right now to go with huge H-Backs seems excellent. Tedford and Cortez know exactly what to look for. And guys are readily available from the US pipeline. Very cool. Morrah. Leonard. Jordan.

Guys with this blueprint are some of the most amazing athletes out there. 6'3'' 250 ... 4.5 in the 40. Time to integrate such athletes into the CFL offence.

WCJ

You are so right WCJ....what goes around comes around, often with new wrinkles.

The spread offence originated at the U.S. college level as a way for teams who could not recruit the stud offensive lineman and running backs that usually chose the big name football programs to compete and win. Eventually it found its way to the NFL and HUfnagel and Tedford introduced their version of it in Calgary.

What is the point of having a fifth and sixth receiver if you can't get a matchup advantage. The quarterback doesn't have time to read all of them (our quarterback usually only had time to read his primary receiver before he experienced the avalanche of defenders). In Calgary, Flutie went up to the line of scrimmage, looked at which linebacker was covering his fifth receiver and threw to him. Sometimes, when they went with six recievers the sixth reciever was completely uncovered as defenses were slow to adapt. Not anymore. They have more than adapted (which is why the CFL changed the pass coverage rules this year).

Defenses have dominated over the past few years dispite the wide CFL field and the motion rules which favor CFL offences in comparison to their counterpart. That fifth or sixth receiver is now covered by a nickel back or dime back or he's running into a nine man zone or the quarterback never gets a chance to look at him as the bltz comes fast and hard from all directions.

As you point out WCJ....these hybrid tight ends are amazing athletes who are big, strong, can block, run routes, and catch the football. They have been available again for a few years, as college programs began developing them again but CFL teams have ignored recruiting them.

If Tedford is successful we can anticipate copy cats. There are very few couraageous, confident innovators but many who emulate others success.

But like any offence, no matter its philosophy, structure, or even its innovativeness, it still needs good quarterbacking and more importantly it needs good offensive line play.

Points well made, Blitz.

One example ... A receiver in the CFL might think, OK, I have a LB on me. But if that LB was Korey Banks, the receiver has no speed advantage or any of the other advantages he might have over a run stopper type of LB.

The point you make about US colleges down the food chain is interesting. Back when I was coaching in the 1980s, I attended a clinic with the Head Coach from a small college as a featured speaker. I seem to recall that it was UNLV. They could not recruit the giant O Linemen. So with their fast, small OL they went to angle blocking. This was a predecessor of zone blocking. From necessity comes adaptation.

If you get no advantage from the spread, then you also make yourself vulnerable to all that you say: blitzes, deceptive defences, etc.

Fun for us right now, with one of the innovators as our Head Coach, and his OC is right there too.

As noted, we can compete, and maybe even lead, in the Xs and Os ballgame now. And the CFL, of necessity, is an innovative league. Lots of copycats, too, but they tend to trail the pack.

No guarantees of course. O Line play is key. QB play is key. Mark W is still largely unproven as a DC, it seems to me.

[Blitz]

Points well made, Blitz.

One example ... A receiver in the CFL might think, OK, I have a LB on me. But if that LB was Korey Banks, the receiver has no speed advantage or any of the other advantages he might have over a run stopper type of LB.

The point you make about US colleges down the food chain is interesting. Back when I was coaching in the 1980s, I attended a clinic with the Head Coach from a small college as a featured speaker. I seem to recall that it was UNLV. They could not recruit the giant O Linemen. So with their fast, small OL they went to angle blocking. This was a predecessor of zone blocking. From necessity comes adaptation.

If you get no advantage from the spread, then you also make yourself vulnerable to all that you say: blitzes, deceptive defences, etc.

Fun for us right now, with one of the innovators as our Head Coach, and his OC is right there too.

As noted, we can compete, and maybe even lead, in the Xs and Os ballgame now. And the CFL, of necessity, is an innovative league. Lots of copycats, too, but they tend to trail the pack.

WCJ

Great point WCJ regarding how zone blocking began. The non-big name colleges that went with the spread offence as a way of compensating for their lack of ability to get the stud running backs and offensive lineman not only went with spread receivers and the shot gun formation but they also used angle blocking for their offensive lines because they couldn't just power block defensive lineman. Instead they angle blocked and soon zone blocking became very popular.

However, defenses have adjusted to zone blocking. In the CFL defenses have gone with huge, quick defensive tackles. Most of them are imports these days. They penetrate, they stay low so they are hard to angle block, and they've been trained not to over-react to the flow of the play and to shut down the cut back play. Defensive coordinators understood that its difficult to run outside with the spread formation so they shut down the inside running attack.

The H-Back concept will allow us to do more things from a blocking perspective, from doubling a very good rush end with a tackle and a tighte end to double teaming at the point of attack. I can see a lot of old school strategies coming back...from the kick out block off-tackle to inside trap plays. The H Back in motion can be used as a personal protector on rollout plays while the tailback leaks out into a passing route or he can crack back (above the waist) on a defensive end and enable the quarterback to get outside.

I have always believed that play action is the most effective weapon of an offence. The H Back concept has the potential to create more effective play action. I know that you are a Bill Walsh fan WCJ and here is what Walsh said about play action in a SI article.

“The play action pass is the one fundamentally sound football play that does everything possible to contradict the basic principles of defense,” Walsh wrote in 1997. “I truly believe it is the single best tool available to take advantage of a disciplined defense. By using the play-pass as an integral part of your offense you are trying to take advantage of a defensive team that is very anxious, very intense and very fired-up to play football. The play actionpass is one of the best ways to cool all of that emotion and intensity down because the object of the play action pass is to get the defensive team to commit to a fake run and then throw behind them. Once you get the defensive team distracted and disoriented, they begin to think about options and, therefore, are susceptible to the running game".

I realize Walsh was a West Coast offence but the principle is the same.

The H Back concept will provide opportunities for us to run outside and to more effectively run inside because it will open up more options for blocking schemes. But by having a true pass receiving tight end, we can play action pass and the tight end can brush block and run a pass route downfield, providing a big target who can get open downfield. That's not really something we could do in the past, when we used an offensive lineman as an extra tight end or we used Lumbala as a tight end. Of course, last year, it was just spread, spread, spread.

I liked your point that there is no advantage of an extra receiver being lined up when he is being covered by a nickel back like a Korey Banks. But there is an advantage of a big, fast tight end blocking a Korey Banks or running a route over the middle against a Korey Banks or shielding off a Korey Banks for a quick reception in the red zone.

The spread was an innovation in its time, defenses adjusted, and offences have been slow in the CFL to understand that the advantages of the spread are mostly gone and have been for a number of years now. As you noted WCJ "If you get no advantage from the spread, then you also make yourself vulnerable to all that you say: blitzes, deceptive defences, etc".

The spread can be used as a formation for certain down and distance situations or if the defense plays three traditional type linebackers.

The advantage for an offence is surprise. In other words the defense does not know what the offence is going to do. CFL defenses have seen so much tape of spread offences, practiced against their own spread offence, and played so many games against spread offences that this style of offence, which has been mostly utilized in the CFL for more than 20 years has become so very predictable. Shot gun snap, five receivers with two waggling, inside running attack (the occasional fly sweep) and a predictable running game inside the tackles using zone blocking.

The spread has become a very predictable scheme that is effective only based upon superior execution. Its why CFL scoring has continued to slide, even with the wide CFL field and long end zones, motion, and many CFL rules that advantage an offence.

[WestCoastJoe]

Great point WCJ regarding how zone blocking began. The non-big name colleges that went with the spread offence as a way of compensating for their lack of ability to get the stud running backs and offensive lineman not only went with spread receivers and the shot gun formation but they also used angle blocking for their offensive lines because they couldn't just power block defensive lineman. Instead they angle blocked and soon zone blocking became very popular.

That is how I see it, Blitz. With angle blocking/zone blocking, in retrospect I am happy to have seen the cutting edge explained at that clinic before it really came into vogue. It made excellent sense at the time, and it still works.

However, defenses have adjusted to zone blocking. In the CFL defenses have gone with huge, quick defensive tackles. Most of them are imports these days. They penetrate, they stay low so they are hard to angle block, and they've been trained not to over-react to the flow of the play and to shut down the cut back play. Defensive coordinators understood that its difficult to run outside with the spread formation so they shut down the inside running attack.

Yup. Over time teams adjust. Innovators adjust first. Play it safe coaches adjust last and reluctantly.

I have always believed that play action is the most effective weapon of an offence. The H Back concept has the potential to create more effective play action. I know that you are a Bill Walsh fan WCJ and here is what Walsh said about play action in a SI article.

“The play action pass is the one fundamentally sound football play that does everything possible to contradict the basic principles of defense,” Walsh wrote in 1997. “I truly believe it is the single best tool available to take advantage of a disciplined defense. By using the play-pass as an integral part of your offense you are trying to take advantage of a defensive team that is very anxious, very intense and very fired-up to play football. The play actionpass is one of the best ways to cool all of that emotion and intensity down because the object of the play action pass is to get the defensive team to commit to a fake run and then throw behind them. Once you get the defensive team distracted and disoriented, they begin to think about options and, therefore, are susceptible to the running game".

That is for sure, Blitz. Great admiration for Bill Walsh. I recall reading a feedback letter to Sports Illustrated by a female student at Stanford. She had the privilege of taking a course from Walsh on football at Stanford. He had a way of making the intricacy and complexity of football interesting to even those that never played the game, like the female student.

I liked your point that there is no advantage of an extra receiver being lined up when he is being covered by a nickel back like a Korey Banks. But there is an advantage of a big, fast tight end blocking a Korey Banks or running a route over the middle against a Korey Banks or shielding off a Korey Banks for a quick reception in the red zone.

The spread was an innovation in its time, defenses adjusted, and offences have been slow in the CFL to understand that the advantages of the spread are mostly gone and have been for a number of years now. As you noted WCJ "If you get no advantage from the spread, then you also make yourself vulnerable to all that you say: blitzes, deceptive defences, etc".

The advantage for an offence is surprise. In other words the defense does not know what the offence is going to do. CFL defenses have seen so much tape of spread offences, practiced against their own spread offence, and played so many games against spread offences that this style of offence, which has been mostly utilized in the CFL for more than 20 years has become so very predictable. Shot gun snap, five receivers with two waggling, inside running attack (the occasional fly sweep) and a predictable running game inside the tackles using zone blocking.

The spread has become a very predictable scheme that is effective only based upon superior execution. Its why CFL scoring has continued to slide, even with the wide CFL field and long end zones, motion, and many CFL rules that advantage an offence.

Points well made. Scoring is down. Defences have adjusted. Time for more innovation and adaptation.

[Blitz]

Scoring is down. Defences have adjusted. Time for more innovation and adaptation.

I just posted a few comments on another thread WCJ about Travis Lulay and this upcoming season but this thread on the H Back makes me think about how Travis would have performed in a different type of scheme.

Travis had his two best seasons in 2011 and 2012, before his shoulder injury in Hamilton. Those were the two seasons that we changed more to a motion/misdirection offence, had a decent running game, and could use misdirection play action effectively. But we still used the spread a fair amount of the time.

Travis Lulay was not designed for a spread offence. The spread offence was designed more for a pocket quarterback, who reads progressions quickly, has a quick release, and a very accurate arm.

It is not an offensive scheme that is tailored to a quarterback like Lulay who is best when he's moving, when throwing off misdirection play action, when extending plays, and when being placed in a double threat position by design.

To use an NFL analogy, Russell Wilson would not thrive in a spread offence. It doesn't favor his strengths. A spread offence is more a Payton Manning sytle of offence....quick reads, quick throws, very accurate arm, pocket passer.

If there was a season for Lulay to miss due to injury it was last season. We were in the spread constantly, with poor offensive line play, no anti-blitz strategies, and predicatable passing. Lulay would have performed better than Glenn due to his escapability and penchant for the big play, but it likely would still have been a miserable season if he had played.

Our new scheme favors Lulay's game. I hope his shoulder heals and he can get the opportunity to play in a style of offence more suitable to his style and strengths.

[WestCoastJoe]

Scoring is down. Defences have adjusted. Time for more innovation and adaptation.

I just posted a few comments on another thread WCJ about Travis Lulay and this upcoming season but this thread on the H Back makes me think about how Travis would have performed in a different type of scheme.

Travis had his two best seasons in 2011 and 2012, before his shoulder injury in Hamilton. Those were the two seasons that we changed more to a motion/misdirection offence, had a decent running game, and could use misdirection play action effectively. But we still used the spread a fair amount of the time.

Travis Lulay was not designed for a spread offence. The spread offence was designed more for a pocket quarterback, who reads progressions quickly, has a quick release, and a very accurate arm.

It is not an offensive scheme that is tailored to a quarterback like Lulay who is best when he's moving, when throwing off misdirection play action, when extending plays, and when being placed in a double threat position by design.

To use an NFL analogy, Russell Wilson would not thrive in a spread offence. It doesn't favor his strengths. A spread offence is more a Payton Manning sytle of offence....quick reads, quick throws, very accurate arm, pocket passer.

If there was a season for Lulay to miss due to injury it was last season. We were in the spread constantly, with poor offensive line play, no anti-blitz strategies, and predicatable passing. Lulay would have performed better than Glenn due to his escapability and penchant for the big play, but it likely would still have been a miserable season if he had played.

Our new scheme favors Lulay's game. I hope his shoulder heals and he can get the opportunity to play in a style of offence more suitable to his style and strengths.

With Lulay, it is difficult to imagine him playing all that much. Tragic to see him injured, but he has won the Cup, been MOP, GC MVP and built a legacy. Future coach for sure, even now, mentoring.

At his best, when healthy, he actually had some very fast starts, marching down the field. Throwing accuracy and mechanics? Down the list in my view. Beck has the mechanics, but no legacy. Kapp had no mechanics but an excellent legacy. A winner can get by with his moxie. Just IMO ... Same with golf. Trevino ... Lousy mechanics, but an amazing, repeating, reliable swing, with touch. Of course a coach wants the best mechanics also. Tough to get everything in a QB. Peyton can't break down a defence with his legs.

All for discussion, and points of view ...

[Blitz]

With Lulay, it is difficult to imagine him playing all that much. Tragic to see him injured, but he has won the Cup, been MOP, GC MVP and built a legacy. Future coach for sure, even now, mentoring.

At his best, when healthy, he actually had some very fast starts, marching down the field. Throwing accuracy and mechanics? Down the list in my view. Beck has the mechanics, but no legacy. Kapp had no mechanics but an excellent legacy. A winner can get by with his moxie. Just IMO ... Same with golf. Trevino ... Lousy mechanics, but an amazing, repeating, reliable swing, with touch. Of course a coach wants the best mechanics also. Tough to get everything in a QB. Peyton can't break down a defence with his legs.

All for discussion, and points of view ... WCJ

Overall I agree. Your point on Joe Kapp is a great example. It was leadership, guts, toughness and courage that made him great in both Vancouver and Minnesota.

I prefer the double threat quarterbacks more than the pure pocket passers. I respect Payton Manning and all the pure pocket passing quarterbacks who have been or are very successful but that is not my favorite style of quarterback. I prefer the Russell Wilson mobile style of quarterback.

My favorite Lions quarterbacks have been Joe Kapp, Jerry Tagge, Casey Printers (at least in 2004 and part of 2005), Matt Dunigan, Doug Flutie, Buck Pierce, and Travis Lulay for those reasons. Tagge wasn`t mobile but he had all the other intangibles that I like. I could be critical of each one of these quarterbacks for what they lacked in some areas of their game but I also prefer their strengths and their style.

[TheLionKing]

Kapp has probably one of the worst throwing mechanics ever for a Lion quarterback. A lot of his passes were like wounded ducks but as Blitz has noted it was his outstanding leadership, guts, and toughness.

[Honour Dewalt]

A bit ashamed to ask this, but I'm confused about what this H-back concept is. I've always heard the halfback position in the nfl as the running back. In the CFL it's on defence. So now we are calling these tight end type players half backs, and I'm confused. I can't see Cam Morrah as a running back, so if someone could just brush me up on what these guys are going to do on offence, that would be great.

[WestCoastJoe]

A bit ashamed to ask this, but I'm confused about what this H-back concept is. I've always heard the halfback position in the nfl as the running back. In the CFL it's on defence. So now we are calling these tight end type players half backs, and I'm confused. I can't see Cam Morrah as a running back, so if someone could just brush me up on what these guys are going to do on offence, that would be great.

Tight end by different name.

Can be off the line of scrimmage also, like a slotback, or even fullback.

H Back does not refer to halfback, as in running back. More like X, Y or Z for receivers. Just a letter for a position.

More in these references ...

https://www.google.ca/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=PF5 ... all+h+back

[B.C.FAN]

A bit ashamed to ask this, but I'm confused about what this H-back concept is. I've always heard the halfback position in the nfl as the running back. In the CFL it's on defence. So now we are calling these tight end type players half backs, and I'm confused. I can't see Cam Morrah as a running back, so if someone could just brush me up on what these guys are going to do on offence, that would be great.

The H-back in Tedford's offence is a slotback with a tight end's body. Tedford refers to the players as tight ends, but they almost always line up off the line of scrimmage or waggle just outside the tackle. They are primarily inside receivers but their size allows them to be used effectively as blockers on running plays or to provide edge protection on passing plays. The Lions have traditionally used fullback Rolly Lumbala in that role on running plays but he is replaced by slotback Austin Collie on passing plays while the H-back is always on the field and can be used to block at the line or run routes and block downfield for other receivers after the catch.