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Thread: Ziggy Hood is running out of time

  1. #1
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    Ziggy Hood is running out of time

    Steelers working on Hood’s technique

    Friday - May 31, 2013
    By Mark Kaboly

    There are times when Ziggy Hood looks every bit the part of what the Steelers envisioned when they used their first-round pick on him four years ago.

    Then there are the other times — times that have become too familiar — when Hood resembles a rookie still trying to grasp the basics of transitioning to a 3-4 defensive end in the NFL.

    And now, Hood is running out of time.

    Hood, 26, enters the final year of his contract entrenched as the Steelers starting left defensive end, but he still is a work in progress despite 39 starts over the past three years.

    “You are always going to have things to work on; I am not going to deny that,” Hood said.

    “Last year was a good step for me. It wasn't the season that I would say was the best, but the positives outweighed the negatives.”

    There were plenty of both for Hood.

    There was Ziggy “good” with 24 of his 42 tackles coming over a five-game span in December, including an eight-tackle, one-sack game against San Diego.

    And there was Ziggy “not so good” with one-tackle games against the Jets, Raiders and Browns and being held without a tackle against the Titans despite playing 62 snaps.

    Hood's inconsistencies can be traced to his technique.

    Hood's erratic footwork and hand placement have caused him enough problems that defensive line coach John Mitchell has made it a point of emphasis.

    Linebacker coach Keith Butler acknowledged that last month.

    “Ziggy Hood has some technical stuff that John has to work with him on,” Butler said. “And John knows about that, so we're going to try to get those things clarified and work that out … ”

    Hood has spent the offseason, including the first two weeks of organized team activities, working on being consistent with his footwork and hand placement.

    “If your hand placement and your footwork isn't good, you aren't going to be in the correct position to make a play,” Hood said. “Small things like that will always get you in the right place. It may not get you there all the time, but you will be there more often than not.”

    Hood had issues with both techniques last year.

    There were times when his bad footwork put him out of position, which made him easier to block. Other times, improper hand placement made it impossible for him to shed a block and make a tackle even though he was in position to make a play.

    “I have to keep doing what I am doing with the technique and continue to work,” Hood said. “I can always tweak my technique and keep getting better. The most important thing I do is to make sure I do my job so the outside guys can make the play.”

    The Steelers had the No. 1 overall defense last year and were fourth against the run, and they have options if Hood doesn't perform well.

    Cameron Heyward, a first-round pick in 2011, is backing up Hood and Brett Keisel.

    Keisel, who will turn 35 in September, also is in the final year of his deal, which might make it difficult to part with Hood after this year.

    “My contract is the last thing on my mind,” Hood said.

    “The only thing on my mind is getting better each and every day. What can I do today to make sure I don't repeat whatever I did wrong yesterday. The ultimate goal this year is to be the best I can possibly be.”

    How good can that be?

    “Hopefully great,” Hood said.

    [URL]http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/4113840-74/hood-footwork-placement#ixzz2V0kH5RoL[/URL]
    Steel Maniac's Time-Based Prediction: Lamar Jackson will be a bust and total flop in the NFL.

    What Actually Happened: Lamar Jackson became the youngest two-time NFL MVP winner ever.

    Gloat gloat gloat


    Boom........

    Hahahahahahaha

  2. #2
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    Officially a bust

  3. #3
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    If a guy is in year 4 and still working on consistent technique, for a 1st rd pick, then I would have to say this is at best a semi-bust and at worst a complete miss. Ziggy's biggest problem is not being able to beat a man-on-man matchup. I've seen him get pushed around quite a bit by OL. I remember posters being completely stoked on this guy. Seems we aren't the experts we think we are....

  4. #4
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    My question is, if the line coach and the LB coach both have issues with Hood's technique, why the heck didn't they coach him up during the season? Or if they couldn't coach him up, sit his butt on the bench?

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Coolie Man View Post
    Officially a bust
    I've been saying this for, atleast, 3 freaking years!!!

    The guy is weak for a 300LB'r...He gets blocked on his ass
    by RB's!!!

    He has no game, he has no motor, and he has no heart.

    The only thing I see him do is play "Patty-Cake" with the tackle
    across from him.

    He avoids contact!! He's soft as can be...

    The best thing I heard recently, was they wanted to move him inside
    at the Nose...HA FREAKING HA...that's a joke!!

    He would get Bull-dozed everytime...and then our Run-D would be
    #32 in the league.

    Hood needs to come to a realization pretty fast...he's on a one year
    deal, and if he screws up, I don't think there is another team that would
    put up with his lazy ass effort...period!!

    So basically we have two lazy asses on the left-side of our D...96 and 56!!

    Just watch what every team tries to do to us in the run game...I bet u that they
    run right at 96 and 56, because neither of them can hold the point!!!

    JD
    The Pittsburgh Steelers: There is NO other Team!

    http://i454.photobucket.com/albums/q...6jpg-1-1-1.jpg

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Coolie Man View Post
    Officially a bust
    ...or perhaps we ruin very good players coming out of college by forcing them to play a technique that takes away what they do best so the can "occupy blockers"
    "My team, may they always be right, but right or wrong...MY TEAM!"

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Oviedo View Post
    ...or perhaps we ruin very good players coming out of college by forcing them to play a technique that takes away what they do best so the can "occupy blockers"
    Good point. But bust of a pick. Don't draft him in the first place.

  8. #8
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    hood sucks, no matter what some of the "experts" here would have you believe.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Oviedo View Post
    ...or perhaps we ruin very good players coming out of college by forcing them to play a technique that takes away what they do best so the can "occupy blockers"
    You're assuming he had potential to be something else, in a different scheme. Granted... he wasn't suited to occupying blockers. But he's not some Geno Atkins who we've made into a nobody. He would be a ham & egger in a 4-3, just like he is in our D. He's just somebody who was greatly overdrafted.
    If he was drafted more to his ability, we would probably look at him in a different light. He's Gerald Williams; he's Keith Willis; he's Donald Evans and Nolan Harrison.

    The problem, is that we made the same mistake two years later in drafting Cam Heyward. Heyward, like Hood, is a ham & egger.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shoe View Post
    You're assuming he had potential to be something else, in a different scheme. Granted... he wasn't suited to occupying blockers. But he's not some Geno Atkins who we've made into a nobody. He would be a ham & egger in a 4-3, just like he is in our D. He's just somebody who was greatly overdrafted.
    If he was drafted more to his ability, we would probably look at him in a different light. He's Gerald Williams; he's Keith Willis; he's Donald Evans and Nolan Harrison.

    The problem, is that we made the same mistake two years later in drafting Cam Heyward. Heyward, like Hood, is a ham & egger.
    I am gonna disagree.

    Hood would be okay in a 4-3, hes not Geno Atkins, but Atkins was a legit DPOY candidate, if JJ Watt hadnt had possibly the greatest season for a DE of all time. Atkins would have been DPOY

    Hood shows he can do okay in a 4-3 when we start slanting and stuff like that.

    Its almost like Hood's problems are on the mental side mostly, and he has technique issues but again, 4-3 differs. Would he be great ? Nah


    Heyward is actually really solid, we just group him together with Hood, and use the mentality "If He Can't beat out Hood, he is a bust too"

    I honestly don't think we give him a chance to beat Hood, check week 17 after Kiesel gets injured, Cam came in and had a really good game.

    Bonus note: When we played the ravens the first time, Hood had 11 tackles on the year, Heyward comes in and gets 5 tackles THAT GAME, in relief of the injured Hood.


    Heyward is nowhere near as bad as some steelers boards make him out to be, we just tie him in with Ziggy because they were "the first round pick DEs"

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