First off, big shout out to @Parker Thune who referenced the possibility of this happening in an earlier thread. Fantastic work by the team here and is ultimately a reason why myself and @dmackey13 call this place home for our Sooner football discussion.
Now, to get to the evaluation of new Sooner addition, Jaydn Ott.
Let’s begin:
1. Great eyes/vision. Perceives space around him very well, feels pressure coming from different angles in a very natural way. In the same uncanny way a player like Baker could shake someone or know the sack was coming, Ott feels space and quickly adjusts. He also sees “the game” well. He knows the plays and sets up his blocks by using feigning to his advantage and then knows when to just explode or lower the boom.
Most importantly, I harped on this since Murray has been at Oklahoma…
HE KEEPS HIS EYES UP!
I cannot tell you how critical it is for a running back to have the courageousness to keep the eyes and head up when attacking the line scrimmage or dealing with defenders in the open field, knowing you may take a big hit. I am watching a high school running back who may seem like a super athlete and a potential star, this is something that I will look at and checkmark as good or bad depending on if he exhibits this habit. Not being able to keep the eyes up and having that fear where you resort to dropping the head the moment you feel contact coming a fatal flaw that will keep you from being a successful back when the space gets tighter and the players get faster and more physical.
2. Speed. I need to still watch a bit more full games of him, but he has speed to get the corner on everyone on the field. He does not necessarily outrun cornerbacks, but with his acceleration, vision, and understanding of the game he absolutely plays with an advantage, almost all of the time.
3. Long, covers space and has a nose for the end zone at the goal line. While he isn’t extremely tall, he plays very long and covers ground with ease similar to what Kennedy Brooks did while he was at Oklahoma. I called this “easy speed” where someone doesn’t have to work very hard, look like they’re not even breaking a sweat yet they just picked up 8 yards.
At the end of the day, when watching him, between the patients, how he accelerated and set up blocks, as well as his hands, he reminded me a lot of Alvin Kamara.
Now, to get to the evaluation of new Sooner addition, Jaydn Ott.
Let’s begin:
1. Great eyes/vision. Perceives space around him very well, feels pressure coming from different angles in a very natural way. In the same uncanny way a player like Baker could shake someone or know the sack was coming, Ott feels space and quickly adjusts. He also sees “the game” well. He knows the plays and sets up his blocks by using feigning to his advantage and then knows when to just explode or lower the boom.
Most importantly, I harped on this since Murray has been at Oklahoma…
HE KEEPS HIS EYES UP!
I cannot tell you how critical it is for a running back to have the courageousness to keep the eyes and head up when attacking the line scrimmage or dealing with defenders in the open field, knowing you may take a big hit. I am watching a high school running back who may seem like a super athlete and a potential star, this is something that I will look at and checkmark as good or bad depending on if he exhibits this habit. Not being able to keep the eyes up and having that fear where you resort to dropping the head the moment you feel contact coming a fatal flaw that will keep you from being a successful back when the space gets tighter and the players get faster and more physical.
2. Speed. I need to still watch a bit more full games of him, but he has speed to get the corner on everyone on the field. He does not necessarily outrun cornerbacks, but with his acceleration, vision, and understanding of the game he absolutely plays with an advantage, almost all of the time.
3. Long, covers space and has a nose for the end zone at the goal line. While he isn’t extremely tall, he plays very long and covers ground with ease similar to what Kennedy Brooks did while he was at Oklahoma. I called this “easy speed” where someone doesn’t have to work very hard, look like they’re not even breaking a sweat yet they just picked up 8 yards.
At the end of the day, when watching him, between the patients, how he accelerated and set up blocks, as well as his hands, he reminded me a lot of Alvin Kamara.
