Let's Talk About Amani Jones

[Wundershozen]

I'll admit, I was super hyped to see him play this year after watching the summer camp hype vids on youtube. Then when we finally see him he was getting torched and making some really bone headed plays. He finally got a shot to redeem himself this week, and in my opinion he did. Then he gets called for a BS targeting penalty at the end of the game. I'm a bit irate they confirmed the call after replay, but whatever. It just seems this guy can't catch a break on the field-he has a nitch for making big hits/plays but these bad plays/penalties just seem to haunt him like he's voodoo cursed or something. Anyone see anything different?

 

[99topdawg]

It was a terrible call and Niles Kinnick agrees with me.

 

[Complex13]

When the ball is snapped, he needs to just sit there and count to 3 before taking a step. He is really quick, but having quick feet and being too amped up gets you out of position real fast, particularly on play action and misdirection plays.

 

[hwk23]

I thought he should have played more against Wisconsin with the one mission to stop the run and then come out on passing downs. We could have used a big athletic guy like that against the run.

 

[uihawk82]

When the ball is snapped, he needs to just sit there and count to 3 before taking a step. He is really quick, but having quick feet and being too amped up gets you out of position real fast, particularly on play action and misdirection plays.

He made a great read on a wildcat run today and the replay from the endzone camera showed his read and then attack through a hole to throw that guy for a loss

 

[uihawk82]

It was a terrible call and Niles Kinnick agrees with me.

It was an ok call in real time but the replay showed it was not above the shoulders and his right shoulder pad hit first into the chest plate and he didnt really make hardly any helmet contact.

Should have been overturned.

 

[kameltoez102]

The targeting was BS and I hope that if it is possible it gets over turned. If it doesn't I think Iowas will be fine if they can get the ball first and control the clock. If they are successful he may not miss a lot of the game.

The NCAA needs to revise the rule and eliminate the portion where the guys are disqualified for the next half. Some of these calls are not intentional and punishing the players for something not always controllable is weak.

Situations like this is where that new redshirt rule helps though as well. Get some guys some good playing time and if they don't play after that then they can redshirt. Next man in

 

[hawkdrummer1]

It was an ok call in real time but the replay showed it was not above the shoulders and his right shoulder pad hit first into the chest plate and he didnt really make hardly any helmet contact.

Should have been overturned.

Not to mention the helmet to helmet hit on IKM the previous series. You could hear that in the upper deck. No call.

 

[Complex13]

He made a great read on a wildcat run today and the replay from the endzone camera showed his read and then attack through a hole to throw that guy for a loss

I saw that, and it was a good play. He bit hard on the inside on another wildcat play and the QB bounced outside and walked into the end zone.

 

[proudhawkfan21]

Here is my take. He definitely has the physical tools. I feel it is the mental approach that he is lacking. Mind you i didnt say intellectual approach. Its about a mentality. Ive watched him react on the sideline. Ive watched him react after a bad play. Ive watched him plenty to see that he doesnt have the machine/robot/ultra-intense thing that the best middle linebackers in the game have. Lets just talk Iowa. Station, Angerer, Jewell, Morris, Hodge, Hitchens, Kirksey. Lets talk all-time. Butkus, Singletary, Seau, Nitschke, Lewis, Lambert, Ham, LT. With the "possible" exception of Lewis, who was as unique as you get and literally a stone cold killer on and off the field, and LT who had a little fun but was more focused on building rage for the opponent as the Giants offense was on the field, all of these guys are intense, focused and oblivious to celebrating and smiling during the game.

I just think his mentality is more of a defensive back or wr, people who talk and showboat. Im not saying that cant be part of his game, but a lot of programs need that guy to be the one that the rest of the team says, im glad he's on my side. The fear that he's putting his life on the line every play and i dont want disappoint him. I think its apparant that the coaches have noticed something similar. The UNI or ISU game he about had to get checked into a straitjacket he was so lost. BF had to calm him down during a timeout. He doesnt have IT.

I hope that he's wildly successful even still. As a former coach, im looking for the Hockaday or Ben Niemann or obviously anyone on the list above. No energy for anything but putting your body on the line every play.

 

[WinOneThisCentury]

He needs to calm down. He wants to go somewhere before he knows where to go. There is something called instant recall where you know you have seen something before and your instincts set you in motion almost before the play unfolds. Josie Jewell may have had this skill more than any linebacker I have ever seen. It's also why the Broncos love him. Film, film, film, but you have to apply what's in your head.

He's a terrific athlete and made some really nice plays in the running game yesterday. That being said, I still think he's lost when the QB doesn't hand it off. He needs to find a receiver or passing lane.

The hit yesterday for targeting was completely unnecessary. In my estimation, it was targeting for hitting a defenseless player. Although it wasn't above the shoulders, it was close...and just not needed at the end or the game. It's kind of the one speed only and that full pressure on the accelerator.

I'm rooting for him though...I think they should give him a Xanax prior to game time though or some sort of sedative. Three words, first word...SED - A - GIVE.

 

[uihawk82]

I saw that, and it was a good play. He bit hard on the inside on another wildcat play and the QB bounced outside and walked into the end zone.

Correct but he does not have edge responsibility on those plays if he is in the middle. Too many of our edge players were crashing down, about all the edge players were to help and that doesnt work.

I the Minny wildcat formation and play I would rather see our edge players come almost unblocked from the outside at least a yard into the opponent backfield and then crash to the mesh handoff point and get them by their legs.

 

[Adam]

I saw that, and it was a good play. He bit hard on the inside on another wildcat play and the QB bounced outside and walked into the end zone.

Depending on the call, there is a good chance his job was to plug one of the interior gaps. Hard to call it "biting hard". It looked to me that either the will LB or the free saftey was on contain for that play.

 

[trj]

AJ’s hit was clean, but that is where the sport is at right now. Think about all those Bob Sanders hits that would be illegal now. You can’t lay people out anymore. AJ has to know better, it really is that simple.

 

[homes]

AJ’s hit was clean, but that is where the sport is at right now. Think about all those Bob Sanders hits that would be illegal now. You can’t lay people out anymore. AJ has to know better, it really is that simple.

Agree. They should just call it, "Laying Someone Out" Penalty, and forget about trying to slice and dice whether it was above the shoulder pads. Those types of hits aren't welcome in football any longer - that's the real message being sent.

 

[Adam]

Agree. They should just call it, "Laying Someone Out" Penalty, and forget about trying to slice and dice whether it was above the shoulder pads. Those types of hits aren't welcome in football any longer - that's the real message being sent.

Bingo. The NFL is hoping it will survive the move to 2 hand touch. Maybe noone will notice if lineman are the only ones who end up brain damaged.

 

[iloveyoularrystation]

Of bigger concern to me, then the penalty, because I think most of us feel it should have been overturned, is his response on the way out. I think the way he acted on his way out showed a lot about mindset and attitude. Talent is great, but if you can't keep yourself on the field it doesn't matter how talented you are. Gotta be able to control your emotions, and gotta be able to move on when something doesn't go your way on the field.

 

[hawkfan2679]

Depending on the call, there is a good chance his job was to plug one of the interior gaps. Hard to call it "biting hard". It looked to me that either the will LB or the free saftey was on contain for that play.

I would agree...I'm pretty sure that was Hooker's contain responsibility. But I also think it was a tough task for Hooker because his post-snap reaction almost looked like he was watching the wing in man coverage (to watch for the pop/jump pass), so it's very possible that Jones was responsible for the QB in that set. I don't know that either of them makes the play because the Minnesota OL did a good job caving in the left side of the DL.