Vitt Says Linebackers Group is "The Deepest I Have Been Around"
 

Given the addition of the three middle linebackers, how much do you anticipate the competition level rising?

That’s what it’s all about, and it’s there, it’s on.

Where do guys like Scott Shanle stand?

Scott Shanle has had an outstanding camp. Scott has started at the Sam position for us this spring. I think Scott is one of those guys, one of those rare breeds. I’ve been with him since ’06, and you have not seen any diminishing skill level. He still has the footwork and the fluid hips. One of his real high qualities that he has is his man coverage skills. He’s come into camp in great shape, so he has done a great job.

Is it safe to say that this is the best group of linebackers that you have had since you’ve been here?

I’ll tell you, it’s probably the deepest group I’ve ever been around. I would say that linebackers 1-7 or 1-8 could start for a lot of teams in the National Football League, and that’s a compliment to the group.

What have you seen from Curtis Lofton that maybe shocked or surprised you?

Number one, he’s lost some weight and body fat. His ability to change direction in space, his ability to drop his weight and burst on the ball, and then his angles to the ball and his closing speed have been shocking to me. They’ve been shocking to his teammates too. We know what we’ve got; we’ve got a thumper. We’ve got a guy who loves the contact, he’s a downhill linebacker. To watch his athleticism in space, his ability to flip his hips and burst, has really been a nice addition.

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Vitt Says Linebackers Group is "The Deepest I Have Been Around"

Oh my, my heart skipped a few beats.

All the criticism Lofton received while playing with the Falcons about being just a 2 down thumper, you know he's going to be playing with a chip on his shoulder. I'm glad we get to play the Falcons twice a year.

"I think Scott is one of those guys, one of those rare breeds. I’ve been with him since ’06, and you have not seen any diminishing skill level. He still has the footwork and the fluid hips. One of his real high qualities that he has is his man coverage skills."

Are you freakin kidding me?????? He must be slipping the coach's hallucinagins or something. This dude is like a cockaroach..they just don't die.

Anybody there watching all this? If so......anybody willing to pull a Tonya Harding on Shanle??? PLEASE!!!! If he keeps playing well, we might have him another year. Ughhhhh...................

Its funny, before he left he was a priority player to resign, after he signed with us he was merely a two down LB who sucks in coverage.

LOL!!!

Mike, you just shot down all my excitement about Lofton. If he's that impressed with Shanle then the Lofton accolades are meaningless.

If Shanle starts, our linebackers still suck. At least its deep with sucky LB's.

:lolup:

Sucky linebackers............yeah we're deep alright.:rolleyes:

He's right - deep as in there have never been this many LB's on the roster.

"Deep" does not equate to "talent".

Casillas - Injury prone
Vilma - goners
Lofton - new system, known for being slow, liability in coverage
Shanle - shanle
Wilson - now a DE

Throw the next several names in a group I like to call "who the hell really knows???" and you've got to be slightly concerned about our LB corps this season.

"Shanle - shanle" HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Amen! Good in man coverage what is he thinking!?!?!?

Obviously they see something we don't. Perhaps it was scheme that made him look so horrible in coverage. For whatever reasons all the coaches sing his praises every time he is mentioned.

Which makes it difficult for me to get excited about this:

What have you seen from Curtis Lofton that maybe shocked or surprised you?

Number one, he’s lost some weight and body fat. His ability to change direction in space, his ability to drop his weight and burst on the ball, and then his angles to the ball and his closing speed have been shocking to me. They’ve been shocking to his teammates too. We know what we’ve got; we’ve got a thumper. We’ve got a guy who loves the contact, he’s a downhill linebacker. To watch his athleticism in space, his ability to flip his hips and burst, has really been a nice addition.


I have to question Joe's sanity.

You know for as much as everyone hates and laughs at Shanle, he's always in the right position to make the play. He just doesn't have the skill set to do it. So as much as everyone one wants to knock him, do your job and beat him out. If not, as he's proven for 6 years, you need to just roll with it... it's not his fault everyone else blows.

While I hope he's not starting, it's certainly not his fault.

http://i2.listal.com/image/3170249/500full.jpg

True, but at certain point you have to also balance the fact that he won't be the future of this team, and if a young guy is just barely beaten out by him during the offseason - the Saints might still be better off giving the young guy the regular season starts, so that he can improve his game and get some important playing experience under his belt.

But, "high quality coverage skills," are you kidding me?! I can't remember which game it was last season, but Shanle was covering a TE running a drag route towards the sideline. He was simply trying to keep up with the guy with no attempt to turn his head and find the ball, but then the QB threw the ball at the back of his helmet from where it bounced out of bounds. The commentator said, something like "that pass was covered really well by Shanle." I guess if you want to call desperately running after a guy and getting hit in the helmet by chance good coverage then I stand corrected. And, yes, I know that TE vs LB isn't a fair fight, but people still constantly make arguments against Harper's coverage skills vs a TE, so I don't see this as being anything different.

You forgot

Hawthorne - tackling machine with over a 100 Tackles each of the last 3 seasons
Chamberlain - also a great tackler, proved it for the rams last year
Lofton - ive seen no evidence that says he's bad in coverage, and we need 3 LB's that are great tacklers

We just got em

Past history with other teams is not always a good indicator of future success.

I want to see it in black & gold

You know what you get from Shanle. He's due for 75 tackles and one turnover

That's why I said Shanle - Shanle

But you're right Papz, the question is who can do better?

Are we watching the same player? He is NEVER in front of a play!!

As for his coverage skills and his supposed smarts..I give you exhibit A:

12:25 a.m. - Crap, I was drinking.

Okay so always was definitely a big stretch but I do stand by my statement de-emphasizing that word. I guess we aren't watching the same player. He's there... he's just not making the plays. Which is exactly what I said, again.

I think Shanle will start and do well in Spags system. They all will be fine with Spags. I want start judging them until game 4-5.

Spagnola has to say those things.... Shanle will not be starting by time the season starts.......GOOD THING