New Orleans Saints counting on rookie LBs Stephone Anthony, Hau'oli Kikaha to play key roles this season

Attached Thumbnails · 09-05-2015, 11:07 AM

New Orleans Saints rookie linebacker Hau'oli Kikaha walked off the field in Baltimore last month with a better understanding of the pace of play in the NFL.

"It was a bit faster than I anticipated," the Saints' second-round pick said after the preseason opener Aug. 13. "We had scrimmaged against our great offense and things like that, and (this) was totally different. Game speed is totally different."

The pace will surely quicken again come Sept. 13, when the Saints open the regular season against the Cardinals in Glendale, Ariz.

The Saints could potentially have two rookie linebackers in the starting lineup, with Kikaha on the strong side and Stephone Anthony in the middle, possibly calling the signals.

read more here

homerj07 · 09-05-2015, 02:24 PM

The fans too

halloween 65 · 09-05-2015, 03:04 PM

Trail by fire!! Good way to learn.

hagan714 · 09-06-2015, 06:15 AM

huge roll of the dice. but on a 31st ranked defense what the heck. go for it.

oh that 5th ranking the year before was a fluke.

lets see if Rob changes his system a bit our is he adding players to make his system work. I fear the latter

jeanpierre · 09-06-2015, 06:37 AM

Originally Posted by hagan714

huge roll of the dice. but on a 31st ranked defense what the heck. go for it.

Exactly, roll with what is working has made Sean Payton and his Saints Teams Winners...

Originally Posted by hagan714

oh that 5th ranking the year before was a fluke.

No, after a full sixteen-game regular season, it wasn't; attitude, injuries and effort were the difference...

Originally Posted by hagan714

lets see if Rob changes his system a bit our is he adding players to make his system work. I fear the latter

Who's system is this?!? That's my concern...

We've got a two-headed monster leading the defense...

Competition Street?!? Payton has even got two different defensive philosophies competing among this team!!!

I think Payton is playing with fire, but we'll see what happens...

Can't say it's all Rob's guys though - they're either released or on injured reserve...

Though I'll bet Rob-Roy Ryan had a hand in the selections of Anthony and Kikaha - And as a Saints Fan, I'm Grateful For That Contribution...

But the contract extension and the crazy scheme to maximize Cam's Jordan's role is more from the Loomis' contract/Allen justification task angle...

Crusader · 09-06-2015, 07:39 AM

I like this. The team needed a rejuvenation, Young guns coming in full of fire an flame. The whole team need high character guys that wants to be the best they can be.

Danno · 09-06-2015, 08:48 AM

Younger, faster, smarter and hungrier!

All of our draft picks made the team, and judging by what we saw in camp they earned it.

Also several UDFA's earned a spot too.

This draft looks nothing like previous drafts.

dizzle88 · 09-06-2015, 09:56 AM

Originally Posted by Danno

Younger, faster, smarter and hungrier!

All of our draft picks made the team, and judging by what we saw in camp they earned it.

Also several UDFA's earned a spot too.

This draft looks nothing like previous drafts.

I think the reason for that is mainly because we didn't waste picks trying to get project guys like SJB - someone that "could be good" in 3 years time.

Management noticed our issues last season, missed tackles at LB, our only pass rusher was a liability in run defense and our cornerbacks weren't physical enough.

We then draft a guy that has 32 sacks over two seasons but I had no idea how powerful Kikaha was, he stands up the run much better than Junior did.

Crusader · 09-06-2015, 10:29 AM

Originally Posted by dizzle88

I think the reason for that is mainly because we didn't waste picks trying to get project guys like SJB - someone that "could be good" in 3 years time.

Management noticed our issues last season, missed tackles at LB, our only pass rusher was a liability in run defense and our cornerbacks weren't physical enough.

We then draft a guy that has 32 sacks over two seasons but I had no idea how powerful Kikaha was, he stands up the run much better than Junior did.

Well Grayson and Peat kinda are projects but for those positions its a good thing.

I still hope we stash SJB on the practise squad, I saw some great flashes from him during camp. He still is pretty new to what might be the hardest position in football.

Danno · 09-06-2015, 12:30 PM

And we just claimed another MLB and an OLB.

Michael Mauti is an ILB, formerly of the Vikings
Obum Gwachum is a rookie OLB/DE

We'll actually have an entire 3rd string on defense.

09-05-2015, 11:07 AM	#1
Threaded by SmashMouth I donated, did you? Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Mandeville, LA Posts: 39,078 Blog Entries: 29 Rating: (0 votes - average) New Orleans Saints rookie linebacker Hau'oli Kikaha walked off the field in Baltimore last month with a better understanding of the pace of play in the NFL. "It was a bit faster than I anticipated," the Saints' second-round pick said after the preseason opener Aug. 13. "We had scrimmaged against our great offense and things like that, and (this) was totally different. Game speed is totally different." The pace will surely quicken again come Sept. 13, when the Saints open the regular season against the Cardinals in Glendale, Ariz. The Saints could potentially have two rookie linebackers in the starting lineup, with Kikaha on the strong side and Stephone Anthony in the middle, possibly calling the signals. read more here Attached Thumbnails
Views: 2850

09-05-2015, 02:24 PM	#2
homerj07 In Doh We Trust Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Central Florida Posts: 7,027 Blog Entries: 16	Re: New Orleans Saints counting on rookie LBs Stephone Anthony, Hau'oli Kikaha to play key roles this season The fans too

09-05-2015, 03:04 PM	#3
halloween 65 5000 POSTS! + Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Grand Haven, Michigan by way of a little Mississippi River town in Louisiana Posts: 5,893	Re: New Orleans Saints counting on rookie LBs Stephone Anthony, Hau'oli Kikaha to play key roles this season Trail by fire!! Good way to learn.

09-06-2015, 06:15 AM	#4
hagan714 LB Mentallity Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 15,870 Blog Entries: 68	Re: New Orleans Saints counting on rookie LBs Stephone Anthony, Hau'oli Kikaha to play key roles this season huge roll of the dice. but on a 31st ranked defense what the heck. go for it. oh that 5th ranking the year before was a fluke. lets see if Rob changes his system a bit our is he adding players to make his system work. I fear the latter

09-06-2015, 06:37 AM	#5
jeanpierre Site Donor 2018 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Thibodaux Posts: 43,543 Blog Entries: 39	Re: New Orleans Saints counting on rookie LBs Stephone Anthony, Hau'oli Kikaha to play key roles this season Originally Posted by hagan714 huge roll of the dice. but on a 31st ranked defense what the heck. go for it. Exactly, roll with what is working has made Sean Payton and his Saints Teams Winners... Originally Posted by hagan714 oh that 5th ranking the year before was a fluke. No, after a full sixteen-game regular season, it wasn't; attitude, injuries and effort were the difference... Originally Posted by hagan714 lets see if Rob changes his system a bit our is he adding players to make his system work. I fear the latter Who's system is this?!? That's my concern... We've got a two-headed monster leading the defense... *Competition Street?!? Payton has even got two different defensive philosophies competing among this team!!!* I think Payton is playing with fire, but we'll see what happens... Can't say it's all Rob's guys though - they're either released or on injured reserve... Though I'll bet Rob-Roy Ryan had a hand in the selections of Anthony and Kikaha - And as a Saints Fan, I'm Grateful For That Contribution... But the contract extension and the crazy scheme to maximize Cam's Jordan's role is more from the Loomis' contract/Allen justification task angle... hagan714 likes this.
	It's not that my way is the right way, I just make the right way my way... Last edited by jeanpierre; 09-06-2015 at 06:56 AM..

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09-06-2015, 07:39 AM	#6
Crusader Resident Swede Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Märsta, Sweden Posts: 8,051	Re: New Orleans Saints counting on rookie LBs Stephone Anthony, Hau'oli Kikaha to play key roles this season I like this. The team needed a rejuvenation, Young guns coming in full of fire an flame. The whole team need high character guys that wants to be the best they can be. hagan714 likes this.

09-06-2015, 08:48 AM	#7
Danno Truth Addict Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Spanish Fort, AL (via NO and B/R) Posts: 24,758	Re: New Orleans Saints counting on rookie LBs Stephone Anthony, Hau'oli Kikaha to play key roles this season Younger, faster, smarter and hungrier! All of our draft picks made the team, and judging by what we saw in camp they earned it. Also several UDFA's earned a spot too. This draft looks nothing like previous drafts.

09-06-2015, 09:56 AM	#8
dizzle88 10000 POST CLUB Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 11,548	Re: New Orleans Saints counting on rookie LBs Stephone Anthony, Hau'oli Kikaha to play key roles this season Originally Posted by Danno Younger, faster, smarter and hungrier! All of our draft picks made the team, and judging by what we saw in camp they earned it. Also several UDFA's earned a spot too. This draft looks nothing like previous drafts. I think the reason for that is mainly because we didn't waste picks trying to get project guys like SJB - someone that "could be good" in 3 years time. Management noticed our issues last season, missed tackles at LB, our only pass rusher was a liability in run defense and our cornerbacks weren't physical enough. We then draft a guy that has 32 sacks over two seasons but I had no idea how powerful Kikaha was, he stands up the run much better than Junior did.

09-06-2015, 10:29 AM	#9
Crusader Resident Swede Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Märsta, Sweden Posts: 8,051	Re: New Orleans Saints counting on rookie LBs Stephone Anthony, Hau'oli Kikaha to play key roles this season Originally Posted by dizzle88 I think the reason for that is mainly because we didn't waste picks trying to get project guys like SJB - someone that "could be good" in 3 years time. Management noticed our issues last season, missed tackles at LB, our only pass rusher was a liability in run defense and our cornerbacks weren't physical enough. We then draft a guy that has 32 sacks over two seasons but I had no idea how powerful Kikaha was, he stands up the run much better than Junior did. Well Grayson and Peat kinda are projects but for those positions its a good thing. I still hope we stash SJB on the practise squad, I saw some great flashes from him during camp. He still is pretty new to what might be the hardest position in football.

09-06-2015, 12:30 PM	#10
Danno Truth Addict Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Spanish Fort, AL (via NO and B/R) Posts: 24,758	Re: New Orleans Saints counting on rookie LBs Stephone Anthony, Hau'oli Kikaha to play key roles this season And we just claimed another MLB and an OLB. Michael Mauti is an ILB, formerly of the Vikings Obum Gwachum is a rookie OLB/DE We'll actually have an entire 3rd string on defense.

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