Mario Williams Switched To Outside Linebacker

[Shayn•Da•Pain]

The Texans are switching to a 3-4 and Mario will be a standup outside linebacker at 6'6" 290 lbs in running situations. To my understanding there is a 2 to 3 year learning curve for players switching from the DE to 3-4, which is why I'm glad to hear he'll play DE in pass rushing situations, and OLB on running downs. Wade who's now the DC in Houston is going to use Williams like he did Ware, and I think that's fuckin great! Maybe since he's going to play half the time with his hand in the dirt it will work out better for him. Having to learn to be a full time OLB so quickly, especially with an off-season like this and fewer days of training to prepare, is no easy task.

http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2011-05-05/mario-williams-to-play-some-linebacker-in-texans-new-scheme

 

http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/stor...ans-new-scheme

Mario Williams to play some linebacker in Texans' new scheme

Mario Williams, who has played defensive end during his five seasons in the NFL, will get a change of scenery in 2011. Wade Phillips, the Texans' new defensive coordinator, plans to use Williams as an outside linebacker in Houston's new 3-4 defense.

Williams will stand up in running situations and be down in passing situations, according to the Houston Chronicle. Phillips, the former head coach of the Cowboys, would like to use Williams much like he used linebacker DeMarcus Ware in Dallas.
Wade Phillips brings his 3-4 scheme to Houston, and Mario Williams may be the benefactor. The All-Pro defensive end will play some as outside linebacker. (AP Photo)

At 6-6 and 290 pounds, Williams would be one of the biggest linebackers in NFL history. He plans to lose some weight, and the Texans won't rely on him to cover receivers as the weak outside linebacker.

"We've got some options with him," Texans general manager Rick Smith said on Pro Football Talk Live. "I think Mario is athletic enough to do anything Wade would ask him to do in this defense. I think that gives us flexibility more than anything."

The Texans drafted Wisconsin defensive end J.J. Watts with the 11th overall pick in the draft, which should also add flexibility.

Read more: http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/stor...#ixzz1LWJekImn

http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-3/Phillips-confident-eager-to-begin-3-4-transition/56454e3f-eb33-4f88-910d-68acf761dad7

 

http://www.houstontexans.com/news/ar...d-68acf761dad7
Phillips confident, eager to begin 3-4 transition

By Nick Scurfield

Posted Jan 10, 2011

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On his first day on the job at Reliant Stadium, new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips discussed the Texans' upcoming transition to a 3-4.



Wade Phillips hit the ground running on Monday in his first day on the job as the Texans’ defensive coordinator.

A native of Orange who played linebacker at the University of Houston and began his NFL coaching career with the Houston Oilers in 1976, Phillips had been at home in Dallas since accepting the position last week.

“I’ve always been a Texan, and now I’m a real Texan,” he said Monday at an introductory press conference at Reliant Stadium. “Being a part of this organization is a dream come true for me. To be in Houston, it couldn’t be better for me right now. I’m going to do my best and work the hardest to make this thing be where everybody here in Houston I know wants it to be. So I’m looking forward to it, and I’m ready to get started."

The Texans ranked 30th in defense in 2010, including 32nd against the pass. Phillips will transition them from a 4-3 to a 3-4, a scheme he has used for most of his 22 seasons as an NFL defensive coordinator.

“I’ve gone into situations where they’ve played a 4-3 before, and we’ve been successful very quickly,” Phillips said.

In each of Phillips’ last seven stops as a head coach or defensive coordinator, his new team has made the playoffs in his first season.

Even with the threat of a lockout, which could drastically reduce the offseason time he has to work with players, Phillips is confident that he’ll be able to make the Texans’ transition a successful one.

“We’ve always been able to teach things quickly,” he said. “I believe the players that have played for us will tell you that we can implement in pretty quickly. Part of it’s being a player-friendly defense in that we want them to know their assignments quickly. I take care of all the complications. I take care of the complicated stuff as far as how we get it done and teach it to them pretty quickly, so it hasn’t been a problem, and I don’t foresee it being one.”

One of the key questions concerning the defense is how the Texans will use two-time Pro Bowler Mario Williams. The number one overall pick in the 2006 draft is viewed as a prototype 4-3 defensive end.

Phillips coached Hall of Fame defensive end Bruce Smith in a 3-4 in Buffalo from 1995-2000. Smith had 65 sacks in those six seasons.

“We’re not talking about a three-technique,” Phillips said of Williams. “We’re talking about a guy that we’re gonna let rush the passer, penetrate. Movement-wise, I think he’s got really good movement. We’ll probably move him, and that’s what we did with Bruce Smith. You can look at a 3-4 where a guy plays inside all the time, and you look at one where they play outside and go all the time. He’s going to be one of them…

“Whatever Mario can do, we’re going to try and utilize that.”

Texans head coach Gary Kubiak and Phillips began reviewing tape of the team’s 2010 games together on Monday morning.

“Just for me to sit in the room with him with all his experience, to hear some of the things and see some of the things that he’s seen in some of our players, it was very exciting for me as the coach of this football team,” Kubiak said. “We are looking forward to working with him and have a lot of respect for him as a person.”

Kubiak and Phillips will spend the week evaluating the Texans' defensive personnel and assessing where their current players fit in the 3-4.

“What Wade tells you all the time is that he’ll find out what he has and he’ll fit this defense for what he has and we’ll find a way to stop people,” Kubiak said. “I think that’s the biggest challenge right now is when we get through with this week, taking what we have and then him putting them in the right spots.

“We need to walk out of here at the end of this week saying, ‘OK, here’s where we see these guys fitting. Now how deep do we have to go in free agency and the draft to make sure we’ve got depth and feel good about our starters?’”

The Texans also are in the process of completing their coaching staff, which has vacancies at the linebackers and defensive backs positions. Kubiak said they have requested permission to interview "a couple" of coaches but have yet to hear back from their current teams.

“There’s a lot of things going on around the league right now, and a lot of guys are tied up that may become free,” Kubiak said. “The one thing that we both agreed on this morning, we don’t want to make a mistake. So we will take our time if we have to. There are some guys that we’re very interested in, and we’ll be very patient to see what happens with the other places that they’re at.”

[Juggernaut]

Will be interesting to say the least. He's enough athlete to make it work.

[s@ppisgod]

He's athletic enough to make it work, but that doesn't make it a good idea. Ware is a totally different animal, though. Williams should just stick at DE, especially since Wade plays more of a 1-gap anyway.
SAMSUNG-SGH-A887/A887UCIJ1 SHP/VPP/R5 NetFront/3.5 SMM-MMS/1.2.0 profile/MIDP-2.1 configuration/CLDC-1.1

[Shayn•Da•Pain]

Yeah I'm not sure what this will do for Williams. He's still going to play with his hand in the dirt on passing situations, so I'm not sure if his sack totals will change very much. Standing up on running downs, I expect his overall tackles to increase. I assume he has the conditioning to handle running around more due to him standing on running downs and pursuing the RB more, and it's a different approach to sealing the edge from a down DE position to an upright OLB spot. It will be very interesting to see how he handles it. But again I don't expect much will change except maybe 15-20 more tackles on the season, maybe. That's my prediction. In 2 or 3 years though this transition could turn Williams into the DPOY IF he can grow into the position. If he can bring down 15 sacks and throw down 80 tackles, that'll be amazing. As is he's hovering around 10-14 sacks tops and 35-40 tackles. I don't expect him to double his tackles next year but this move could very well double his production in tackles overall.

[Champ]

Everyone knows I love me some Mario Williams.

[Houston]

[Shayn•Da•Pain]

:yes:

[Aso]

Yeah I'm not sure what this will do for Williams. He's still going to play with his hand in the dirt on passing situations, so I'm not sure if his sack totals will change very much. Standing up on running downs, I expect his overall tackles to increase. I assume he has the conditioning to handle running around more due to him standing on running downs and pursuing the RB more, and it's a different approach to sealing the edge from a down DE position to an upright OLB spot. It will be very interesting to see how he handles it. But again I don't expect much will change except maybe 15-20 more tackles on the season, maybe. That's my prediction. In 2 or 3 years though this transition could turn Williams into the DPOY IF he can grow into the position. If he can bring down 15 sacks and throw down 80 tackles, that'll be amazing. As is he's hovering around 10-14 sacks tops and 35-40 tackles. I don't expect him to double his tackles next year but this move could very well double his production in tackles overall.

I doubt they'll really put that much thought into it as far as the passing/running down thing goes. I expect to see it more as an OLB in their base while a DE in the nickel and dime defense. That being said a 290 OLB is huge. Also like someone else said Wade Phillips does play a little bit more of a 1 gapping 3-4 so imo it'd be best if he stayed at end. But we'll see how things go, I think this will be interesting how he moves in space and in coverage.

[Guest]

he's athletic enough to make the switch. he's an enormous olb though

[BigBucs]

Orackpo cant cover for shit at LB, cant wait to see this big muthafucker try it. Same with Kerrigan.

[Houston]

Orackpo cant cover for shit at LB, cant wait to see this big muthafucker try it. Same with Kerrigan.

You will week 10 when he comes after that fruit cake you love.

[Woy]

Williams is mediocre at best against the run. I'm interested to see how this turns out.

[steeljake]

in the 34 being used in the league today the olb is really a pass rusher anyways, anything else they can do is bonus. i wont say this will fail, but i dont think williams is on the same level athletically or football knowledge wise as ware at this time. if they can get the front three to do work he will be fine, but him standing up and trying to get around the ends with a shit ass d-line is gonna be a long day and short career for mario.

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Awful move. Put him at DE and let him do his thing.

LOL @ 6'7" 290lb OLB.

NFL teams can be real dumb.

[NAHSTE]

I'm not crazy about LBs over 265 lbs. Just serves as another reminder how out of control the body growth has gotten in today's age. And we wonder why these guys are getting injured at such alarming rates...

Not to mention it's a terrible idea football-wise, as he's already an amazing DE. Why try to re invent the wheel, especially with a wheel that is too big for the wheel well?