Cyrus Kouandjio not wasting any time prepping for 2015

[Mr. WEO]

Found it pretty striking the new-found dedication Kujo seems to have found.

 

 

Note also the "positive environment" comment - wonder if that is a shot at St Doug

 

http://www.buffalobills.com/news/article-1/Cyrus-Kouandjio-not-wasting-any-time-prepping-for-2015/e9b98a16-f852-4326-a953-0bdb52cebb62

 

LeCharles Bentley Offensive Line Performance Training Center

 

 

Is that similar to Derek Zoolander School For Kids That Can't Read Good ...? I mean, he attended Alabama...

[Not at the table Karlos]

Are the Doug Marrone signs still up in Buffalo?

 

they were still up a couple weeks ago when I was there

[Punch]

That's great to hear, I hope this can help him get his career going.

 

Incidentally, does anyone remember the Bills considered signing LeCharles Bentley after the Browns released him? IIRC, he didn't pass the physical.

[purple haze]

this time last year he was training for the draft. maybe between may and training camp he slacked?

I don’t think he’s saying he slacked off. I think there is a marked difference between where he was at Alabama and being a professional. There are no classes, no NCAA rules limits on time spent playing and practicing. This is these guys jobs. He probably didn’t know how to work like a professional works. How to use time wisely. How to take care of his body the way a professional does, how to truly prepare the way professionals do, etc. I think his new regiment is combination of that factor and embarrassment at not having made any impact whatsoever. All he has known is success from High School through College. To get a whupping like he was getting in camp last year probably killed his confidence. He’s not used to losing, or looking bad. But his response to it is good sign and doesn’t surprise me at all.

Edited March 7, 2015 by purple haze

[klos63]

And further to the point, can't help but think, based on things that trickle out, likely what a miserable SOB Marrone probably was , and how it likely affected both individuals and the team as a whole.

 

For Kujo to specifically include the comment "It’s a really positive environment" about a group of guys doing footbal workouts to me speaks volumes about his impression of the environment in the "tard yard" last year.

But he was really horrible during preseason, hardly enough time for Marrone to have such a negative effect on him. He was one of the worst lineman i've ever seen. He needs to improve an awful lot to make the team.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

I love the dedication but the guy needs to let his body rest too. You can't grind all offseason and hope to come into camp fresh and ready to go.

 

That's true but keep in mind he essentially had all last season on the bench. Should be pretty fresh.

[LA Grant]

they were still up a couple weeks ago when I was there

 

"Don't confuse effort with results" is one of the least motivating quotes you could put on a training facility wall.

 

Maybe they should put this quote beside it:

"Well, kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is: never try." —Homer Simpson

[l< j]

 

"Don't confuse effort with results" is one of the least motivating quotes you could put on a training facility wall.

 

Maybe they should put this quote beside it:

"Well, kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is: never try." —Homer Simpson

And the quote came from a guy who quit on his team and squeaked to a winning record because the Pats pulled their starters, so he gave us neither effort or results.

 

kj

[FireChan]

 

"Don't confuse effort with results" is one of the least motivating quotes you could put on a training facility wall.

 

Maybe they should put this quote beside it:

"Well, kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is: never try." —Homer Simpson

Disagree. One of the most important quotes the Bills needed to hear and ascribe to. It wasn't just about trying your best, it's about delivering. Just trying your best isn't good enough.

[8-8 Forever?]

What's Seantrel up to these days? Someone should tell him Cyrus is coming for his job.

OH, I'm sure ole Seantrel knows what cyrus is up to. Competition. This all bodes well. Get your popcorn, the train is coming around the corner. Thank goodness Cyrus is getting his act together. all bodes well. need O line improvement. Looks like this guy is doing his part. so good to see

[JohnC]

What Kujo is doing is not out of the ordinary; it is the norm. Many people are portraying the hard work Kujo is putting in this offseason as doing something special. It is not. This is what one does to stay in this highly competitive profession. What would be surprising is not the training he is doing in Arizona but if he didn't participate in a rigorous training program. Especially when he failed miserably in his rookie year.

 

Kujo found himself in a situation where for the first time in a football situation he was overwhelmed. He consistently got brutally manhandled by the players he line up against. He was a boy going against men. If he didn't respond with the urgency and desperaton that he is currently exhibiting to do better in his second year he would be unceremoneously dumped by the team that drafted him with a high round pick.

 

Kujo is a very young player whose maturation process is still at an early stage. He is a good kid and a sincere kid. It's encouraging that he is responding by working harder to better prepare himself for the upcoming challenge. But make no mistake about it that he was a miserable failure last year not because of anything that had to do with coaching but because he wasn't ready from a physical and mental standpoint. His failure last year was his failure.

[NoSaint]

Disagree. One of the most important quotes the Bills needed to hear and ascribe to. It wasn't just about trying your best, it's about delivering. Just trying your best isn't good enough.

That's all they can do. Go out and give 100% every single day, every snap, every film session and the results follow is the mantra a coach should sell.

[FireChan]

That's all they can do. Go out and give 100% every single day, every snap, every film session and the results follow is the mantra a coach should sell.

That's doesn't mean it's good enough. Too long have we had a team that was content with 6-10 as long as we tried. They need to not be okay with 6-10.

[NoSaint]

That's doesn't mean it's good enough. Too long have we had a team that was content with 6-10 as long as we tried. They need to not be okay with 6-10.

If not giving 100% every day, how do you suppose they get there? 110%?

[FireChan]

If not giving 100% every day, how do you suppose they get there? 110%?

Why should they get credit for trying hard? I could give 100% to try to make an NFL team, and never make it. Do I still get praise and a paycheck because I tried my bestest?

[BuffalOhio]

had he not previously had dedication? its great work hes doing, just wasnt sure if there was a reason for the shot at his previous work.

 

A lot of guys in college are just better than everyone else and don't really have to work that hard to stay on top.

 

It's different in the pros, where talent isn't enough.

 

"Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard."

 

Don't know who's quote that is, but it's perfect for any sport.

 

I'm glad to see him working hard. It can only help.

[NoSaint]

Why should they get credit for trying hard? I could give 100% to try to make an NFL team, and never make it. Do I still get praise and a paycheck because I tried my bestest?

No but what difference does hanging that over the practice field make? That's an issue with the GM not the practice habits if you get signed.

 

I could come up with a whole bunch of valid sayings or general life truths that wouldn't be practical in that setting.

 

 

A lot of guys in college are just better than everyone else and don't really have to work that hard to stay on top.

 

It's different in the pros, where talent isn't enough.

 

"Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard."

 

Don't know who's quote that is, but it's perfect for any sport.

 

I'm glad to see him working hard. It can only help.

See, a quote like that makes sense on a practice field Edited March 7, 2015 by NoSaint

[FireChan]

No but what difference does hanging that over the practice field make? That's an issue with the GM not the practice habits if you get signed.

 

I could come up with a whole bunch of valid sayings or general life truths that wouldn't be practical in that setting.

 

See, a quote like that makes sense on a practice field

Agree to disagree. I thought Marrone, for all his faults, made this team tougher than ever and I think that quote sorta encapsulated that.

[Kelly the Dog]

Agree to disagree. I thought Marrone, for all his faults, made this team tougher than ever and I think that quote sorta encapsulated that.

That's an interesting question, and something we really don't know the answer to. To me, the team as a whole was tougher, but it was almost entirely on defense, and also because of the few new guys that were brought in that made us a lot tougher: Spikes, Boobie, Graham, the ascension of Bradham. Schwartz demanded a lot out of the players. Spikes was an enormous help. Bradham started killing people. On ST we hit very hard.

 

Nobody on offense seemed all that tough and we constantly got pushed around.

 

I'm not sure where Marrone gets a lot of credit for making the team tougher last year.

[JohnC]

That's an interesting question, and something we really don't know the answer to. To me, the team as a whole was tougher, but it was almost entirely on defense, and also because of the few new guys that were brought in that made us a lot tougher: Spikes, Boobie, Graham, the ascension of Bradham. Schwartz demanded a lot out of the players. Spikes was an enormous help. Bradham started killing people. On ST we hit very hard.

 

Nobody on offense seemed all that tough and we constantly got pushed around.

 

I'm not sure where Marrone gets a lot of credit for making the team tougher last year.

The disparity in performance had nothing to do with the disparity of toughness between the units. The difference was the talent level. The defense was loaded and the talent on offense in general was less than mediocre. The line and qb were stunningly bad. The most talented player on offense was Watkins. His exceptional talents were squandered because the OL and QB play were repugnant.

 

You can be an extremely tough player yet be a poor performer. Upgrading the talent level is the solution. In my view Marrone got the most out of his players on both sides of the ball. If Nix is going to be more successful than Marrone (especially on offense) it will be due to the fact that he has better players.

[CookieG]

Disagree. One of the most important quotes the Bills needed to hear and ascribe to. It wasn't just about trying your best, it's about delivering. Just trying your best isn't good enough.

 

In a way, I agree. For instance, whatever effort Marrone put into his offense, from the high flying no huddle that was supposed to force the issue, or the pound on the ground offense he ended up with, the result wasn't good enough.

 

Because whatever he was trying to accomplish, he ended up with a boring, predictable, ineffective, low scoring offense that was neither high flying nor pounding on the ground.

 

So when he went in to ask for an extension, the writing was on the wall, so to speak.

 

Burned by his own quote.

[Kelly the Dog]

In my view Marrone got the most out of his players on both sides of the ball. If Nix is going to be more successful than Marrone (especially on offense) it will be due to the fact that he has better players.

:lol: That's one of the funniest things I have ever read here. Thanks for that. Made my day.

 

He didn't coach the defense and he got terrible production out of everyone on offense. The longer they were under him the worse they got. He got the best he could out of Watkins, Woods, Goodwin and MWilliams? Are you insane?

[FireChan]

 

In a way, I agree. For instance, whatever effort Marrone put into his offense, from the high flying no huddle that was supposed to force the issue, or the pound on the ground offense he ended up with, the result wasn't good enough.

 

Because whatever he was trying to accomplish, he ended up with a boring, predictable, ineffective, low scoring offense that was neither high flying nor pounding on the ground.

 

So when he went in to ask for an extension, the writing was on the wall, so to speak.

 

Burned by his own quote.

I think he would totally agree. His efforts as well as the entire offense's was not enough. I'm sure they all tried very hard. Edited March 7, 2015 by FireChan

[Kelly the Dog]

Besides, the point was not the talent level on both sides of the ball, the point was the defense was tough and Marrone didn't have anything to do with it. The team had tougher players (Spikes, Boobie, Graham, Bradham) and Marrone had nothing to do with that either. They were tough already.

[Deranged Rhino]

Besides, the point was not the talent level on both sides of the ball, the point was the defense was tough and Marrone didn't have anything to do with it. The team had tougher players (Spikes, Boobie, Graham, Bradham) and Marrone had nothing to do with that either. They were tough already.

 

Like Woods. Tough before he got here, and then Marrone tried to take some of that out of him by benching him early on.

[JohnC]

:lol: That's one of the funniest things I have ever read here. Thanks for that. Made my day.

 

He didn't coach the defense and he got terrible production out of everyone on offense. The longer they were under him the worse they got. He got the best he could out of Watkins, Woods, Goodwin and MWilliams? Are you insane?

We had the worst OL in the league and one of the worst starting qbs. It was the talent level that plagued the unit, not the coaching. It's not surprising that Whaley's first moves have to do with getting different players on the line at at the qb position.

[Deranged Rhino]

We had the worst OL in the league and one of the worst starting qbs. It was the talent level that plagued the unit, not the coaching. It's not surprising that Whaley's first moves have to do with getting different players on the line at at the qb position.

 

The OL that Marrone built, and the QBs that started out at least decent and all declined while Doug and Hackett ran the show. Every QB and seemingly every OL declined. That's coaching.

[JohnC]

 

The OL that Marrone built, and the QBs that started out at least decent and all declined while Doug and Hackett ran the show. Every QB and seemingly every OL declined. That's coaching.

Whaley drafted three linemen and brought in a free agent guard in Chris Williams. All three dratees stuggled and the free agent guad was injured. None of them was a positive player on the line.

[Kelly the Dog]

We had the worst OL in the league and one of the worst starting qbs. It was the talent level that plagued the unit, not the coaching. It's not surprising that Whaley's first moves have to do with getting different players on the line at at the qb position.

Marrone made it the worst by playing guys like Pears, who was a low end but decent RT into a RG, a position he never played in his life, where he never belonged and instantly became the worst. He took a low end but decent LG in Urbik and kept him on the bench for the worst RG in the league and for a 5th round pick who was never taught NFL technique in college, then played Urbik in the wrong position. He took a 7th round pick and played him at LT the entire OTA, camp and preseason, and then a week before the season started put him at RT where he got killed too.

 

He didn't have top players. But he made them way worse. He was a moron with his decisions on offense. Which is a large part of the reason no one would hire him.

Whaley drafted three linemen and brought in a free agent guard in Chris Williams. All three dratees stuggled and the free agent guad was injured. None of them was a positive player on the line.

He got the kind of player Marrone asked for.

[Deranged Rhino]

Whaley drafted three linemen and brought in a free agent guard in Chris Williams. All three dratees stuggled and the free agent guad was injured. None of them was a positive player on the line.

 

I hate the Chris Williams signing, hated it when it happened and hate it now. I'm not going to throw in the towel on Richardson (who was bad but had spark) or Cujo yet. But considering how so many here assume Rex Ryan is calling the shots on personnel on the defensive side of the ball since it's his specialty, I don't know how you can assume Marrone had no influence on which lineman the Bills brought in. He had a specific idea in mind (big huge guys to run a zone blocking scheme -- which is beyond stupid) and Doug complied. Whaley deserves some of the blame for Williams, but to say Marrone had no influence on the construction of the OL is absurd.

[JohnC]

Marrone made it the worst by playing guys like Pears, who was a low end but decent RT into a RG, a position he never played in his life, where he never belonged and instantly became the worst. He took a low end but decent LG in Urbik and kept him on the bench for the worst RG in the league and for a 5th round pick who was never taught NFL technique in college, then played Urbik in the wrong position. He took a 7th round pick and played him at LT the entire OTA, camp and preseason, and then a week before the season started put him at RT where he got killed too.

 

He didn't have top players. But he made them way worse. He was a moron with his decisions on offense. Which is a large part of the reason no one would hire him.

He got the kind of player Marrone asked for.

 

The GM ultimately makes the draft selections. Kujo was a Whaley pick as was Richardson. They both mightedly struggled.

 

It doesn't matter how you shuffled the players on our OL they were sub par. They played down to their talent level. The line will be better this year because it will have a number of different players playing on the line.

Edited March 7, 2015 by JohnC

[Kelly the Dog]

The GM ultimately makes the draft selections. Kujo was a Whaley pick as was Richardson. They both mightedly struggled.

 

It doesn't matter how you shuffled the players on our OL they were sub par. They played down to their talent level. The line will be better this year because they will have a number of different players playing on the line.

Then how do you explain that every single one of the holdover players from 2013 to 2014 was worse.

The longer marrone had the OL players they got worse. The longer he had the QBs they got worse.

[C.Biscuit97]

Some people have such a hard on to label young players a bust first. It's so stupid. What do you get for it? A trophy or that your team messed up a pick?

 

Dareus was a bust. So was Gilmore. Hughes was a bust in Indy. Believe it or not, you are allowed to get more than 1 or 2 years to develop.

Then how do you explain that every single one of the holdover players from 2013 to 2014 was worse.

 

The longer marrone had the OL players they got worse. The longer he had the QBs they got worse.

But the Jacksonville Jaguars hired him to be an oline coach! He must be good.

[FireChan]

 

Like Woods. Tough before he got here, and then Marrone tried to take some of that out of him by benching him early on.

Tough or the mental issues that saw him fall to round 2? This is the guy who lead the mutiny on the field against EJ.

 

I love Woods, but he ain't no Boy Scout.

This is all besides the point that it's a good quote. No need for a "Marrone was the worst O-line coach in history," discussion.

[JohnC]

Some people have such a hard on to label young players a bust first. It's so stupid. What do you get for it? A trophy or that your team messed up a pick?

 

Dareus was a bust. So was Gilmore. Hughes was a bust in Indy. Believe it or not, you are allowed to get more than 1 or 2 years to develop.

 

But the Jacksonville Jaguars hired him to be an oline coach! He must be good.

No one said any player is a bust. What is said and is fair to say is that players such as Kujo and Richardson were not ready to play in their rookie year. Henderson was a developmental pick. He was also not ready to extensively play in his rookie year.

[Kelly the Dog]

No one said any player is a bust. What is said and is fair to say is that players such as Kujo and Richardson were not ready to play in their rookie year. Henderson was a developmental pick. He was also not ready to extensively play in his rookie year.

 

No 5th round OL pick from an offense like Baylor would be expected to contribute significantly as a rookie.

[C.Biscuit97]

No one said any player is a bust. What is said and is fair to say is that players such as Kujo and Richardson were not ready to play in their rookie year. Henderson was a developmental pick. He was also not ready to extensively play in his rookie year.

You're a smart poster so you won't. But plenty of folks have.

 

Didn't the #2 overall pick OT struggle to get on the field and when he did, wasn't it at g?

[Deranged Rhino]

Tough or the mental issues that saw him fall to round 2? This is the guy who lead the mutiny on the field against EJ.

 

I love Woods, but he ain't no Boy Scout.

This is all besides the point that it's a good quote. No need for a "Marrone was the worst O-line coach in history," discussion.

 

Woods didn't fall in the draft because of mental issues, I have never read (or heard) anything like that and I watched the guy's play in college pretty closely. He slipped, despite being the best route runner and run blocker in that WR class because of concerns over his ankle injury and, partially, because of the emergence of Lee at USC during Woods' final season. Does anyone really think Austin, Hunter, Patterson or Hopkins are significantly better than Woody? I think of all the guys taken over him, I'd rather have Woods over any of them except maybe (maybe) Hopkins.

 

Woods has always been scrappy, despite JTSP declaration that "Woods isn't physical enough for the NFL", but it's never been an issue on or off the field for the guy. Well I take that back, he did get thrown out after punching a dude, but that was the first time I recall him being booted from a game at any level. Marrone and him clashed, but I'm not certain it's fair to say he led the mutiny against EJ. Though I can see how you can make that case with the body language during the Houston debacle.

[Luxy312]

As much as we want to talk about Kouandjio being a bust last year, what's not to like about his attitude going into the offseason? One week removed from the season and he decides he's going to go work 6 days a week on being a better lineman. Honestly, this is exactly what I would want to see out of a young guy that didn't live up to his 2nd round pick value.

[yungmack]

As much as we want to talk about Kouandjio being a bust last year, what's not to like about his attitude going into the offseason? One week removed from the season and he decides he's going to go work 6 days a week on being a better lineman. Honestly, this is exactly what I would want to see out of a young guy that didn't live up to his 2nd round pick value.

You are dead on the money. And thanks for getting this thread back on the original point.