OT: Virginia Tech WR Marcus Davis Blocking
I saw this on Reddit's college football page this morning, and I thought I'd pass it along to the non-redditors. I'm so glad we don't have outside blocking like this. Pay attention to WR #7.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=GeY0-uKcWqk
November 13th, 2012 at 8:41 AM ^
How is he still on the field? Zero effort.
November 13th, 2012 at 8:53 AM ^
Unbelievable. Coaches and teammates should both be upset with this.
November 13th, 2012 at 8:44 AM ^
Wow. That's really bad. I guess he's saving his energy for the after game party. But, this has to be on the coaches, too. If a Michigan player were acting like this, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't be out on the field for very long.
November 13th, 2012 at 8:57 AM ^
I've had talented receivers on my teams who have sat on the bench for blocking like this. It sets a bad example for the rest of the team if a guy can get away without doing his job and still remain on the field.
That's poor blocking, but it's also very poor coaching.
November 13th, 2012 at 8:57 AM ^
Beamer has been very successful throughout his career, and probably the biggest reason for that has been his attention to detail on the small things. The reason his special teams has always been so good is because he has gotten his players that aren't going for the block to do their job for the sake of the team. His offenses have pretty much always blocked well on the outside.
Yet all that being said, I agree, it's poor coaching. There were a few times it looked like the WR started to set up for a block but gave no effort. How the WR coach isn't in his ear on the sideline after that is beyond me. It's this type of effort that can lead a team with 9-3 talent to be as bad as VT is this year. And a single WR blocking like this can directly lead to 1-2 losses itself. That's what these players need to understand, and clearly they aren't getting the message.
November 13th, 2012 at 8:52 AM ^
#VirginiaTechDifference
November 13th, 2012 at 9:00 AM ^
Asked about it after practice, Davis brushed it off. "I really don’t think too much of it," he said. "I think somebody was a little bored and had a little extra time on their hands and figured they can go out and make a video. But like I said earlier, they don’t know the half of what actually went on."
More Davis reaction to the video:
http://vtsports.blogs.timesdispatch.com/2012/11/12/davis-defends-blocking-worried-deadspin-video/
November 13th, 2012 at 9:25 AM ^
Also from the article was this quote:
"From the first game to now, I’ve made great improvements in my blocking," he said. "It’s not always perfect. It’s not always pretty. But at the same time, I can say that I’ve gotten better from it, which is a plus."
I don't even know what to say......
November 13th, 2012 at 10:11 AM ^
What an a--hole. The funniest part is that its not like he's Calvin Johnson out there (or Deion Sanders re: tackling). I'm glad he's having to address his lack of interest in helping his team.
November 13th, 2012 at 11:55 AM ^
To improve on this blocking, there would basically first have to be blocking, so what he really should have said, I think is, "It's not always perfect. It's not always pretty. It's not always extant. But at the same time, I can say I've gotten better from it, which is a plus"
It almost looked as if he was about to tap someone politely on the shoulder, "Oh, hello, I was wondering if you would be so kind as to fall down right here...."
Such a team player, from the look of things.
November 13th, 2012 at 7:29 PM ^
I liked how he claimed he was trying to avoid an illegal block in the back on some of those plays. (Well, I suppose once you've let the defender get past you, that does become a concern.)
November 13th, 2012 at 8:56 AM ^
If I were a coach he would not be playing. I don't even care if the backup was a walk on that has never set foot on a football field a day in his life. lol
If I were a teammate I would have no respect for him.
I would be embarassed. I bet when he has a chance of getting the ball he goes all out. I'm so glad Michigan players care more about the team as a whole and aren't selfish.
The team, the team, the team!
November 13th, 2012 at 8:57 AM ^
After watching it twice and realizing that he has a SUPERHUMAN ability to not only avoid blocking but to even be a minor hinderance, I have come to the conclusion that there are only two possibilities:
1) Marcus Davis is going to be the star of the football equivalent of that timeless classic, "the Sixth man"; the plays above alternate between being scripted so that he has no effect on the field and being inserted later via the magic of green screen.
2) Marcus Davis is actually a ghost.
November 13th, 2012 at 9:01 AM ^
I couldn't bring myself to watch the whole video. As a fan, I would be livid if our WRs acted like this.
November 13th, 2012 at 9:03 AM ^
I love Joe Reynolds. That is all.
November 13th, 2012 at 9:03 AM ^
He just solidified himself as an undrafted free agent.
November 13th, 2012 at 9:06 AM ^
God in heaven that's actually painful to watch. I would've absolutely lost it if forced to watch that in film - he actually goes out of his way to AVOID contact then does that dancy thing that little kids do when caught doing something bad. And for good measure tosses in a shoulder "you can't blame me cause there was NOTHING else I could do" shrug about half the time too.
It's one thing to be a bad blocker. It's quite another to actively avoid contact with other players. I cannot believe the other players havent done this yet.....
November 13th, 2012 at 9:20 AM ^
Looks as if he doesn't really give a shit.
November 13th, 2012 at 9:26 AM ^
November 13th, 2012 at 9:33 AM ^
Somewhere out there, Tae Odoms is shaking his head sadly.
November 13th, 2012 at 9:34 AM ^
As a football coach, I literally cannot watch another second of that.
November 13th, 2012 at 9:36 AM ^
Seeing the lack of effort coming off the line and in his attempt to block, as a DB I would have knocked him on his ass on as many plays as possible!
November 13th, 2012 at 9:39 AM ^
Looks rock solid to me
November 13th, 2012 at 9:46 AM ^
he's just making a business decision.
November 13th, 2012 at 9:49 AM ^
He looks scared to make a hit more than he does lazy, at least to me. Not sure if I'm right or not but if I'm an ACC opponent, I'm calling him a pussy every play.
November 13th, 2012 at 10:06 AM ^
Beamer has had 8 straight seasons with 10+ victories, and you have to go all the way back to 1992 for a VT season this bad under him.
We now know at least one reason why this season has been a dumpster fire. Beamer is apparently allowing absolutely horrible coaching under his watch.
I just checked the Hokies website, and Kevin Sherman is in his seventh year as WR coach at VT. He's had some good receivers in the past, so WTF?
November 13th, 2012 at 10:13 AM ^
Like someone else said above, I'm more impressed at his ability to completely avoid any contact whatsoever than I am disgusted at his lack of interest in helping his team. Seriously, it takes some extraordinary skill to avoid contact like that!
"I'm not even mad. I'm impressed!" (said using Ron Burgandy's voice)
November 13th, 2012 at 10:20 AM ^
November 13th, 2012 at 10:30 AM ^
The funny thing was that I watched that game and the announcers were ragging on Davis for not catching semi-catchable balls; "he's a senior WR, he's got to make some of these catches, help out his QB, etc." If only they'd known.
November 13th, 2012 at 10:31 AM ^
Davis is going to market the films of his non-blocking skills to coaching clinics and programs at every level across the country as the perfect example of bad blocking. It will give coaches a great tool for teaching. Bravo, Marcus!
November 13th, 2012 at 10:34 AM ^
That's unbelievable. I watched this whole game while I was in the hospital, and Jesse Palmer and David Pollack kept saying how Marcus Davis called his teammates out and said they weren't tough enough. They were riding him the entire game and he also had 3-4 drops too. Just really shows how much of an a--hole that kid really is. I'd hate it if I had a teammate like that.
November 13th, 2012 at 10:39 AM ^
That is awful blocking, no matter who you are. Bad coaching for sure, and I hope that the other offensive players are getting on him hard. There needs to be some accountability on behalf of the players, too.
November 13th, 2012 at 10:41 AM ^
Usually this gets called out during post-game film, the player loses his job to the next best dude, and then tell him he can earn it back with stellar practice, kicking ass in the hamburger/oklahoma drills, etc.
But someone needs to get on his ass. He was obviously taking a ton of plays off during a loss to a league rival.
November 13th, 2012 at 10:45 AM ^
November 13th, 2012 at 11:00 AM ^
hahaha. The average fan on mgoblog could block better than that.
November 13th, 2012 at 11:19 AM ^
I have a feeling that a lot of the average fans on MGoBlog would struggle with the ability to put on shoulder pads...
...but yeah, once they got out there, they would probably block better. If only because they're not quick enough to move out of the way.
November 13th, 2012 at 12:33 PM ^
I could definitely suit up. The real issue would be actually moving around once I'm all dressed. But if someone carried me out into the open field, I could probably at least cut block a DB.
November 14th, 2012 at 11:49 AM ^
yeah.. if nothing... accidental usefulness... which is about the same usefulness as the WR was. Hey, even the refs are useful to the offense every once and a while...accidentally.
November 13th, 2012 at 11:01 AM ^
November 13th, 2012 at 11:04 AM ^
I feel sick to my stomach after watching that. That complete absence of effort and will was pathetic and appalling. As a former OL, I get that not everyone aspires to be a great blocker, but regardless, every offesnsive player has to do their part once in a while, even if springing a running back for a TD doesn't seem as glorious as catching a 5 yd out with no YAC in this pitiful kid's mind. How Beamer let's him ever see the field with that mentality is beyond me. What a complete joke.
November 13th, 2012 at 11:13 AM ^
Yips, I thought it was like he took one play off or something, but that's pathetic. Even the way he kinda bounces around is annoying. I wonder if he'll be blocking more (or even playing) next Saturday.
November 13th, 2012 at 11:15 AM ^
November 13th, 2012 at 11:18 AM ^
I am not sure the guy realizes he is playing football...
November 13th, 2012 at 11:20 AM ^
He would make an excellent matador.
November 13th, 2012 at 12:11 PM ^
Eh, he's not yet flamboyant enough, doesn't execute his "Olé!" with sufficient verve. He just sort of stands there. Maybe if he wears gold lamé matador pants he'll get it.
November 13th, 2012 at 1:24 PM ^
Disagree. There's at least one play on that clip where he does a hop, skip and a jump, positively prancing out of the way.
November 13th, 2012 at 11:39 AM ^
Well, he did catch that two-point conversion in the Sugar Bowl. Seriously, just how bad are the guys behind Marcus on the depth chart if he can get away with such terrible blocking?
November 13th, 2012 at 11:51 AM ^
his backup at blocking that keeps this kid on the field?
November 13th, 2012 at 12:33 PM ^
His backup actually brings down the ball carrier before the defender!