Saban picks must excel in the "nick" of time

[DolFan619]

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/football/pro/dolphins/sfl-flspskolnick28pnjul28,0,6690831.column

Saban picks must excel in nick of time

Ethan J. Skolnick
Sports columnist

July 28, 2008

DAVIE - Like many prep athletes in Southern California, Derek Hagan wanted to be a Trojan or Bruin. He had the right credentials: a captain in football, baseball and track.

He just had the wrong address. In Palmdale. In the desert. An hour outside Los Angeles.

"The college coaches didn't want to come out that way," Hagan says, seven years later. "Fortunately, the Arizona State coaches made it out there, and I did big things at Arizona State."

In seven games against the two SoCal schools he suddenly "couldn't stand," Hagan caught 45 passes for 750 yards — including 160 yards and three touchdowns against UCLA in 2004. Karl Dorrell coached UCLA. In 2008, Dorrell is Hagan's receivers coach.

"Pretty soon, I'm going to get on him," Hagan says, smiling.

That is the guy that Nick Saban drafted in the third round in 2006: a guy who raised his game to make doubters pay. That's not the guy South Florida has seen.

That is one theme of this 2008 training camp. While Saban is unleashing inappropriate analogies on the sycophants in Tuscaloosa these days, seven of his 12 draftees remain. Yet, of those seven, only Ronnie Brown has shown Pro Bowl potential. The other six must show more, starting with Hagan, Jason Allen, Matt Roth and Channing Crowder. Or they'll soon be shown the door.

Allen and Hagan are entering their third year, Roth and Crowder their fourth. They have faced obstacles, whether nagging injuries, veteran incumbents, position switches or system changes. They have all shown stretches of competence. But they have also struggled enough — Hagan with concentration, Allen with comprehension, Roth with consistency — to make you wonder whether they can contribute to a contending team.

The new regime must be wondering.

So this is prove-it time.

Hagan stayed in South Florida this offseason, rather than travel west, so he could have access to his game tape. He acknowledges, after 50 career catches, that his third year must be his best.

"I have played behind Chris Chambers, Marty Booker," Hagan says. "Now it's my time to step in and get the job done."

He has shown that he can get open… and let opportunities carom away. Hagan says that it was difficult to "get in a groove" when playing a small proportion of the snaps.

"I want to be that go-to guy now," Hagan says. "The ball is coming my way, and I'm playing with a lot of confidence."

Roth started 13 times at defensive end in 2007. He lacks the size of a classic 3-4 end in a Bill Parcells system, and faces competition from two highly drafted rookies and free-agentaddition Randy Starks. He says he was "battling injury" all of last season, but points to a six-game 2006 stretch as an indicator of what he can offer, including a two-sack effort in Detroit on Thanksgiving.

"That was my I-know-I-can-play-in-this-league type of game," Roth says.

Crowder led the 2007 team in tackles while playing in only 11 games before a knee injury. He is a versatile, competent linebacker. Yet his career numbers are underwhelming: no interceptions, 1.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, two recovered fumbles. Before last season, he vowed to make more game-changing plays, but now says he is merely concerned about winning. While he is relatively underpaid at $1 million in the final year of his contract, the Dolphins understandably want to see more before extending him.

Then there's Allen. His draft status — No. 16 overall in 2006 — gives him no security here.

"Switching corner, safety, corner, safety," says Allen, now settled at free safety. "I feel like it's my time to shine."

He started nine games in 2007 after virtually every other safety dropped. He started feeling comfortable on Nov. 18 in Philadelphia, when he intercepted Donovan McNabb twice, because it felt like "backyard football again." He calls this defense "player-friendly," requiring less information-processing than previous systems.

"The coaches are putting me in a position to let my athleticism take over," Allen says.

He isn't in the spotlight anymore, two coaches and two first-round picks (Ted Ginn Jr. and Jake Long) later. He claims he wants that attention, because it forces him to perform.

How will he perform? What will he be in five years?

"Just watch," he says. "That's all I am saying. I'm going to let the play on the field speak for itself."

For all the abandoned Saban draftees, it better speak up soon.

[DolFan619]

http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_seasonticket/2008/07/fins-the-saban.html

Fins: The Saban picks

I remember writing that Nick Saban would have an edge in the draft, because of his familiarity with college players. Then Saban seemed to narrow his focus to guys he coached, or coached against, and I assumed he couldn't miss.

It is looking like he missed.

Seven of his 12 draft picks remain on the roster, but only Ronnie Brown has shown Pro Bowl potential.

Here is my column on the subject today.

What are your expectations for:

Jason Allen?

Matt Roth?

Channing Crowder?

Derek Hagan?

Travis Daniels?

> Posted by Ethan J. Skolnick at 7:01:40 AM

[YoFuggedaboutit]

My predicitons

Jason Allen-  Will finally unleash the athleticism that Saban saw enough of to draft him #16 overall.  Will win the starting job at strong safety where he is better suited.   

Matt Roth-  Too small to play DE in a 3-4 scheme.  Cut by the end of the preseason.

Channing Crowder-  Will have a year similar to his rookie year in 2005, considering it's a contract year.  As a result, some other team will overpay for him in the 2009 offseason. 

Derek Hagan-  Another Bobby Engram/Koren Robinson type.  Too many dropped passes.  Will be the #3 this season and be released this offseason.

Travis Daniels-  Had a strong end to 2005 and has been invisible since.  Will follow Hagan out the door this upcoming offseason. 

[Brian Fein]

I'm glad Tommy's not the GM.

[DZA]

I'm glad Tommy's not the GM.

Well, many fin fans feels the same way.


J. Allen -    What did Saban See in him after coming off a hip injury    Wasted  1st round pick

Matt Roth -  I feel he can contribute in the new scheme.  But with the new draftees and he lacks the size, he will be on the Hot seat.

Channing Crowder-  He did a good job in 05 and 06.  Led the team in tackles in 07 but got injured.  Plus, anyone wants to forget 07.  He will be fine under the new regime.

Derek Hagan-  Wasted pick. Every year he has the case of the Dropsies. Should have been cut already

Travis Daniels -  Good rookie campaign,  but has been injury ridden since. Should have a good upcoming season under the new regime.

[YoFuggedaboutit]

I'm glad Tommy's not the GM.

And what is your opinion on these guys? 

[Brian Fein]

And what is your opinion on these guys? 

Jason Allen will be a strong contributor this season.  The only question is if he can cover one-on-one, which I haven't seen yet.  He's a hard-hitter with a great nose for the ball. 

Matt Roth - I'd like to see him moved back to OLB.  I didn't like it when they moved him to DL to start with.

Channing Crowder - will be our defensive MVP for years to come.

Derek Hagan - Not sure why he still has a job, but showed signs of promise late last season.  I don't expect much from him and wouldn't be surprised if he didn't make it thru preseason.

Travis Daniels - his attitude got in the way of good performance last season.  He started to get Sam Madison syndrome, it seemed, thinking he was better than he was, and got burned.  A lot.  If the coaches can convince him to check his ego at the door and just play football, I think he can take it back.  And stop trying to convert him into a free safety!

[fyo]

Derek Hagan - Not sure why he still has a job, but showed signs of promise late last season.  I don't expect much from him and wouldn't be surprised if he didn't make it thru preseason.

Hagan has apparently looked good in camp so far, not dropping balls (although one reporter did mention that he caught a pass or two with his body).

It may be that Hagan's problem is simply that he's scared of getting hit and thus takes his eyes off the ball (I don't remember if there was any pattern to his drops last year). If that's the case, it might not show until the preseason games... I'm assuming even Sparano's "tough camp" doesn't entail receivers being leveled.

[YoFuggedaboutit]

Hagan has apparently looked good in camp so far, not dropping balls (although one reporter did mention that he caught a pass or two with his body).

It may be that Hagan's problem is simply that he's scared of getting hit and thus takes his eyes off the ball (I don't remember if there was any pattern to his drops last year). If that's the case, it might not show until the preseason games... I'm assuming even Sparano's "tough camp" doesn't entail receivers being leveled.

Hagan always looks good in camp.  The regular season is where he has the dropped passes syndrome.

[DolFan619]

Matt Roth - I'd like to see him moved back to OLB.  I didn't like it when they moved him to DL to start with.

  The team has been getting him some snaps at OLB.

[YoFuggedaboutit]

  The team has been getting him some snaps at OLB.

Wasn't Roth originally drafted as a DE and played that in Saban's 4-3 scheme?

[DolFan619]

Wasn't Roth originally drafted as a DE and played that in Saban's 4-3 scheme?

  Originally he was drafted as DE to participate in that 4-3/3-4 hybrid scheme that Saban ran.  However, he did play some OLB at Iowa, so it's not foreign territory for him.  If he shows more ability at OLB than he does at LDE, the team will probably have Roth slim down and play OLB full time.  As of right now, they're giving him his opportunity at LDE.

[YoFuggedaboutit]

This pick had me baffled to begin with.  Especially because there were other positions of need out there, and guys like Vincent Jackson, Odell Thurman, and Khalif Barnes were available. 

The reason Saban drafted Roth was because Roth terrorized LSU's backfield in the Capital One bowl. 

[DolFan619]

  Jason Allen - The light was starting to come on late last season.  A more simpler, and "player friendly" scheme, as well as tutelage of Todd Bowles will allow Allen to blossom into a quality NFL FS.

Matt Roth - I'm not sure if he'll succeed at the LDE postion, but he does have a chance at OLB.  I think if he shows his versatility this season, he'll stick.

Channing Crowder - Nick Saban picked him to be the heir apparent to Zach Thomas.  Now Channing has his opportunity.  Coach Sparano has been impressed by Crowder and in his bestowing upon him the ability to make the defensive calls.  I look for a big season from Channing.

Derek Hagan - He's been on quite a tear since training camp started.  They say that year 3 is when the light comes on for young receivers.  Could that be the case for Derek?  Honestly, I think so.  Hagan is determined, and the results will show it this season.

Travis Daniels - He won't ever be a #1 or #2 CB.  But he will wind up as a servicable CB for nickel and dime packages.  Good depth, nothing more and nothing less.

[Tenshot13]

Jason Allen- I think he will flourish this season as a FS.  I saw a huge turnaround last year from his rookie campaign and I only see him getting better.  Hopefully he could be a ball hawk like a guy named Marion that used to play for us, with harder hitting.  I think SS will be set with Yerimiah Bell coming back.  Two years ago he did lead our team in tackles.

Matt Roth- I have seen so much potential in this guy that hasn't come to fruition.  I say lets see what he does at OLB, but I see him getting cut ultimately.

Channing Crowder- I see Crowder going to the Pro-Bowl...He has all the talent in the world and now experience...this is his year.

Derek Hagan- I have never liked Hagan.  He drops easy passes and why?  because of footsteps?  I don't understand how a WR that big can be such a puss.  CUT HIM!

Travis Daniels- Another player I never really liked.  Has had the occasional big play but waaaaay inconsistent.  Undersized and slow too.  Supposed to be versatile but sucks as a safety as well.  CUT HIM!