Ali Marpet: Speed Was A Problem
July 9th, 2016
Ali Marpet speaks
Who had a bigger NFL learning curve last year than Ali Marpet, the rookie pride of Division-III Hobart College?
The young manbeast was a left tackle in college facing 225-pound defensive ends — and the Bucs started him from Day 1 at right guard, a totally new position for him.
Marpet got off to a great start before getting derailed by a sprained ankle in a Week 9 loss to the Giants. He returned in Week 13 and had a successful opening season, especially in run blocking.
Joe tracked down an offseason interview of Marpet on WTMM-FM in New York, during which Marpet shared one of his football goals for 2016. In short, Marpet wants to shake his rookie reactions and view of the game.
“I think last year there were times when I was definitely playing (sigh) the game was sped up a little bit and I’m hoping to slow the game down moving forward,” Marpet said.
Bucs fans are expecting Marpet and second-year left tackle Donovan Smith to make strides this season, as most players do in their Year 2. Clearly, Marpet has that same expectation and knows exactly where he needs the greatest growth.
Frankly, Joe thinks Marpet might need more seasoning, given that he changed positions, missed 3 1/2 games and came out of Division III. Smith, by contrast, played every snap last season and was a left tackle for years at Penn State.
July 9th, 2016 at 2:34 pm
You guys
Training camp is less than 2 weeks away
July 9th, 2016 at 2:58 pm
Have got be confident with our young lineman going forward. History dictates that if they are not talented enough for he NFL they will be exposed often.
History also dictates the O-Lineman will most always improve in there second season, which is not true for many other positions.
Marpet and Smith are legit lineman and have proven to be well above average(for rookies). I fully expect this line to wreck more havoc then they did a year ago!!!!!!
July 9th, 2016 at 3:21 pm
I’d think that the speed of the game would be more of a factor for Donovan than for Ali, but maybe not. Some of the better NFL DEs are quick as cats … make a move too quickly in the wrong direction and some of these guys will blow right past the OT on their way to having a QB for lunch. Both Donovan and Ali did remarkably well last year, especially for both being rookies. Now that their tendencies are on film for opposing DLines to study though, I’m hoping that they just continue to grow to keep opponents off-balance. That’s where George Warhop’s coaching will play a huge role this year I think. He’s done very very well with our whole OLine.
July 9th, 2016 at 3:35 pm
Marpet and Smith both played well last season. I do have to disagree with the Joes. I think Smiths best position it RT. Tunsil would have been a game changer more than Hargreaves. The more help for Winston, the better.
July 9th, 2016 at 3:47 pm
Our line played really good last year and is expected to get even better. Tunsil would not make a huge difference and may not even start on this line.
VHIII could make a huge difference as possibly being a large upgrade in our secondary.
July 9th, 2016 at 4:20 pm
Speaking for Pablo
“Speed is not a problem for Pablo…..Pablo learned how to be quick at an early age….and no….Pablo didn’t learn it from running from Border Patrol Agents….Pablo had to outrun the many boyfriends and husbands of the women in Pablo’s life…..Pablo has had many women….more than Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Clinton”
July 9th, 2016 at 5:03 pm
Buccaneers, I disagree. Our O-Line got Winston hit more than any other QB last season. Jameis avoided a lot of would be sacks. Smith on the right side is better than Dot/Cher and Tunsil is projected to be a starting LT. Our line did play well when we had a 6 man line with Pamphile in.
July 9th, 2016 at 5:06 pm
A young QB needs all of the OL help he can get. I would rather sacrifice defense in the short term if it means Winston has the best chance to not be David Carr’ed.
July 9th, 2016 at 5:07 pm
@Pablo
I am just glad you did not tell your story about the other kind of “speed” and how you got it across the border!!!!
July 9th, 2016 at 5:10 pm
I want to hear more about Pablo table dancing for 87 and the Realist! I’d like to get in on some of this action!
July 9th, 2016 at 5:53 pm
BuccaneEric75,
Might want to read this about Tunsil. FYI.
http://www.todayspigskin.com/afc/miami-dolphins/laremy-tunsil-must-get-together-dolphins-ol/
July 9th, 2016 at 6:03 pm
Hey Eric. You know I luv ya and all but Tunsil has yet to play a down. Pump the brakes a bit maybe huh?
July 9th, 2016 at 6:35 pm
Eric-I think Winston can help himself by progressing and making quicker decisions this year. Personally I thought our line did a more then adequate job last year and gave Winston plenty of time to read the field………I don’t know why you want to sacrifice defense. We have nearly no chance of winning if we are not upgraded on that side of the ball.
Mainly though, I see absolutely no problems with our current line you going forward. I have no problems with Smith at left tackle and believe he can be a good one in this league…… very unclear as to why he needs to be replaced or Dot/Cherilous?
This team is littered with holes. Not addresing any of them with a top pick is feeding water IMO. Especially at the expense of LT which is known for being a very easy position to scout and one that usually produces first rounders at a high rate.
Usually the teams that draft LTs with a big end pick are teams that have weaknesses there……..not sure why we have to be the one team that should overdraft the position which would only force us to put quality lineman on the bench while having holes In other areas that went unaddressed with that draft choice.
July 9th, 2016 at 6:48 pm
Hold the door
July 9th, 2016 at 6:59 pm
The only thing I can understand is if you think our line is bad. If you do I disagree but at least then it makes sense to draft another LT after drafting one last year(that worked out nicely).
How much should we expect this team to invest into the O-Lineman? They drafted one in the middle rounds in 2014. They drafted one in 2nd round and traded up into the 2nd in 2015 for two more. They signed one for a big contract this year and they drafted another in the later rounds………..My thinking was that they were investing a whole bunch into protecting Winston……….How is all that not enough.
IMO if they were going to also invest the top pick for another lineman………they would basically be ignoring the problemed positions on this team. And it’s not like this team has a few small problems that are easily fixed with a bit of tweaking……..We have large gaping holes on this team the size of Mt Fuji.
Honestly, I would rather see VHIII be a bust then see Tunsil come in and play at a problem level. Tunsil could come here and be great and this team would still suck if the defense is as bad as they been. I’m about sick and freaking tired of losing and we will continue to get pounded until this defense gets better players………With all due respect, drafting Tunsil would have been asinine.
July 9th, 2016 at 9:13 pm
I know Tunsil has yet to play. He may be a bust or he may be great. All I’m saying is we need to protect Winston as much as we can. You guys say pump the brakes on Tunsil. I say pump the brakes on Smith. He had a good year for a rookie, but I think with his size he is more suited for RT. I hope he is a good LT for years since that is obviously the road the team is going down. I’d just rather have him on the right side.
July 9th, 2016 at 9:16 pm
Macabee, the only thing I learned from that article is that he’s having a tough time switching positions to Guard. You guys think I’m a big Tunsil fan, I’m not. I just used his name cause he’s the one that fell in the draft. I’d just rather have Smith at RT.
July 9th, 2016 at 10:22 pm
We start with Smith at LT and hope the Asst. OL Coach can teach him to pass block. If he is poor at it again this year they can start Cherilus at RT and move Dotson back to LT since he is the best pass blocker we have. So we don’t need a rookie LT this year. Then next year draft a LT in the first round as the future replacement for Dotson when he retires. We now have talented enough defense players and great Defensive Coaches to be a top ten defense. We will be able to play with any NFL Team this year.
July 9th, 2016 at 10:55 pm
If Tunsil plays as advertised he would help us get better, but not that much since O-Line is one of few team strengths. You can only be so strong on the line and it can only affect a game so much, just like any position……VHIII can make a major league impact if he comes as advertised. He can help us win games to a much much much greater degree then any offensive lineman………..it’s barely comparable how much more badly we need help in the secondary then the O-Line.
This team has sucked forever it feels like……..They need to get better as a team and Tunsil don’t do that for us………I’m tired of this team making backwards personal decisions and finally we have a GM that will do anything possible(including selling out for a kicker) to give us an actual good team to root for. This GM has a plan in place and it includes improving he team to the best of his ability. He did the offense and he did the offensive line(and hasn’t been neglecting it)…….now let him do he defense so we can hopefully start to see the wins. Tunsil don’t equal wins.
July 9th, 2016 at 10:55 pm
I believe that VH3 will be valuable to JW3 in helping to get the other team’s Offense off the field. Tunsil may or may not be a great prospect just as VH3 might. I know this though, no bongmasks were circulated before VH3 was selected and there have been Zero rumors of him struggling in practice so far. I know that as a fanbase we are used to yet hate losing but Jeesh guys. Look at the good we have, not the good we may have lost huh? 🙂
July 10th, 2016 at 2:55 am
But Marpet has SO much more potential than Smith. Marpet is a future pro bowler while Smith is a future Demar Dotson
July 10th, 2016 at 2:57 am
@mike10
Hodor!
July 10th, 2016 at 6:02 am
SB, very true about the bong mask! Lol!
July 10th, 2016 at 9:16 am
I wouldn’t of been mad at all had the bucs taken Tunsil, another cornerstone on the line would of been great for Jameis. But he’s shown sum immaturity and could become a headache. You know what your getting from Vernon. The kid is very smart and we’ll spoken, not to mention he loves the game of football, something that Licht has said is a must in the players he drafts early. He quoted that he would rather take a guy without that much talent that is a football junkie, and would run thru a wall for his team, rather than a guy who is very talented but looks at football as a job. VH3 will be a playmaker for this defense for a long time. Something this D hasn’t had since Ronde. Who they compare him to ironically. He can become much more of a difference maker than Tunsil ever could. He can change the game with one play where we can find a serviceable tackle much easier than a play making corner.
July 10th, 2016 at 9:39 am
I don’t know if anybody’s noticed but Winston is really tight with Smith and Marpet. He socializes with them frequently. This kind of good team chemistry can’t be bought or created by chance. This is what you want. O-lineman who will kick somebody’s a$$ if they dare mess with their QB: their buddy. I wouldn’t mess with that.
July 10th, 2016 at 9:42 am
Mike10 and FSUking….that settles in then.
Hodor it is! lmao
Getting towards the end of a month long binge watch of Game of Thrones….
Hodor it is!
July 10th, 2016 at 12:15 pm
Training camp can’t come soon enough!!!!!!
July 10th, 2016 at 4:07 pm
Team chemistry is key! I hope everything comes together!!! Can’t wait for preseason!
July 10th, 2016 at 4:12 pm
Swaggy said it all.