Marpet: Rookie Wall Is Real
December 3rd, 2015
Bucs RG Ali Marpet talks about the famed rookie wall.
Yesterday, rookies left tackle Donovan Smith and America’s Quarterback, Bucs signal-caller Jameis Winston, waved off any inference that they are dealing with the famed rookie wall.
Today, Ali Marpet didn’t hold back. The rookie wall is very real, he told Joe this afternoon, and Marpet admitted he was starting to feel it.
Marpet hasn’t played since Week 8 with a severely sprained ankle (though he is walking around the locker room without any noticeable limp). But even so, the former Division-III player fully admitted his body was quickly wearing down.
“I guess the veterans and everyone who has been through it; I think the biggest piece of advice is, Have your routine set — sticking to your routine so you never really hit that wall,” Marpet said. “You go about work the same way every day and every week, so it sort of helps you prevent you from hitting that rookie wall.
“Oh, gosh, yeah,” Marpet exclaimed. “Physically, yeah. Physically it is very difficult, for sure. I was only on Week 8. Physically, yes, it is physically demanding.”
He and Smith, whose lockers are beside each other, started joking back and forth and Marpet shook his head in amazement of Smith.
“He has [almost] four games on me,” said Marpet, noting he was injured early in the loss to the Giants. Had he played in all 11 games, “I cannot imagine how I would feel now.”
Marpet said the best advice he received from Bucs veterans to deal with the fatigue is to stick to a daily and weekly routine, which sort of keeps a player’s mind off the grind. “It sort of helps you prevent you from hitting that rookie wall.”
December 3rd, 2015 at 2:16 pm
marpet is making a bigger physical leap than anybody. at FSU, Penn State, etc you are certainly doing more physically day in day out and probably 10x as much on game day as Ali was doing preparing for and playing against teams that Plant HS might beat.
December 3rd, 2015 at 3:49 pm
Teams that Plant HS might beat? Come on man. Plant HS would destroy some of those teams. LOL.
December 3rd, 2015 at 4:20 pm
The combine and all of the predraft workouts and interviews along with the rookie camps I’m sure plays a part in that rookie wall.
December 3rd, 2015 at 9:26 pm
Seems to me that Marpet plays all out every play, which may have wore the rookie down more than Smith.
December 3rd, 2015 at 10:52 pm
I am sick of Donovan Smith and his lackluster style of play. I have supported him and been a critic but after last weeks game I have to vent. It is just a matter of time that thunder thighs, michelin man D Smith gets Winston seriously injured. Time and time again against the Colts he would simply push the DE to the outside and release, then stand there and watch the guy he was supposed to block go in like a SAM-400 missile to strike Winston. Langford and Mathis would push Smith directly back into Winston while Cole kept giving him spin moves that left him in the dust. D Smith possibly played the worse game of the year and he looked terrible. Demar Dotson is a far better pass blocker than Smith and he sits on the bench? We are in a playoff race people, rookie or not put the best players on the field. Pamphile should be backing up Marpet as well.
December 4th, 2015 at 1:24 am
Of course, as he should. Last year the Bucs gave Dotson a try out at LT. That’s why Smith was drafted.
Not sure where this narrative started that Demar Dotson is Dan Dierdorf reincarnate.
December 4th, 2015 at 10:01 pm
I disagree Joe. Donovan Smith was not drafted to replace Demar Dotson. Dotson was the Bucs RT for several years before being moved to LT for three games last year because Anthony Collins was so bad he was benched. My understanding was that the plan all along was to have Donovan Smith play LT (his position at Penn State) and Demar Dotson play RT. Dotson played LT the final three games last year and he gave up one sack, two hits and four hurries in the process. Without that stint at left tackle, Dotson was tied for the lead with Wagner as the best RT in the NFL, per PFF. Donovan Smith is currently rated 104 out of 107 Tackles in pass blocking.
December 5th, 2015 at 2:32 am
The last two words is where you ran into a problem.
Football people think Smith is doing just fine for a rookie. Notice the Bucs wouldn’t even talk to Dotson about re-upping his contract this summer? Now healthy, he is not starting. Dotson is making $2.5 million this year. Godser Cherilus signed a two-year, $7 million contract.
Shouldn’t need a calculator to add this up.
December 5th, 2015 at 1:03 pm
At the end of the day we both want to protect our QB, right? Donovan Smith gave up seven QB hurries against the Colts alone and Winston was lucky he was not injured in that game. I guess I am the only one who is questioning the OL starting line-up? What do I know anyway? Lovie, Koetter, Warhop and Joe obviously feel sticking with D Smith and Cherilus over Dotson is the right decision.