Tavon Austin

[Legatron4]

Anyone else just feel awful for this guy? I know he's had a few opportunities but he ha to be the most unlucky player in the NFL. He should have about 10 total touchdowns the past two years.

 

[leoram]

I can't say I've ever seen a player so snake-bitten as Austin. Fortunately he is young and it can't stay this way forever, can it?

 

[iBruce]

The worst part is, there's been so many bad calls (or rarely called penalties) when he goes all Tay-Awesome.

 

[ztoben]

I feel bad for him. Gets screwed over on punt returns all the time, underutilized in the offense, OC doesn't know what to do with him. Just a bad situation.

 

[Juggs]

I feel like we should have traded him. He will be excellent on the right squad. As long as Schotty is calling the plays, the kid won't be dynamic. Tell me why someone who runs a sub 4.3 40 only runs short routes? This guy can be like D.Jackson or TY Hilton, but he has been held back. I feel terrible for him on these kick offs

 

[shaunpinney]

we really need to bring in an OC, or if we're set with Schotty, then an Assistant OC that can just come up with special plays utilising Austin to the max, I really don't get it, why trade up for a guy you're hardly going to use? If Schotty and Fisher can't find a way to use him, then for his sake, trade the guy out - ANY team would love to have (IMO) a bit of Tavon

 

[Thordaddy]

He's had SOME bad luck ,but he's also danced a lot when he should have taken a ten yard return and if he was a GREAT route runner IMO he'd be more utilized /targeted

 

[Athos]

He has his fair share of dumb moments....but generally I agree with caveats. He needs to improve his routes still and his hands. And the dancing.

But yea, I don't think he's been utilized full to maximize his potential. We don't have the QB to get him the ball often enough. We don't have the OC to involve him enough. And he gets ripped off by shoddy officials.

I'd really like to know what he could do with a quality QB and a quality offensive system. I think he'd crush it on the Eagles. Crush it with DEN. Crush it with Indy. Crush it with GB. Cincy. BAL. NO most defo. And though I'm loathe to admit it, probably the SeaCocks as well.

Shotty just doesn't have the mind for Tavon.

At this point, I think our best option to really make him explode......is to draft that option QB. Mariota or Hundley please. Go read-option hybrid somesuch, and draft quick strong lineman. We already have Mason and GRob who come from those systems.

 

[ram007]

I feel bad for the Rams that a #8 overall pick is mostly likely a gadget player.

 

[yrba1]

Most of the games he played with this season were with Davis. Tavon Austin is shorter than I am, and both of their heights provide a disadvantage when Davis doesn't go through his progressions to find all their receivers. Shaun Hill may be an inch taller than Davis but he plays like a savvy veteran that takes advantage of good route runners despite their height.

 

[ChrisW]

I like that we are running the jet sweeps to him over the regular reverses. He's closer to the LOS and much quicker to the edge.

 

[CGI_Ram]

I am not directly comparing the players; but Tavon has a juke gear similar to Barry Sanders. Anyone that got to watch Barry remembers the need to maximize his touches.

Barry would lose yards. Have no gain carries. Then... BAM!

Tavon is not the same player as Barry, but like Barry, I believe you got to give him more touches to bring out the fireworks.

 

[Pancake]

Tavons best attributes are his speed and agility. That's being completely nullified by constantly running routes that have him stopping or slowing down. The Rams need to get him the ball on the move and in stride.

 

[Legatron4]

Tavons best attributes are his speed and agility. That's being completely nullified by constantly running routes that have him stopping or slowing down. The Rams need to get him the ball on the move and in stride.

Yeah, I know everyone in the NFL is fast, but Tavon is a different type of fast. Just send him on a 9 route and sling it at least 3 times a game I bet he comes up with 1.

 

[Legatron4]

I am not directly comparing the players; but Tavon has a juke gear similar to Barry Sanders. Anyone that got to watch Barry remembers the need to maximize his touches.

Barry would lose yards. Have no gain carries. Then... BAM!

Tavon is not the same player as Barry, but like Barry, I believe you got to give him more touches to bring out the fireworks.

Barry Sanders has the most negative yards in NFL history. I think the comparison is completely on point. Barry wasn't much heavier. 20 touches a game isn't too much to ask for. He could probably turn that into 2-3 touchdowns.