Steve Slaton

by Budr30 on Oct 19, 2009 3:03 PM CDT

The problem is not that Steve fumbled the ball (that's the outcome). The problem is he's carring it in the wrong hand (the cause). You're driving me nuts.................When running to the left, please carry the ball your left hand, and in your right hand only when you're running to your right!

And coach, it's OK to remind Steve to carry the ball in the correct hand. Even better, demonstrate what that would look like....ask him to confirm that he understands, then have him show you. The next time he does it in a game, pull him out...talk to him, then give him another try. Repeat as necessary until he never carries the ball in the wrong hand again. It could save you a turnover in a critical game down the road.

GO TEXANS!

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The fumbles are starting to add up.

I liked the fact that we started using more screens to get Slaton involved in the passing game though.

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by CFHTim on Oct 19, 2009 9:17 PM CDT reply actions

There’s two schools of thoughts on this. The traditional one that says the RB should switch the ball to whichever side of the field he is running, and one that says as long as you are carrying the ball with proper technique to just go ahead and carry it in your dominant, stronger, hand all the time. I don’t really have a preference, but I understand the idea of keeping it in your strong hand. I have more of a problem with how he carries the ball, and doesn’t cover it up with both hands when he knows there’s going to be contact, than I do with which hands he is carrying it in.

It’s not like the fumbles have all come on plays near the sideline when shifting to the other side might have protected the ball from contact. Many of them have happened right in the middle of the field or on hits from behind where it wouldn’t have mattered which hand the ball was in. Besides, turnover are so important that all defenders practice stripping the ball everyday in practice…and that includes swinging their arm around the back of the ball carrier to knock it out from behind even if it is on the opposite side.

He just needs to have his hand on the point of the ball with the other end tucked into his elbow while the ball is held tightly to his body. He carries the ball away from his body far to often and this leaves it vulnerable to getting knocked loose. If he keeps doing that it won’t matter which side it is on.

"Well, at least our players kept their helmets on, so that showed some intelligence"-Bob McNair

by papabear on Oct 20, 2009 3:12 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs