August 28, 2024 • 20 mins
NFL analyst Hugh Millen is back on for his weekly chat as the Seahawks prepare for the 2024 opener against the Denver Broncos. Hugh shares what he's encouraged about after watching the preseason, is Jaxon Smith-Njigba primed to takeover as WR #2 behind DK Metcalf, plus much more.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Washington State Cougar is going to start their season Saturday
at noon in Pullman against Portland State.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
And I learned.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Yesterday that our guest Hugh Mellen, is going to be
in Gageville, Florida to watch the University of Miami against
the University of Florida, where his son now plays. That
is going to be an experience, isn't it you?
Speaker 3 (00:17):
Yeah, you know, there's just nothing like SEC football, as
they say, right, So, yeah, looking forward to that, and
I think Husky fans might want to keep an eye
on that, just you know, a combination of Washington having
the good season and Florida having potentially a poor season.
They have the toughest schedule in the country objectively. Jetfish
(00:42):
is you know, he went to Florida. He wears a
advisor in honor of Steve Spurrier. He has even said
publicly that it would be hard if Florida get him
calling to look the other way or I'm paraphrasing him,
So yeah, something I'm stood for the reasons you mentioned,
But I think other Husky fans might want to keep
(01:04):
an eye on that as well.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
Then billion Apier's on something of a hot seat there
in Florida's he Hunt.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Yeah, I want to choose my words carefully. I think
it's been reported.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
That he's on the hot seat right Okay, the Seahawks, Hugh,
what encourages you that you saw in the preseason as
it pretends to the season this year.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Well, let's start with the defense.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
I think that right now you could make the argument,
of course, is subjective, that the best cornerback tandem in
the NFL Trevon.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Diggs Deron Bland. I mean, you get a debate about
all that.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
I think when you look at at Witherspoon as your
starting left corner, and I understand he's going to play
a lot of times in the Nickels, so maybe it
would preclude that. But he alongside of Tariq Willan with
his skill set, and I think that now he's going
to be refocused in year three after a disappointing sophomore year,
(01:57):
and with the guidance and the tutelage of not just
Mike McDonald but Carl Scott, who I think is a
phenomenal secondary coach back there, I think that they have
the potential to be in the discussion by the end
of the year as the best cornerback tandem.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
So I think that secondary.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Then when you take Julian Love, you know, maybe a master,
a jack of all trades, master of none. That would
be disparaging way to describe his his skill set. But
he's a converted corner kind of a smallest safety, but
very intuitive, very intelligent, and in a defense under with
Mike McDonald that thrives on and really focuses and is
(02:40):
able to highlight the intelligence of players. Julian Love ought
to be a real catalyst back there. So I think
the secondary is going to be a terrific secondary. I
think the defensive line he got a bad rap. The
statistics show that they deserve to be criticized from a
year ago. We won't go through those, but I think
that the defensive line is going to be far better. Uh,
(03:02):
there's gonna be you know, obviously had Bayern Murphy, but
I think Mike Morris is gonna have good, good depth
and uh and and we get a channel Nuoso back.
I think that they will be a solid front. But
more than anything, it's just Mike McDonald and his ability
to to use those parts.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
And you know, you know, here's a.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Guy that that in McDonald, that got the the number
one UH, the most sacks of all the NFL last
year with Baltimore, and of course number one in points allowed,
number one and most turnout turnovers generated. That's a kind
of a trifecta there of McDonald h and that happened
(03:44):
in a hurry, and it happened without really dynamic playmakers
at defensive ends. Davian Clowney and he had only had
two sacks opposite Miles Garrett in Cleveland, Kyle van Noy
was on his sixth team, and and UH at age
thirty two, And yet with those defensive ends they steal
through scheme and the complexity of McDonald's defenses, they were
(04:06):
able to generate the most sacks in the NFL. So
I think the combination of I think this defensive line
is better than what he had in Baltimore, his secondary
is better, and then i'll finally I'll close the defense.
I think Tyrel Dotson kept a keen eye on him
in preseason. I saw some instincts there. There's a physicality.
I thought him in coverage he had a good awareness
and communication and good lateral change of ability. And there's
(04:29):
times where he you know, he swiveled his hips, like
you know, kind of like a safety. So I saw
the athleticism I was looking for. I think that Tyree
Knight is at will is. I think will work in progress.
I think he will be if he has to start.
We'll see where Jerome Baker is. But if Tyree Knight
has to start, I think he's gonna be. He's going
(04:49):
to be attacked by opposing defensive coordinators at least until
he proves as a rookie that he can be better.
But anyways, that's kind of my synopsis on the defense.
Very bullish on what they can accomplish, and probably primarily
because what we've seen from McDonald. I've made the claim
he's the premier defensive mind in all of football, and
(05:10):
there's numbers to support that. And I think that the
combination of the talent that I've described and his prowess
and unique abilities and complexity, very very bullish on this defense.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
And we haven't even seen all that he's gonna do.
Of course, he kept Vanova in the preseason and practices. Yeah,
you're right about the secondary. It's the strength of the
team and they are moving them all around, fake and blitzes,
running from inside back out, to the deep third, and yeah,
there's a lot going on there. Of course, the voice
of humeling you. Okay, Now if you're bullish on that,
what gives you some pause or concern going into the season.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Well, you go into the offense.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
And I think Cincinnati deserves the title of the best
threesome because remember, now, eleven personnel is by far you
just look at the charts. Every team is in eleven
personnel more than any other. Baltimore's been the only exception that.
But eleven personnel's one tight end, one running back, and
then three receivers, and so really, in my mind, three
(06:07):
receivers are starting for virtually everybody in the NFL. And
I think that Cincinnati has the best threesome. But I
think Seattle has the potential with metcalf and and Lockett.
I still think there's tread on that tire and Jackson
Smith and Jigbam emerging. I think that they have the
potential to be in the discussion for the best trio
(06:28):
of receivers. The running backs are deep and talented. I'm
not crazy about the tight ends. I think they're probably
just average. I expected more from aj Barner, the fourth
round pick. What I from Michigan as a tight end
if you're replacing Will. He was billed as the Will
Disley replacement Disleey, of course, the fourth round draft pick,
(06:49):
also out of Washington. And you know, I thought I
was a little bit disappointed there. So I think they're
just kind of middle of the road at tight end.
But the big concern is is the offensive line. And
you know, it's it's like, you know, take Margaret Robbie
and put you know, take her nose off and put
a big wide you know, cricket conk on her. You
(07:12):
know what, what does that look? Well, she's Margaret Robbie,
really hot with a really ugly nose. You know, take
Beyonce and and and you know, put gaps in her teeth.
You could drive a McDonald's straw through. Well, you know,
she's still hot until she smiles. Right, Like, I think
this offensive line is a year ago was the thirtieth
highest paid offensive line football.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
Now they're dead last.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
The resources have not been expended there and and I'm
just very concerned about you know what she see up front.
I think that they're unproven. You know, right tackle is
is I don't want to say it's a mess, but
when are we going to see Abe Lucas. So you're
at a backup there and and Charles you know, even
even this the stability there, Charles cross Uh, you know,
(07:59):
I think sometimes he recedes ground too quickly in the
play and he's back in the lap of the quarterback
a little bit too.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Much for my liking.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
So I just think that this is a really talented
and well coached team. I mean, you've got high intellect
on both sides of the ball. I have said, you know,
with Ryan Grubb, if you are the best offensive coordinator
in football, if you're the best anything in college football,
the best kicker, the best quarterback, the best weight coach,
(08:29):
the best trainer, if you're the best in college football,
you are ready for the NFL.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
And Ryan Grub was the best.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
ESPN subjectively rated him number one prior to the season,
and then he had even better season in twenty twenty
three than he had in twenty two and look at
the numbers that they produce. So Ryan Grubb is the
best offensive coordinator in football a year ago at the
college level, He's ready for the NFL. This is a
high level of the intellect on both sides of the ball.
(08:57):
When you consider McDonald and Grubb, you might make the
argument that if you just said just intellectual horsepower on
both sides of the ball, they might have the best
brain trust of anybody in the NFL. But that offensive
line is just, you know, it's scared the hell out
of me.
Speaker 4 (09:16):
You mentioned d C Hawks being right behind the Bengals
when it comes to the wide receiver unit with JSN,
DK and Lockett this season, are you foreseeing that Jaysin
could take the next step and become wide receiver number two,
So it's DK, Jsin and then Locket.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
Yes, if you go back to a year ago, if
you take all the receivers, dog gone it I don't
have in front of me. I think it's fifty targets
or more. I'm almost certain of that. There was exactly
one hundred and fifty of them. Just happened to hit
on a round number one hundred and fifty. As far
as yards per attempt, air yards per attempt, Jackson Smith
(09:56):
and Jigoba was one hundred and forty second out of
one hundred and fiftieth. Just did not push the ball
down the field with him. But he has that ability.
We've you know, studied a lot of tape with him
at Ohio State. C. J. Stroud is on record as
saying the best route runner he's ever thrown to is.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
Jackson Smith and Jigba. Now think about that.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
He had Garrett Wilson, He had Uh chrys O Lovey,
those were first rounders at the Jets and the Saints, respectively.
He had Marvin Harrison, who was who's Marvin Harrison? We
know him right fourth overall picked to the Cardinals. And
uh and and uh uh uh Buka uh a Mecca
(10:38):
Buka who's going to be a first rounder next year.
In addition to jays N that we're talking about five
first round receivers and and and that's what Stroud said.
So this is a guy that when you watch the tape,
his his moxie in the slot, and it takes more
just as we understand, it takes more nuance and and
(10:59):
kind of moxie and and and cunning nobility in the
in in the slot because you have to set up
guys and there's there's linebackers. You have to there's more
bodies around. You have to have a sense of that.
You have to put more moves on guys at the
at the line of scrimmage outside, it's it's more just
(11:20):
are you physically better? You know, it's like cat coverage,
you know, is your cat better than their cat. I'm
over simplifying things a little bit, but that nuance that
you see in the slot and Jigba has that as
evidenced by that that first completion the second play of.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
The game the other night.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
That that that what some people call the big box fade,
which is what's what's a big box fade fade route
has been through the years, typically a route you say, well,
the widest receiver, the guy closest to the sideline, what
defense is called number one, uh, because they count from
outside in you run the fade. It's a it's a
more difficult throw up the sideline. About ten fifteen years
(11:59):
ago they started using this term the big box fade,
where you're running slot fades where the guy from the
slot not just going up the field, but gaining with
at almost a forty five degree angle. That's what Jackson
Smith and Jigba did on the second play of the
game the other night. And he was going against a
defender who who would be coached to jump outside leverage
(12:21):
because of the fact that he's covering a slot receiver,
so he would be coached to jump to the outside
and funnel the ball to the free safety and play
what's called the low shoulder, the under shallow and to
the outside, being ready to undercut an incut but in
a in a leveraged position on any outbreaking route. So
(12:41):
Jack Smith and jig but knowing that this guy is
coached not to allow him to get outside release, he
goes up, attacks his inside shoulder, does a stutter and
then in fact gets the outside release. And he does
it like that and with minimal hand contact, and it's
just a beautiful way of technique.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
He gets the outside shoulder.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
Now the defenders coach, don't play the ball because you're
out of phase.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
You're behind him, and play the man through the ball.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
That's how the defenders coach in Jigbo's aware of that,
and so he does a late hands, beautiful catch. Just
an extraordinary level of sophistication and prowess all displayed on
one play and he showed it on Ryan Grubbs's official
first completion as the coordinator for the Seahawks.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
It's beautiful football.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
And so yes, this guy's ready to do it, and
I'll be stocked shocked if he doesn't.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
The late hands is something that Smith and Jigg is
really good at. You're right, yeah, Hugh Mellan. What would
you do at quarterback beyond this year? We know it's
Gino Smith as the starter. Both Gino Smith and Sam
How's contracts end after twenty twenty five. Where do you
see it? What would you do from what you've seen
so far in twenty twenty five?
Speaker 3 (13:53):
Well, from everything I've studied all of Sam Howe. I
looked at the entire innerset real that he had. I
looked at a lot of games, so I looked at
a lot of him at the Commanders. I've of course
studied the coach's tape of every snap of this preseason.
I've seen him in practice. In my opinion, and please
allow me the right to change my mind, of course,
(14:16):
as new evidence comes in. If I had to say
right now and bet, I do not believe he's the
quarterback of the future for the Seahawks. I think that
he's about a middle of the road back up. I
think that they're you know, his size. It's okay to
be six foot, you know, barely over six foot, but
there has to be a relationship between the size and
(14:38):
the athleticism. You saw a couple scrambles that he had
over by the sideline that looked really clunky, you know,
just you know, there was an opportunity to get some yards.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
He just doesn't have the speed.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
And now it's second and nine, and you know second
and nine is a problem, right, And so the reason
there's a correlation between the guy's height and his athleticism
is because his height is gonna determine that he's not
gonna be able to see and so he's gonna have
to create more plays off. I don't think he has
the athletics to do that. I thought there was a
lot of heel clicking. And when I do voice recognition
(15:12):
in my notes, my my, I'm I've had my system
that if I say the word dorothy, one word it's dorothy,
Dorothy means we're climbing up into the pocket and we
are heel clicking. And that is not the modern way
to quarterback. You know, you look at Genos, his bases
wide and when he is going from right to left
(15:33):
in his progressions, he doesn't gain ground into the pocket.
He stands still, and then he's got enough power to
generate from a relatively stable stance, wide wide base, and
then his left foot goes with a small step and and.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
Then he and he can drive the football.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
What what we see from how is is when he
can't see, he's he's going Dorothy, he's click, he's ankle clicking,
He's he's gaining ground up into the pocket. He walked
into two sacks the other night where if you like,
he had one where his right foot got to the
one and a half yard line. This is backed up,
and then he climbed up in the pocket and he
gets sacked at the six.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Well, if he'd has stayed.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
Back around the one and a half or two even
three yard line and he scans over, he had bobo
open on a crew route to his left going through
his progression. But his instinct and we saw the record
number of sacks he had with the Commanders last year,
but his instincts started to climb the pocket. Well, at
six foot, that's going to be a problem. So all
(16:33):
of his his pocket presence leads me to really question
whether this guy can be considered a solid starter, because really,
I think there's only fifteen guys on the planet that
are Because if you're not in the top fifteen or sixteen.
Your club is looking to replace you as a starter.
(16:56):
So do I think he's in the top fifteen quarterbacks
in all of football? I don't think that he'll ever
be that so, and I would welcome to be wrong,
because you've expended little to acquire him.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
And so let's hope I'm wrong.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
Let's hope that well, you know, I hope he doesn't play,
because I hope Gino plays. But you know, you know,
but at some point, if he is this the quarterback
for the future for Seattle, great, I just don't see
signs of that yet.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
I've noticed he taps the ball before he throws it
as a hitch type of thing. Is that something that
would concern you mechanically?
Speaker 3 (17:30):
Well, the only problem with that, if you say it is,
and some coaches will say that it is, is that
John Elway had a very aggressive tap. Dan Marino had
a tap. And I remember watching a tape It's beautiful. Well,
Bill Walsh watching Dan Marino got me. So he's going
(17:51):
with the clicker, the video clicker, back forth, back forth,
and I remember when he's watching it, Marino's throwing this
go route up to I think my memory, even it
was against the Redskins, not that it matters, but my
memory is very clear of Bill Walsh, a video of
Bill Wah watching a video of Dan Marino and at
the and I played with the Dolphins under Damn Marino,
(18:13):
so right, so he would his hands would separate. What
you have to do, Greg, Yeah, others would say always
keep two hands on the ball. But some of the
best quarterbacks have that pat. The The thing that you
have to do is that use the pat for you
to kind of like a pump fake, like you look
off a receiver. Like let's let's say I got four
verticals and I want to hit the seam to my left,
(18:35):
and so I know I'm gonna go to the left.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
I'm gonna keep keep my eyes on the right.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
I'm gonna look at the free safety first act like
I'm trying to hold him. Then I'm gonna come a
little bit early over to the seam on my right.
Now because I'm a patter, I'm gonna pat the ball
and my hands are separating, which which to the defense
They've triggered like, okay, when his hands separate, then now
drive on the ball. But I use a pat, a
(19:00):
fake pat now I come back and I try and
smoke the seam to my left. So it's used kind
of like a pump. So I can use it against
the defense. Like you want to jump my pat, I'll
use it as a tool against you.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
Right.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
So, because some of the very best quarterbacks in football, uh,
you know, overtly and distinctly use a pat, it's hard
for me to just say you can't do it.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
Have you had coaches tell you that that's no? No, no, okay,
no no. I think you know.
Speaker 3 (19:28):
It's it's kind of like a forward press for a golfer,
you know, in a putting stroke. You know, for some guys,
it's just how it gets it gets you moving. Certainly
it was the case with l Way, and so I
think you just are aware of how it could be
a detriment to you and then use it as an
asset for yourself.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Hugh Mellen as always the best.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
Thank you our quarterback ninety three point three KJRFM. He's
agreeing to do this every Wednesday, on top of the
ninety five other appearances you have during a week, So
I appreciate that.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
It's all good. Always great to be with you. Thanks
so much, Thank you, wh
Washington State Cougar is going to start their season Saturday
at noon in Pullman against Portland State.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
And I learned.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Yesterday that our guest Hugh Mellen, is going to be
in Gageville, Florida to watch the University of Miami against
the University of Florida, where his son now plays. That
is going to be an experience, isn't it you?
Speaker 3 (00:17):
Yeah, you know, there's just nothing like SEC football, as
they say, right, So, yeah, looking forward to that, and
I think Husky fans might want to keep an eye
on that, just you know, a combination of Washington having
the good season and Florida having potentially a poor season.
They have the toughest schedule in the country objectively. Jetfish
(00:42):
is you know, he went to Florida. He wears a
advisor in honor of Steve Spurrier. He has even said
publicly that it would be hard if Florida get him
calling to look the other way or I'm paraphrasing him,
So yeah, something I'm stood for the reasons you mentioned,
But I think other Husky fans might want to keep
(01:04):
an eye on that as well.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
Then billion Apier's on something of a hot seat there
in Florida's he Hunt.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Yeah, I want to choose my words carefully. I think
it's been reported.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
That he's on the hot seat right Okay, the Seahawks, Hugh,
what encourages you that you saw in the preseason as
it pretends to the season this year.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Well, let's start with the defense.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
I think that right now you could make the argument,
of course, is subjective, that the best cornerback tandem in
the NFL Trevon.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Diggs Deron Bland. I mean, you get a debate about
all that.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
I think when you look at at Witherspoon as your
starting left corner, and I understand he's going to play
a lot of times in the Nickels, so maybe it
would preclude that. But he alongside of Tariq Willan with
his skill set, and I think that now he's going
to be refocused in year three after a disappointing sophomore year,
(01:57):
and with the guidance and the tutelage of not just
Mike McDonald but Carl Scott, who I think is a
phenomenal secondary coach back there, I think that they have
the potential to be in the discussion by the end
of the year as the best cornerback tandem.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
So I think that secondary.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Then when you take Julian Love, you know, maybe a master,
a jack of all trades, master of none. That would
be disparaging way to describe his his skill set. But
he's a converted corner kind of a smallest safety, but
very intuitive, very intelligent, and in a defense under with
Mike McDonald that thrives on and really focuses and is
(02:40):
able to highlight the intelligence of players. Julian Love ought
to be a real catalyst back there. So I think
the secondary is going to be a terrific secondary. I
think the defensive line he got a bad rap. The
statistics show that they deserve to be criticized from a
year ago. We won't go through those, but I think
that the defensive line is going to be far better. Uh,
(03:02):
there's gonna be you know, obviously had Bayern Murphy, but
I think Mike Morris is gonna have good, good depth
and uh and and we get a channel Nuoso back.
I think that they will be a solid front. But
more than anything, it's just Mike McDonald and his ability
to to use those parts.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
And you know, you know, here's a.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Guy that that in McDonald, that got the the number
one UH, the most sacks of all the NFL last
year with Baltimore, and of course number one in points allowed,
number one and most turnout turnovers generated. That's a kind
of a trifecta there of McDonald h and that happened
(03:44):
in a hurry, and it happened without really dynamic playmakers
at defensive ends. Davian Clowney and he had only had
two sacks opposite Miles Garrett in Cleveland, Kyle van Noy
was on his sixth team, and and UH at age
thirty two, And yet with those defensive ends they steal
through scheme and the complexity of McDonald's defenses, they were
(04:06):
able to generate the most sacks in the NFL. So
I think the combination of I think this defensive line
is better than what he had in Baltimore, his secondary
is better, and then i'll finally I'll close the defense.
I think Tyrel Dotson kept a keen eye on him
in preseason. I saw some instincts there. There's a physicality.
I thought him in coverage he had a good awareness
and communication and good lateral change of ability. And there's
(04:29):
times where he you know, he swiveled his hips, like
you know, kind of like a safety. So I saw
the athleticism I was looking for. I think that Tyree
Knight is at will is. I think will work in progress.
I think he will be if he has to start.
We'll see where Jerome Baker is. But if Tyree Knight
has to start, I think he's gonna be. He's going
(04:49):
to be attacked by opposing defensive coordinators at least until
he proves as a rookie that he can be better.
But anyways, that's kind of my synopsis on the defense.
Very bullish on what they can accomplish, and probably primarily
because what we've seen from McDonald. I've made the claim
he's the premier defensive mind in all of football, and
(05:10):
there's numbers to support that. And I think that the
combination of the talent that I've described and his prowess
and unique abilities and complexity, very very bullish on this defense.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
And we haven't even seen all that he's gonna do.
Of course, he kept Vanova in the preseason and practices. Yeah,
you're right about the secondary. It's the strength of the
team and they are moving them all around, fake and blitzes,
running from inside back out, to the deep third, and yeah,
there's a lot going on there. Of course, the voice
of humeling you. Okay, Now if you're bullish on that,
what gives you some pause or concern going into the season.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Well, you go into the offense.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
And I think Cincinnati deserves the title of the best
threesome because remember, now, eleven personnel is by far you
just look at the charts. Every team is in eleven
personnel more than any other. Baltimore's been the only exception that.
But eleven personnel's one tight end, one running back, and
then three receivers, and so really, in my mind, three
(06:07):
receivers are starting for virtually everybody in the NFL. And
I think that Cincinnati has the best threesome. But I
think Seattle has the potential with metcalf and and Lockett.
I still think there's tread on that tire and Jackson
Smith and Jigbam emerging. I think that they have the
potential to be in the discussion for the best trio
(06:28):
of receivers. The running backs are deep and talented. I'm
not crazy about the tight ends. I think they're probably
just average. I expected more from aj Barner, the fourth
round pick. What I from Michigan as a tight end
if you're replacing Will. He was billed as the Will
Disley replacement Disleey, of course, the fourth round draft pick,
(06:49):
also out of Washington. And you know, I thought I
was a little bit disappointed there. So I think they're
just kind of middle of the road at tight end.
But the big concern is is the offensive line. And
you know, it's it's like, you know, take Margaret Robbie
and put you know, take her nose off and put
a big wide you know, cricket conk on her. You
(07:12):
know what, what does that look? Well, she's Margaret Robbie,
really hot with a really ugly nose. You know, take
Beyonce and and and you know, put gaps in her teeth.
You could drive a McDonald's straw through. Well, you know,
she's still hot until she smiles. Right, Like, I think
this offensive line is a year ago was the thirtieth
highest paid offensive line football.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
Now they're dead last.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
The resources have not been expended there and and I'm
just very concerned about you know what she see up front.
I think that they're unproven. You know, right tackle is
is I don't want to say it's a mess, but
when are we going to see Abe Lucas. So you're
at a backup there and and Charles you know, even
even this the stability there, Charles cross Uh, you know,
(07:59):
I think sometimes he recedes ground too quickly in the
play and he's back in the lap of the quarterback
a little bit too.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Much for my liking.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
So I just think that this is a really talented
and well coached team. I mean, you've got high intellect
on both sides of the ball. I have said, you know,
with Ryan Grubb, if you are the best offensive coordinator
in football, if you're the best anything in college football,
the best kicker, the best quarterback, the best weight coach,
(08:29):
the best trainer, if you're the best in college football,
you are ready for the NFL.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
And Ryan Grub was the best.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
ESPN subjectively rated him number one prior to the season,
and then he had even better season in twenty twenty
three than he had in twenty two and look at
the numbers that they produce. So Ryan Grubb is the
best offensive coordinator in football a year ago at the
college level, He's ready for the NFL. This is a
high level of the intellect on both sides of the ball.
(08:57):
When you consider McDonald and Grubb, you might make the
argument that if you just said just intellectual horsepower on
both sides of the ball, they might have the best
brain trust of anybody in the NFL. But that offensive
line is just, you know, it's scared the hell out
of me.
Speaker 4 (09:16):
You mentioned d C Hawks being right behind the Bengals
when it comes to the wide receiver unit with JSN,
DK and Lockett this season, are you foreseeing that Jaysin
could take the next step and become wide receiver number two,
So it's DK, Jsin and then Locket.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
Yes, if you go back to a year ago, if
you take all the receivers, dog gone it I don't
have in front of me. I think it's fifty targets
or more. I'm almost certain of that. There was exactly
one hundred and fifty of them. Just happened to hit
on a round number one hundred and fifty. As far
as yards per attempt, air yards per attempt, Jackson Smith
(09:56):
and Jigoba was one hundred and forty second out of
one hundred and fiftieth. Just did not push the ball
down the field with him. But he has that ability.
We've you know, studied a lot of tape with him
at Ohio State. C. J. Stroud is on record as
saying the best route runner he's ever thrown to is.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
Jackson Smith and Jigba. Now think about that.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
He had Garrett Wilson, He had Uh chrys O Lovey,
those were first rounders at the Jets and the Saints, respectively.
He had Marvin Harrison, who was who's Marvin Harrison? We
know him right fourth overall picked to the Cardinals. And
uh and and uh uh uh Buka uh a Mecca
(10:38):
Buka who's going to be a first rounder next year.
In addition to jays N that we're talking about five
first round receivers and and and that's what Stroud said.
So this is a guy that when you watch the tape,
his his moxie in the slot, and it takes more
just as we understand, it takes more nuance and and
(10:59):
kind of moxie and and and cunning nobility in the
in in the slot because you have to set up
guys and there's there's linebackers. You have to there's more
bodies around. You have to have a sense of that.
You have to put more moves on guys at the
at the line of scrimmage outside, it's it's more just
(11:20):
are you physically better? You know, it's like cat coverage,
you know, is your cat better than their cat. I'm
over simplifying things a little bit, but that nuance that
you see in the slot and Jigba has that as
evidenced by that that first completion the second play of.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
The game the other night.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
That that that what some people call the big box fade,
which is what's what's a big box fade fade route
has been through the years, typically a route you say, well,
the widest receiver, the guy closest to the sideline, what
defense is called number one, uh, because they count from
outside in you run the fade. It's a it's a
more difficult throw up the sideline. About ten fifteen years
(11:59):
ago they started using this term the big box fade,
where you're running slot fades where the guy from the
slot not just going up the field, but gaining with
at almost a forty five degree angle. That's what Jackson
Smith and Jigba did on the second play of the
game the other night. And he was going against a
defender who who would be coached to jump outside leverage
(12:21):
because of the fact that he's covering a slot receiver,
so he would be coached to jump to the outside
and funnel the ball to the free safety and play
what's called the low shoulder, the under shallow and to
the outside, being ready to undercut an incut but in
a in a leveraged position on any outbreaking route. So
(12:41):
Jack Smith and jig but knowing that this guy is
coached not to allow him to get outside release, he
goes up, attacks his inside shoulder, does a stutter and
then in fact gets the outside release. And he does
it like that and with minimal hand contact, and it's
just a beautiful way of technique.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
He gets the outside shoulder.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
Now the defenders coach, don't play the ball because you're
out of phase.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
You're behind him, and play the man through the ball.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
That's how the defenders coach in Jigbo's aware of that,
and so he does a late hands, beautiful catch. Just
an extraordinary level of sophistication and prowess all displayed on
one play and he showed it on Ryan Grubbs's official
first completion as the coordinator for the Seahawks.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
It's beautiful football.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
And so yes, this guy's ready to do it, and
I'll be stocked shocked if he doesn't.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
The late hands is something that Smith and Jigg is
really good at. You're right, yeah, Hugh Mellan. What would
you do at quarterback beyond this year? We know it's
Gino Smith as the starter. Both Gino Smith and Sam
How's contracts end after twenty twenty five. Where do you
see it? What would you do from what you've seen
so far in twenty twenty five?
Speaker 3 (13:53):
Well, from everything I've studied all of Sam Howe. I
looked at the entire innerset real that he had. I
looked at a lot of games, so I looked at
a lot of him at the Commanders. I've of course
studied the coach's tape of every snap of this preseason.
I've seen him in practice. In my opinion, and please
allow me the right to change my mind, of course,
(14:16):
as new evidence comes in. If I had to say
right now and bet, I do not believe he's the
quarterback of the future for the Seahawks. I think that
he's about a middle of the road back up. I
think that they're you know, his size. It's okay to
be six foot, you know, barely over six foot, but
there has to be a relationship between the size and
(14:38):
the athleticism. You saw a couple scrambles that he had
over by the sideline that looked really clunky, you know,
just you know, there was an opportunity to get some yards.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
He just doesn't have the speed.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
And now it's second and nine, and you know second
and nine is a problem, right, And so the reason
there's a correlation between the guy's height and his athleticism
is because his height is gonna determine that he's not
gonna be able to see and so he's gonna have
to create more plays off. I don't think he has
the athletics to do that. I thought there was a
lot of heel clicking. And when I do voice recognition
(15:12):
in my notes, my my, I'm I've had my system
that if I say the word dorothy, one word it's dorothy,
Dorothy means we're climbing up into the pocket and we
are heel clicking. And that is not the modern way
to quarterback. You know, you look at Genos, his bases
wide and when he is going from right to left
(15:33):
in his progressions, he doesn't gain ground into the pocket.
He stands still, and then he's got enough power to
generate from a relatively stable stance, wide wide base, and
then his left foot goes with a small step and and.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
Then he and he can drive the football.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
What what we see from how is is when he
can't see, he's he's going Dorothy, he's click, he's ankle clicking,
He's he's gaining ground up into the pocket. He walked
into two sacks the other night where if you like,
he had one where his right foot got to the
one and a half yard line. This is backed up,
and then he climbed up in the pocket and he
gets sacked at the six.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Well, if he'd has stayed.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
Back around the one and a half or two even
three yard line and he scans over, he had bobo
open on a crew route to his left going through
his progression. But his instinct and we saw the record
number of sacks he had with the Commanders last year,
but his instincts started to climb the pocket. Well, at
six foot, that's going to be a problem. So all
(16:33):
of his his pocket presence leads me to really question
whether this guy can be considered a solid starter, because really,
I think there's only fifteen guys on the planet that
are Because if you're not in the top fifteen or sixteen.
Your club is looking to replace you as a starter.
(16:56):
So do I think he's in the top fifteen quarterbacks
in all of football? I don't think that he'll ever
be that so, and I would welcome to be wrong,
because you've expended little to acquire him.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
And so let's hope I'm wrong.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
Let's hope that well, you know, I hope he doesn't play,
because I hope Gino plays. But you know, you know,
but at some point, if he is this the quarterback
for the future for Seattle, great, I just don't see
signs of that yet.
Speaker 1 (17:23):
I've noticed he taps the ball before he throws it
as a hitch type of thing. Is that something that
would concern you mechanically?
Speaker 3 (17:30):
Well, the only problem with that, if you say it is,
and some coaches will say that it is, is that
John Elway had a very aggressive tap. Dan Marino had
a tap. And I remember watching a tape It's beautiful. Well,
Bill Walsh watching Dan Marino got me. So he's going
(17:51):
with the clicker, the video clicker, back forth, back forth,
and I remember when he's watching it, Marino's throwing this
go route up to I think my memory, even it
was against the Redskins, not that it matters, but my
memory is very clear of Bill Walsh, a video of
Bill Wah watching a video of Dan Marino and at
the and I played with the Dolphins under Damn Marino,
(18:13):
so right, so he would his hands would separate. What
you have to do, Greg, Yeah, others would say always
keep two hands on the ball. But some of the
best quarterbacks have that pat. The The thing that you
have to do is that use the pat for you
to kind of like a pump fake, like you look
off a receiver. Like let's let's say I got four
verticals and I want to hit the seam to my left,
(18:35):
and so I know I'm gonna go to the left.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
I'm gonna keep keep my eyes on the right.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
I'm gonna look at the free safety first act like
I'm trying to hold him. Then I'm gonna come a
little bit early over to the seam on my right.
Now because I'm a patter, I'm gonna pat the ball
and my hands are separating, which which to the defense
They've triggered like, okay, when his hands separate, then now
drive on the ball. But I use a pat, a
(19:00):
fake pat now I come back and I try and
smoke the seam to my left. So it's used kind
of like a pump. So I can use it against
the defense. Like you want to jump my pat, I'll
use it as a tool against you.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
Right.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
So, because some of the very best quarterbacks in football, uh,
you know, overtly and distinctly use a pat, it's hard
for me to just say you can't do it.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
Have you had coaches tell you that that's no? No, no, okay,
no no. I think you know.
Speaker 3 (19:28):
It's it's kind of like a forward press for a golfer,
you know, in a putting stroke. You know, for some guys,
it's just how it gets it gets you moving. Certainly
it was the case with l Way, and so I
think you just are aware of how it could be
a detriment to you and then use it as an
asset for yourself.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
Hugh Mellen as always the best.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
Thank you our quarterback ninety three point three KJRFM. He's
agreeing to do this every Wednesday, on top of the
ninety five other appearances you have during a week, So
I appreciate that.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
It's all good. Always great to be with you. Thanks
so much, Thank you, wh
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