Ryan Sierra – OL – TJ Luchadores
A Rookies’ Assessment – DSFL S2 Preseason
It’s Sunday night and Ryan Sierra has just finished his 4th and final pre-season game of this, his rookie year. While sitting in an ice bath to help soothe his aches, pains, bumps and bruises, he begins to reflect on the day’s plays. Like a film session in the offensive lineman’s meeting room, Sierra’s mind replays series after series, play after play, to help him process his performance. Nobody is a bigger critic of Ryan, than himself. With the quarterback’s mind set, he visualizes the perfect protections and gaps to seal as if he was watching the game replay from the overhead cameras.
He keeps replaying one possession over and again. In this particular play, fellow rookie teammate, and quarterback, Isaac Brown made a great read of Sierra’s block, as Ryan pinched the defensive end in tight to the B gap, allowing Brown to get to the outside. Convinced Ike was going to take the easy 10-yard scamper, Sierra shucked his block and began to head downfield to block the next level. Apparently, Brown got spooked and cut back toward the pocket, instead of downfield where the play was. Luckily, from a statistical stand point, it wasn’t my guy who sacked Isaac, but it was still my quarterback who got smashed.
What could have Ryan done different to ensure his quarterback stays on his feet? How can he instill confidence in his young QB that he will be safe behind the left side block? The experience gained through this pre-season was priceless. The Luchadores going winless in their 4 preseason games is disappointing, but they learned more through adversity than good fortune. While combing through the stats of their 0-4 preseason run, two things prove true: first, statistical analysis never tells the whole story and two, we’re in every game we play.
The positive takes from this preseason, starting with our running back play. Rookie Sydney Spinelli was spectacular in his first preseason, collecting 485 yards on 106 carries, averaging 4.6 yards per carry and 4 touchdowns. If this was any indication of what the Luchadores have in store for the remainder of the season, the rock will be in great hands. The strength of this running game should take some of the pressure off Luchadores quarterback Isaac Brown.
Brown’s preseason left the Luchadores with sour taste in their mouths, but know his best football is ahead of him. It was rumored, Ike was dealing with somewhat of a minor hamstring injury, but should be ready to go full speed to start the regular season. Statistically, Brown was bad, completing 56/110 passes for a 51% completion rate and 591 yards, 4 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. Brown is a mobile quarterback and will be expected to utilize those attributes a bit more in the regular season, to help avoid pressure. Speaking of pressure, Isaac Brown was sacked 21 times over those 4 games.
To end on the bright note, with all the miscues of the dress rehearsals, Ryan Sierra still provides that beacon of hope. Sierra, through all the pressures and hurries of his quarterback Brown, he can sleep well knowing the blood, sweat, and tears of his training sessions are proving to be stability and rock of this offense. Of those 21 sacks by opposing defenses, not 1 sack was allowed by Sierra. Over those 4 games, Ryan lead all DSFL offensive lineman with 20 pancake blocks. Continuing his daily improvement, Sierra had 1 penalty in the first game, an illegal hand(s) to the face, and proceeded to play penalty free for the remainder of the preseason. The sky is the limit for Ryan Sierra, and as a leader of the young Tijuana Luchadores, he knows their success will hinge on their continued efforts for improvement on and off the field.
GRADED
A Rookies’ Assessment – DSFL S2 Preseason
It’s Sunday night and Ryan Sierra has just finished his 4th and final pre-season game of this, his rookie year. While sitting in an ice bath to help soothe his aches, pains, bumps and bruises, he begins to reflect on the day’s plays. Like a film session in the offensive lineman’s meeting room, Sierra’s mind replays series after series, play after play, to help him process his performance. Nobody is a bigger critic of Ryan, than himself. With the quarterback’s mind set, he visualizes the perfect protections and gaps to seal as if he was watching the game replay from the overhead cameras.
He keeps replaying one possession over and again. In this particular play, fellow rookie teammate, and quarterback, Isaac Brown made a great read of Sierra’s block, as Ryan pinched the defensive end in tight to the B gap, allowing Brown to get to the outside. Convinced Ike was going to take the easy 10-yard scamper, Sierra shucked his block and began to head downfield to block the next level. Apparently, Brown got spooked and cut back toward the pocket, instead of downfield where the play was. Luckily, from a statistical stand point, it wasn’t my guy who sacked Isaac, but it was still my quarterback who got smashed.
What could have Ryan done different to ensure his quarterback stays on his feet? How can he instill confidence in his young QB that he will be safe behind the left side block? The experience gained through this pre-season was priceless. The Luchadores going winless in their 4 preseason games is disappointing, but they learned more through adversity than good fortune. While combing through the stats of their 0-4 preseason run, two things prove true: first, statistical analysis never tells the whole story and two, we’re in every game we play.
The positive takes from this preseason, starting with our running back play. Rookie Sydney Spinelli was spectacular in his first preseason, collecting 485 yards on 106 carries, averaging 4.6 yards per carry and 4 touchdowns. If this was any indication of what the Luchadores have in store for the remainder of the season, the rock will be in great hands. The strength of this running game should take some of the pressure off Luchadores quarterback Isaac Brown.
Brown’s preseason left the Luchadores with sour taste in their mouths, but know his best football is ahead of him. It was rumored, Ike was dealing with somewhat of a minor hamstring injury, but should be ready to go full speed to start the regular season. Statistically, Brown was bad, completing 56/110 passes for a 51% completion rate and 591 yards, 4 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. Brown is a mobile quarterback and will be expected to utilize those attributes a bit more in the regular season, to help avoid pressure. Speaking of pressure, Isaac Brown was sacked 21 times over those 4 games.
To end on the bright note, with all the miscues of the dress rehearsals, Ryan Sierra still provides that beacon of hope. Sierra, through all the pressures and hurries of his quarterback Brown, he can sleep well knowing the blood, sweat, and tears of his training sessions are proving to be stability and rock of this offense. Of those 21 sacks by opposing defenses, not 1 sack was allowed by Sierra. Over those 4 games, Ryan lead all DSFL offensive lineman with 20 pancake blocks. Continuing his daily improvement, Sierra had 1 penalty in the first game, an illegal hand(s) to the face, and proceeded to play penalty free for the remainder of the preseason. The sky is the limit for Ryan Sierra, and as a leader of the young Tijuana Luchadores, he knows their success will hinge on their continued efforts for improvement on and off the field.
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GRADED