Avant: Timing, technique different with Kolb
Jason Avant was back out at practice Tuesday afternoon, lining up wherever the coaches needed him. Entering his fifth season, he's looking to get his timing down with new QB Kevin Kolb.
Avant: Timing, technique different with Kolb
Sheil Kapadia, Philly.com
At one point during Tuesday's practice, with no DeSean Jackson or Jeremy Maclin, Jason Avant lined up outside in a two-receiver set.
Later, he was in his usual spot in the slot.
He stayed in behind the left tackle to block during another play.
And even took a lateral before throwing downfield to Hank Baskett on a trick play.
When practice was over and players headed indoors, Avant spent time with special-teams coach Bobby April, getting reps as the holder on field goals, just in case he's ever called on to do that.
In the NFL, a lot of players say they'll do whatever the coaches ask them to do, and whatever it takes to win. Sometimes they mean it, sometimes they don't.
Avant has shown over the years he means it.
Coming off a year in which he set career highs in receptions (41), yards (587), yards per catch (14.3) and touchdowns (3), Avant said he's still got a lot to improve on this offseason.
"Just when I catch the ball, how to get my hip open quicker to get up the field," Avant told me after practice. "Most of my stuff is still looking at the ball, but after the catch stuff."
The after-the-catch stuff is an interesting theme. Before last season, Avant's highest yards per catch average was 11.8 in 2008. That jumped 2.5 yards in 2009.
And based on Avant's comments, he's looking for that number to increase this season as well. I asked him what the difference is between catching the ball from Donovan McNabb, as opposed to Kevin Kolb.
"Don kind of pushed it on your body a little bit more," Avant said. "Kevin is kind of out front, so when we used to get ready to settle down because we knew the ball was gonna be on our body, we gotta keep running because of Kevin. So it's timing that you have to get used to again."
Before some of you overreact, this was meant in no way to be a jab at McNabb. Avant was simply trying to explain to me the difference in timing and technique playing receiver for the two quarterbacks.
McNabb had a stronger arm than Kolb. He could afford to wait a little longer to get the ball out because he could still get it to his receivers. At times though, that meant the receiver not having the best chance to make a play afterwards.
It's something Kolb will have to prove he's capable of doing, but it seems clear that when he has success next season, it will likely be when he hits receivers in stride and allows them to pick up yards after the catch.
And finally, Avant was asked how good this group of Eagles receivers can be. I imagine that if you asked a coach how he'd want his player to answer such a question, he would pretty much use Avant's response as a blueprint.
"I don't like to comment how good can you be or potential. That stuff doesn't mean anything," he said. "It's about going out here, working, playing as hard as you can and just doing it consistently, day in and day out. It doesn't matter what we did last year. It doesn't matter what we did two years ago. This league is about what you do for me right now, and if we go out and prepare like that and have a humble mentality, and work harder than other people, rather than thinking we're better than other people, based on talent, we'll do fine."
You can check out some of Avant's comments from our video report.
I'll be back at Novacare today with more practice observations and another video so check back.
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I have liked Avant's potential since he came to the Eagles. A different QB might bring out the skills that the scouts and coaches found impressive enough to draft him.— PhillyFanSouth
Cannot wait to see #4 run this offense. The O-line needs to keep him upright.- YAC
- I know Avant was not trying to cause a problem, but he was also saying McNabb threw the ball behind receivers and they had to wait for balls. Kolb leads the receivers.— 76er
"...so when we used to get ready to settle down because we knew the ball was gonna be on our body, we gotta keep running because of Kevin. So it's timing that you have to get used to again." Shorter version: McNabb couldn't hit a moving target, but now with Kolb we don't have to cut off our routes.— tornadoh- tornadoh - you do realize that means right? I mean you seem like you know everything...well I'll help you in case you forgot. It means lots more INTs. So while you hated seeing those balls thrown behind WRs, preventing them from having large gains, you will see timing routes not working and INTs occuring. But, I am sure you understood that right?— EaglesBleedMoney
- Interesting to see how DeSean interprets Avant's comments in that last paragraph. I totally agree with Avant's thinking there.— Flock
- I was about to say the same thing, EaglesBleedMoney. I'm actually hopefuly for Kolb but when people talk about Don always throwing low/behind receivers - it may be frustrating at times but it's also why he hardly threw picks. There'll be times this year when we rave about Kolb being able to hit guys in stride (especially when Desean, Maclin, Celek et al can then do things after the catch), but there'll also be times when a simple timing pattern turns into a pick-6 (that Don wouldn't have thrown) goes wrong and it kills any chance of a comeback or lets a team back in the game.— jabostick
- I know that it means the offense just might work the way it is designed. I know that it means timing routes that never worked because McNabb couldnt/wouldn't get the ball out on time will now work better. I know that less interceptions do not mean more SuperBowl wins. I know that multiple SB winners Aikman and Elway, to name just 2 examples, threw significantly more interceptions than McNabb. I know that I don't know everything, I just know more than you do.— tornadoh
- Meanwhile, back home on the farm, DJAX is bouncing up and down in front of his mirror saying "show me the money"...— skipper22
- Here's how I interpret Avants comments: Don puts the ball right on the money, however, I will have to get used to chasing after cornerbacks when Kolb overthrows the ball ahead of me and puts it into the other teams hands.— lalaw9833
- Here's how I interpret Avants comments: Don puts the ball right on the money, however, I will have to get used to chasing after cornerbacks when Kolb overthrows the ball ahead of me and puts it into the other teams hands.— lalaw9833
- Here's how I interpret Avants comments: Don puts the ball right on the money, however, I will have to get used to chasing after cornerbacks when Kolb overthrows the ball ahead of me and puts it into the other teams hands.— lalaw9833
- Here's how I interpret Avants comments: Don puts the ball right on the money, however, I will have to get used to chasing after cornerbacks when Kolb overthrows the ball ahead of me and puts it into the other teams hands.— lalaw9833
- Here's how I interpret Avants comments: Don puts the ball right on the money, however, I will have to get used to chasing after cornerbacks when Kolb overthrows the ball ahead of me and puts it into the other teams hands.— lalaw9833
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