http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_football_dolphins/ Alright, every year I latch onto some long shot types trying to make the roster, sometimes that works well, see Cam Wake, sometimes it fails miserably, see Dimitri Tsoumpas, Ikaika Alama Francis was on my list this preseason simply because he has the tools a OLB/DE needs to succeed in Sparano's Miami. That does not mean the cat "will" win a starting role, or even play more than Q Moses did in 09, or even make the team, what it does mean is he is a player to watch because his skills if improved on the least, will produce the greatest "leap up". My other guys this year are: -Korey Sheets -Ryan Grice Mullen -Roberto Wallace What I have on IAF or I. Francis, or "Ike": http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/10103978 http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/2007/draft/players/20218.html Notice he shaved 9/10ths of second off his 40 time? For whatever reason, Grice-Mullens did as well at his UH pro day. Ex Lions HC Rod Marinelli bumped his weight up to the mid 280's: http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2009/05/scouting_report_ikaika_alamafr_1.html I can see what they were thinking, in Miami they went the opposite direction, lose weight, move to the edge and use that athleticism at OLB rather than as a undersized, tweener DT. http://cpedia.com/wiki?q=Alama-Francis&guess_ambig=Rod+Marinelli+Ikaika+Alama-Francis+Former+Lions+ But he was still considered a project, he did win some Starting time in Detroit, but lost it in the midst of a 0-16 season, in 09 he made it through Camp, but was released by the new staff as they had little interest in developing a project from the previous, woefully unsuccessful regime.
That stands out to me. Nice work, padre. Although, I wonder if we'll see Moses (or Anderson)starting tonight or tomorrow.
Well, Ike has run with the #1's and #2's on the Oline, sooner or later Misi, Anderson, Q, McCoy, will have the same opportunities to show what they can do. Especially Misi. I'd like to see him gain some time as a passrushing DE, as the same size speed ratio that makes him an intriguing OLB prospect is still there at DE. Wake/Grant/Odrick/Ike?
I think its intresting that the chiefs were considering drafting him as a TE prospect. I was hoping the fins would convert him there or the OLB position. With his basketball background I think he'd be a great addition to that position (think A. Gates and T. Gonzalez)especially considering the depth the Phins have at there now.
just a touch Deej, and it is mixed in with some DBess footage mashed up by some HI TV stations, they really follow their EX UofH players who make it to the NFL: at 2:00 or so: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LwqfJE9bM8"]YouTube- 10-19-Bess' first TD, Ikaika's first sack[/ame] [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qK7HOYIFMzY"]YouTube- Ikaika Alama-Francis Drafted[/ame] The plain fact is, he did not play very often in Detroit, mostly one season in 08, and maybe 300 snaps as a DT/DE. Just snippets of film, hard to say anything other than he does look like a smooth athlete, a fluid kind of athlete. Notice how, even in just a small segment of film, Ikaika "squats" and makes himself a bit smaller as he breaks through the LoS with forward body lean?
He's like Jason Allen. So physically gifted that he's going to stick around. But, when you watch him play, he's disappointing. At least, he was in 2008. He's a young player so he may get better.
No violence in his game, I've seen his athleticism, but I've yet to see him snap anyone back with just his inertia. Like Wake getting low on Joey Haynos and just jacking him up on the balls of his feet then shedding him, if Ike is to play the strongside, or even as a the nickel DE that we need to complete the nickel dline, he will have to show he can do some of that sort of thing.
Every year the coaches start out camp with some sort of experimentation project, and every year the media types go crazy speculating about how X,Y,Z is on the first team and could be a starter etc. I like his columns, but shame on Omar for giving life to this (non) story after two days training camp.
True, mostly, iirc, in 08 it was Vonnie Holiday who was first tried at SOLB, then Roth, then both, then Roth won the starting job. I will say, Ike has as good a shot at winning the SOLB job as anyone on the roster, basically Misi, Q, Anderson (maybe), McCoy, Walden, we are not talking about 5 yr vets coming off of a 15 sack seasons in competition with one another here. Have to say Misi should have the inside track, however they have shown -0- problem sitting high draft picks if someone else proves to be the better player.
Been waiting to see this, now Lexxy is one thing, Little Lou Polite is quite another, let Ike feel his oats until he get's the helmet in the stomach..
Well Ike got violent out there today. In 11-on-11's, he was coming hard off the edge and Lex Hilliard decided he was going to take him on up high. Those are two different body types out there, and Lex got the worst of it. Francis absolutely blasted him. You could hear the pop in the stands. Sent him flying onto his butt. I felt bad for Lex, as he was shaking the cobwebs out after that play. Best believe he will go low on that guy from now on. Ike then gets the sack in a real game. As far as coverage goes, he showed some good speed in the 10-15 yard area. But once the ball got in the air beyond that, we saw the TE pull away. Still impressive for a guy of that size to stay with a pass receiver that long. He's still running with the second team. And it doesn't look like he's giving them a reason to pull him out thus far.
That is what makes it a fun pursuit, without investing at least some concern what would be the point of following all of this Training Camp stuff? Watched the highlights on Aquavision, Ike is a big ol' dude..wow. http://www.miamidolphins.com/aquavision/video/training-camp-afternoon-practice-highlights-73110 At about 1:00 in, that is LB coach Sheridan working with Akaika Francis and he is head and most of his shoulders over Sheridan.
Just an FYI for you guys... Ikaika means "Warrior" in Hawaiian. When this warrior and RGM make the roster we'll have three from HI on the roster. Maybe they could reunite with Colt Brennan if Pat White washes out this year? and make it $ I'd be stoked over that!
Ikaika Alama Francis interview: http://www.miamidolphins.com/aquavision/video/coach-sparano-press-briefing-8110 Sheesh this dude just finished practicing in 90+ degree heat and he is still jacked up with excitement..damn...his enthusiasm is infectious..
Either they are desperate which means we're really going to need the ILBs and DEs to step up, or they found something that the Lions couldn't. I hope it's the latter!
Well, he really is not the same player that the Lions had, he is 15 pds lighter, maybe more, and he has had a yr to soak up what is expected of him. Eh, it was day 3, he played mostly with the 2's, I'd expect he will move back to the 3's, not as a demotion per se, simply to showcase what he can do against what should be lesser competition, if he does well he moves back to the 2's. And so on, Sparano and Co review film every evening on different players who have been asked to do things there way, the film is graded and that determines where they wind up. 8/7 the pads come on, it will be interesting to see what Ike does when full on contact is involved, I'd imagine he will shut down the run, passrushing and coverage is where he must shine..and he has looked decent in coverage so far but his problem in Detroit was he stayed glued to blocks he has to show them he has improved that portion of his game.
I also know this, it was while the Dolphins were scouting Ikaika that they got a woody for Satele, who I think was a consolation prize after the Lions took Ikaika
Ben Volin makes a good point that A tweener SLB/DL role player makes sense when you consider that the Jets used an OL as a TE for nearly 250 snaps and weaker teams typically feature blocking TEs.
He also has to play well on Special Teams, look at Ikaika in the same way Cameron Wake was looked at last season, Athletic Monster who washed out of the NFL for whatever reason, Wake had to not only show he could pressure the Qb, he had to show he could handle Special Teams duties. Now can he bend the corner or play DT and generate pressure? That is what I'll be looking for this preseason, it keeps preseason games interesting.
Padre. I think the team plans on keeping a large role-playing SLB with IAK and Moses competing for the roster spot. It's against Parcells' instincts to allow weaker teams to push the Dolphins around as Miami did 2 seasons ago with a 3rd string TE. With Nolan's past success with coaching up previous conversion projects and Sparano's expertise at identifying roster flexibility, the bar may be set quite low -- sort of like how Solai always had a slot due to his key role with goal line defense. Sparano's likely to gain roster flexibility if Solai becomes part of regular DL rotation, Haynos progresses as a pass-catcher, and CB's ability to play slot and boundary. This could result in extra DE being inactive, 3rd TE played by an OL, and fewer DBs. In the preseason, I would like to see if IAK and Moses contain the edge with power as Roth did; and use their length to cover the flat as Taylor did. Perhaps, an edge for IAK is his volleyball/basketball experience if it translates into good timing to get his hands on passes. Three of our pre-season games feature good running teams, which may provide a good scenario to see if run defense with IAK or Moses can bottle up the runners (they also have great TEs, which may expose such players while providing a good test for Misi). I would be happy if this role provided a thumper for 10 plays when offense is lined up with a power formation. This would be better solution than having to commit ILBs to run blitzes when trying to stop a team that's determined to run. Anything extra could be ordinary as IAK or Moses could provide a body along the line for punt/field goal units and fill in as an emergency DE if other DL are injured during a game.
