flgreen Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 Jets summer Q&A with offensive lineman Vlad Ducasse Published: Tuesday, June 26, 2012, 10:00 AM By Jenny Vrentas/The Star-Ledger Follow Email Print John Munson/The Star-LedgerVlad Ducasse (center) considers his third year a make-or-break year for him. Today we'll visit with another player who considers this a make-or-break season for him: Offensive lineman Vlad Ducasse. Like Joe McKnight, Ducasse is entering his third pro season, and the 2010 second-round pick is still looking to make his mark. He's worked at both right tackle and left guard this offseason, and has drawn praise from the coaches for the strides he's made in his first full offseason with the team. Coach Rex Ryan has said you are a different player. Do you feel like a different player? With the new scheme and everything, the new coaching, the new offensive style that Coach (Tony) Sparano and Coach Gug (Dave DeGuglielmo) came in with, everything just seemed like it fit in. I fit in to everything a lot better than last year and the year before. Everything is more simple. You get on the line, you hear the call, and you are ready to go. So it is not like you get on the line, and you’re trying to put two and two together. And once you know what you’re doing out there, the next step is everything kind of flows by itself. What are your personal goals for the season? Hopefully I get way more playing time than I did last year. That’s the ultimate goal, every year: just get more playing time, just get in there, get in the mix of playing time. What is the biggest thing you have learned this offseason? Coming into this offseason, my work ethic got way better. I was always working hard. But like with the whole lockout last year, I was working, but I didn’t have somebody to coach me through it. This year is way better. The coaches are here, and I get to work one-on-one with our strength coach, and Coach Gug is there. We’ve got OTAs, all that stuff going on. So all those things, they’re just going to help me realize where I need to be at. Have you changed your weight? I’m about the same, 330, I was at last year. But I’ve been focusing on more footwork and core strength. Because I am already strong, we focused on strength, but we focused on the little things like technique. It’s not just lifting a weight, use certain muscles to get it done. What are your plans for the summer? I see myself just working and watching film, that’s pretty much it. I live around here, and I have to be here -- personally, for me, I think I have to be here just to be around, watching film on my own and still working with (strength and conditioning coach) Bill (Hughan). Is this a make-or-break year for you? That’s how I see it. That’s what I see it as. This is my third year, and I put a lot of pressure on myself that I have to do better than last year. I can’t go into this year expecting, "You know what, I’m going to do the same thing I did last year." I have to get better, and they’re expecting me to be better, and I put a lot of pressure on myself to take that next step. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted June 26, 2012 Author Share Posted June 26, 2012 Don't know how he's going to play, but he sure looks the part. That's one mean looking dude Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SenorGato Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 Vlad DuBUSTe more like it. Didn't even set his goal at taking someone's job and he's clearly scared (calling this a make or break year). If not for every other pick he would be Tannenbaum's worst sin against the Jets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SenorGato Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 Ugh and making excuses with the lockout. So working with the coaches suddenly means something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Jets fan Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 Sounds like he is just dumb as a stump. one big basterd though, would love for him to work out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted June 26, 2012 Author Share Posted June 26, 2012 Sounds like he is just dumb as a stump. one big basterd though, would love for him to work out. That does seem like the problem. It certainly isn't his size or athleticism. Sometimes the light goes on for those guys in time. Sometimes not. Hope it does for him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whodeawhodat Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 VLAD, how fvcking stupid are you that you cant play the guard position on the offensive line? Huh, what? I am supposed to play guard? I been reading the tackle responsibilities...please come back and interview me in 2 years.... Seriously though, he was drafted as a developement project. I hope that with an offseason he will contribute, I hope.... Edit: when commenting on others intelligence, one should actually spell correctly... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faba Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 Maybe he can step it up and contribute- not counting on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Il Mostro Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 Baby Huey in cleats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted June 26, 2012 Author Share Posted June 26, 2012 I know I am in a very small minority here, but I thought on very limited snaps, as a blocking TE, last year he did a pretty good job. I think he is going to get quite a few more snaps as a back up guard, and the starting blocking TE. The rap on that is when he is on the field as a TE everyone knows the ball isn't going to be thrown to him. In 2011 Mulligan caught 5 balls for 58 yards. One of which was thrown by Kerley for 41 yards. In 2010 Hartsock, who was the starting blocking TE at the time, and quite a few people wish we never got rid of, caught 1 ball for 7 yards. I think maybe Vlad can catch 1 ball when nobody bothers to cover him. I honestly think he is going to be used in that role this year, and it's a good one for him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slats Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 Vlad's comments about the lockout are valid. The man was drafted to be a project, and then no one was available to work with him last year. Of course he fell behind. I dont think there's a player on the Jets who was hurt more by the lockout than Vlad. The fact that they have him working at LG, RT, and jumbo TE is a lot on his plate, too. Sounds like he understands Coach Gug a lot better than he did the previous regime. If he understands what's going on, that should enable him to play up to the speed he's capable of playing. Once he's not thinking too much, I still think he can be a good player. Maybe a very good one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flgreen Posted June 26, 2012 Author Share Posted June 26, 2012 Vlad's comments about the lockout are valid. The man was drafted to be a project, and then no one was available to work with him last year. Of course he fell behind. I dont think there's a player on the Jets who was hurt more by the lockout than Vlad. The fact that they have him working at LG, RT, and jumbo TE is a lot on his plate, too. Sounds like he understands Coach Gug a lot better than he did the previous regime. If he understands what's going on, that should enable him to play up to the speed he's capable of playing. Once he's not thinking too much, I still think he can be a good player. Maybe a very good one. Maybe Guge speaks Creole? Actually I agree with you. It is possible this kid is going to be around the league a long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#27TheDominator Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Sounds like he is just dumb as a stump. one big basterd though, would love for him to work out. If he is just dumb than this system will suit him much better. Should be more man blocking, less zone and simpler responsibilities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Integrity28 Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Vlad's comments about the lockout are valid. The man was drafted to be a project, and then no one was available to work with him last year. Of course he fell behind. I dont think there's a player on the Jets who was hurt more by the lockout than Vlad. The fact that they have him working at LG, RT, and jumbo TE is a lot on his plate, too. Sounds like he understands Coach Gug a lot better than he did the previous regime. If he understands what's going on, that should enable him to play up to the speed he's capable of playing. Once he's not thinking too much, I still think he can be a good player. Maybe a very good one. This. Damn dude, you are too rational for posting about football, just come back to mafia. Dan just came back, fyi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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