The University of Oregon offensive line recently participated in a Zoom meeting. Former Ducks offensive lineman Geoff Schwartz was invited to join, and the current UO lineman had a chance to ask questions to a guy who played eight NFL seasons.
Penei Sewell had questions, of course.
I’m told he usually does.
But what’s surprised me, and some others, is that Sewell also has some critics. In fact, when I told Oregon coach Mario Cristobal about a recent discussion about it he said, “Critics? Last I checked, he’s projected No. 2 overall."
Cristobal was talking about the 2021 NFL Draft.
I realized some point early last season that Cristobal isn’t wired like most football coaches. I told anyone who would listen that Oregon’s coach might be thrilled, for example, if one of his players won the Heisman Trophy. But he’d be even more jazzed about a Ducks’ offensive lineman bringing home the Outland Trophy.
By the end of the season, most of us knew Sewell was going to win the award annually given to the best interior lineman in the country.
“The No. 1 thing,” Schwartz told me after that virtual meeting, "he wants to be better. He wants to be great.”
Schwartz is also huge fan of Sewell. He’s studied film and marveled at how he runs off the ball when run blocking and how good Sewell is at using his hips, “and knowing when to extend his hips to get power through a run block or even a pass block.”
Which is why Schwartz was also baffled when he heard some people whispering about Sewell maybe being over-hyped. After all, he had the highest graded season (95.5) for a player at his position in Pro Football Focus history. But to be certain, Schwartz went back and watched film of Sewell’s performances in a few key games, including the Rose Bowl where he lined up against Wisconsin’s Zack Baun.
Baun, drafted No. 74 overall by the Saints, had 12.5 sacks last season. He also had 19.5 tackles for a loss. But in the Rose Bowl against Oregon, Baun was quiet.
No sacks.
Not a single tackle for a loss.
He did have five total tackles, two of them unassisted. But it marked only the second time all season in a game that the speed-rushing Baun didn’t either record a sack or a tackle for a loss.
Still Schwartz pored over replays of every play, trying to find a weakness, or any explanation for anyone possibly being critical of Sewell. Finally, all the former NFL lineman was left with was that Oregon’s star offensive lineman appeared to be feeling out Baun on the very first drop-back pass protection of the game.
It appeared Sewell took one play to carefully gauge Baun’s athleticism.
Schwartz said, "He was perfect after that.”
I took that question to Cristobal, too. I asked him what he made of players in general being nitpicked over the last couple of months. Quarterback Justin Herbert’s leadership was called into question. Linebacker Troy Dye’s desire to play became a talking point after he was drafted, despite playing hurt on multiple occasions. It feels like, without NBA, NHL and MLB games, the pundits have made sport of looking for any hint of defects in most of the prospects.
On Herbert, in particular, Cristobal said, “I think sometimes people mistake noise for leadership."
But what about Sewell?
I put Oregon’s left tackle third on my Heisman ballot last year. I wasn’t alone. Bruce Feldman of The Athletic gave Sewell his No. 2 vote. Why not? Sewell was easily Oregon’s most dominant player. More impactful than even Herbert over the course of a Pac-12 title season. So gifted you can’t ignore him. But when you ask his closest ally, Cristobal, what makes Sewell great, he reels off bullet points.
“Powerful recoverability,” Cristobal said. Meaning, Sewell can get himself out of bad body and leverage positions and still win a block.
“Finishes nasty,” he said.
“Super football smart,” the coach added.
So what’s next for Sewell? Lead his team to the College Football Playoff? Go win the Outland Trophy twice? Because only one player in college football history has won the award more than once. Not Orlando Pace or Joe Thomas or Ndamukong Suh, either. They all won, then went to the NFL Draft. Only Nebraska’s Dave Rimington is a two-time Outland Trophy winner.
Sewell, who returns next season, could be next. He could also make a Heisman finalist push. No offensive lineman has finished in the top-10 since 2001 (Bryant McKinnie was eighth). And Orlando Pace finished fourth in 1996. Sewell could challenge both of those offensive lineman thresholds in his next season.
Cristobal said, “I’ve been lucky, had some great ones. He’s the best.”
One of the most interesting facets of this discussion lies in the possibilities at Oregon’s practices next season. Sewell will get to work across from a talented pass rusher, Kayvon Thibodeaux. The reps will be beneficial to both players, and also, give NFL scouts a chance to see them lined up across from each other.
Schwartz likes that Sewell wants to be better. In fact, that message became a talking point during that recent Oregon offensive lineman Zoom meeting he was invited to participate in. Sewell asked a couple of questions, and Schwartz stopped, and offered him some advice.
“Look dude,” Schwartz said to Sewell, “your deal is going to be complacency. Can you make sure that each and every week you bring it? Because it’s going to be boring for you.”
I asked Cristobal what he thought about that.
The coach shot back: “Not in his DNA or mine to get bored with kicking (expletive)!"
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May 04, 2020 at 01:35AM
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