‘THE CHOSEN ONE’ NEEDS HELP…
Grooming JaMarcus and avoiding the ‘Bust’ label
By Victor Cotto Raiderfans.net Staff Columnist
Raiders must surround starter JaMarcus Russell with stability and productive weapons
The ink on his left arm states that he is ‘the chosen one.’
But Oakland believes that JaMarcus Russell’s powerful right arm is what will define the franchise and bring the glory days back to the Raiders.
What steps does Oakland need to take to help Russell develop into the great passer they expect? And how do they avoid past situations, where organizations have failed to bring along quarterbacks with immense potential after investing a lot of time and money on such high draft selections?
In 2008, the Silver & Black will begin the grooming process and embark on their mission to maximize the skills that Russell possesses. Raiderfans.net will detail what will be needed in order to avoid the dreaded ‘bust’ label:
STABILITY ALONG THE SIDELINES
So far, Lane Kiffin has made the right decisions when handling Russell and his playing time. But keeping the head coach around - and/or staffers that have begun the process with Russell - maintaining some continuity as he learns a NFL playbook is imperative.
Instability along the staff will lead to bad results on the field. So giving Kiffin and his staffers full autonomy and possibly few years with the LSU product will only help build symmetry and cohesion. Young quarterbacks have a lot to digest – especially those that are expected to be saviors. By allowing him time to gain mastery of one playbook – directed by one head coach – can only increase the chance of positive growth for Russell in his first few seasons as a starter.
Changing coaches, introducing varying philosophies and altering what Russell has to soak in during the early stages of his development is not a good way to begin this era.
But with all the rumblings about Kiffin’s future, the relationships behind the scenes between coach and owner and possible instability – can this be an issue that will be hard to avoid?
PROVIDING PLAYMAKERS
Going into the off-season, Oakland was aware of the lack of pop and game breakers on offense. Great quarterbacks have ‘go to’ compliments at wide receiver. The Raiders do not have that yet for Russell. And adding as many playmakers around him should be a priority.
A big arm deserves a target that can get deep. And since Al Davis has always enjoyed the vertical game, I’ll be surprised if they don’t provide Russell a receiver who can stretch the field. Zach Miller was a solid draft selection in 2007 and fans hope that no. 2 will connect with no. 80 for years to come. But Miller and Ronald Curry are the lone weapons to his disposal that appear to have any significant influence on this offense; and neither is going to help show-off Russell’s best attributes. With Bernard Berrian off the market, and a weak class at receiver, Oakland has some work to do to add talent to a very weak receiving corps.
A QB’S BEST FRIEND IS…
A Running game! One of Kiffin’s priorities during his inaugural season was to establish a consistent ground game. Oakland had the 6th ranked rush attack in 2007 and surprised many fans with their commitment to run the football.
If the Raiders can continue to run effectively while Russell is under center, it will lessen the burden he may feel to move the ball down the field. If Oakland cannot move the chains on the ground, depending solely on Russell’s passing ability could spell trouble. Especially since the Raiders ranked 31st in the league last season with a sputtering passing attack.
Give Russell the opportunity to play-fake and find his targets down the field. Slow down opponents’ pass rush with ground game that keeps them off-balance. Force teams to defend all facets of Kiffin’s offense. A running game will keep Russell out of many tough scenarios on the football field. And Oakland has made strides to keep the continuity there with the signing of Justin Fargas.
KEEPING RUSSELL UPRIGHT
After the 72-sack debacle in 2006, the Raiders made many changes to the offensive line and cut that number down to 41. The productive quarterbacks are usually the passers that have clean jerseys at the end of a contest and stay upright the majority of the season.
Russell’s size and mobility will help him avoid many sacks. But the first line of defense will have to give him time to locate his targets down the field. Oakland must protect their $60 million investment with talent in the trenches and reliable players along the offensive line.
Experiments at both tackle spots are no longer alternatives. Giving Russell a clean pocket and keeping defenders off of him are the main objectives. If not, Russell could become impatient, and the lack of protection could just facilitate unnecessary mistakes that can hurt the development of a young quarterback. Barry Sims will move on, so finding a left tackle is imperative.
OUTLOOK:
David Carr was never surrounded with adequate talent and faltered in Houston after being selected no. 1 overall in the 2002 draft. Akili Smith was stuck on a roster with dreadful talent, experienced miserable coaching decisions and had poor performances himself, failing to live up to the high expectations in Cincinnati after being taken 3rd overall in the 1999 draft. Rick Mirer had to digest three varying schemes in his first five seasons and failed to turn the lofty praise he earned to success at the pro level after being chosen 2nd overall in the 1993 draft. And after a holdout, Heath Shuler alienated fans, was never able to bounce back from injuries and failed when given any opportunity in the NFL. How Russell’s mechanics improve, his desire, ability to dissect defensive schemes, become a leader and handle the immense expectations on a team that has only won 19-games in 5-campaigns are all variables that could influence his future. What Oakland can provide for him above are also key components. If the Raiders cannot accomplish what has been talked about in this summary, it could only make life harder for a fan-base looking to pin their hopes on their ‘franchise’ quarterback.