Colts bench LT Tony Ugoh

Matthew Jones · 08-10-2009, 08:20 PM

Charlie Johnson is the new starter:

http://blogs.indystar.com/philb/2009...ing_at_lt.html

Quote:

Colts coach Jim Caldwell made it clear this wasn't a one day experiment. He said Johnson is his starter.

Wow. Very surprising. It looks like Ugoh is headed towards the "bust" column. He's not starting anywhere on the line as of now.

vidae · 08-10-2009, 08:23 PM

I wouldn't call Ugoh a bust but this is surprising. Ugoh could be that 6th man rotational guy who could be plugged in anywhere on that line when someone goes down. That guy is valuable, but I'm really surprised he's not starting.

bigbluedefense · 08-10-2009, 08:24 PM

he looked so promising his rookie year too...

that has to stink for the Colts.

I just don't see it with the Colts this year.

Paul · 08-10-2009, 08:29 PM

Yeah, from the outside looking in, I always thought Ugoh was kicking ass in Indy.

Vox Populi · 08-10-2009, 08:31 PM

Yeah, he replaced Tarik Glenn really well his rookie year. I guess that injury last year must have really messed him up somehow. This also could have more to do with Johnson being a stud that we haven't seen yet, but I guess we won't find out for another couple of months.

Geo · 08-10-2009, 08:38 PM

Ugoh will start the season at LT, I still believe.

Nalej · 08-10-2009, 09:20 PM

The new staff is putting their stamp on things

OzTitan · 08-10-2009, 09:24 PM

Could be saying more good about Johnson than bad about Ugoh.

Caddy · 08-10-2009, 09:53 PM

I admit I didn't see much of the Colts last season, but it's hard to imagine him as anything but a starter. He played so well as a rookie. What happened last year?

Smooth Criminal · 08-10-2009, 10:02 PM

He can start for the Steelers any day.

falloutboy14 · 08-10-2009, 10:15 PM

Johnson has been the 6th man on the line since his rookie year. A minor anecdote about him: during the '06 Super Bowl (his rookie year), the normal RT was injured in the 2nd quarter & Johnson took his spot. Peyton has said that he didn't notice Johnson had been in the until the 4th quarter. He was looking around the huddle and had a "When'd you get here?" moment.

Can't guarantee it's true, but it's a rather comical situation. He managed against ... Mark Anderson I think would be the Bears LE or is it Ogunleye? Both are solid but not great pass-rushers, and that was 3 years ago now, so I imagine he's improved They play the Vikings Friday, so we'll find out against Jared Allen.

Hope they stick a RB over there, since Jared's got a tendency to dive into QB's knees ...:( Man that would suck.

As far as Ugoh, he got hit with the injury bug about some of last year. He was also benched for a game I believe. I'm wondering if his heart was called into question by the coaching staff (like he wasn't playing through an injury, which the coaches thought he should have) & Tony forgave him after the game, while Caldwell didn't. It's worth mentioning that Johnson came off the PUP list today, so this could have been a long time coming. Of course that's just me wondering. It could be a motivation thing, or just one of those "Every position on the team is open for competition" things.

Dam8610 · 08-10-2009, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geo

Ugoh will start the season at LT, I still believe.

Of course he will, they're just trying to get him motivated to improve. He has the talent to be elite, but apparently he's not giving the effort the coaching staff feels he should.

Dam8610 · 08-10-2009, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OzTitan

Could be saying more good about Johnson than bad about Ugoh.

It's not. Charlie Johnson is a terrible LT. He's a great backup OL, and could possibly even succeed Diem at RT, but he's not an NFL caliber LT. What it's saying is the coaching staff is trying to send a message to Ugoh that he needs to put in more effort or something.

CC.SD · 08-10-2009, 11:34 PM

Obvious motivation play is obvious.

TitanHope · 08-11-2009, 12:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dam8610

It's not. Charlie Johnson is a terrible LT. He's a great backup OL, and could possibly even succeed Diem at RT, but he's not an NFL caliber LT. What it's saying is the coaching staff is trying to send a message to Ugoh that he needs to put in more effort or something.

Count me as plus one on the motivation bandwagon.

I could believe this was genuine...if only it wasn't Charlie Johnson deseating Ugoh. Nothing against Johnson. LT just isn't exactly his best position.

MasterShake · 08-11-2009, 12:14 PM

What a surprise.................

Or maybe it was just Mannings quick release that made him look better than he really is...like many people have been saying for a long time...

Staubach12 · 08-11-2009, 01:01 PM

Hell, I'll take him in Dallas. He's better than Doug Free as a future at LT.

xooberon · 08-11-2009, 01:17 PM

never rated him, got good press because people thought his low sacks allowed numbers meant he was doing a great job. was a product of manning's quick release.

Geo · 08-11-2009, 01:34 PM

Peyton's quick release and pocket presence obviously makes everyone look better, but the guys in front of him aren't bums. They aren't world-beaters in run-blocking, certainly, but pass pro is their forte and they can be good. Peyton covers up the occassional mistakes.

Ugoh has nimble feet and long arms, has natural agility that can also be showcased in moving to the second level if he gets the chance. And whenever he's free he immediately aims to put a hit on a defender and help his back get more yards, one of things I really like about him.

I think he's underrated as a run defender, the problem is that the Colts (for whatever reason) just don't run enough behind him. They average their best yards per carry when they do, but they just don't do enough of it. I wish they would, once all this nonsense is over with.

All reports were that he was having a good camp so far, battling against the likes of Freeney and Mathis daily mind you, so this whole thing really strikes me as puzzling and frankly stupid.

But as I said earlier, I still refuse to believe that a healthy Tony Ugoh won't be starting at left tackle come the start of the regular season. And I wouldn't right him off, he's just entering his third year, plus my feeling is that he'll be with the Colts after 2010.

xooberon · 08-11-2009, 01:44 PM

Last year in only 12 starts he gave up 3 sacks, 11 QB hits and 29 pressures. You can't afford for your LT to give up almost a hit a game, gotta protect peyton.

Dam8610 · 08-11-2009, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xooberon

Last year in only 12 starts he gave up 3 sacks, 11 QB hits and 29 pressures. You can't afford for your LT to give up almost a hit a game, gotta protect peyton.

As opposed to the several hits per game Charlie Johnson would give up?

Addict · 08-11-2009, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dam8610

As opposed to the several hits per game Charlie Johnson would give up?

I don't know, lemme check my scouter...

it's... over 9000!!!!

Dam8610 · 08-11-2009, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Addict

I don't know, lemme check my scouter...

it's... over 9000!!!!

It wouldn't shock me.

Seamus2602 · 08-11-2009, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dam8610

As opposed to the several hits per game Charlie Johnson would give up?

As a total, over 16 games, Charlie Johnson gave up 11 QB hits (0.6875 per game), while in the 5 games he started at Left Tackle, he gave up 7 QB Hits (1.4 hits per game).

Dam8610 · 08-11-2009, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seamus2602

As a total, over 16 games, Charlie Johnson gave up 11 QB hits (0.6875 per game), while in the 5 games he started at Left Tackle, he gave up 7 QB Hits (1.4 hits per game).

1.4 vs. .9, who's better?