It's a Ploy

The benching of Tony Ugoh for Charlie Johnson is a ploy. And it is going to be okay. But first let me say that I won't apologize for our reaction earlier today. To Colts fans who have been paying attention there truly is nothing more frightening than the possibility of Charlie Johnson starting at Left Tackle for 16 games. Peyton Manning: now with extra grass stains! I think our reaction (and the similar response from StampedeBlue) was appropriate. But we can relax. It is a ploy.

Can I prove it is a coaching ploy aimed at improving both players involved? No. For all we know Mudd and Caldwell got together and said, "For a guy from New Orleans and Tennessee, Peyton has way too many teeth. Let's fix that by starting Johnson at Left Tackle this season."

But after the initial emotional reaction of WTMFIGO... this move had an explanation. This decision was made many months ago. It was likely made in the early weeks of the Caldwell regime, and possibly earlier than that. Ugoh was not the line's biggest problem in 2008, but he has significant room for improvement in both run and pass blocking. The problem is there is no one on the roster who can push him for a job so Johnson will have to do. Some guys, including Ugoh apparently, need to be pushed. Remember that he inherited the LT job in 2007 without much of a fight.

I think Caldwell sees this competition, phony or not, as a necessary step for the line to make the badly needed jump. Call it politics, call it mind games... I don't love it, but hopefully this ends with Ugoh playing the best ball of his young career. Remember that Ugoh and Johnson were likely told of this scenario many months ago. Chances are Ugoh has spent the whole offseason with a chip on his shoulder. Did he take the rebuke to heart? We're about to find out.

On a side note: DZ observantly isolated out this odd comment from Chris Mortensen the other day. Which leaves me wondering what Mort knew about this situation and how he knew it. Until today we certainly haven't noticed anything that would indicate the Indy coaches (or anyone else) believed in CJ's ability to challenge Ugoh for the LT spot.

This was the biggest moment of the Colts camp. And, ultimately, I'm just glad something finally happened worth talking about. 2009 is almost here.

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Okay, you're selling, I'm buying
written by smonroe, August 10, 2009

You guys are usually spot on with your views (especially when I agree with you) so I'll buy your scenario. It makes a lot more sense than somehow annointing CJ based on off season workouts.

Competition is always good.

Thanks for writing this Demond.
written by Cass, August 10, 2009

It calms me dowsn quite a bit.

(as I mumble to myself, "This has got to be the reason, This has got to be the reason, This has got to be the reason, This has got to be the reason, This has got to be the reason, This has got to be the reason, This has got to be the reason.......)

Whew
written by Bob M, August 10, 2009

I've been saying it here and at SB, but it is reasuring when someone with more focus and info than I have comes to the same conclusion.

That Mort quote was interesting--how many bloggers pulled that out???? Kravitz, maybe? Oh, he's not a blogger, my mistake.

Ugoh might be (searching for the right term here...) "mentally lazy." What I mean is the type of person who drives at 55 MPH in a 60 zone in the middle lane of the highway. When someone passes him, he speeds up to 60, 62, 65 unconsciously, and with a car ahead of him, he might tailgate at 65, but without a clear benchmark, he'll drift along at whatever speed his foot decides. Not sure I want that guy protecting 18 in his golden years... unless the coahces keep him focused. Which is what I see this as being. Part "real competition" but a greater part "motivation."

(and I won't even comment on the kind of un-Caldwellian language I reserve for those guys on the highway, because I am an impatient and foul-mouthed sort.)

And I do think all those folks claiming we should never have drafted him are forgetting a stellar 13-3 season we had with TU at LT. You can't just throw away those wins and a healthy QB because they already happened and nobody was griping about TU that season. (We tended to focus on him being a better run blocker than pass blocker, but it was a mere quibble at the time.) If someone truly believes we should not have picked him in 2007, then they are willing to take a monkey wrench to 18's elbow and erase six wins (because CJ would have been manning that spot for a whole season). Any takers? I thought not.

I won;t go so far as to say "all is well" like the cop in Animal House, but I don't think things are quite as bad as they seem. Here, have some blue kool aid, it's good.....

Do you guys do your
written by Cass, August 11, 2009

"Eyes in the Backfield" series for preseason games, or do you just do it for regular season/playoff games?

...
written by DZ, August 11, 2009

Eyes is a regular season feature only. I love it, but it's a ton of work.

You're probably right, but...
written by Doug England, August 11, 2009

After a night of thinking about this... I'm still sick. But I have come to terms with why I am sick... and it is because I feel you are probably right about this being a ploy. Even though obviously none of us are at practice or position meetings, we all know that regardless of how big a flake he is, Ugoh is by far the best tackle on the current roster.
(Not that that makes him All-Pro, but simply the best the Colts have.)

So this has to be a ploy. And that is really what makes me sick. Whose ploy is it? This just does not have the feel of something that Coach Dungy would have done. This is like a high school gimmick. This is like something (I feel vomit coming uo in my throat) that Jack Del Rio would do.

It is actually straight from Dungy's playbook
written by BP, August 11, 2009

I'm not sold on the wisdom of this ploy - if that is indeed what it is. But it can't be characterized as a departure from the Dungy regime. Just last year, TU was benched for a couple of games while CJ started at left tackle. He was injured in the first half of the season, but even when he came off the injury list, started practicing fully, and even played as a backup, he did not return as the starter right away. I can remember having the same debate last year: http://www.18to88.com/2008-arc..._eyes.html

...
written by Guy, August 11, 2009

Now this is the blog we should have read yesterday. The knee-jerk "this sucks and the season is over" is not the sort of analysis I want to see. Bob: love the analogy. Apparently Ugoh drives through my town on a regular basis. I don't apologize for flipping him off.

Something else that could be in the mix: They may want to get CJ a little more practice at LT since he is so horrible at it. What better practice than facing Dwight Freeney on a daily basis, and what better time than when Manning has a red jersey on. If you can send Ugoh a message at the same time... well, two birds with one stone.

While the season is almost here, it isn't here yet. So much can change in a month (or 1 day for that matter), regardless of what the coach says.

...
written by DZ, August 11, 2009

in fairness, we did post this yesterday as well. I stand by what I said, there is limit to what this team can accomplish if Charlie Johnson plays heavily at tackle. A good team will abuse him (like New England did in '07 or Mario Williams last year)

Wishful thinking
written by Westside-Rob, August 11, 2009

Maybe it's a ploy but ultimately it's still a HUGE indictment of TU. Either way you have to figure that LT is clearly a weakspot in the O-line, and unless the rest really step up from last year we can expect our offense to not reach it's full potential.

Having said that I think our defense has the potential to truly rise to it's highest level. Even above some of the standout years of the last few. It's now a seasoned, deep, and talented squad. With playmakers at the right spots. If the defense stays relatively healthy (and we have a margin for injuries at every position but maybe DE) this team should still win 12+ games. How deep they can go in the playoffs is much less clear. Much of it will depend on how well they can run the ball with CJ or TU or someone else playing LT.

i'm not giving up on the season, but...
written by Doug England, August 11, 2009

I know left tackles don't grow on trees, but if the Colts were so concerned with Ugoh, why wasn't this addressed in the off season? Tre Thomas signed with the Jags, and if they ever get their first round pick signed, he will probably be a back-up. The Colts are shooting for a Super Bowl THIS year, and certainly Thomas would be an adequate one year fix.

Since the Offensive Tackle position was not addressed at all, I keep coming back to this must be something else. What I read about Ugoh, is not so much about his play, but his temprement. So what if the dude is quiet? (And didn't the Colts talk to him before they drafted him? They had to know what kind of personality they were getting.)

And yes, apparently last year there was a couple of games that Ugoh was healthy, but did not play. But that was done with little public fanfare. This just comes across to me as some cheap motivational ploy... that is unworthy of competent professional coaches and players. (And I hope like hell I am wrong about this.)

LMFAO
written by ColtsHeadBen, August 11, 2009

"For a guy from New Orleans and Tennessee, Peyton has way too many teeth. Let's fix that by starting Johnson at Left Tackle this season."

Best line of the offseason.

Got to keep your sense of humor
written by Doug England, August 11, 2009

Despite my anxiety at the Ugoh situation, I would also like to agree that this was a great post and the "Peyton has way too many teeth..." line was classic.

Too Many Teeth
written by Bob M, August 11, 2009

Yes, that was excellent.

Doug is right, this does have a whiff of Jack Del Rio about it, no? All we need is a chopping block and a razor sharp ax in the locker room. Oh, and maybe some motivational sayings taped to the wall. Like the one with the kitty clinging to the branch....

the more I read..
written by Westside-Rob, August 11, 2009

the less I think this is a ploy. I think that if Lilja was healthy last year, CJ might have stayed the starter at LT. I suspect they moved TU back into LT when the rookies couldn't cut it covering the guard positions...