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DJ Williams: Paradigm Shift

"A thing cannot be both itself and something else, at the same time, and in the same respect."--Aristotle

The Right time, the Right Place

______________________________________________

In 2004 an interesting OLB prospect came into the draft as a senior out of Linebacker U. He was fast (4.48 40yd, faster than most WR), freakishly agile (11.4 in the 60yd shuttle, beating the benchmarks set for coverage safeties) and unbelievably explosive (38" vertical, higher than was expected out of CBs and WRs). DJ Williams entered the draft with teammate Jonathon Vilma as the top linebacking prospects, hands down.

Part of what set DJ apart was tremendous lower body strength, which gave him exceptional balance, heightened his agility and made him a powerful hitter. He was regarded as "instinctive in the gap", and a natural at reading his zone. In fact it was rare to find a dissenting opinion on his future greatness and potential. John Madden, who spoke at Williams High Scool team banquet remarked, "DJ is the only player I have ever seen who could go straight from highschool to the pro level." There was only one unanswered question in the minds of many scouts who watched DJ: "You will not see sixty minutes from him in any one game where he absolutely dominated," one NFL scouting director said. "But you see that he is still learning and progressing. You like to see that. I just wonder if he’ll ever be able to play up to his best all the time."

___________________________________________

Elsewhere, The Denver Broncos struggled with adversity at the linebacking position. Known for their elite speed in the linebacking corp, Mike Shanahan's Broncos saw that edifice crumble before them, just as a defensive line featuring Bertrand Berry and Trevor Pryce had begun to gel. Instead of entering the prime of a defensive front seven with furious speed and power, they found themselves saying goodbye to Berry who left in free agency to the Cardinals, making the Pro Bowl there, goodbye to OLB Ian Gold who followed a high-paying free agency contract to Tampa Bay, and goodby to John Mobley, who was forced into retirement early from a spinal injury sustained in 2003. Left with only the outstanding MLB Al Wilson and a shambles of a defensive line, the Broncos circled the wagons.

They quickly resigned the Nigerian, Patrick Chukwurah, who had failed to stick in Minnesota and Houston, and who had even been cut from Denver's own roster a year earlier. Beggars can't be choosers however, and Denver brought in the hybrid DE/OLB. They then turned their sights towards the draft, where they saw the next incarnation of their fast and powerful defensive philosophy fall to them at #17 in the first round as the decade's strongest QB class gobbled up the spots at the top of the board.

The freakishly fast and athletic DJ Williams was a Denver Bronco.

Star-divide

Not A Lot of Choices

When DJ arrived in Denver, they couldn't afford the luxury of developing the young player. They were simply out of options at LB, and needed DJ to produce immediately. In light of this, he was to take the very natural position of WLB, while Wilson maintained the MLB spot and Chukwurah/Spragan manned the SLB position. As HoosierTeacher explains, the "WILL" position was ideal for capitalizing on DJs raw skills early in his career:

ROLB (WILL, WLB)

The simplest position for a LB. The LB most likely to blitz (since he is on the blindside of most QB’s). He also plays zone on the side of the field least likely to see a run. Rarely in man coverage in most schemes. Often plays as one of the two LBs in a nickel formation since he is typically the fastest LB and is needed in case of the pass.

Man – Show Blitz

First, let’s understand what the Show Blitz system is. Under Coyer, the system is an attacking defense that strives to disrupt the passing game through deception and pressure, and the running game through more deception and either 1) gap control or 2) deep disruption. More on this in a moment. Unlike other applications that are more common, Coyer used his people in more man than zone.

The offense has to deal with choices, typically in two’s, on every play. One, does the defense bring a heavy blitz or not. To sell the "Show" the choice has to be all or nothing. No little blitzes, it’s "all or nothing". If the blitz comes it will be massive. If not, coverage will be excellent and anyone put in to pass block has been "wasted". When the other team tries to get out of the ugly cycle, the defense simply sends the entire defense up against the line of scrimmage to "show the blitz" (which is the most common visable feature of the defense and is the idea behind the name of the system, "showing the blitz").

On passes the offense is always guessing. Do they keep extra people back in pass protection (FB, RB, TE[s]) in anticipation of a devastating blitz, or do they send those people out on routes knowing they are going to be covered heavily? (In some instances, the rush is almost non-existent because even linemen may be pulled back into a zone on obvious pass plays, though this is uncommon).

On runs there are choices as well. Let’s confine our discussion to the OLBs since we are concerned with Williams. On blitzing plays (which are always heavy) one doesn’t want to ignore the danger of the RB slipping through. Thus, in blitzes the LBs each must have a different gap assignment to exploit. The LBs may either 1) penetrate the gap and disrupt the run in the backfield, or 2) failing to get penetration, keep his man occupied to allow another LB or DL to get through. A good OLB in this system must have speed, and the ability to stay on his feet when facing a run block while pass rushing. If he stays on his feet he can still stop the run.

On the run plays the LBs will stop the run by ensuring every gap is plugged and attempting to penetrate (backfield disruption), while the safeties watch for a back to slip through. OR, if no blitz is made, the LBs will play man (under Coyer’s application) . Here again, does a run play have to account for an overwhelming assault on the offensive line, or a DL switching between 1 and 2 gap assignments while each potential runner (RB or FB) is accounted for?

DJ at WILL in "man-Show blitz"

At WILL Williams has the speed to be an effective blitzer outside the LT. He goes around the LT, but if he gets wrapped up he must try to shake his blocker to the outside (preventing a wide run if the play is run, but allowing the DE penetration between the now occupied LT and the LG for a pass rush). On non-blitz plays, Williams will often stance to show a blitz, but will watch for a FB to sneak out weakside for a screen while going man (along with the MLB) on the RB.

A Stunning Debut

Williams started his career by being the first Broncos rookie in 6 years to start on opening day. And on that day he went on to lead the team in tackles, a sign of things to come. The next week saw him record the first sack of his NFL career. In October, Williams went on a streak, leading the team in tackles 4 out of 5 games, all the while contributing special teams tackles, including his first Monday Night game, where he contributed 8 tackles (all solo) 3 special teams stops and a defensed pass.

Rather than cooling off as the season entered the final stretch, DJ only got hotter, begining November with a game against Houston that saw him lead the team in tackles once again. The records will say he wasn't a starter on that day, but that is due to the vagaries of listing a nickel lineup as the base formation for the game. Don't be fooled. DJ wasn't even begining to slow down. After totaling 40 tackles, one sack, one interception, one forced fumble and four pass breakups in four December games, Williams was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month and became the first Bronco in franchise history to receive that award. He finished out the season winning ProFootballWeekly all-rookie award, finishing 3rd in defensive rookie of the year voting, and leading the entire team in tackles with 114 (82 solo), a feat never before accomplished in Broncos history by a rookie.

DJ had officially answered the smallest of gripes regarding his professional career. He could be counted on to do his best.

Non-Contradiction

DJ's amazing rookie season culminated in his first start in a playoff game, which unfortunately became a rout by the Indianapolis Colts, the second time in as many years that Denver's post-season efforts had come up short against a prolific passing attack. And while DJ had afforded the team the unexpected opportunity to continue to develop the defensive roster without worrying about the WLB position, an equally unexpected event altered the direction the Broncos were about to take.

Williams, a unigue blend of athleticism and speed had been plugged in at a WILL LB position that benefitted greatly from disruptiveness on the weakside. It had seemed the ideal match. Your most disruptive player at the most disruptive spot. Despite the early exit from the playoffs, the possibilities of addressing CB in the upcoming 2005 draft made the future look much brighter. And in the midst of this growth came the return of Ian Gold, the original speedy weakside LB. He would return to Denver, but he had a stipulation: he wanted to play his old position, the WILL.

If the Broncos hesitated on this precipice, you couldn't tell. Soon they had a weakside LB in camp paired once again with Al Wilson, and images of the ferociously fast LB corp of old returned. Of course, now Denver had to deal with the fact that they had what seemed like two weakside LBs and no strongside LBs, but it turned out that the Broncos had a plan, one that you had to wonder if it would have been born when DJ was drafted. Or if it would have seemed out of place. Gold would man his favored spot at the WILL position, and DJ would return the #52 to him. DJ would be the new SAM.

In the background, quietly and without fanfare, DJ quit being a WILL, and accepted his new role.

0 recs  |  Comment 18 comments

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This piece only gets me more stoked...
for 2008 season. I really hope DJ gets to show off not only his natural talents, but the knowledge he's bound to have learned from playing the Mike. I wish him well and can't wait to see him next year!

by bcfunderburk on Mar 7, 2008 7:43 PM MST reply actions   0 recs

I'm glad Ian Gold is gone...
now we can move on completely.  We don't need selfish players, we need humble team players like DJ.  

Let him terrorize the weak side once again!!!

by Tim Lynch on Mar 7, 2008 7:48 PM MST reply actions   0 recs

Awesome as always Styg!
Can't wait for part 2!
"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe

by Steve Nichols on Mar 7, 2008 9:42 PM MST reply actions   0 recs

Great work as always.
Thanks
Orange County is hot. Really! Haven't you seen the weather report?

by amirebram on Mar 8, 2008 4:31 AM MST reply actions   0 recs

Thanks styg
For the reminder of what we have in our WLB. As great as he played as a rookie, he was still pretty raw. Imagine now with all of the experience he has.
Or so I'm told.

by MN Bronco on Mar 8, 2008 6:32 AM MST reply actions   0 recs

Thanks to everyone above
I'm just happy to have a place to say these things, and to be part of a community that doesn't think that this is borderline obsession!  :)
I wish my sig was as cool as mdierks!

by Jeremy Bolander on Mar 8, 2008 12:33 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

borderline obsession
Oh, no, buddy, we all realize you crossed that line LONG ago.... that's why you fit in so well here.
Or so I'm told.

by MN Bronco on Mar 9, 2008 3:52 PM MDT up reply actions   0 recs

Non-Contradiction v. Quantum Physics
I appreciate the old school Aristotle quote and understand that it's there for dramatic/literary effect, but I have to side with the "new school" on both style and substance.

"In the quantum 'microscale' world, [...] a single object can exist in a multiplicity of forms and places."

"In a paper published in [a 1996] issue of the journal Science, Dr. Christopher Monroe and his colleagues at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Boulder, Colo., described how they had divided a single beryllium atom into two distinct states of existence and had then separated the two states in space."

In baseball, there is a spectrum of defensive positions within which a player should be able to move in one direction, but not in the other.  This is not a universal principle, but rather a general one.  I realize that baseball is hardly analogous to football, but I believe that there is a class of player that can excel at multiple positions at the same "time".  I think D.J. Williams is an example of this, as he was certainly good enough in just his first year at a significantly different position.  Now, I'm all for moving him back to his natural slot at WILL if it improves the overall quality of our LB corps, but not because of any perceived decifiency in his game at MIKE.  

By the way, that quantum principle exposed above also explains Champ Bailey's superhuman coverage skills, Jay Cutler's apparent cannon of an arm and John Elway's legendary escapability.

by ejruiz on Mar 8, 2008 7:59 AM MST reply actions   0 recs

Oh boy!
You just came into my wheelhouse, ejruiz777!!

First, getting DJ out of the way, yes, I was going for the dramatic effect that comes from applying philosophical axioms to football players.  As the rest of the series is put up, my purpose should become more clear, and I will hint only that the application of these laws reaffirms what you are saying about DJ, but condemn another aspect of this mess.

Now the fun:

I don't know how into this you want to get, but I will launch a preemptory salvo.  First lets consider the Law of Non-Contradiction in its corollary form, the law of Identity.  A=A  They both say the same thing, just in different manners that highlight different aspects of the Law.  To take umbrage with non-contradiction is to take umbrage with identity.

Now, the Law of Identity (and thus its corollaries) are axiomatic.  That means they are irreducible primaries inherent in all knowledge.  This isn't a matter of preference either.  The key to any axiom is that it must be used in any attempt to refute it.  In order for quantum mechanics to disprove the law of identity (which the wave-particle duality attempts to do) it has to do experiments--which relies on the law of identity.  All that they are proving is that more (in this case, MUCH more) information about the experiment is needed to explain the results.

The experiment you are linking to has been given some hypothetical explanations, and so have all experiments that revolve around the wave-particle duality.  All solutions involve assigning an identity to the environment of the experiment.  In all the mathematical models used to quantify quantum mechanical experiments, the environment needs to be equal to 0 (no effect), and in practice they conduct the experiments in vaccuums.  But vaccuum is misleading:  the STUFF of existence is still in there, and it is that stuff that has no known properties, and no means of being measured (yet).  But as quantum mechanics (and other theoretical disciplines) get smaller and smaller, they get closer and closer to seeing that STUFF's effect on their experiments.  Wave-particle duality is considered to be one of the first perceptions of the nature of that stuff.

Whew!  Is your interest in this professional or otherwise?  Just in case I'm going overboard, (or not overboard enough! ;))

I wish my sig was as cool as mdierks!

by Jeremy Bolander on Mar 8, 2008 12:31 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

Sorry to Disappoint, But...
I have no formal training in Physics.  I am profoundly interested in aspects of the science and do what I can to learn about it (though that means I'm scratching the surface and ignorant to the technical underpinnings) because I find the subject profoundly fascinating.  I'm on my way to a degree in economics, so you can say I traded in my interest for something probably more practical.  

I find your brief response to my mention intruiging and I wish I could put up a fight just for the sake of debate (I'm more in Einstein's camp than Bohr's, by the way) but alas, I cannot.  Besides, I fear we'll scare away some readers if we persist!  Anyway, I enjoyed the article and look forward to the remainder of the series.  Cheers!

by ejruiz on Mar 8, 2008 4:42 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

Drat!
There you go, getting me all worked up.

Physics is such a rewarding field not just for those working in it but for outsiders like you and I who enjoy absorbing their inductions.  And regarding economics, more practical is almost selling the field short:  it is so profoundly essential to proper politics (and it is so devoid of original thought) that the more minds that enter it the better.  Do us proud!!

How far along are you?  What prompted your interest in economics?  I firmly believe that sound economic policy is the first stepping stone to a better future, at least in the US.  You are entering into the forefront of the next frontier!

I wish my sig was as cool as mdierks!

by Jeremy Bolander on Mar 8, 2008 5:01 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

We three...
...should start a club for guys who like physics who don't hold advanced degrees in physics.

Right now I only have time for MHR.  But if I could be in two places at once...

; )

"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe

by Steve Nichols on Mar 8, 2008 7:25 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

My Two Cents
First of all, I like your article - Great job!

Secondly, I feel like I have to comment again on the fact that DJ lead the LEAGUE in tackles as a MLB and I think he deserves to defend his position in OTA days and Camp this year.  I might be the only SOB out here who thinks this way, but when a guy plays a new position at the level that Williams has, I think that affords him a chance to compete for that job the next year.

Also, I am quite tired of people referring to WILL as DJ's 'natural' or 'default' position.  Come on, he hasn't even played that position in years.  

DJ is an awesome athlete that could excel in many positions... he just so happens to have done really well in the middle last year -- so I think the broncos should give him a chance to defend that position this off-season.

Just my two cents.  :)

My full rant on the subject

Jonathan Douglas
An Obsessed Fan with a Blog
BroncoTalk.net

by denverobsession on Mar 8, 2008 4:55 PM MST reply actions   0 recs

Speaking of obsession
Between this comment and your post the big issues are:
  1.  DJ's "natural" position.  I am with you 100% that at this point in his career draping one position on DJ and calling it a fit leaves him scantily clad at best.  I think at LB, though, you can definitely rule him out at SAM.  I'll describe the SAM situation more in the next article, but he would be misused and abused at the position.  But I think I was inbounds saying that as a rookie, WILL was a "natural" fit for DJ.  HT has been inundating me with info on the LB positions, and much of what I have absorbed indicates to me that DJ isn't just a superb WLB, but the IDEAL WLB.  Of course, hoosierteacher quickly would point out here that you don't need your greatest skillset at WLB, since any fast talented guy could have an impact there.
  2.  You don't want to toss DJ aside like his contributions at MLB are an everyday occurrence.  If he wants it, he should be first in line.  I am VERY sympathetic to this viewpoint.  It was my primary outlook on the position UNTIL our FA signings.  The signings opened my eyes to not only other opportunities, but to a wider integration of what seems to be involved here.  I see a major problem with the Denver defense (that could very well affect the whole organization) and DJ and his impending move(s) are at the heart of it.  I really hope I can do an effective job of communicating what I am seeing to everybody here.
Thanks for the 2 cents!  I'm saving up for a broncos hoodie!
I wish my sig was as cool as mdierks!

by Jeremy Bolander on Mar 8, 2008 5:32 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

I think we all agree on these points
I feel the use of "natural WILL" is overused and not exactly correct.  DJ does well there because any fast and agile LB should do well there.

I also agree that DJ should be the MLB of the future based on his numbers and on his skill.  But when you take a look at the overall personnel we have right now you have to make some sacrifices to use every player in the best way for the LB corps to benefit overall.

We take a loss putting K2 in at MLB instead of DJ.  No doubt about it.  But from a pure coaching angle, consider the overall corps.  We make a monstrous gain at WILL with DJ, and a monstrous gain at SAM.  We also have a player at MLB (K2) who is a steal in my opinion, and while maybe not the "DJ at MLB of the future" is a terrific MLB by any standard.  My understanding from Styg is that the guy is fast, is known as a leader, and the Seahawks really didn't want to lose the guy because they felt he was starter material.

"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe

by Steve Nichols on Mar 8, 2008 7:21 PM MST up reply actions   0 recs

just a quick follow up...
I just wanted to say, again, that your post was REALLY awesome.  And I totally agree that DJ's rookie season was a perfect fit that year.  

My comments were mostly aimed the reader comments here and my blog post was in response to the reporting over at the Post... I mean, they've already published the starting '08 LB depth chart for goodness sake.  :(

Thanks, again, for the great post.  I look forward to part 2!

Jonathan Douglas
An Obsessed Fan with a Blog
BroncoTalk.net

by denverobsession on Mar 8, 2008 7:30 PM MST reply actions   0 recs

Excellent post
DJ was a steal at #17 overall.  The problem is, he set the bar waay high.  Truly hoping that the #12 for 08 can be as productive.

by Arctic Bronco on Mar 9, 2008 12:07 AM MST reply actions   0 recs

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