Training Camp Notes: Juice Sighting
Last year, at around this time, we kicked off Camp Notes with the headline, “Juice on the Loose.” On that first day of practice under the Gary Kubiak regime, Kyle Juszczyk was everywhere as a pass catcher.
So far this season, the third-year fullback has been anything but “loose.” As Tony Lombardi quipped, maybe it’s more like the Ravens are “out of juice.”
Today, Juice was more active than I’ve seen him since camp started. I tracked him all practice long and he was out on at least six pass routes that I saw. Before I get into Juszczyk’s performance, let me explain why he hasn’t been as involved in Trestman’s offense.
The Ravens haven’t been throwing the ball as often out of their two-back sets as they did last season. They’ve thrown the ball out of more two-tight, one-back combinations. Juice hasn’t been involved in those two-tight or three-tight alignments. When they’ve had two backs on the field, with Juice as the lead blocker, it’s been a run all the way.
However, things changed today. Juice lined up all over the field and was in multiple sets.
Here is my play-by-play breakdown of Juszczyk’s day:
- Goal-line Drill: Juice caught a TD pass on a play-action bootleg pass play. This was a textbook WCO play. The QB faked the handoff to the weakside of the formation, Juice faked a block, then slipped out of the open side of the field to make the catch
- 7-on-7: He lined up in the slot (one other tight end was on the field with him)
- 7-on-7: He was the lone RB in a four-wide set
- 11-on-11:
- Play 1: He started out wide, then shifted into the backfield as the FB and blocked on a running play
- Play 2: Lined up wide again but went into motion to an offset FB position, then ran a short out route over the middle
- Play 3: Juice ran a route from the backfield, going up the seam
- Play 4: Lined up as the lone back, then motioned out of the backfield (turning the formation into an empty look) and ran a short out pattern against LB Arthur Brown
- Play 5: Was lined up to the strong side as the second tight end
- Play 6: Was the lone RB on a third-down attempt and received the ball on a pitch
Can we expect the same level of activity from Juice the rest of the way going into the preseason and regular season games?
I wouldn’t count on it. Although the fullback was a big part of the passing game at the early stages of the 2014 season, I still don’t see that being the case this year. The tight ends will be more involved in the passing game while Juice will have more snaps as a traditional fullback who occasionally leaks out as a dump-off option for Flacco.
Other Notes
Jeremy Butler and Kamar Aiken didn’t exactly light it up (the passing game as a whole was stifled by the defense), but both players were able to make some noteworthy plays during practice. During a 1-on-1 drill against the CBs, Butler had an impressive jump-ball catch in which he out-leapt Cassius Vaughn for the ball. Aiken was able to defeat a jam by using a juke move at the line against an opposing DB. Then he made a couple of short-yardage “sit down” catches over the middle of the field during 11-on-11 drills. But Butler made the catch of the day, catching a long sideline strike from Joe Flacco to beat an all-out blitz. Butler beat Quinton Pointer on the play.
Thanks to an assist from Brent Urban, rookie safety Nick Perry had a free shot at Fitzgerald Toussaint in the hole, and he drove the ball-carrier down to the ground. The hit elicited a loud cheer from veteran defensive players on the sideline. Perry continues to show that he’s a physical player who can play the run and mix it up in the box area.
Defensive tackle Christo Bilukidi had a dominant stretch during goal-line drills. The mammoth lineman was stout in the middle, taking on multiple blockers, and pushing them back to stuff the run.
Running back Buck Allen has been very impressing during training camp. In fact, I would argue that he’s been one of the top five skill players on offense, period. But during a RB drill in which the backs take on a medicine ball to simulate breaking a tackle attempt, Allen opted to hurdle the ball. And running backs coach Thomas Hammock gave him heat for the move. “That [move] looked real sweet, but someone is gonna get you.” Sage advice for a rookie learning the ropes of playing in the NFL.
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