Amobi Okoye Has a Sore Knee

[Keith]

File this under "Uh oh".

Texans defensive tackle Amobi Okoye has a sore left knee that may require an MRI.

After he was honored by the Houston City Council on Tuesday for his philanthropic efforts, Okoye said he has developed soreness in his knee while running in the Texans’ conditioning program.

"There's a little soreness there," he said. "Hopefully, it's nothing big. We’re taking a look at it. Going out there and running, it's not really inhibiting me, but I can feel a little bit of soreness. I’ll take it day by day and see if it gets worse or if it gets any better. ...

Okoye said he plans to wait two weeks to see if the soreness goes away. If not, he’ll get the MRI to see if there’s any damage.

"I went to the doctor, and he took a look at it and said it's nothing to worry about right now," Okoye said. "I hope it stays that way."

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/fb/texansfront/6373945.html

[nero THE zero]

First Amobi had maturity issues. Then, Amobi had ankle issues. Now, Amobi has knee issues. Draft Jerry and give Amobi competition issues.

[painekiller]

First Amobi had maturity issues. Then, Amobi had ankle issues. Now, Amobi has knee issues. Draft Jerry and give Amobi competition issues.

Jerry is not the answer, if you are going to draft a UT in this draft it should be Ziggy Hood.

[BigBull]

Jerry is not the answer, if you are going to draft a UT in this draft it should be Ziggy Hood.

Neither is the Hood.

[nunusguy]

First Amobi had maturity issues. Then, Amobi had ankle issues. Now, Amobi has knee issues. Draft Jerry and give Amobi competition issues.

Okoye is running out of excuses - maybe his biggest problem is plain ole bust issues ?

[Joshua]

This is a big year for Amobi. I realize he's young and DTs take a while to develop but we have to start getting more from him or he needs to see his playing time reduced.

There is one thing that I wish some reporter would ask Kubiak. I think it was Mario who finally divulged that the DL was basically instructed to read and react rather than attack. I want to know if this was their first choice in defensive philosophy or one born out of necessity. I also would like to know when they decided to implement this philosophy. The reason I ask is if this was already our ingrained DL philosophy before Amobi's draft, why draft him? Putting him in a read and react defense negates the only trait that made him a first rounder; namely, quickness to shoot the gap. There seems as though there may have been a disconnect between defensive philosophy and drafting players who could implement it. I would really like to see a better explanation of these sorts of things from Kubiak because right now, it looks like we drafted a gap shooter who's not particularly strong at the point of attack and then forced him to play to his weaknesses.

[painekiller]

This is a big year for Amobi. I realize he's young and DTs take a while to develop but we have to start getting more from him or he needs to see his playing time reduced.

There is one thing that I wish some reporter would ask Kubiak. I think it was Mario who finally divulged that the DL was basically instructed to read and react rather than attack. I want to know if this was their first choice in defensive philosophy or one born out of necessity. I also would like to know when they decided to implement this philosophy. The reason I ask is if this was already our ingrained DL philosophy before Amobi's draft, why draft him? Putting him in a read and react defense negates the only trait that made him a first rounder; namely, quickness to shoot the gap. There seems as though there may have been a disconnect between defensive philosophy and drafting players who could implement it. I would really like to see a better explanation of these sorts of things from Kubiak because right now, it looks like we drafted a gap shooter who's not particularly strong at the point of attack and then forced him to play to his weaknesses.

I have a feeling keeping the OL off Ryans was a major reason for the read react scheme. If the DL is penetratring then the LB do not have the ability to flow. They must all have lanes and they must cover their lane. Plus we have not had a big run stuffing safety, so that also most likely came in to play.

[Keith]

scout.com says there is no structural damage.

http://hou.scout.com/2/859331.html

[NBT]

Clean out some of the floaters and let Amobi get back to doing his thing for us.

[Joshua]

let Amobi get back to doing his thing for us.

What's that? Getting pushed around at the line of scrimmage?

[Bigtinylittle]

I have a feeling keeping the OL off Ryans was a major reason for the read react scheme. If the DL is penetratring then the LB do not have the ability to flow. They must all have lanes and they must cover their lane. Plus we have not had a big run stuffing safety, so that also most likely came in to play.

Right now I'm expecting a run stuffing SS to be a first day pick for us in the draft next year.

[nero THE zero]

LZ with some pretty damning stuff on Amobi today.

He has not been the biggest Amobi fan for a while now. But, today he mentioned a conversation he had with a pro-personnel scout regarding the Texas. The scout told him a couple of things.

1. Mario is the second best and most impactful defensive player in the game (didn't say who the first was, though I'd love to hear that.)

2. He doesn't think Amobi is any good. "Simply doesn't think he's a football player."

I was concerned with what I perceived to be Amobi's maturity issues at the end of the first season and into his second preseason. I even made a post about it and got lambasted on TT. But, then Amobi was a zero all of last season and that snowball seems to be building momentum.

Things aren't looking good for him, IMO.

[papabear]

I still say Amobi has at least this season before we can pass judgement. I wasn't happy with his play last year, but he was hurt...look at the difference in Mario his rookie season when he was hurting and when he was healthy. In Okoye's rookie year he flashed early and then hit a wall. If a 19 year old didn't hit a wall in his rookie year I would be surpised. He might not ever meet expectations, but patience was the word of the day when he was drafted. I don't think his rookie year and one more year with nagging injuries is a fair enough sample to call him out with the "b" word.

[Arky]

I still say Amobi has at least this season before we can pass judgement. I wasn't happy with his play last year, but he was hurt...look at the difference in Mario his rookie season when he was hurting and when he was healthy. In Okoye's rookie year he flashed early and then hit a wall. If a 19 year old didn't hit a wall in his rookie year I would be surpised. He might not ever meet expectations, but patience was the word of the day when he was drafted. I don't think his rookie year and one more year with nagging injuries is a fair enough sample to call him out with the "b" word.

Ya, I agree with this. I might add, give Kollar some time with him and then he (Kollar) will probably be able to determine whether Amobi remains as a starter....

[Nconroe]

Yeah, considering Cushing and Barwin are both older that Amobi, I think we should give him more time. And he does have the Texans sack record with 5.5 sacks, slightly more than Mario had as a rookie. New coach, new attitude, healthy, I expect him to do well.

[NBT]

What's with all the negativity on Amobi? If you want to pick on a DL pick on underachieving Travis Johnson!

[Bigtinylittle]

What's with all the negativity on Amobi? If you want to pick on a DL pick on underachieving Travis Johnson!

Maybe it's a good sign that people are negative about Amobe. Maybe it means there's not much else to complain about right now.

I've been disappointed with Okoye and I have wondered about his commitment, especially since he as much as admitted he didn't work hard in the off season last year. When we drafted him I was expecting a super-committed DT. There aren't really a lot of those around, so maybe I was expecting too much.

That being said, I have an open mind about him right now. I'm not going to take a shot at him just because he has knee issues. I going to give him a break and see if his supposed new-found commitment and a new scheme make a difference. Time will tell.

[nero THE zero]

What's with all the negativity on Amobi? If you want to pick on a DL pick on underachieving Travis Johnson!

There's negativity because he hasn't played up to his draft position. He's had maturity issues, he had "injury" issues, he's had commitment issues, and, mostly importantly, he's had production issues. He gets pushed around like a rag doll at the POA, and he's a virtual zero in the pass rush, something that was supposed to be his strength.

You have people hoping that a change in scheme will do him good. But, then you have professional football scouts coming out and saying that when they watch film on him they don't see him flashing any NFL talent.

There's negativity because there's a good chance we wasted another first round pick on a DL. And, FTR, it's not mutually exclusive. Just because TJ is a bust doesn't mean Amobi isn't one too.

[nunusguy]

How disappointed are you now with our first-round pick and 10th overall of the 2007 college Draft ? And what do you think of Rick Smiths ability to evaluate college "talent" and its potential at the NFL level ?
And if you're a fan of Lance Zierlein as I am, it might be of interest to you what he thinks about this - doesn't pull any punchs:
http://blogs.chron.com/fantasyfootball/2009/08/post_118.html
"I'll say it right now. I just don't think Amobi Okoye has the talent to be an effective full-time DT for a playoff-caliber defense."

[dalemurphy]

How disappointed are you now with our first-round pick and 10th overall of the 2007 college Draft ? And what do you think of Rick Smiths ability to evaluate college "talent" and its potential at the NFL level ?
And if you're a fan of Lance Zierlein as I am, it might be of interest to you what he thinks about this - doesn't pull any punchs:
http://blogs.chron.com/fantasyfootball/2009/08/post_118.html
"I'll say it right now. I just don't think Amobi Okoye has the talent to be an effective full-time DT for a playoff-caliber defense."

I've gotta agree with LZ. Furthermore, if Okoye is starting week 1 while continuing to put forth such pathetic efforts in the preseason, it's going to affect my confidence in Kubiak.

[nero THE zero]

I gotta be honest, I never saw this coming!

[kRocket]

I posted a thread on this board about people on the block this year if they could not cut it. This is the exact person I had in mind. He has started 2 straight years and if he doesn't make it this year I just can't see him starting any more for us. I don't know who will take his place in the line but we have some candidates now.

[NBT]

Maybe Okoye is perceived to have maturity issues because he came out so young? I thought last year was due to the high ankle sprain, but now he has a troublesome knee? I say let him work his way out of that before we lambast him. Plus he is only going into his 3rd year. I sure haven't seen much of that new, more aggressive spirit Frank Bush was supposed to be so crazy about either. When you get your a$$ handed to you like the whole defense did against the Saints, you have to wonder if the defensive coaches have done their jobs.

[Nconroe]

I have to agree with NBTs thought that maybe the players were trying to execute a plan given them by coaches that NO just was all the way ready for and our adjustments if any were to late with third stringers. If Okoye is sore in knee or ankle that would make it tough and he's still one of youngest guys in the league. Heck the whole defense stunk, why blame one guy. and its preseason, shouldn't be panicking at this time. after 4 regular season games, full defensive package, all starters playing, then see what is going on. maybe Okeye won't start, maybe sonmeone else will take the starting position, but I'd still give Okeye time to improve and think he will. we should have depth to allow that.