Atlanta Falcons: 5 questions with Tyson Clabo
Falcons right tackle Tyson Clabo (77) exchanges views with asssitant offensive line coach Paul Dunn during a recent practice. CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM
Vivlamore reporting from Flowery Branch.
I caught up with Falcons right tackle Tyson Clabo for a few minutes after a recent practice. Here is what he had to say about the progress of the offensive line and what changes there might be in store with the new offensive scheme.
Q. It’s early in training camp, but how is the offensive line progressing?
A. We are making process and that’s really what camp is all about. Young guys are coming along and that is good to see because it’s hard. The speed of the game is tremendously different than anything they’ve seen in the past. And the young guys, so far, have improved every day. You can see they are getting faster but they are not out of control. It’s a weird thing to say but the faster you play, the slower you move. It’s weird to say that way but your mind isn’t spinning so you are not out of control trying to go too fast. I’ve noticed that every day they get a little better. Offensively, we are progressing as I hoped we would.
Q. Is the unit still feeling any heat after last season?
A. No. Heat, from who? That’s really the thing. I think that our team believes in us. I think that our staff believes in us. I think that is all that really matters.
Q. How do you look at the team drafting two lineman?
A. Isn’t that what really, really creates improvement? Competition. Obviously we want to improve. If you have a really strong competition, everybody wants to win that competition, so they are going to do everything in their power to improve and come out on top of that.
Q. Does anything change for the offensive line with a new coordinator and scheme?
A. For us, there are some things but it’s not like a complete overhaul. Especially for the older guys, it’s been a smoother transition to doing some things a little differently.
Q. Any tangible example you can give?
A. Honestly, it’s just how we count things. We walk up and we are going to call this guy the mike, we are going to call this guy this. It’s just little things that the average observer isn’t going to notice.
We are calling the same run play that we had. They are the same run plays that everybody in the NFL has. They didn’t come in and invent this brand new run scheme that nobody has ever seen before. It’s the same type of blocks. It’s the same type of runs. It’s the same thing everybody else does. We are not re-inventing the wheel.
- Chris Vivlamore
Here is DLed’s report on what to expect from today’s training camp sessions.
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33 comments Add your comment
Gritz Blitz
August 2nd, 2012
10:11 am
Go Falcons! Rise Up!
PMC
August 2nd, 2012
10:16 am
They should be feeling heat from the coaching staff. From the fact that they got a coach fired last season.
I like Clabo because he’s salty and he obviously has a chip on his shoulder. He’s turned into a really good tackle, but the offensive linemen flat out ignore criticism. They refuse to address that the biggest problem harming this team is the weak play of the offensive line. They were ABYSMAL in short yardage last year. That’s a fact Tyson.
Own it, and move on….be better.
I’d rather hear them own it,
Big Crimson 75
August 2nd, 2012
10:31 am
Lets hope Clabo isn’t one of those Players that gets paid, then declines.
Last Year was his weakest as a falcon.
As a Leader in the prime of his career & well paid, Clabo needs to have his best Season.
Falconfiend
August 2nd, 2012
10:44 am
Tyson Clabo knows the plays and that’s why he moves faster than the rookies. The rookies have to know the plays regularly and then they can move faster. The Offensive line is going to make this team great or average. I like the versatility, and I think the tough yards up the middle have to do with play calling. Sometimes, you just have to play fake turner and let Matty throw for the first down.
mountain_jim
August 2nd, 2012
10:56 am
Does not sound much like he thinks the oline should be blamed for not being able to get 1 yard on 4th down in the playoffs.
Heat from your disapointed fans who pay your big salary, Clabo!
(good question though Chris)
Birdman of Falcatraz
August 2nd, 2012
11:12 am
I would have liked to hear that they are feeling self-inflicted heat. That no matter what everyone else thinks they constantly push themselves to be better. That they are never satisfied. That is what a SuperBowl aspiring Oline should think.
teamguy
August 2nd, 2012
11:33 am
I wish he would be as nasty to opposing defensive players as he was to Chris, maybe we could have won a couple more games last year. And I love to hear players say that they don’t care what fans think. . .yeah, Clabo, your way-too-large-salary just magically appears from nowhere. . .us fans don’t matter at all.
Michael M.
August 2nd, 2012
12:00 pm
One of the older players needs to step it up and be the leader of that ” O-Line “, with the ” Attitude ” , like Harvey Dahl brought to the line. Until one of them does the line will be mediocre at best. Its time to get nasty and be mean again. Time to man up guys ! ! ! !
Paddy
August 2nd, 2012
12:20 pm
Not every article hits a “home run”. as evidenced by Mr Clabo’s answers. On the bright side, we get a chance tomorrow to learn more about our team from a different slant/player. Life is good, games are almost here!
SeenThis B4
August 2nd, 2012
12:21 pm
“We are not re-inventing the wheel.”
He’s got that right, it’s the same wheel, with the same deficiencies, the same weaknesses, expecting it to perform with better results is near insanity.
SeenThis B4
August 2nd, 2012
12:32 pm
Troll troll troll troll troll, troll troll FAILCANTS troll troll troll. Who Dat? (feel free to use this translation whenever I post.)
Esquire
August 2nd, 2012
12:57 pm
Seen, don’t ya just hate it when nobody responds to your stupid banter.
Michael M.
August 2nd, 2012
1:00 pm
Webster dictionary new translation as of 2013 for phrase ” who Dat ” will be ” was Dat “……….. ,
currently disappointed that Vince Manuwai didn’t make it through training camp this year………..Manuwai had the size and looked like a beast but whos to say, the Coaches know more than we all know, maybe they saw something from the injury he had last year .
Michael M.
August 2nd, 2012
1:07 pm
790 the zone is talking about the wide receiver duo thing as of right this minute……………..
Sick & Tired Of Being Sick & Tired
August 2nd, 2012
1:57 pm
Anyone that saw the Falcons’ games last year knows that the O-Line was the weakest link.
Clabo along with the others that were the starters last year need to own up to their failure in order to move forward and improve. How can you consider yourself a professional offensive lineman and can’t even get a first down on 3rd and one and/or 4th and one?????? The O-Line was bad all year against good defenses.
WS
August 2nd, 2012
2:06 pm
No o-line can get a first down or gain six inches when everyone from watching game too defense knows what play they will run. Blame it on play calling!!! It will be interesting to see if play calling changes. We will see if it was MM or Smitty!!
SirReal
August 2nd, 2012
2:09 pm
What an uncharismatic bore….as long as the big fella keeps doing his job though, he can talk however he wants.lol
WooYeah
August 2nd, 2012
3:59 pm
The key thing here: he said that drafting two linemen is about competition, and making everyone better. He’s right. They will play better, because they HAVE to.
At this point, the guys we have are the ones that we’re going into battle with. There weren’t any marquee LTs available at our position in the draft, and there were none in free agency that were better than what we have. So instead of playing the should’ve could’ve would’ve game, let’s get behind this team. They’re the guys that are going into battle. SUPPORT YOUR TROOPS!
GO FALCONS!
AlanFalcon
August 2nd, 2012
5:35 pm
Hope that its as simple as Clabo makes it sound !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ken Strickland
August 2nd, 2012
7:27 pm
Think about this. How many of you think the Packers, Patriots, Giants, and AINTS/TAINTS would have been as successful as they were last yr if they had MMularkey calling the plays? Do you think the AINTS/TAINTS and Packers would have won 13 or more gms, or the Giants and Patriots would have made it to the Superbowl? He had become a big weight around the neck of our OFF.
J-Lo
August 2nd, 2012
8:36 pm
The comments by Clabo could have been worded a bit better – but I say, at least they weren’t an endless string of cliches like we get out of Matt Ryan and Mike Smith who are great football guys but horrible interviews. At least he really tried to explain how he felt, instead of just telling us all what we want to hear. Go Clabo!!! Go Falcons!!!
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Mr. Hankey
August 3rd, 2012
2:52 pm
You could argue that last season came down to less than 2 yards or 72 inches and given 2 plays the Falcons were unable to gain those 72 inches. What about it, Clabo?
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