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Coaches Corner: Fan Q&A with WR Coach Tyke Tolbert
Cardinals new wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert sat down to answer questions from our fans in this Q&A!
Congratulations on joining the Cardinals staff. I am a huge LSU fan and when you played the quarterback was Tom Hodson, a Heisman trophy candidate. Why did they always take you out when they threw the ball?
Coming out of high school, I was a pretty highly recruited guy, but when I got to LSU everybody was highly recruited. I was put in as a wide blocker and not a wide receiver. But that helped me in a sense that I had to study the game that much more than other guys who were better players and athletes than I was, which was why Coach Jerry Sullivan mentioned to me when I was playing for him that I should go into coaching and that is what I decided to do.
I was a BIG fan of Anquan Boldin in college. I think he is going to surprise some people, and become a star caliber player in the NFL! He has some of the best separation and after the catch skills I've seen in a long time coming out of college. Do you plan on using Anquan a lot in the slot with his great hands and ability to take a hit and maybe go the distance?
Absolutely. The funny thing about Anquan is I have been watching him since he was in the 11th grade. I coached at Auburn in 1998 and Anquan was in his senior year and we offered him a scholarship to play quarterback. Anquan has always been a phenomenal athlete and has been able to showcase his skills throughout college at Florida State and we definitely plan on using Anquan in a lot of ways. Being a former quarterback, we also have some things we can use with him to showcase all of his abilities.
Hi, I coach receivers and defensive back. I was wondering if you would share a couple of drills and coaching points with me. I'm always trying to get as much information as I can to pass on to my guys. Also, I was wondering if you knew of any coaching clinics for the off season that would be beneficial for me to attend?
Being out of college ball, I am not really up to date on the coaching clinics. You may want to go to footballscoops.com and they have listed some clinics on there. I don’t know what drills to recommend because I am not sure what age group you are coaching. There are a thousand drills but what works for junior high kids may not work for high school or college kids. If I knew what level you were working with, I could better answer that question!
Who are your top four wide receivers and who is going to start this year?
That is a good question. We lost our top three receivers to free agency so we pretty much have a whole new group. We are basically going to put them in the wash and see what comes out. We’ve got some guys who have been here, but because you have been here before doesn’t mean you are going to be the guy. We drafted a guy in the first round and in the second round so those guys will be in the mix with some of our vets. We’ll have to see what our best combination is.
I just wanted to know if Nate Poole will have a chance this year in your receiver rotation? Nate has always been a clutch receiver and I believe he can really help the team.
Nate Poole will definitely have a chance. As I mentioned before, all those guys will be in there and have a chance to compete. Nate’s strength are his hands. He has some of the best natural hands I have seen. His knowledge of the game helps him too. He can play X, Z or F. His versatility will help him have a chance to make the football team.
With the loss of David Boston, who do you see emerging as our "home run" threat? Also, who is our fastest wide receiver?
Again, going back to the last two questions, we’ll have to see who comes out as far as our number one go to guy. We have a few guys that are really fast. Kevin Kasper is fast. Jason McAddley can really run. Bryant Johnson, who we drafted in the first round, he can really run as well. Bryan Gilmore is known for his speed. But, who is the fastest? That is hard to say unless they all line up and race each other. We definitely have some guys that can run and we feel pretty good about it.
What do you consider the most difficult challenge for you ahead this year with so many young receivers?
Probably the most difficult challenge is being able to really focus on their technique. A lot of guys in college played against guys they were so much better than most of the time. On this level, everyone is good. Speed doesn’t necessarily mean you are going to be able to outrun everybody and catch deep touchdowns all the time. You have to have technique, be able to separate, be able to drop your weight, come in and out of cuts. We are trying to teach these guys right now how to use their speed to their advantage. Being able to come out of cuts is really the key thing I can see in this level. What is open in college may not be what is open all the time in the NFL so technique is what gets you in and out of your cuts and is what allows a receiver to get open instead of just outrunning a guy.
As a new coach for the Cards, what is your take on Kevin Kasper? He seems to have very good speed with a great pair of hands to boot. He really impressed me last year over the last few games, but I haven't heard much about him since.
I like Kevin Kasper. He does have good speed. He does have good hands. Kevin has obviously had some NFL experience. He just needs to focus on the total picture and what we are trying to do because sometimes we move guys from one position to another position. If he focuses on the whole picture, he’ll be able to increase his versatility.
What kind of conditioning do you put your receiving core through during the season and off-season? Also what do you look for when evaluating receivers?
As far as the conditioning question goes, that would be for our strength coach Bob Rogucki. For evaluating, we look for guys that have a great deal of talent and a great deal of athletic ability that can also run and break away from defenders. Basically a playmaker.
What is your background? If Jerry Sullivan picked you to replace himself, he must have great confidence in you. When did you work with him last?
I was a receiver at LSU who played for Coach Sullivan. I was what they called a student of the game because I wasn’t as blessed as some of the other players. I spent a lot of time studying film and I was the only guy he would have play all three wide receiver positions because I was smart enough to do it all. By him knowing my knowledge of the game he talked me into coaching. Throughout my career coaching in college I’ve had a couple of internships with him - in 1997 with the Detroit Lions and again in 2001 with the Cardinals. When he became offensive coordinator, he felt most comfortable with me being able to teach what he taught. 90% of what I know about the wide receiver position came from Jerry Sullivan. I picked up a few other things along the way, but mostly is what he taught me.
How good do you think Reggie Newhouse is right now, how good he could become and do you think he has a chance to make the team?
Obviously, we think a lot of Reggie - that’s why he’s here. He has as good as a chance as anybody to make the team. He’s a rookie and he’s got a lot more to learn than guys who have been here, but Reggie has a good chance to make this team.
Everyone in Oklahoma is very interested in the prospects of former Sooner WR Antwone Savage to make the Cardinals' team. Can you tell us how he looked in minicamp and how you assess his prospects?
Antwone Savage was a player we looked at coming out of Oklahoma that we thought was a very tough player and a very versatile player. He played all the positions and he’s looked pretty good so far. He’s got some things to work on because for a short guy, he’s got a long stride. One of the things he really has to work on is dropping his weight and coming out of his cuts because his stride is so long. From the first day he arrived here till now, he’s gotten better each day. We are excited about Antwone.
Having watched Mr. Boldin for three years at FSU I have been amazed with his DECEPTIVE speed to elude tacklers. Will he be primarily involved in the red zone offense with his size and ability to shield defenders from the ball?
Anquan can be most effective anywhere he wants to be. As long as he keeps progressing like he has so far, he’ll be a player we can do a lot of things with. He is a phenomenal athlete.
Being that our receivers will have to step it up in order for Emmitt Smith to succeed, how do you plan on taking such an inexperienced group and turn them into NFL-caliber players?
Practice. We don’t have to play until the first game against Detroit in September. From now until then, we have time to get them ready and that is why they call us coaches.
It is my dream in life to become what you are, an NFL coach. And I was just wondering how one should prepare for becoming a coach. What would look good on a resume? What should you study in college? And what is the best way to approach an organization? I know that to be a position coach, you would need to have played that position at a high level, but I am just seeking information on items besides that.
I would really study the game, know the game. You don’t necessarily have to play the position to be able to coach that position. Use all of your resources. If you are playing, talk to your coaches. Go to college and talk to those coaches and try to become a graduate assistant coach and work your way up through the ranks. You’ve probably heard the saying, “There is more than one way to skin a cat.” You may learn one thing from one coach and something better from another coach. Just gather all the information you can to become the best possibly coach you can be.
Coaches Corner: Fan Q&A with WR Coach Tyke Tolbert
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Cardinals new wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert sat down to answer questions from our fans in this Q&A!
Congratulations on joining the Cardinals staff. I am a huge LSU fan and when you played the quarterback was Tom Hodson, a Heisman trophy candidate. Why did they always take you out when they threw the ball?
Coming out of high school, I was a pretty highly recruited guy, but when I got to LSU everybody was highly recruited. I was put in as a wide blocker and not a wide receiver. But that helped me in a sense that I had to study the game that much more than other guys who were better players and athletes than I was, which was why Coach Jerry Sullivan mentioned to me when I was playing for him that I should go into coaching and that is what I decided to do.
I was a BIG fan of Anquan Boldin in college. I think he is going to surprise some people, and become a star caliber player in the NFL! He has some of the best separation and after the catch skills I've seen in a long time coming out of college. Do you plan on using Anquan a lot in the slot with his great hands and ability to take a hit and maybe go the distance?
Absolutely. The funny thing about Anquan is I have been watching him since he was in the 11th grade. I coached at Auburn in 1998 and Anquan was in his senior year and we offered him a scholarship to play quarterback. Anquan has always been a phenomenal athlete and has been able to showcase his skills throughout college at Florida State and we definitely plan on using Anquan in a lot of ways. Being a former quarterback, we also have some things we can use with him to showcase all of his abilities.
Hi, I coach receivers and defensive back. I was wondering if you would share a couple of drills and coaching points with me. I'm always trying to get as much information as I can to pass on to my guys. Also, I was wondering if you knew of any coaching clinics for the off season that would be beneficial for me to attend?
Being out of college ball, I am not really up to date on the coaching clinics. You may want to go to footballscoops.com and they have listed some clinics on there. I don’t know what drills to recommend because I am not sure what age group you are coaching. There are a thousand drills but what works for junior high kids may not work for high school or college kids. If I knew what level you were working with, I could better answer that question!
Who are your top four wide receivers and who is going to start this year?
That is a good question. We lost our top three receivers to free agency so we pretty much have a whole new group. We are basically going to put them in the wash and see what comes out. We’ve got some guys who have been here, but because you have been here before doesn’t mean you are going to be the guy. We drafted a guy in the first round and in the second round so those guys will be in the mix with some of our vets. We’ll have to see what our best combination is.
I just wanted to know if Nate Poole will have a chance this year in your receiver rotation? Nate has always been a clutch receiver and I believe he can really help the team.
Nate Poole will definitely have a chance. As I mentioned before, all those guys will be in there and have a chance to compete. Nate’s strength are his hands. He has some of the best natural hands I have seen. His knowledge of the game helps him too. He can play X, Z or F. His versatility will help him have a chance to make the football team.
With the loss of David Boston, who do you see emerging as our "home run" threat? Also, who is our fastest wide receiver?
Again, going back to the last two questions, we’ll have to see who comes out as far as our number one go to guy. We have a few guys that are really fast. Kevin Kasper is fast. Jason McAddley can really run. Bryant Johnson, who we drafted in the first round, he can really run as well. Bryan Gilmore is known for his speed. But, who is the fastest? That is hard to say unless they all line up and race each other. We definitely have some guys that can run and we feel pretty good about it.
What do you consider the most difficult challenge for you ahead this year with so many young receivers?
Probably the most difficult challenge is being able to really focus on their technique. A lot of guys in college played against guys they were so much better than most of the time. On this level, everyone is good. Speed doesn’t necessarily mean you are going to be able to outrun everybody and catch deep touchdowns all the time. You have to have technique, be able to separate, be able to drop your weight, come in and out of cuts. We are trying to teach these guys right now how to use their speed to their advantage. Being able to come out of cuts is really the key thing I can see in this level. What is open in college may not be what is open all the time in the NFL so technique is what gets you in and out of your cuts and is what allows a receiver to get open instead of just outrunning a guy.
As a new coach for the Cards, what is your take on Kevin Kasper? He seems to have very good speed with a great pair of hands to boot. He really impressed me last year over the last few games, but I haven't heard much about him since.
I like Kevin Kasper. He does have good speed. He does have good hands. Kevin has obviously had some NFL experience. He just needs to focus on the total picture and what we are trying to do because sometimes we move guys from one position to another position. If he focuses on the whole picture, he’ll be able to increase his versatility.
What kind of conditioning do you put your receiving core through during the season and off-season? Also what do you look for when evaluating receivers?
As far as the conditioning question goes, that would be for our strength coach Bob Rogucki. For evaluating, we look for guys that have a great deal of talent and a great deal of athletic ability that can also run and break away from defenders. Basically a playmaker.
What is your background? If Jerry Sullivan picked you to replace himself, he must have great confidence in you. When did you work with him last?
I was a receiver at LSU who played for Coach Sullivan. I was what they called a student of the game because I wasn’t as blessed as some of the other players. I spent a lot of time studying film and I was the only guy he would have play all three wide receiver positions because I was smart enough to do it all. By him knowing my knowledge of the game he talked me into coaching. Throughout my career coaching in college I’ve had a couple of internships with him - in 1997 with the Detroit Lions and again in 2001 with the Cardinals. When he became offensive coordinator, he felt most comfortable with me being able to teach what he taught. 90% of what I know about the wide receiver position came from Jerry Sullivan. I picked up a few other things along the way, but mostly is what he taught me.
How good do you think Reggie Newhouse is right now, how good he could become and do you think he has a chance to make the team?
Obviously, we think a lot of Reggie - that’s why he’s here. He has as good as a chance as anybody to make the team. He’s a rookie and he’s got a lot more to learn than guys who have been here, but Reggie has a good chance to make this team.
Everyone in Oklahoma is very interested in the prospects of former Sooner WR Antwone Savage to make the Cardinals' team. Can you tell us how he looked in minicamp and how you assess his prospects?
Antwone Savage was a player we looked at coming out of Oklahoma that we thought was a very tough player and a very versatile player. He played all the positions and he’s looked pretty good so far. He’s got some things to work on because for a short guy, he’s got a long stride. One of the things he really has to work on is dropping his weight and coming out of his cuts because his stride is so long. From the first day he arrived here till now, he’s gotten better each day. We are excited about Antwone.
Having watched Mr. Boldin for three years at FSU I have been amazed with his DECEPTIVE speed to elude tacklers. Will he be primarily involved in the red zone offense with his size and ability to shield defenders from the ball?
Anquan can be most effective anywhere he wants to be. As long as he keeps progressing like he has so far, he’ll be a player we can do a lot of things with. He is a phenomenal athlete.
Being that our receivers will have to step it up in order for Emmitt Smith to succeed, how do you plan on taking such an inexperienced group and turn them into NFL-caliber players?
Practice. We don’t have to play until the first game against Detroit in September. From now until then, we have time to get them ready and that is why they call us coaches.
It is my dream in life to become what you are, an NFL coach. And I was just wondering how one should prepare for becoming a coach. What would look good on a resume? What should you study in college? And what is the best way to approach an organization? I know that to be a position coach, you would need to have played that position at a high level, but I am just seeking information on items besides that.
I would really study the game, know the game. You don’t necessarily have to play the position to be able to coach that position. Use all of your resources. If you are playing, talk to your coaches. Go to college and talk to those coaches and try to become a graduate assistant coach and work your way up through the ranks. You’ve probably heard the saying, “There is more than one way to skin a cat.” You may learn one thing from one coach and something better from another coach. Just gather all the information you can to become the best possibly coach you can be.
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