Dan Williams gets praise from Arians

[BullheadCardFan]

Turns out Williams not only passed his running test, he also drew big praise afterward from first-year head coach Bruce Arians.

“He looked great. His weight is way down. He hit his weight,” Arians said. “I judged the running test on him. He hit his number. I said, ‘That’s enough, we’re all good. If Danny’s good, we’re good.’ I was really pleased with Dan.”

Williams, the Cardinals’ first-round pick in 2010 out of Tennessee, said he is expecting to make his biggest contributions this season and he hopes to do it by helping make Arizona’s defense staunch against the run. The Cardinals ranked 28th in that statistic a year ago, allowing an average of 137 rushing yards per game.

“My biggest thing was looking at our rush defense last year and the first person they look at is the nose tackle,” Williams said. “So for me, personally, I want us to finish in the top 10, top five against the run.”
If Williams keeps his weight under control, he can have a big influence on trying to reach that goal.

“He can expand his role at this weight,” Arians said. “He can push the middle of the pocket. He doesn’t have to come out of there on passing downs. We want to see him expand that role.”

Link.

 

[JC_AZ]

Seems the players are starting to recognize that Arians expects commitment and will hold them all accountable...no favorites allowed... I like it

 

[Darkside]

That started with Whisenhunt benching his ass for his weight. That's a wake-up call and if Williams is any sort of professional (and it seems he is) he'll fight back and correct it (and he has).

If anything, BA saying, “He can expand his role at this weight. He can push the middle of the pocket. He doesn’t have to come out of there on passing downs. We want to see him expand that role,” reinforces the fact that Whisenhunt was right about his weight for the reasons BA specified.

I'm still a Whis homer. I like BA, but Whisenhunt took us where we've never been in AZ. I don't forget that easily. Whisenhunt knows what he's doing. If anything, I think he was too nice to our players. BA is a hardass, and so far it appears to have gotten the respect of his players. I'm all for winning games and if BA can do that I'll be slobbering over him the way I have about Whisenhunt. Right now it's all talk though.

(Edit: I should add that Whisenhunt was saddled with Rod Graves. Whis didn't do anything wrong to deserve Rod Graves)

 

[JC_AZ]

Whiz also kept the totally dis-engaged Russ Grimm who did absolutely NOTHING for our OL since he arrived, which helped our offense become THE JOKE of the NFL...pursued Kolb, Anderson, Hall, etc...good riddens, I am easily convinced our SB season was as much or more about Warner, Boldin, Fitz and the OC than it was about Whiz... how did his DC pick work out before he landed Horton... FAIL

 

[Mitch]

I think it is an especially auspicious sign that Dan Williams arrived at camp at his prescribed weight and that he passed the running test. He seems very focused and determined---his comments were that he wants to dominate versus the run this year and be able to contribute in the pass rush. BA helped to motivate DW by explaining to him that he could be a dynamo in the inside pass rush if he slimmed down some. So far, so good.

 

[Duckjake]

Other than his rookie season, and even then I think the Cards were wrong, weight didn't keep Dumpster Dan from performing. It was Horton's 2-4-5 that kept him off the field and against which most of the opponents rushing yards were gained.

There's an old adage, put down the stat book and watch some film. That applies strongly to Dan Williams. You can see on the coaches film that the Cards were much better against the run and still strong against the pass when Williams was in the game.

Always remember Williams was taken 26th in the first round, unlike most Cardinal picks which were usually in the top 10. So as far as I'm concerned we've received good value from that selection.

Of course now that I've written this Dan will break his arm or tear a bicep in camp.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Unless I am mistaken next year is an "option" year on Dan William's contract.

That may have something to do with it.

 

[Bert]

Dumpster Dan looking slimmer than ever at OTA's today...

You must be registered for see images

 

[dreamcastrocks]

This stat can't be right, can it?

against the run. The Cardinals ranked 28th in that statistic a year ago, allowing an average of 137 rushing yards per game.

I thought the Cards were near the top of the league last year against the run.

 

[b8rtm8nn]

Dumpster Dan looking slimmer than ever at OTA's today...

Hilarious that 'slimmer than ever' still means he looks like a dump-truck - just a slightly more refined and aerodynamic dump-truck.

 

[b8rtm8nn]

This stat can't be right, can it?



I thought the Cards were near the top of the league last year against the run.

This is a thread from almost a year ago...

 

[Shane]

This stat can't be right, can it?



I thought the Cards were near the top of the league last year against the run.

Clue should have been "1st year HC Arians"

 

[Bert]

This stat can't be right, can it?



I thought the Cards were near the top of the league last year against the run.

Just bumped an old Dan Wiliams thread because that's what I've been told to do instead of creating new ones for the same topic. I used the search function and everything! I was tryin to be a good boy! lol

 

[BigRedRage]

campbell is a damn beast, dude is so huge. Ill never forget his first game, in the huddle with Mike adams right in my end zone, It looked like a man and his toddler son.

 

[Shane]

campbell is a damn beast, dude is so huge. Ill never forget his first game, in the huddle with Mike adams right in my end zone, It looked like a man and his toddler son.

I remember him as a rookie outrunning the little guys down the field on Kickoff coverage.

STUD!

 

[Bert]

Hilarious that 'slimmer than ever' still means he looks like a dump-truck - just a slightly more refined and aerodynamic dump-truck.

True, but it's good to see he is holding it together better in the offseason. I remember 2 years ago I went to the first day of camp and I saw how much weight he hand put on during the offseason and I was like WOW Dan really dude??? I think this is a good sign.

 

[8ndkorner]

Whiz also kept the totally dis-engaged Russ Grimm who did absolutely NOTHING for our OL since he arrived, which helped our offense become THE JOKE of the NFL...pursued Kolb, Anderson, Hall, etc...good riddens, I am easily convinced our SB season was as much or more about Warner, Boldin, Fitz and the OC than it was about Whiz... how did his DC pick work out before he landed Horton... FAIL

All strong points...

 

[BigRedRage]

I remember him as a rookie outrunning the little guys down the field on Kickoff coverage.

STUD!

been a big fan since day one

 

[BigRedRage]

True, but it's good to see he is holding it together better in the offseason. I remember 2 years ago I went to the first day of camp and I saw how much weight he hand put on during the offseason and I was like WOW Dan really dude??? I think this is a good sign.

contract year right?

 

[Bert]

contract year right?

lol ofcourse.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

This is a thread from almost a year ago...

Ah. Makes sense.

 

[Finito]

Contract year or not Dan has done his part since we drafted him he was great last year. One of my favorites on the team

 

[devilalum]

Unless I am mistaken next year is an "option" year on Dan William's contract.

That may have something to do with it.

When I saw the thread title the first thing I thought was, "Contract year?"

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

I don't think sating it's a contract year is fair for Williams. He's always done a pretty good job. I'm sure the contract gives him some extra motivation but he's always played with good effort.

 

[cardpa]

Hilarious that 'slimmer than ever' still means he looks like a dump-truck - just a slightly more refined and aerodynamic dump-truck.

I always thought the Volvo semi trucks looked very svelte and aerodynamic. Maybe we should change his name to Volvo Dan. It would certainly be an upgrade from Dumpster. Of course then the initials would be VD.