Opportunity beckons for Michael Schofield

[Denver Native (Carol)]

He worked out extensively in Boston, the home base of his girlfriend, Kendall Coyne, a member of last year's silver-medal winning USA women's hockey team -- but also the city of strength and conditioning guru Mike Boyle. He spent two weeks in San Diego this month receiving personal sessions with an offensive line coach.

And now the Broncos' 2014 third-round selection hopes he will ascend on the depth chart after a frustrating rookie season in which he was inactive for all 16 regular-season games and the playoff loss to the Colts.

Schofield's lack of game action in 2014 did not dull the team's confidence in him, as Head Coach Gary Kubiak and Executive Vice President/General Manager John Elway have emphasized his potential role in a revamped offensive line.

rest - http://www.denverbroncos.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Opportunity-beckons-for-Michael-Schofield/97c32b7f-170d-4d2b-9466-0de65ac13329

[Buff]

I have zero faith or expectation that he will ever be a meaningful contributor. We put out an All Points Bulletin for warm bodies to plug in on the offensive line last year, and he didn't even get a sniff. Granted, Fox doesn't like to play young guys, but I think him being inactive for all 16 games last year when our o-line was a dumpster fire tells us everything we need to know.

[underrated29]

I knew he wasnt going to be ready last year after I broke down nearly all of his plays in college for all of his games. that said, he has the skills. He has really quick feet. He may have to play G this year, imo, he still needs another year to refine himself for T. Who know maybe he made the jump, but after watching him I was able to tell exactly what the play was going to be just by looking at his right leg and where he placed it. Run, PA, pass, etc.

[Denver Native (Carol)]

Everything went wrong at right tackle last season for the Broncos. So desperate was Denver to stabilize the position, all-pro guard Louis Vasquez shifted to the spot after the 10th game. He provided caulking, but not a permanent solution.

With the team's offseason program set to begin in two weeks, a vacancy sign hangs from the position. The Broncos possess in-house veteran candidates Chris Clark and Paul Cornick, and could address the opening in the draft. But what if they already selected the right player last spring?

Michael Schofield, a third-round pick from Michigan, didn't dress for a single game last season, but a coaching staff change and added weight has left him eager to fight for the starting job.

AND


Schofield stepped into the margins last year. After encouraging mini-camps and preseason flashes, he disappeared. Schofield became part of a bigger disconnect between general manager John Elway and coach John Fox over the development of young players. It wasn't as if Schofield and second-round selection Cody Latimer were expected to start, but their limited to non-existent game reps were surprising.

full article - http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_27815734/michael-schofield-adds-weight-ready-compete-starting-job

I am taking a wait and see attitude - wait to see if he can/if he can not play. Fox put both Schofield and Latimer in the same position last year - he did NOT play Schofield at all, and for Latimer - limited play

[Denver Native (Carol)]

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- As the Denver Broncos continue to move through their offseason work, at least some of their major decisions are based on a player they already have becoming a bigger part of things than he has been.

If they’re right about all, or at least most, of them, they’ll keep their spot in the Super Bowl conversation. And it makes those players key pieces of the puzzle.

Today: Bradley Roby.

The Broncos lost one of two defensive players who were on the field for at least 1,000 snaps this past season when safety Rahim Moore signed with the Houston Texans in free agency. Moore (1,054 snaps) and safety T.J. Ward (1,003 snaps) were the only players who topped the four-digit barrier for the Broncos in 2014 on that side of the ball.

rest - http://espn.go.com/blog/denver-broncos/post/_/id/12623/broncos-step-up-players-bradley-roby

Another young player who will be given the opportunity to play more

[Buff]

AND


full article - http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_27815734/michael-schofield-adds-weight-ready-compete-starting-job

I am taking a wait and see attitude - wait to see if he can/if he can not play. Fox put both Schofield and Latimer in the same position last year - he did NOT play Schofield at all, and for Latimer - limited play

I like your attitude better... And I acknowledge I am being unreasonably negative on this guy... But the main difference between Latimer and him is that we had a pro bowl caliber WR corps last year, so it would have been tough for any young guys to crack the lineup.

Whereas we had a broken offensive line and cycled just about everybody with a pulse through the starting lineup - and yet Schofield wasn't looked at as a viable replacement at any point. We played former Jets practice squader Paul Cornick over him. Thus, my expectations are very low.

[Cugel]

I have zero faith or expectation that he will ever be a meaningful contributor. We put out an All Points Bulletin for warm bodies to plug in on the offensive line last year, and he didn't even get a sniff. Granted, Fox doesn't like to play young guys, but I think him being inactive for all 16 games last year when our o-line was a dumpster fire tells us everything we need to know.

About 80% of this. What we really know is that John Fox and Adam Gase did not think Schofield was worth a roster spot. Elway clearly did and still does. One of the key points of controversy that led to dissent between Elway and Fox was Fox's unwillingness to play Elway's young players: Schofield and Paradis being two of the chief ones.

Fox was compelled to give them roster spots, but he was not required to play them, so they sat on game day. Elway was not pleased. He and Fox disagreed over the value and uses of the personnel already on the roster.

So, Elway got rid of Fox, who wasn't sad to leave, and brought in Kubiak who, for now at least, is in agreement with Elway on the need to play the young players, including Sylvester Williams and Cody Latimer, who also saw limited playing time.



The rookie's debut was so impressive, many fans expected to see Latimer on the field a lot come September. Probably so did Latimer.

But in fact, the former Hoosier only played eight games and caught just two of the four passes for which he was targeted.

"It was a long transitioning year for me," Latimer told Mile High Report in an exclusive interview Thursday.

Adding that the complex offensive scheme was not an easy adjustment from college ball, Latimer said having to learn the playbook from every position on the field was only part of the challenge. Playing for No. 18 was another.

"Peyton has so many checks, and he makes so many calls on the field, you have to be ready. He wants you to be on cue with him, and if you make a mistake, he doesn't like that," Latimer added with a chuckle. "But he sees so much."

[Denver Native (Carol)]

I like your attitude better... And I acknowledge I am being unreasonably negative on this guy... But the main difference between Latimer and him is that we had a pro bowl caliber WR corps last year, so it would have been tough for any young guys to crack the lineup.

Whereas we had a broken offensive line and cycled just about everybody with a pulse through the starting lineup - and yet Schofield wasn't looked at as a viable replacement at any point. We played former Jets practice squader Paul Cornick over him. Thus, my expectations are very low.

There is a possibility that Fox never put Schofield with the starters in practice, that all he got in practice was with the backups, during the regular season.

[VonDoom]

I have zero faith or expectation that he will ever be a meaningful contributor. We put out an All Points Bulletin for warm bodies to plug in on the offensive line last year, and he didn't even get a sniff. Granted, Fox doesn't like to play young guys, but I think him being inactive for all 16 games last year when our o-line was a dumpster fire tells us everything we need to know.

I really hope this dude amounts to something. I fear that it'll be what you said, though. I think I said nearly the exact same thing in a thread a few weeks ago - our line was a mess last year and he never even saw a uniform on game day, which is not encouraging.

[Timmy!]

The OL is the only major concern I have about this team. I assuming we go OL early and often in the draft. I have no clue if Schofield can play or not. We will find out in camp and preseason.

[Krugan]

I cant even start to bash the kid, with the mix of stories we get about Fox and not playing young guys, who really knows if the poor kid is that bad or Fox just thought he could shuffle and make stuff right with the guys that got us to the bowl.

Hard to be down when there just is so many stories on what was going on behind closed doors.

In hindsight, leaving the group where they were to begin with would have, most likely, netted us the same outcome as shuffling ti all over the place did. What a mess:)

[NightTrainLayne]

It will be very interesting to see how many of these situations pan out. I always felt Fox was reticent to play young guys, but would eventually concede to talent getting onto the field. Some of these recent articles and statements here and there are causing me to question that.

[sneakers]

To be honest I forgot that this person existed

[Jsteve01]

I have zero faith or expectation that he will ever be a meaningful contributor. We put out an All Points Bulletin for warm bodies to plug in on the offensive line last year, and he didn't even get a sniff. Granted, Fox doesn't like to play young guys, but I think him being inactive for all 16 games last year when our o-line was a dumpster fire tells us everything we need to know.

you know I've been as vocal as anyone about Fox reluctance to play youngsters but the kids from Elway's first draft got run. See Deebo

[Simple Jaded]

I liked the Schofield pick more than anyone here but I think he would have played if he was ready.

[Dzone]

Mike Boyle is a legendary trainer. I have some of his teaching videos....Maybe schofield was being held back last year for not being smart enough to grasp the system. Hope thats all it was, and that he isnt another flop like george foster

[Simple Jaded]

Mike Boyle is a legendary trainer. I have some of his teaching videos....Maybe schofield was being held back last year for not being smart enough to grasp the system. Hope thats all it was, and that he isnt another flop like george foster

Dmac and Chad Brown mentioned something about Schofield getting an illness and dropping down to 280lbs, fwiw.

Btw, Chad Brown blows Big Al outta the water on the radio, I mean big time, he should have that job instead.

[Rick]

Mike Boyle is a legendary trainer. I have some of his teaching videos....Maybe schofield was being held back last year for not being smart enough to grasp the system. Hope thats all it was, and that he isnt another flop like george foster

Don't see how the two could be compared. Wasn't foster a first round pick?