ON TORRY HOLT, BY AUSTIN, A NC STATE FAN (Aug 10)Add yourself to The HERD's Official Roster (guestbook), if you think you are man enough!
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It's no wonder Vermeil and the Rams had Holt as their #1 rated player in the draft. I guess one of the best examples of his ability can be summed up in his career against Florida State University. In 1997, a relatively unknown Holt broke onto the national scene by torching the FSU defense for 5 TD's. This past year, FSU was ready for Holt when they played State...or so they thought. All the Seminole DB's were talking trash all week prior to the game about how they were going to shut down Holt--revenge. FSU, which is arguably the best college football team in the country year in and year out, and could maybe beat some of the worst NFL teams, basically geared their entire gameplan around stopping Holt.
Holt had 9 catches for 135 yards and a punt return for a TD. Bobby Bowden raved about Holt after the game in amazement.
Holt also had big games against Syracuse and UNC. He thrives on the big games.
Here is a list of Holt's positives:
--runs precise, sharp routes (and looks as "smooth as glass" when running them) --has EXTREMELY soft hands and catches EVERY CATCHABLE ball.
--an EXTREMELY hard worker (the coaches at State and with the Rams all have commented on his spellbinding training regimine and strong work ethic.)
--has EXTREMELY good vertical leap and can literally "jump over" most cornerbacks to make the catch.
--seems to have "natural ablility" to get open/find the holes in the defense
--good, honest person (a rarity in today's world of professional sports)
--spent all 4 years in school and is going to get his degree.
--fast (ran 4.38 40 in workouts for NFL teams)
--a quick and eager learner (note: early signing with Rams was in part to start learning about the pro game as soon as possible)
--all time ACC leader in receptions AND receiving yards
--not just a "natural wide receiver", but a football
player...a "gamer"
Something else I noticed about Holt that proves to me he is a special player:
-when catching punts almost all players, even many in the NFL, kind
of "take off" when they catch the punt. Some of this, I suspect,
stems from the fact that there are 11 men rushing down field at full speed trying to
take their head off. Maybe it is just me, but watching Holt closely last year,
I noticed that when he catches a punt, he seems to be COMPLETELY RELAXED--it
seems as if he has NO FEAR whatsoever. And he waits just a second or so before
he starts running. I figure he is using this brief second to scan the field and plan
his route. So while other players get by using speed to be successful punt
returners, Holt uses his judgement football sense to excel. (BTW he returned two
punts for TDs last year and was in the top ten in the nation last year in
all-purpose yards).
Because they drafted Torry Holt, the St. Louis Rams have become my favorite NFL
team. I am looking forward to a successful season.