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[Note: The
Ramsboard admins generously took the time and effort to set up the hour-long board chat
with Randy Karraker. Their energies and dedication are well appreciated. And Randy
Karraker himself, needless to say, generously gave Ramsboarders over an hour of his time
to answer several dozen questions. Think of the typing involved. I am sure I speak
for everyone when I sincerely thank both Randy and the admins for giving so freely of
their time. What follows is a transcript of that exchange. If I left anything out, it was completely inadvertent, I promise you. Go Rams! And enjoy---Zack] ************************************************* RK: Hi everyone...Thanks for stopping by. I see most of your posts in the Rams rooms, but it'll be goodto talk tonight. I'll answer all the questions I can. I'm looking forward to Sunday. I really thought with Green, the Rams were an 11 or 12 win team. However, now I don't know what to think, because I don't know what to expect ofWarner. Should be fun against the Ravens, though. The Rams, if you haven't seen, signed DT Paul Grasmanis today. He was a third DT for the Bears the last two years. He caught my eye on the waiver wire. ND product. He should, in time, be an upgrade over Sears. I'm ready for questions. JACK P. MILLER: I wanted to know who did you want in the first round. For me as a fan I wanted Chris Claireborne. I feel that the Rams linebacking core is the worst in the NFL (based on talent), and Claireborne would have been an upgrade from what we have already. He would have been our first real good linebacker since Kevin Greene. RK: Once they got to number six and Bailey was there, I really wanted them to take Champ. However, after the second round, when they got Bly, I understood the Holt choice. To me, Bly is closer to Champ than D'Wayne Bates is to Holt, and they would have taken Bates in round two. With Ike's hammies and Lyght in the last year of a contract, I think they needed a WR and a CB. I like Claiborne, too, but Vermeil, in a win or else situation, wasn't in a position to take him. He needed immediate impact. RAMPAGE Y2K: How far along is he in learning Martz's system, does he have a good grasp of it, or is he still learning? Also, how has he looked in practice lately and what is the rest of the teams attitude towards him? RK: There's no question that Warner isn't as far along as Green in this offense. There are plays that they could automatically put in for Green, that will have to be worked on specially for Warner. However, he knows enough that they can put in a full gameplan. They don't have to scale anything back. I think even last year, the team liked and respected Warner. He has some innate leadership qualitites, and you can see that. He says the strongest part of his game is performing when his back is against the wall. He's been excellent in practice. Better with more reps than he was as the backup. JC: Randy: Are the Rams still looking for a beefy DT? I thought they would trade for one on Sunday. The Chargers, for one, seemed to have a couple to spare. RK: Vermeil and the D coordinators would LOVE a big DT. That's a big part of the way this defense works. However, there aren't many 325 pounders that can play...and you really have to be patient with them. The Gilbert Brown, Ted Washington types didn't come into their own until their fourth or fifth year. And now Brown is just a blob. RAMSRULE: Is Faulk in game shape? Was wondering if he is ready for the real thing?? Thanks! RK: I talked to Marshall about that last week, and he said he feels like he's in normal football shape. Achy the day after a game, but rebounds quickly on Tuesday...his golf day. ZN: Faulk and Martz. How much do you think Mike Martz is altering or tailoring his offense to take advantage of Faulk's particular skills? We've seen the screens...is there more? Thanks! RK: I think the offense will revolve around Faulk's talents. Vermeil told me he wants Faulk to get 22-25 carries per game and 7-8 catches. Screens, splitting him out, shovel passes...he'll be the man. One more point about the regular season...they'll use the tight end a lot more. We didn't see that in the pre season...but expect to see Williams some on Sunday. CRASH N RAM: What are the chances of the Rams asking T. Green to restructure his contract to lower his base salary to free up Cap Room to sign a DT like Wilson or Smith from Arizona? I just read that G. Hearst just recently restructured his so that the 9ers could fill a need. Have the Rams even thought about this possibility? RK: The way to re-do Green's contract would be to guarantee more money this year and reduce his base salary, but I don't think youcould gain more than $5 or $6 K. The deals to do are Carter and Bruce...but I understand that the Cardinals want to keep those guys. There are contract than can be redone, though. VIRGINIA RAM: HOW DO YOU THINK OUR RUN DEFENSE WILL HOLD UP? GIVEN THE BACKS WE WILL FACE IN OUR DIVISION I THINK THIS IS A BIG KEY TO OUR SEASON. ALSO ANY WORD ON ANYMORE ROSTER MOVES? THANKS ALOT RK: Virginia Ram...To me, the run defense will be one of the major keys. Stopping Ricky and Jamal four times will be tough with the small DL and small MLB. They have to be quick and tackle well. That's why we're all begging for that big DT. Once Dexter McCleon is healthy, I think they'll get rid of Crosby, and perhaps bring Carpenter back. RAMRICK: How good is our new D-T Gramanis (sp) and will he play against the Ravens. Also how is Justin coming along with the new system? Thanks RK: I hate to make comparisons, but you know who was described this way? Ray Agnew was. I don't know if Grasmanis has the athleticism of Agnew, but he might be a good fit in this system. I bet he'll play a few snaps Sunday, with Agnew probably out, he'll be behind Farr, Zgonina and Hyder. They're doing everything they can to get Justin ready for Sunday. Vermeil is disappointed with Germaine's progress. SIRRAM: Am I missing something in Taje Allen, he looks like the second coming of McNeil. Is Dexter coming along and when will he be able to take over. Thank you. RK: Sirram...I have yet to be impressed by Allen. They're really hoping Dexter is ready for Sunday. I'd start Bly ahead of Allen, to be honest. RAMSRULE: I would like to hear your comments on our back up QB situation......is Justin really ready for the #2 slot.......and is Germaine REALLY ready to be our #3? Do you think that we should look for veteran help? RK: Right now, Justin is not ready to be number two. Hopefully, by Sunday he'll know enough that he can be. Germaine is NOT ready to play. Perhaps the only team in the league that can play their number three and expect to win is Denver, although Stenstrom is pretty good in SF, too. (sorry about that, guys.) RAMMED FOR LIFE: Randy K---thanks so much for all the contributions you make to our board. It's great to have a real pro on board. You do more than JT ever did on the board his employers assigned him to support! Anyway, what is the mood in the lockerroom on the eve of battle? How do they feel about facing the Ravens? Confident in Warner? Any lessening of confidence with the trades and the screwup over Sears? RK: Rammed for Life...Thanks for the kind words. I don't thing that procedural stuff bothers players. It probably bothers us more. They're pretty confident, even without Green. I think there are a couple of factors that lead to the confidence...a healthy Bruce and Martz. They know that Martz knows what he's doing. RAMSRULE: Was wanting to know what your thoughts are on what transpired last Sunday. Also, why didnt we cut Hodgins and keep Sears?? Thanks!! RK: Stunning incompetence. I've never seen it before. Only the Rams. And why Hodgins is around, I don't know. He played for John Ralson in college, and Ralson gave Vermeil his first job, at Stanford. There's a school of thought that keeping Hodgins around is a favor to Ralston. With Vermeil, anything is possible. RAMAS: Baltimore's fine linebackers will probably be lying in wait to pick off Warner's short, high-percentage passes on Sunday. Do you think the Rams will have to throw deep to win this game or can some nifty, misdirection runs get their linebackers off stride and lead the Rams to victory? RK: Good points. Baltimore has a good pass rush, and their corners are good too...Woodson can still play and McAlister is a nice pickup. To me, they have to establish the run (sound like a coach, don't I), and try to get Marshall into matchup advantages. This would be a different game with Green avoiding the rush and picking out the right receiver. GUARD109: Randy, what other moves do you see the team making yet at the start of the season, if any? What positions and names of people that we are looking at? RK: I think they'll try to get Carpenter back once McCleon is healthy. I don't see the Patton thing happening, because they like Tucker. If they could find a big DT, they'd do that. I would expect we'll hear a lot about big DT's working out. Also, if Justin can't cut it, they may try to revisit Hoss, although I don't think he wants to play. RAMSRULE: Kevin Carter's status for Sunday? RK: They expect Carter to play Sunday. He could walk in Sunday morning and be one of their two best defensive players. ARIES: Any idea on whether Amp will return early? Did that play into the Greg Hill trade? RK: First of all, a big round of applause to Aries for setting this up. Thanks. They still think Lee can be ready for the third game, at Cincy...if not perhaps earlier. I think they traded Hill because Vermeil didn't really like him a lot. Goes back to him not signing when the Rams first offered him a deal in the '98 off-season. Inexplicable roll of the dice, in my mind. RAMRICK: Rams looking at any O-Linemen? Patton? Or some of the other veterans that are out there? RK: don't think so. I'm sure Patton is on their short list in case of injury, but they like their starters, they like McCollum as the backup guard/center, Tucker as the third tackle, and think they can develop Jones and Spikes into really good players. I bet Spikes is the starting LG by week nine. HORNS: Who's the starting front 4 on d this weekend? With injuries and Carters mom sick, who is starting this week and who's left for backup? thanks Randy RK: Carter will be there, along with Zgonina, Farr and Wistrom. RAM 'EM ALL: Any prediction for Sunday's Ravens' game? RK: Yikes...haven't really analyzed it. But, off the top of my head, I'll say Rams-20 Ravens-10 SLAMRAM: What Are You Impressions Of Hyder? RK: Seems pretty active in there...obviously has good size. I would see him as a run stuffer if he turns into a good player. Doesn't seem to be a pass rusher or exceptionally nimble guy. We'll get a better idea of his strength as we go along, but he has to be really strong to succeed. RAM-BLE: Are the coaches making any progress on Wistrom's outside pass rush? Any hope he can excel as a pure pass rusher? Or are they privately "mildly disappointed"? RK: They're actually more encouraged by Wistrom than they were last year at this time. He just has to learn the tricks and games of his position. He's obviously not going to overpower guys on the pass rush...so he has to use his quickness and technique. He's OK against the run because he's fast and doesn't quit, so if he becomes a pass rusher, he should be more than a pure pass rusher. RAMPAGE Y2K: With the emergence of Watson and Holcombe looking good, I thought it was a no brainer, but a lot of people were or are still upset with it.. What are your thoughts and did we get enough for him? RK: They got what they could out of Hill...I'm not bothered by what they got as much as the fact that they dealt him. To me, the NFL is a game of skill position players, and one of the reasons I picked them to do well was their depth at the skill positions. Then they trade a good one. Holcombe had a better pre-season last year, and as he proved to us, you can't believe the pre-season. We know what Hill can do. If Faulk goes down, I think they're in trouble. RAM-BLE: Are they pleased with Rich Coady's progress and potential? RK: Funny thing, Ram-Ble...they talk about him on special teams, but not as a safety. It's almost as if they drafted him as a special teams guy. I just haven't seen enough, and haven't even heard enough about him to make a judgement. RAM 'EM ALL: How is Ernie's rehab coming, and what week is he expected back? RK: They're still looking at right after week six, when he can come off the PUP. He looks good and feels good. It's a matter of strenghtening the joint and being able to cut, and especially push off to block. HAPPY NOODLE BOY: Randy, will Dexter McCleon be on the field Sunday, and will he make us all forget about Ryan McNiel? Also, will Dre Bly get to see some action as a nickel back, or will DV's fear of rookies give the nod to Taje Allen? (thanks for stopping by!) RK: Dexter is questionable. Bly is the dime back for Sunday. I've already forgotten the destined Pro Bowler and future Hall of Famer...and apparently so has Chris Palmer :) SCRAM: Holcombe. How's his injury? He was considered to have average or less speed for a back at 215lbs, how is his speed considered for a back in the 235 class? Thanks. RK: Thanks for having me, ScRAM...Holcombe didn't lose a step in bulking up to 233...he's the same speed, so he's a little above average. He'll touch the ball a lot. Right now, Harris is the starter, but Holcombe could practice tomorrow. HIPA.KANE: Will the DL rotate? Mahalo RK: They'll try to rotate at least six, and preferably eight, all season long. The starting four, plus presumably Zgonina, Hyder, Williams and, eventually Barnes...plus perhaps Grasmanis. RAM-BLE: In your opinion, who are the top three assistant coaches? The bottom three? RK: Top three...Martz, Saunders, Hanifan...Bottom guys, Gansz, Montgomery. Good attitudes, but the guys just don't improve under them. TOM: I heard the Rams were interested in Jeff Hostetler earlier. What's the latest? RK: He's still saying he doesn't want to play, and wants to care for his son, who is improving after a four wheeler accident. He was paralyzed. THE ROOKIE: What are the strengths or weaknesses that Warner has in the Martz scheme as opposed to Green? Thank for your insight. :-) RK: I like Warner, but I don't think he has any advantages over Green at this time. Folks who listen to KMOX might now, my "other" team is the Redskins. I saw 13 of Green's starts last year, and I think he's terrific OLD HACKER: Are you still predicting 12-4 Season? RK: No. I was basing my optimism on Green being available. I don't have a record prediction right now. SEC. 428: Do the players have faith in Warner and are the Rams still looking at Hoss? RK: Until he messes up, I think they have faith in Warner. I think the Rams interest in Hoss might exceed his interest in them. RAMPAGE Y2K: How is is hammy doing? will he be ready to go full speed entire game or are they still being very cautious with him? What are his thoughts on Warner? Will he last a whole year? Thanx for all the great info!!!!! RK: Ike looks great, and they're getting him ready for 65 snaps Sunday. The question of the year is his durability. He likes Warner, says he has faith in him, that he has to. But he LOVES Green, as you saw when Green got hurt. RAM 23: Are they, the players aware of how many great and devoted fans there are out here? RK: I don't think the organization has any idea how rabid their fans are. Management or players. RAMPAGE Y2K: Is Faulk emerging as the leader on O or has Kurt picked up where Trent left off? and who is the best leader on D? Thanx!! RK: On offense, Faulk is making his presence felt, Timmerman and Bruce. On defense, Carter is coming of age, Mike Jones and, I think Fletcher has the personality for it. Folks...Thanks a bunch for participating, and thanks to the admins for inviting me. Hopefully, we can do it again soon. I have to go on the air now, as the Cards lost to Atlanta. Go Rams on Sunday. See you on the radio |
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RANDY KARRAKER LIVE (Sept. 7)