Eagles strongside linebacker Moise Fokou was the starting strongside linebacker for the Birds all off season. He came into training camp as the starter at that position.
He lost his starting job to Akeem Jordan in an instant. It took about a day or two of training camp at Lehigh University for him to be demoted to second team. It had to be a decision the Eagles had already made during the off season, but waited until training camp started before they made it public.
Coaches make decisions for all kinds of reasons and don’t have to tell anybody else why.
Fokou never got an explanation for why he lost his starting job. Let me repeat that for all the people who act like this is unusual.
Neither Andy Reid nor his defensive coordinator sat down with Fokou and explained to him why he was demoted.
When it happened, nobody was crying about how Fokou deserved an explanation. As an NFL player, you can’t afford to start feeling sorry for yourself. You must have a soldier’s mentality of doing your job, regardless of the circumstances.
You don’t want to even check and see how you’re feeling emotionally because it’s irrelevant. You have to go out and do your job. That’s why Fokou didn’t want to start thinking about his feelings with reporters.
Now he is getting another shot to start because defensive coordinator Sean McDermott wants his front seven to be more physical. He wants somebody to hold up talented Niners tight end Vernon Davis at the line of scrimmage and contribute some tackles in order to stop star running back Frank Gore and the San Francisco 49ers physical running game.
The young linebacker from Maryland knows he might not get another chance, so he’d better be ready to get the job done.
“You always prepare as if you’re going to start, because you never know,” Fokou said. “So, I’m preparing the same way. I plan to go out there and jam the tight end and attack the run. Those are the strengths of my game.”
Yesterday, Fokou didn’t want to entertain any of the questions he was getting about what happened in training camp. As far as he was concerned, this is part of the business. “I just rolled with the punches,” he said. “This is the NFL. Things like that are going to happen. We went out and got a guy and I got bumped down.”
This is a “what have you done for me lately” business.
Players know that you either produce every time you step on the field or you’re going to run the risk of losing your job.
Ive liked Fokou since we got him. He gives our defense an attiude and a sh^&ty at that. If he can elminate the mental error and penelties( which i honeslty think will come with time) i think this kid can be a very solid LB for this team. I like the attiude of the team this year they really seem to want to get the best players on the field. I hope this means that soon we swap out sims for jordan. Just my opinion but i dont think simms is honeslty anything special and Jordan seems like he could flourish on that side.
Not just a linebacker issue. This is a combination of wasting high draft picks on Patterson and Bunkley and them just not being very good. You would think Bunkley would make a play by accident every now and then. The “shark in the water” is showing you why Detroit was willing to part with him. Jordan is who he is. A backup LB and special teams player. Fokou actually played well in preseason. Personally I think Dixon is better than both the starters.I would also bring Owens up from the PS. It may also be time to stop spending so much money on “fastballs” at DE and spend high draft picks on LB.
@ golden I forgot all about owens who is a freak as far as his strength is concerned. I beleive he had the second most bench presses in the entire combine. He has the tools and as far as technique i believe he had a head start cause he was trained on the side by an nfl d line coach while in college. Ive always been a fan of dixon as well. Hopefully they keep the trend going we could c alot more players going to the second team as the season rolls on.
I’m in agreeance fellahs. The kid can play downhill and if he doesnt let the intensity of the game get too him and make a mental error(p.foul)i think he’s an upgrade. I would be interested in seeing one of the tackles get benched or slide down the rotation. Dixon is a mammoth and i wonder why he doesnt get any reps.Plug him and Laws in too make some noise in there Sean. Will a linebacker pick something off please? I’m disgusted by the fact people think we’re gonna get owned by a 0-4 team on primetime. I KNOW THERE STRUGGLING!! BUT COME ON!!! DONT GIVE ME VEGAS!! Dont give me Kolb isnt seeing the field or the D will get pushed around.
Playing outta town and on primetime is just what the doc ordered for the Birds. The pressure is on the NIners too beat us…we’re sturggling,there struggling. Alex Smith is a bum. I repeat….A STONE COLD BUM!!! If we locked Don down and basically only had struggles with the run then there should be an improvement on the run d scheme and continued agressiveness from the pass d.
Birds 35 Niners 10…Kolb impresses and puts too bed he’s a can of tomatoes……Peanut gets his on primetime.
Go Phills!!!
And Paulman….i read your predic….can i get a crystal ball predic that puts some positivity into Wilmington dude!!!
I like the move of Fokou Starting,
But I think that LB E Sims should be the player demoted and not A Jordan
Have Fokou play the SAM and Jordan take over the WILL and get Sims off the field
Ernie Sims is a better weakside then Jordan in my opinion…way faster and brings more pop. Yes he takes the bait but he can only improve. Tough call…maybe give em both a shot and best man wins.Sims just needs too focus and use that speed too make a play this weekend. Alex Smith is toast. We should send the dogs after him early and often. Let em rush for a buck and lock it down in the blue/ red zone.Go BIRDS.
Great write up on Oswalt. They should wear labels.LOVE IT!!Jeezuz…its only noon!!!?
EROCK
I doubt that score although I hope you are right
The big problem is McCoy’s injury
He is absolutely essential to the Offense both as a runner and a catch and run back
I don’t think McCoy will be playing..
I heard a rumor that Coach AR will sneak in a Green & Silver #36 Jersey to the 49 ers Locker room
and kidnap B Westbrook who will line up starting behind Kolb…
On a serious note,
I think a Start is born on Sunday Night and his name is Joquie Bell who rambles for 146 yards and
catches about 9 passes for 89 yards in a valiant effort as the Eagles fall..
28-10…its the Phills that have me with high hopes…feel me?
Paulman’s list of Eagles players that will be gone form this Defense after the 2010 Season
DT – M Patterson – Is traded a year too late and get a 5th Rd in Return, PS player J Owens takes his position)
OLB – E Sims (contract expires and becomes a Free-Agent, Eagles make no offer)
ILB – O Gaither (contract expires and Eagles make no offer)
CB – A Samuel (Is traded but Eagles have to eat some of his salary, they receive 3rd Rd in return)
S – Q Mickell (contract expries and becomes Free-agent, Eagles make a token offer, but Mickell moves on )
You forgot one thing Mancini. The Eagles finish 23rd in defense. McDermitt is demoted Jaroun is new defensive coordinator.
Just shows you the Eagles are clueless as to linebackers and have been for the past decade under
Bucket Belly.
To Goldenfinger,
I agree, McDermott will be “swimming with the fishes” after this season with D Jauron replacing him..
In fact, I would not be surprised if Jauron is not calling the shots by Week #10…
With the exception of Stew we have been pretty bad about getting quality backers.Other then that you guys are majoring in b.s. topped with neagativity. Look at the division. What team looks even somewhat together?Boys….F MOSLEY ON HIS PUNCH DRINKIN A$$,HARD ON FOR THE COWPOKES. They lose that game if Big Dre doesnt get hurt. Skins….Mike ices them. We’re snake bitten early with injuries…oline is a problem yes.Skins…Don completed 2 passes in second half….yeah they ran it but they do that too us again. Negadelphia…and Paul your in N.C.
Go phills
BigE I agree and I think some of it was Jim Johnson too. He had say in those defensive players as well and since he wanted to blitz all the time he got a lot of fast guys who were also undersized. Bradley is ok but nothing special. Just a normal solid LB who won’t make the pro bowl unless the rest of the conference sucks at the position. Kinda like Jason Peters making the pro bowl last year.
G, good point about no outcry for Fokou losing his job. We had the Kevin Kolb love fest going on because he got benched because there is actually a better QB on the team. No one cares about all these other players who are treated the same way each week. Somehow they think Kolb is supposed to be different. Kolb isn’t and has never been the best QB on the team so I’m not sure what the outcry was for.
I stand by my comment of 2 years ago that Stewart Bradley would be better as a OLB,
but he’s the best LB on the Eagles Roster and the have no one else to play the middle..
Watch the Eagles Coaches next spring try to convert Teo Neisham into a LB with Sims not being re-signed and 1 year wonder…Anyone want to bet… .
Pman, Ok. But it’s more important to have him in the middle in this team right now so quit your whining and lets hope for a win v. SF.
I wouldn’t whine so much if they put together a better roster,had better coached and drafted for needs
“Now he is getting another shot to start because defensive coordinator Sean McDermott wants his front seven to be more physical.” Gee , I woulda thought they’d want to be more physcial from day one. FIRE REID. FIRE MCDERMOTT and especially, FIRE MORNHINWEG.
ha slick, I do have to agree with you on Marty, HE is a true bum.
Paulman, are you not familiar with the credo that drafting for needs is foolish? Teams that do that exclusively tend to fair pretty poorly. That said, do you think that pass rush and safety were not needs? Did you think a big corner (lindley) wasn’t a need? Did you think a third QB wasn’t a need? Was linebacker youth/depth not a need? I think they really DID draft for need. Sure, you can point out the O line, but that’s the exception. They had a boatload of ‘needs’ (considering who they let go), and they addressed most of them in the draft.
@daggolden Great point! also Mike Patterson is actually worse than Bunkley…Both are undersized with short arms… And Dixon is a better DT. Just goes to show AR is not overall a very good talent evaluater… this team has lost the battle every week so far…we simpy are to small on both sides of the ball…except for o/line