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BallHawk
09-15-2007, 06:33 PM
Per JSO

Green Bay - Two years ago today, Joey Thomas was 24 hours away from his first National Football League start for the Green Bay Packers.

It was written that Thomas, who had moved ahead of Ahmad Carroll, was going to become just the Packers' 13th starter at left cornerback in the previous 45 years.

Offensive lineman Junius "Juice" Coston grimaced Friday when Thomas' name was brought up. Thomas' career as an NFL starter tied a record for brevity: one game. Six weeks later, he was waived. After a five-game fling with New Orleans later in 2005, he sat out the '06 regular season and is out again after being cut by Dallas Sept. 1.

Coston will be making his first start Sunday in New York, another Week 2 encounter just like the one Thomas failed at against Cleveland two years ago. The difference might be that Coston is a mature, dependable person and seems better equipped to seize the chance of a lifetime.

"This is my opportunity and I'm going to make the best of it," Coston said. "When opportunity knocks, you've got to be ready to blow down the doors. Any time you go out there and get a chance to start, you're looking at it long term."

It's still unclear to what degree performance and injury have impacted the decision by coach Mike McCarthy to start Coston at right guard ahead of Jason Spitz. For more than a month, a calf injury has been limiting Spitz, who was removed after 40 snaps in the opener and replaced by Coston for the last 24.

"I don't really know and don't really care, to tell you the truth," Coston said. "I can't dwell on that. They said I'm starting. It's all up to me. This business is based on going out and performing."

Coston, a fifth-round draft choice in 2005, is more athletic than Spitz, a third-round pick in '06. But Spitz was much better prepared coming from Louisville than Coston was coming out of North Carolina A&T.

That's basically why Spitz played 931 snaps as a rookie, compared with two for Coston last season (and three in '05).

Now, however, Coston is making up ground. Spitz was far better than '05 starter Will Whitticker, but still was ranked by scouts as the club's fifth-best lineman in '06.

The Packers loved the way Spitz came in acting like a pro, making rapid adjustments and not backing down physically. But Coston, who at 23 is almost a full year younger than Spitz, has improved enough in the staff's eyes to warrant a shot.

"It was a long, hard road to this point," Coston said. "I wouldn't say there really ever was a low point. It just was basically I had to grow up to be a man on the football field. I feel like I pretty much achieved it. I'm pretty happy about it."

A four-year starter in Division I-AA ranks, Coston ran 40 yards in 5.07 seconds at a campus workout in March 2005.

Before Coston's first training camp, offensive line coach Larry Beightol said: "We think he has big-time possibilities. He is an excellent athlete. He learns well."

Coston, 6 feet 3½ inches and 306 pounds, spent most of his rookie season at tackle, learning how to get his hands inside in pass protection.

"We really looked into taking him at Atlanta," offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski said in July 2006. "Because that's the kind of guy you're looking for. Very athletic. Lean. Fast. Aggressive. He just has to learn to do it the right way every single time."

Last year, Coston bounced between tackle and guard, but his progress was slow. The Packers were starting to wonder if he lacked competitive fire.

"But the switch has hit," new offensive line coach James Campen said in late July. "He has matured a tremendous amount this off-season. He's as athletic as any of our (players), including (Chad) Clifton. I believe we'll see what 'Juice' is this year."

Coston did show lack of strength in college but definitely not lack of effort or toughness. A three-position starter for the Aggies, he also kept bouncing from position to position in Green Bay and wasn't able to hone his game.

That was the pattern again this summer, tackle one day and guard the next. Now this humble native of Raleigh, N.C., is ready to make his mark as a starter.

"I always felt like a player," Coston said. "It was always growing, growing, growing, trying to be better. That's what people got to understand."

woodbuck27
09-15-2007, 07:00 PM
Nice article BallHawk. Thank You.

I'm pulling for this guard to inspire something more in our OL.

We are going to need all the Packer GOD's on our side to win in New York.

RashanGary
09-15-2007, 07:05 PM
I would be extatic if Coston steps up because he would be the 5th good young Olineman on our team (assuming Moll ever makes it back).

Colledge
Coston
Wells
Spitz
Moll

Barbre


Assuming these guys keep getting better, we might have our long term answers to the Oline.


They better start taking big steps right now though. They looked like absolute crap last week.

Bretsky
09-15-2007, 07:54 PM
I would be extatic if Coston steps up because he would be the 5th good young Olineman on our team (assuming Moll ever makes it back).

Colledge
Coston
Wells
Spitz
Moll

Barbre


Assuming these guys keep getting better, we might have our long term answers to the Oline.


They better start taking big steps right now though. They looked like absolute crap last week.

I would not put Moll or Spitz on my list of good young players yet. I hope they get there though; both are ideal backups that are learning the ropes behind a few successful veterans IMO. Ideally, of course

Bretsky
09-15-2007, 07:55 PM
It's about time we get to see what we have in Orange Juice Coston.

Game 3 will be more of a challenge.

GB should roll over the Giants, or they should be ashamed.

RashanGary
09-15-2007, 08:10 PM
I would not put Moll or Spitz on my list of good young players yet. I hope they get there though; both are ideal backups that are learning the ropes behind a few successful veterans IMO. Ideally, of course

I'm starting to agree with you. These players/coaches are scaring the crap out of me. I'm going to give them a couple of weeks as it won't be the first time a running game started slow and finished strong but this week and over the next few weeks we need to see a better overall line than we saw last year. It has to be a lot better, not just a little.

I'd say my confidence going into the regular season was a 7 for the Oline. It's a 4 after game one. If they have a similarly bad showing tomorrow, it will be a 2. IF they step it up, they'll climb to a 5 or 6.

The point here is that I think there is reason for concern. Those guys had better get it straightened out, and quickly or we could be in for a 8-8/9-7 sesaon. I was hoping for a 10-6 outing.

Bretsky
09-15-2007, 08:13 PM
I would not put Moll or Spitz on my list of good young players yet. I hope they get there though; both are ideal backups that are learning the ropes behind a few successful veterans IMO. Ideally, of course

I'm starting to agree with you. These players/coaches are scaring the crap out of me. I'm going to give them a couple of weeks as it won't be the first time a running game started slow and finished strong but this week and over the next few weeks we need to see a better overall line than we saw last year. It has to be a lot better, not just a little.

I'd say my confidence going into the regular season was a 7 for the Oline. It's a 4 after game one. If they have a similarly bad showing tomorrow, it will be a 2. IF they step it up, they'll climb to a 5 or 6.

The point here is that I think there is reason for concern. Those guys had better get it straightened out, and quickly or we could be in for a 8-8/9-7 sesaon. I was hoping for a 10-6 outing.


Good points. Dallas ran the ball at ease against the Giants. Passed as well so I'd hope we at least have a decent showing.

But we play some very very good DL's this year in The Bears twice, the Vikings twice, and San Diego.

If the OL does not shape up we'll be physically dominated more like we were last week, and we won't win many of those games.

CaliforniaCheez
09-15-2007, 10:05 PM
Nice article BallHawk. Thank You.

It is JSO but to be precise it is a Bob McGinn article.

I hope the McGinn jinx doesn't affect Coston.

RashanGary
09-15-2007, 10:14 PM
I don't know why, but the idea of Coston starting makes me cringe. Who knows, maybe the guy turned over a new leaf but he's going to have to show me before I get any shred of hope.

Bretsky
09-15-2007, 10:19 PM
I don't know why, but the idea of Coston starting makes me cringe. Who knows, maybe the guy turned over a new leaf but he's going to have to show me before I get any shred of hope.


Me too; never liked the guy. Probably because of Nutz story about his arrogant obnoxious wife though. Hope he looks better than Spitz.

BallHawk
09-15-2007, 10:22 PM
Me too; never liked the guy. Probably because of Nutz story about his arrogant obnoxious wife though. Hope he looks better than Spitz.

I can't think about "J" without thinking about Nutz's story first. It's an instantaneous reaction.

HarveyWallbangers
09-15-2007, 10:23 PM
I, for one, am hoping the guy is the real deal. Kind of hard to judge him as a player. When they drafted, they said he'd take time to develop, so I don't know why it would surprise anyone that it would take him two years to get it. After all, he is a year younger than the 2nd year guy he is replacing.