Tank Carradine: “I say rushing from the inside is a little easier.”

SANTA CLARA – I asked Tank Carradine a couple of questions during a group interview in the 49ers’ locker room Wednesday afternoon. Here is a transcript.

ME: What’s different for you rushing on the inside against a guard as opposed to rushing on the outside against a tackle?

CARRADINE: “When you’re rushing the guard, everything goes on at the line of scrimmage. When you’re rushing the tackle, you’re more in the backfield. If I’m up on a guard, I’d like to rush right at the line of scrimmage because I can get him out of the way before I get to the quarterback.

ME: Is one easier than the other?

CARRADINE: “I say rushing from the inside is a little easier. I was a 4-3 end, a quicker guy using a lot of moves. When you’re going against a guard, they’re not really used to it. When you get to being shaky and moving around and working a lot of different hand moves that you would normally do on a tackle, some (guards) haven’t seen it, so how are they going to adjust to it? Also, I have a better advantage using speed.

This article has 34 Comments

  1. Nice interview, Grant. Sounds like Tank thinks he can be an immediate contributor rushing in the nickel package as a DT.

  2. J. Watt 6’5″ 290 lbs 4.84 sec 37″ 34 reps
    Tank Carradine 6’4″ 276 lbs 4.75 sec 32 reps
    Justin Smith 6’4″ 267 lbs 4.64 sec 34″ 26 reps

    As a situational pass rusher and in base relief, this kid has a real shot at becoming a nightmare for opponents. Fangio has to be anxious to try out his new Tank(reportedly 297lbs) in their most used formation, the Nickel. Cornellius’s specialty involves a four-man line, which is what he played in at Florida State. No adjustment required on his part there. Carradine should kick out to the end spot, while Justin Smith and Ray McDonald move inside. If he can sack the quarterback, that will help in an area where the 49ers could stand to bolster their production…

    1. sounds like Carradine likes rushing from the inside. So I’d expect him to rotate in and give breathers to Justin Smith or McDonald or just replace McDonald on the Nickel line.

      1. remember initially the Niners were considering moving Justin to Outside Linebacker? He would move back and forth from down End to a stand up OLB..kind of like an Elephant.

        1. Correct me if I’m wrong, but what I recall is Cinci drafted him and McNolan recruited him in Free Agency strictly as a Hard Hat 3-4 DE and even warned he wouldn’t be a sack meister but a bricks & mortar guy. I might be missing something in that memory, but I thought he was up to 285 when he got to SF. I don’t recall the Elephant discussion. Do I have that wrong?

          1. You have it all correct, but you left out the most important selling point in getting him to San Francisco…..the helicopter ride. @;

            1. they tried Justin Smith out at OLB/Stand of DE in training camp and preseason. It didn’t stick and he moved back to full time DE/DT.

          2. I could be wrong but that was my recollection… Justin was a lighter 4-3 DE in Cincy. Changed to 3-4 DE in SF. Instead of pouting like most DEs when they get moved to a less glitzy 3-4, Justin hit the weight room with enthusiasm.

            1. I’m pretty sure he was already playing at around 280 – 285 lbs for Cincy.

      2. Heh yea when he was still 260lbs. I’d like to see what he runs at 290 :)

      3. I also can’t believe he only had 26 reps. He is one of the strongest guys on the team unless he got that much stronger in the nfl.

  3. Let’s see if he loves rushing the inside in the NFL when the center also starts double teaming him.

    1. How will the center double him when he’s rushing against the guard’s outside shoulder?

      1. When the guard steps to his outside to cut off Tank the center slide overs and prevents him from rolling off.

      2. Thank you Grant. This is why I read your columns. I have always felt you have a clue!

  4. Cant help but notice that it says Buccaneers and not 49ers at the top of that page. Can you get Fangio on record saying how they handle a double team on the 3t?

    1. You can’t double team a 3t with a center and a guard. And no defense will commit a guard and a tackle to Carradine and leave Brooks on a tight end or a running back.

      1. In blocking scheme you can use what’s called the O-scheme where you have an inside pull by the guard and a back block by the center. You can do it but I’ll agree that the guard/tackle is certainly the more commonly used approach.

          1. i missed that article. i thought we were talking about the Nickel defense. I don’t think the Niners use an Under alignment when they go to the Nickel.

            I see Grant still is obsessed with the 4-3 Under scheme. I think it’s pretty funny but I’ll call him out on it if he starts to misinform people again.

            1. The 49ers align both of their DTs in three-tech alignments on most Nickel downs.

        1. Because the three-tech is shaded outside against the guard, so the center can’t get there but the tackle can.

      2. “leave Brooks on a tight end or a running back.”

        Wait, where do you have Tank lining up. If he’s on the 3t then he’s the UT and Brooks wouldn’t be behind him.

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