Skinner Looking to Up Production in Year 2

[Titan127]

Zach Skinner came into the NSFL hoping to dominate, coming off a good personal season with the Portland Pythons in which he tallied four sacks, thirty one tackles, and an impressive twelve tackles for a loss. While he was only a supplemental rusher, due to his low production there, he was disruptive against the run, and in the two playoff games, he tallied a pair of sacks, helping push the team to an Ultimini Championship. So, even while his own personal success wasn't all that impressive, the team itself was historically good.

Skinner had hoped to continue his reputation as a run stopper while improving on his pass rush going into his first year with the Yellowknife Wraiths. They were one of the best teams in football, after all, and he wanted to help make an immediate impact. It didn't exactly happen that way.

Skinner was forced to play outside of his natural position at nose tackle, and his production slipped. While still tallying four sacks, and twenty seven tackles, both very impressive number for a nose tackle, granted, he only managed two tackles for a loss.

"I came into last season with high expectations for myself," Skinner said when asked about his somewhat of a let down on his own performance, "I wanted to show the league that the Wraiths had gotten a steal in the second round, and I didn't quite pull that one off. I have to get better. Luckily, we have the best team in the league, and we still won a championship, which is the ultimate goal, but I have to perform at a higher level."

Skinner's best game, by far, last season came in the team's first matchup against the Philadephia Liberty, and it was a hell of a time for it, a 34-27 shootout in which Skinner had 3 tackles and two sacks, doubtless helping the team to a victory, but he was wildly inconsistent, with three games on the year where he failed to record a tackle, and only three in which he managed to grab a sack.

With any luck, Skinner will be able to step it up this season. The Wraiths are a championship caliber squad, but they need their young defensive end to show them that he can step up and become a cornerstone of this defensive unit as the roster's core begins to slip with age.

Fortunately for the Wraiths, however, Zach Skinner doesn't need to become a star as soon as next week, after all, they led the league in sacks last season on the backs of guys like veteran stud Justin Tuck, surefire hall of famer Boss Tweed, and defensive end Ricky Maddox, who all have 11 plus sack potential this year.

In short, while Skinner needs to improve his game and develop a solid set of pass rush moves, he still has a season long window, maybe even two seasons, to refine his game and prepare to step in for his veteran mentors in good time.

Because when the time comes for them to pass the torch, the legends of this Wraiths defense will need worthy successors, and Skinner has the potential to be one of them.