O-Line Next Season
- Thread starter Righteous Red
- Start date
I'd like to amend this ^^^ a little. While overall the play of our OC and OGs weren't terrible to the level of ineptitude of the OTs...
If we're going to be a run 1st team as HC and OC have stated, our OL as a whole needs to get exponentially better. Last season we couldn't get much of any push so...
I guess what I am saying is, I hope (like nearly everyone else here) Rhule knows what he is doing.
Like you redfred, I will admit that I'm looking at our O-line a lot differently than I did just a few months ago.
How could Frost say with a straight face that he wanted a tough, physical football team with an offense designed to spread a defense out and find a receiver/RB in open space? Not only does that UCF/Cincinnati/Memphis/Pac 12-like approach devalue your offensive line, it also means your D-line is not getting good preseason reps against the kind of running attacks they're going to see in the B1G.
The "wide open" approach we see in CFB from leagues like the AAC and the Pac 12 is understandable. Most programs can't consistently recruit the calibur of linemen you see from the Big Dawgs in the SEC and B1G. So you make do with what you got. But --- surprise, surprise --- those approaches have shown to fizzle when they're up against tough defenses week end and week out.
For some bizarre reason, it's taken three previous coaching regimes before we finally got a coach who understands how you win in the Big Ten. Whether Coach Rhule does or not, remains to be seen but I think more and more fans are understanding that he and his coaches "get it."
From everything I've heard and read, Rhule and Satt's offense begins (as it was with TO) with the offensive line playing tough, physical 'down your throat' football facing off in practice against a tough, physical defense intent on stopping them. It doesn't magically happen overnight. But THAT's how you begin building a championship-calibur team.
I pretty much agree with this, but I keep coming back to the fact that if we needed a yard up the middle I never felt comfortable that we could get it. At this point however I'm really not sure why. I suspect that the reasons are more complex than I'm aware of.
As for pass pro our OT's often sucked. A little help from a fullback just might help. Ditto for taking a TE out of the receiving arena and doubling down on pass pro assistance.
You just self check-mated yourself in your self-debate against yourself.
Here is my best guess. Every position is an upgrade as a result of Scott taking over for Hixson and returning players. Remember Prochazka and Nouilli are added, and others are a year older.
LT - Prochazka, Corcoran
LG - Corcoran, Lutovsky
OC - Scott, Piper, Evans-Jenkins
RG - Nouili, Piper, Ezra Miller
RT - Benhart, Anthony
LT - Prochazka, Corcoran
LG - Corcoran, Lutovsky
OC - Scott, Piper, Evans-Jenkins
RG - Nouili, Piper, Ezra Miller
RT - Benhart, Anthony
The Tackle spots still concern me. Benhart because of play and Prochazka because of injury.
Look for the big boi from tenn by way of Georgia to get a good long look at that
If Matt and Don can turn Benhart into a productive player, it will be proof that this staff knows what they're doing. They'll get no finger pointing from me from then on. I really hope they do as Benhart has been the target of what might, or might not, have been justified criticism. He didn't play well no doubt, but I'm hoping if this offense finds an identity, he will find his role and play it productively.
But yeah 99, I think they've been looking for tackles for a reason.
On one hand, can't blame him for going with the better offer. However, on the other hand it sucks because OT is a serious position of need.
The transfer from Georgia is another tall big guy with questionable mobility. He won't beat out any returning starters. But he will be ahead of the incoming frosh and be part of the 2 deep
