Why Is Our OL Struggling…

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GoldenIsle

Damn Good Rat
Joined
Dec 17, 2017
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I looked at the bio’s of our OL on ramblingwreck.com and all I saw was 3 and 4 star ratings. So what is the problem? Then I saw their experience … 2 freshmen and 3 sophomores. I believe if we can keep these players at Tech we will end up with a fine OL. One question I have is why we don’t have some quality jr and sr lineman? Good question for Coach Key.
 
GoldenIsle said:
I looked at the bio’s of our OL in ramblingwreck.com and all I saw was 3 and 4 star ratings. So what is the problem? Then I saw their experience … 2 freshmen and 3 sophomores. I believe if we can keep these players at Tech we will end up with a fine OL. One question I have is why we don’t have some quality jr and sr lineman?
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They are second and third year freshman, and third and fourth year sophomores. The problem isn’t youth, it’s coaching.
 
VERY few teams have OLs that are anything more than serviceable. The list of college teams with good offensive lines is the CFP Top 5.

We bottomed out as a program and are now consistently winning ACC games with Key, and you guys still insist on being miserable.
 
ClubSeats said:
They are second and third year freshman, and third and fourth year sophomores. The problem isn’t youth, it’s coaching.
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And sometimes we run with 5 blockers and no FB or TE blocking help. None of our RB's are even particularly adept at blocking anyway. We have just been overwhelmed at times.
 
Their youth does matter. Even the rare true frosh that can play at a high level will be better in their 2nd 3rd years with more maturity and time in the weight room. They could all potentially be valuable contributors. And we might all be grateful to Key and Collins for recruiting them. But their is no excuse from either one for the OL being in the state it currently is.
 
Nat Dorsey was a true freshman when he stonewalled All-American Julius Peppers. Jus' saying.
 
StraightFresh said:
VERY few teams have OLs that are anything more than serviceable. The list of college teams with good offensive lines is the CFP Top 5.

We bottomed out as a program and are now consistently winning ACC games with Key, and you guys still insist on being miserable.
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Your first premise is BS. And the OL is the weakest unit on the team.
 
GoldenIsle said:
One question I have is why we don’t have some quality jr and sr lineman? Good question for Coach Key.
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If you look at the OL recruiting for the respective classes you’ll find your answer. There have been attempts to plug holes via the Portal but most of the time those guys are in there for a reason.
 
GoldenIsle said:
I looked at the bio’s of our OL on ramblingwreck.com and all I saw was 3 and 4 star ratings. So what is the problem? Then I saw their experience … 2 freshmen and 3 sophomores. I believe if we can keep these players at Tech we will end up with a fine OL. One question I have is why we don’t have some quality jr and sr lineman? Good question for Coach Key.
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perhaps there previously was a problem with rawster management?
 
GoldenIsle said:
I looked at the bio’s of our OL on ramblingwreck.com and all I saw was 3 and 4 star ratings. So what is the problem? Then I saw their experience … 2 freshmen and 3 sophomores. I believe if we can keep these players at Tech we will end up with a fine OL. One question I have is why we don’t have some quality jr and sr lineman? Good question for Coach Key.
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2 red shirt freshman meaning they have been in the program for two years ..One of the Sophs is playing in his 4th year . 3 at Bama and this is his 4th.

The reason they are not playing well is because they are not being coached up!
 
Offensive lines are good because they are very strong or because they are very quick and agile. Strength and footwork are the keys. I just don't see our offseason strength and conditioning program getting our guys bigger and stronger. Our starters also seem to lack the quick feet, swivel hips and agility to be an athletic line. And, experience is crucial - playing together well as a group takes a lot of reps.

Our O line is not all that big and certainly not a strong and punishing line. And, it is not an agile line with quickness. You see that all the time when outside tackles struggle to block outside rushers.

Recruit better. Do a better job in the weight room and conditioning. Develop players - they should get a whole lot better from year to year.
 
77GTFan said:
Offensive lines are good because they are very strong or because they are very quick and agile. Strength and footwork are the keys. I just don't see our offseason strength and conditioning program getting our guys bigger and stronger. Our starters also seem to lack the quick feet, swivel hips and agility to be an athletic line. And, experience is crucial - playing together well as a group takes a lot of reps.

Our O line is not all that big and certainly not a strong and punishing line. And, it is not an agile line with quickness. You see that all the time when outside tackles struggle to block outside rushers.

Recruit better. Do a better job in the weight room and conditioning. Develop players - they should get a whole lot better from year to year.
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I don’t have a great eye for O Lineman, but it appears to me we recruited measurables and not good offensive lineman. I understand we want big bodies to move little bodies, etc….but it’s abundantly clear we do not have the horses to run the schemes we want to run. And we get absolutely no help from our TEs in the blocking game.

Perhaps others on this board have a better eye for this position group, but it appears to me we just have a lack of overall talent.
 
So... followup point.

Brent Key won a national award as OL position coach at Bama. In 2019, OL was the one unit everyone thought needed the most work, but also had the surest hand at the wheel. I was probably the biggest advocate at giving CBK time, because CPJ had recruited 2 OL in his final 2 seasons. There was a massive void at the time, and 2021 was the earliest we should expect some consistency (or so I said at the time).

It's almost 2023 now and we've improved... marginally. Whether it's recruiting or coaching is immaterial to the point, and the point is CBK has had 3.5 seasons to prove that award wasn't riding on the back of Saban's recruiting apparatus. I really like the guy, but his resume with the OL here is why I can't see him being the HC in 2023. Making excuses (e.g. players left the team) just sets us up to enjoy more of this level of play for years to come.

Then again, Dabo wasn't a particularly standout WR coach, so who knows...
 
We start a walkon and another walkon splits time at C. Our starting LT couldn’t get on the field at Kansas. Our idiot coach took transfers because they were once rated 4 stars, not because they were capable performers. We have guys that couldn’t get on the field in mop up time at their prior schools.
 
77GTFan said:
Offensive lines are good because they are very strong or because they are very quick and agile. Strength and footwork are the keys. I just don't see our offseason strength and conditioning program getting our guys bigger and stronger. Our starters also seem to lack the quick feet, swivel hips and agility to be an athletic line. And, experience is crucial - playing together well as a group takes a lot of reps.

Our O line is not all that big and certainly not a strong and punishing line. And, it is not an agile line with quickness. You see that all the time when outside tackles struggle to block outside rushers.

Recruit better. Do a better job in the weight room and conditioning. Develop players - they should get a whole lot better from year to year.
Click to expand...
Coach Lew maybe Strong but not agile, is that the conditioning coaches responsibility to teach?
 
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