Buford and Wohlabaugh

[gamecockcat]

Both got really strong comments during fall practice, Wohlabaugh started Game 1. Yet, with continuing struggles on the OL, I hardly see them play. Wohl subbed in for Manning last game and graded out pretty highly. Did either play last night?

John Young? Fernandez? Bingham? Jones? Padgett? We've got a lot of OL listed on the roster. None of them can avoid missed assignments, which seems to me like the biggest problem?

 

[BigBlueManSouthCentralKY]

Jones out for year hurt.

 

[catben]

John Young has been the one that baffles me. He looks HUGE, can move for a kid his size and looked great in the Spring Game, yet never gets any quality snaps. He was a 4 star recruit that picked UK over several Big Time schools.

What is the deal with him????

 

[maysvilleky]

Did any dubs play last night.

 

[podgejeff_]

John Young has been the one that baffles me. He looks HUGE, can move for a kid his size and looked great in the Spring Game, yet never gets any quality snaps. He was a 4 star recruit that picked UK over several Big Time schools.

What is the deal with him????

I just assume in those situations it's because they haven't learned the mental part of the game. Which for the O-Line is huge.

 

[gamecockcat]

I just assume in those situations it's because they haven't learned the mental part of the game. Which for the O-Line is huge.

From what we've seen so far, seems like a lot of guys haven't learned the mental part.

 

[treyforuk]

From what we've seen so far, seems like a lot of guys haven't learned the mental part.

4-0,baby!

 

[mrschwump]

Goodwin, Buford, Young, Rodriguez are the linemen on the XP/FG unit. That's pretty much been their show. They gave up on Wohlabaugh after one game. Don't get it that they haven't played other "take a knee" otherwise.

 

[JHB4UK]

Wohlabaugh has gone in for Flax at RT, he has hardly been given up on

The lack of PT by Young is strange and concerning. 3rd yr guys that highly regarded as a prospect ought to be starting, or 1st off the bench.

 

[RDF922]

Wohlabaugh has gone in for Flax at RT, he has hardly been given up on

The lack of PT by Young is strange and concerning. 3rd yr guys that highly regarded as a prospect ought to be starting, or 1st off the bench.

J Young is a guard.
Who you gonna take out? Manning or Burton? The answer is neither.

Young should move into a starting role next year with Manning moving on. He’s just fine.

The real issue is at Tackle. Goodwin has gotten no run AND they have moved 3 people in front of him preferring to keep him at 2nd team.
We will need MAJOR improvement from him or an Offensive Tackle from the portal

 

[zcats]

J Young is a guard.
Who you gonna take out? Manning or Burton? The answer is neither.

Young should move into a starting role next year with Manning moving on. He’s just fine.

The real issue is at Tackle. Goodwin has gotten no run AND they have moved 3 people in front of him preferring to keep him at 2nd team.
We will need MAJOR improvement from him or an Offensive Tackle from the portal

The real issue is guard and center. Cox and Burton have been bad, especially Burton. He looks lost out there sometimes and ends up standing around after a play. I would think someone else needs a shot soon. I like Wilson at center and Cox at guard or Cox at center and one of the group above (Young, Rodriguez or Buford at guard) but that's just me.

 

[Caveman Catfan]

Wilson played for Manning in the 3rd game, I believe.

 

[azubuikefan]

J Young is a guard.
Who you gonna take out? Manning or Burton? The answer is neither.

Young should move into a starting role next year with Manning moving on. He’s just fine.

The real issue is at Tackle. Goodwin has gotten no run AND they have moved 3 people in front of him preferring to keep him at 2nd team.
We will need MAJOR improvement from him or an Offensive Tackle from the portal

Saw Goodwin up close yesterday and he is absolutely massive. He needs to lose some baby fat though.

 

[HYTCHYE ISLAND]

The real issue is guard and center. Cox and Burton have been bad, especially Burton. He looks lost out there sometimes and ends up standing around after a play. I would think someone else needs a shot soon. I like Wilson at center and Cox at guard or Cox at center and one of the group above (Young, Rodriguez or Buford at guard) but that's just me.

Couldn’t agree with this take more. Burton has been flat out bad. Flax has been equally as bad. I’m of the opinion we definitely need to move Wilson to center and plug the best option in for him at the very least.

 

[Uncle Adolph]

Couldn’t agree with this take more. Burton has been flat out bad. Flax has been equally as bad. I’m of the opinion we definitely need to move Wilson to center and plug the best option in for him at the very least.

So why has John Young not gotten a shot ?

 

[JHB4UK]

We will need MAJOR improvement from him or an Offensive Tackle from the portal

based on this past offseason, OTs of even mediocre quality won't be available in the portal. It was the most valued but least available position for those portal shopping by far.

 

[Grumpyolddawg]

John Young has been the one that baffles me. He looks HUGE, can move for a kid his size and looked great in the Spring Game, yet never gets any quality snaps. He was a 4 star recruit that picked UK over several Big Time schools.

What is the deal with him????

Sometimes an OL has never seen a kid within 75lbs of him in HS. We got one the same way. A 6.0 4*, but as far as I can tell hasn't taken a snap as a RS frosh. They just so hard to evaluate.

 

[PhattyJ4UK]

I worry about our special teams line. Just feel we're gonna have a crucial punt or field goal blocked. They come very close.

 

[seccats04]

I worry about our special teams line. Just feel we're gonna have a crucial punt or field goal blocked. They come very close.

I'm more worried abour our long snapper. He's had several bad snaps this year and sailed one over the punter's head during the UF game that cost us a safety.

 

[YaketySax]

The coaches see these guys in practices every day. They are playing their best guys.

 

[zcats]

The coaches see these guys in practices every day. They are playing their best guys.

You know about the old gamer argument, that some guys go to a different level when the lights are on. For the most part I don't think makes sense but sometimes it is clearly true. I think some performance issues resolve when the kid gets confidence of competing on the field. I guess the point is that if some player isn't improving on the field I think it may help everyone to give another kid a chance.

 

[mrschwump]

I'm more worried abour our long snapper. He's had several bad snaps this year and sailed one over the punter's head during the UF game that cost us a safety.

Already changed from #46 Cade Degraw to #55 Clay Perry.

 

[Bereacat420]

The coaches see these guys in practices every day. They are playing their best guys.

Maybe. They seen drake every but wouldn't put him in. He was grading as their best lineman in practice. They were afraid he was small. Finally had to put him in I think against Missouri and he went down as one of the best we have had. Most of the time what you said was correct

 

[Bereacat420]

Already changed from #46 Cade Degraw to #55 Clay Perry.

They said during the game that Degraw was out this week

 

[Caveman Catfan]

These two OL seemed close to being starters in the fall. DW was a starter in the first game. We were told Buford was better on the right. But, it appears neither are ready.

 

[gamecockcat]

These two OL seemed close to being starters in the fall. DW was a starter in the first game. We were told Buford was better on the right. But, it appears neither are ready.

I'd like to know what changed, honestly. Buford was slated to start and then Wohl upped his game and now neither are hardly seeing the field. With a line that continues to struggle, I'd have thought giving those guys more snaps would have been a no brainer.

Instead, Burton struggles and no change. Cox struggles and no change. Flax and Horsey at times struggle and no change. It's curious. I know they're trying to work it out in practice but I think there needs to be some sort of shakeup to see if we can't solidify the OL.

Will be interesting to see the PFF grades on OL this week (I don't subscribe so I'll have to hope someone posts them).

 

[Caveman Catfan]

I'd like to know what changed, honestly. Buford was slated to start and then Wohl upped his game and now neither are hardly seeing the field. With a line that continues to struggle, I'd have thought giving those guys more snaps would have been a no brainer.

Instead, Burton struggles and no change. Cox struggles and no change. Flax and Horsey at times struggle and no change. It's curious. I know they're trying to work it out in practice but I think there needs to be some sort of shakeup to see if we can't solidify the OL.

Will be interesting to see the PFF grades on OL this week (I don't subscribe so I'll have to hope someone posts them).

Has Cox not graded well?

 

[Bereacat420]

Has Cox not graded well?

Pff has him in the 50s the 1st few games

 

[yoshukai]

The coaches see these guys in practices every day. They are playing their best guys.

People always say this but it’s kinda ridiculous. They saw Wohlabaugh every day in practice and he earned a starting position that lasted ONE GAME . Remember when Bunchy Stallings won the starting at center for one game? Remember Benny Snell sitting the bench behind Boom ? Tom Brady coming off the bench for an injured Drew Bledsoe ? The list goes on and on . Thousands of times a player has come off the bench and proven to be better than the starter playing ahead of him. I’m not saying that is the case on this team , but it is a silly statement.

 

[yoshukai]

I'm more worried abour our long snapper. He's had several bad snaps this year and sailed one over the punter's head during the UF game that cost us a safety.

Yeah but he’s not a new guy . Hes done his job great his whole time here except that one game. Have no idea what happened then , he must have had vertigo that day , lol .

 

[yoshukai]

The real issue is guard and center. Cox and Burton have been bad, especially Burton. He looks lost out there sometimes and ends up standing around after a play. I would think someone else needs a shot soon. I like Wilson at center and Cox at guard or Cox at center and one of the group above (Young, Rodriguez or Buford at guard) but that's just me.

On Van Hiles film breakdown he shows MANY times when an offensive lineman looks lost and doesn’t know who to block . It’s unknown if they don’t know their blocking assignment or if the wrong blocking scheme has been called but it’s pretty obvious that lots of times they aren’t “on the same page “ . What is worrisome to me is that I was hoping we could work some of our younger guys in and build some depth and get a solid rotation in our early part of the schedule. But we havent even been able to get a cohesive unit from our starters .

 

[fabcat]

Couldn’t agree with this take more. Burton has been flat out bad. Flax has been equally as bad. I’m of the opinion we definitely need to move Wilson to center and plug the best option in for him at the very least.

Wilson was recruited to be a center. Since Drake graduated they have had to move 2 guards in Fortner and now Cox to play center. If Wilson was good enough to play center he would have already. It’s obvious the staff feels he cannot get the job done there.

 

[gamecockcat]

Wilson was recruited to be a center. Since Drake graduated they have had to move 2 guards in Fortner and now Cox to play center. If Wilson was good enough to play center he would have already. It’s obvious the staff feels he cannot get the job done there.

True. But, would Wilson be 'OK' and we'd get a bump up with Cox moving back to his more natural position at guard? Don't know. Seems like Wilson looked fairly solid when Manning was out. Don't have any idea if he's the 'answer', of course, just a suggestion. Plus, if Wilson were better than Cox at making the line calls, perhaps the whole line wouldn't look so lost at times. As another poster stated above, it sure seems like there are way too many plays where 1 or more OL are looking like they don't know who to block. Maybe, that's on the C who makes the wrong call too often. Again, I have no way of knowing but just speculating.

 

[Comebakatz3]

On Van Hiles film breakdown he shows MANY times when an offensive lineman looks lost and doesn’t know who to block . It’s unknown if they don’t know their blocking assignment or if the wrong blocking scheme has been called but it’s pretty obvious that lots of times they aren’t “on the same page “ . What is worrisome to me is that I was hoping we could work some of our younger guys in and build some depth and get a solid rotation in our early part of the schedule. But we havent even been able to get a cohesive unit from our starters .

I think the problem is that it is not just one issue. Some sacks are lack of communication or poor blocking scheme. So, some are doomed to fail before the play is even ran because we aren't in the right protection. That's on Cox and/or Will not getting us there. Other times we're just getting physically abused.

The first two sacks on Saturday... the first one was the corner blitz. That corner just beat Flax. Too fast for Flax and Flax didn't put the smaller guy on his ass. That one is a physical mistake. The next play he was sacked again. I am not sure what the play call was on this play. I don't know if it was a naked bootleg or what, but the entire line went to their right and they entirely whiffed on one lineman who came entirely free just a 2 or 3 yard step from Levis. A complete free run at the QB. That is either a play call that was doomed to fail, poor communication among the line on who was supposed to get a hat on that lineman (either during or before the play).

If we can just clean up the communication and then it would go a long way towards making the line more effective, but there is still some concerns about the physical ability and aggressiveness of this line.

 

[fabcat]

True. But, would Wilson be 'OK' and we'd get a bump up with Cox moving back to his more natural position at guard? Don't know. Seems like Wilson looked fairly solid when Manning was out. Don't have any idea if he's the 'answer', of course, just a suggestion. Plus, if Wilson were better than Cox at making the line calls, perhaps the whole line wouldn't look so lost at times. As another poster stated above, it sure seems like there are way too many plays where 1 or more OL are looking like they don't know who to block. Maybe, that's on the C who makes the wrong call too often. Again, I have no way of knowing but just speculating.

I’m sure if they felt he could handle everything a center has to handle like I said earlier. They would not have moved 2 guards over last 2 years to center. I had centers that could do basically everything we asked but could not consistently snap the ball in shotgun formation. You cannot not have that. If you can’t trust the snap will be clean you can’t play them. Unless you have No Choice.

 

[YaketySax]

You know about the old gamer argument, that some guys go to a different level when the lights are on. For the most part I don't think makes sense but sometimes it is clearly true. I think some performance issues resolve when the kid gets confidence of competing on the field. I guess the point is that if some player isn't improving on the field I think it may help everyone to give another kid a chance.

"You got to war with the army you have not the army you want or wish you had" - Donald Rumsfield, 2004

"You play the games with the offensive line you have not the offensive line you wish you had" - Donald Rumsfield if he was a college football coach, probably

 

[YaketySax]

People always say this but it’s kinda ridiculous. They saw Wohlabaugh every day in practice and he earned a starting position that lasted ONE GAME . Remember when Bunchy Stallings won the starting at center for one game? Remember Benny Snell sitting the bench behind Boom ? Tom Brady coming off the bench for an injured Drew Bledsoe ? The list goes on and on . Thousands of times a player has come off the bench and proven to be better than the starter playing ahead of him. I’m not saying that is the case on this team , but it is a silly statement.

I don't think it's ridiculous or silly at all. He probably was borderline, he didn't perform under the lights, and a borderline starter got relegated. The only question was how he'd do in live reps and it got answered.

And your examples aren't really good ones. Snell rushed for over 1,000 yards with Boom (doing the same and also rushing for 1,000 yards). Bledsoe was All-Pro and Brady probably would have started for other teams if he wasn't a Patriot.

I stand by the coaches know more than we keyboard warriors.

 

[YaketySax]

Maybe. They seen drake every but wouldn't put him in. He was grading as their best lineman in practice. They were afraid he was small. Finally had to put him in I think against Missouri and he went down as one of the best we have had. Most of the time what you said was correct

There are definitely exceptions to the norm. That's probably one of them.

 

[Comebakatz3]

There are definitely exceptions to the norm. That's probably one of them.

But that, IIRC, was also as a true sophomore. So, he was still fairly young and learning a position that requires a lot more than just physical ability.

 

[ACT ONE]

I don't think it's ridiculous or silly at all. He probably was borderline, he didn't perform under the lights, and a borderline starter got relegated. The only question was how he'd do in live reps and it got answered.

And your examples aren't really good ones. Snell rushed for over 1,000 yards with Boom (doing the same and also rushing for 1,000 yards). Bledsoe was All-Pro and Brady probably would have started for other teams if he wasn't a Patriot.

I stand by the coaches know more than we keyboard warriors.

I am with you on this. There's enough experience among the coaches to know what works and what doesn't.