So How Do You Adjust For A Shaky O Line?
- Thread starter El Gato Calvo
- Start date
First thing is to get the QB to start accounting for blitzers. Until that happens consistently, the OL will continue to look shaky.
Cox needs to play better. I never understood how he got all the pub last year and this year is off to an underwhelming start. Hopefully he gets some momentum. I suspect he's missing some calls as well. Combined with the QB missing some, it is causing major issues.
Cox needs to play better. I never understood how he got all the pub last year and this year is off to an underwhelming start. Hopefully he gets some momentum. I suspect he's missing some calls as well. Combined with the QB missing some, it is causing major issues.
This Line is not athletic enough to Run the Zone Scheme. They were not Recruited to Run the Scheme!
They need to go back to Blocking straight ahead---KISS Principal!
You got our Ploy Horse coming back and we better be prepared to eat up Clock against the 2 Mississippi Teams and Tennessee! Or our Defense is going to get stressed and under extreme challenges!
They need to go back to Blocking straight ahead---KISS Principal!
You got our Ploy Horse coming back and we better be prepared to eat up Clock against the 2 Mississippi Teams and Tennessee! Or our Defense is going to get stressed and under extreme challenges!
Also proof that we wont miss a beat with Lovett and FS.
Wright is Weaver’s back up so…
UK is not as deep now but we have players!
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This has been a HUGE problem so far!!!! Will has got to read the defense pre-snap a WHOLE LOT better!! Yesterday the YS OLB crept up to the edge and it was OBVIOUS he was blitzing yet Will never even noticed and even turned his back to him in his drop to pass and got sacked. Those things just can't happen.
Scangerello has to get them out of the huddle quicker too. Several times these last 3 games, we break the huddle with 7 seconds left on the play clock, leaving no time to change the play. That can't happen.
Through the first 3 games I have also noticed that our O-Line is optioning the wrong defender MANY times. Heck yesterday and in the first 2 games, our line was letting the DE on the FREAKIN PLAY SIDE go UNBLOCKED!!!! That can't happen!!!
It's been more of a scheme problem than a lack of ability problem. But time is running out to fix it. Ole Miss will eat us alive if we don't get this fixed SOON!!!
I think this is exactly correct. C Rod comes back and will run through tackles that Smoke can't. Love Smoke he's just not a power RB. C Rod's skills will help the O Line be better
Definitely. Not sure who's call that is (center or QB) but we definitely were sliding protection/blocks the wrong way. Happened all 3 games but it's getting better.
Still, surprised we have guys miss that call so often this far.
Some good ideas above.
1. Keep the route tree shorter and not call long developing plays. Slants are working good. If the LBs insist on crowding the LOS and blitzing, a quick slant to one of our burners or TEs is a nice gain every time. 3 step drops can be your friend when the D is blitzing and getting to the QB.
2. Tell Will to check down a bit more instead of holding the damn ball too long.
3. Use TE to chip obvious blitzers.
4. Call a freakin' 'traditional' screen or a middle screen to one of our many really good TEs once in a while to keep those blitzing LBs from just coming straight into the QB. One or two of those break a long gain and the DC won't be quite so quick to call blitzes.
5. Coach the OL to wait on the stunters to come to them instead of following the guy who lined up in front of them. We too often end up with an OG and OT blocking the same guy while the stunter comes around untouched. It's a recognition thing that can and should be taught/coached to recognize.
6. Continue to search for the best 5 in their best position to solidify the line. If Cox can't make the line calls correctly, then find someone who can (we have Horsey who's played a bunch - could he do it). Will has GOT to help out by pointing out the Mike, the blitzer, screaming 'Omaha', whatever it takes.
7. Scrap the naked bootleg. It's not fooling anybody and almost every time Will's taken a big shot and/or been forced to make a quick throw under duress. It's not working so stop calling it. I'd also suggest severely limiting the number of bubble/tunnel screens. Against SEC defenses, especially if they're crowding the LOS, you just can't throw horizontally with much success. I'd much rather see a quick slant that a WR can make a ton of YAC vs a play that requires at least one missed tackle and one good block to really make a play. With 8 guys at the LOS, it's hard to do.
8. Getting CRod back will force defenses to stay in their lanes to prevent him busting a big gain. But, he can't break 2 tackles just to get back to the LOS every play. OL has to give him some room and THEN we'll see what an impact he'll make.
1. Keep the route tree shorter and not call long developing plays. Slants are working good. If the LBs insist on crowding the LOS and blitzing, a quick slant to one of our burners or TEs is a nice gain every time. 3 step drops can be your friend when the D is blitzing and getting to the QB.
2. Tell Will to check down a bit more instead of holding the damn ball too long.
3. Use TE to chip obvious blitzers.
4. Call a freakin' 'traditional' screen or a middle screen to one of our many really good TEs once in a while to keep those blitzing LBs from just coming straight into the QB. One or two of those break a long gain and the DC won't be quite so quick to call blitzes.
5. Coach the OL to wait on the stunters to come to them instead of following the guy who lined up in front of them. We too often end up with an OG and OT blocking the same guy while the stunter comes around untouched. It's a recognition thing that can and should be taught/coached to recognize.
6. Continue to search for the best 5 in their best position to solidify the line. If Cox can't make the line calls correctly, then find someone who can (we have Horsey who's played a bunch - could he do it). Will has GOT to help out by pointing out the Mike, the blitzer, screaming 'Omaha', whatever it takes.
7. Scrap the naked bootleg. It's not fooling anybody and almost every time Will's taken a big shot and/or been forced to make a quick throw under duress. It's not working so stop calling it. I'd also suggest severely limiting the number of bubble/tunnel screens. Against SEC defenses, especially if they're crowding the LOS, you just can't throw horizontally with much success. I'd much rather see a quick slant that a WR can make a ton of YAC vs a play that requires at least one missed tackle and one good block to really make a play. With 8 guys at the LOS, it's hard to do.
8. Getting CRod back will force defenses to stay in their lanes to prevent him busting a big gain. But, he can't break 2 tackles just to get back to the LOS every play. OL has to give him some room and THEN we'll see what an impact he'll make.
Wright isn't Weaver's backup. They play on the field at the same time on opposite sides of the line of scrimmage. The defense is much better with both of them on the field at the same time.
Watching the film breakdown by former Wildcat Van Hiles, one other problem that has made the OL look worse is the blocking from the TEs has been inconsistent and subpar so far this season.
Not sure about the Youngstown State game, but there were a lot of plays in both the Miami OH & Florida games that looked like bad OL play but were actually the result of poor TE blocking.
Not sure about the Youngstown State game, but there were a lot of plays in both the Miami OH & Florida games that looked like bad OL play but were actually the result of poor TE blocking.
Could be a lot of truth to that. Coen wanted to implement a zone scheme too because it's a lot more common in the NFL, but after he was here awhile he realized an inside scheme and man blocking worked much better.
One thing for sure, when you aren't able to effectively run the ball it becomes harder to protect the QB as teams start pinning their ears back more.
I recall after Eric Wolford left for Bama that Freddie Maggard was saying he left the O-Line in a bad position. He said we would struggle because most of our young guys had not played in games and the lack experience would catch up with us this year. Looks like he was right. As a side note I don't know why but you can tell Freddie does not like Wolford at all.
I talked to a Bama friend of mine yesterday, and unsolicited he said they have a lot of concerns about their O-line. I thought that was quite interesting so I mentioned Wolford's history here and his unpopularity.
Yeah I have heard Freddie on a few different occasions talk about Wolford in a way that I have never heard him talk about anyone else.
This. Coen tried the same thing and was smart enough (and not too proud) to scrap it after week 1 or 2.
We may have 1 or 2 future pros on the line at any given time but not a full line of pros. All it takes it one breakdown and it’s busted. We need to go back to inside scheme and man blocking
Iirc he wouldn't scrap it till after the debacle at MSU. His refusal cost us that game.
Once we went back to inside zone, we took off like a rocketship.
I hope this staff isn't so hellbent. I understand outside zone is the flavor of the day but if you have an sec back averaging 6.6 yards a carry for a career, you should be running whatever he's comfortable with.
I think this is correct. Was the oline blocking well enough the past two years when CRod was averaging over 6 yards per carry? I think if you looked back at those two years you would see Smoke doing about what he has been doing this year. No?
With CRod running the ball the DL and edge rushers can't just pin their ears back and take off because they'll leave holes that CRod will exploit in ways Smoke and Wright couldn't. They'll have to try to take on blockers and plug the gaps which will buy Levis a lot more time, especially on play action.
All of us, fans & players & coaches were spoiled by 10 yrs of incredible play from our centers leading our O line. Toth, Drake Jackson, Luke Fortner. Cox is just learning on making correct blocking assignment calls still.
Horsey and Cox started last year.
Tashawn Manning started at Auburn..
Flax played in 11 games.
I don't buy it. We've played 3 full games this year and those guys got all the reps in Spring and Fall camps. I don't see how a couple series here and there last year against Vandy or Missouri for Jagr Burton is why we were getting man handled by Youngstown State.
I think Maggard is doing mental gymnastics like some fans to make excuses for personnel. 36 carries for 106 yards, and the first priority is Levis? Ha.
I agree with this...at times Freddie complicates his way to his simple personal opinions. There is zero evidence Wolford should have played rotating Oline last year that is playing into this year's Oline issues.
It is simple as
- The players needed to replace Kinnard (who was a stud), Rosenthal and Fortner......just aren't as good now nor last year
- And...Yenser isn't doing a great job of coaching them up
Wolford was still a jerk for how he left UK.....but that has nothing to do with this year's Oline
OT David Wohlabaugh ... 80.2 (11)
OT Kenneth Horsey ... 80.1 (71)
OT Jeremy Flax ... 77.9 (62)
OL Quintin Wilson ... 73.0 (73)
C Eli Cox ... 66.4 (71)
OG Jager Burton ... 53.8 (71)
PFF vs Youngstown , always work from the bottom up.
I don't get to see the entire list because I don't have the subscription. So thanks for that info. I didn't notice Jager during the game but that score suggests he had a poor game. I knew Cox played poorly. I thought wohl actually looked much better than the season opener. Maybe he settled in?
Imo the biggest leap we can make as an OL is on pulls. Goes for tes too. When we pull, we often either run by a free defender or both block the first defender when the first puller should get it then the second get the next level. So many of these runs are literally one man away from really breaking.
Then when we actually pick up all the blocks on pulls, we have rbs just running into blockers because they're not seeing the holes. Crod will massively help there.
Pass protection is just much better than the average fan thinks. Much of the issues there are on the QB.
I think more short timing routes are a start. Will is really good when he throws on rythm to a spot. That and we need to work the flats a lot more and have a lot more checkdown dump offs to the backs. Dont mind Will looking the field over but until the shore up the pass pro I'd have Will limit his reads to 1 and 2 then if not there go immediately to the check down. Also helps keep the LB honest to have to stay back and cover those areas.
I'm no expert on OL play but, when the DL is stunting, it appears our OL don't adjust or just simply lose their assignment. Several plays (on replay) I've noticed one of our OL sort of following a stunt inside and the outside stunt comes free with a direct line to Levis. After spring, fall and now 3 games, that shouldn't keep happening.
Levis has held the ball too long at times this season. I think some of it is that they want to feed the WRs and, theoretically, he should have a bit more time against the early opponents vs SEC teams. But, he's still got to be smart and drop the ball off to a RB or TE quicker to pick up easy yards and eliminate unnecessary hits on himself. I did see him do just that a couple of times vs Youngstown and I was glad to see it.
I'm hoping we play a much cleaner game against NIU and we see the OL control the LOS.
Levis has held the ball too long at times this season. I think some of it is that they want to feed the WRs and, theoretically, he should have a bit more time against the early opponents vs SEC teams. But, he's still got to be smart and drop the ball off to a RB or TE quicker to pick up easy yards and eliminate unnecessary hits on himself. I did see him do just that a couple of times vs Youngstown and I was glad to see it.
I'm hoping we play a much cleaner game against NIU and we see the OL control the LOS.
Seeing the ol performance ratings made me feel better about this year's potential because the only two ol performing badly are perhaps the two most athletically talented of the starters. We know Cox has talent because he was having an All-American caliber season at guard last year and anybody that saw the video of Burton leading the tailback down field knows he also has the physical talent. This makes me think both are making mental mistakes due to inexperience, at the position for Cox and playing at all for Burton. Meaning they both should get better as time goes on; let's hope it's sooner rather than later.
Short term solutions. More use of two tight end sets, and get all over the less experienced players like Burton and Flax to nail all of their assignments correctly.
The ideal cure is to get Goodwin ready to start at LT and move Horsey back to LG. This is the upside solution. Eventually, Goodwin will be the answer at LT. But you can't start him until he is ready. Part of it is knowing all of his assignments and part of it is learning the right technique and pad level to protect the left edge of offense, which is Will's blind side. Scan knows that. If Goodwin was ready, he would be playing a lot more. His time will come.
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