O-Line Update

[t-gator]

The O line still scares me a lot. A few injuries and we are probably toast there.

Couldn't this be said about anybody? Who can afford to lose 2 or 3 starters and not miss a beat?

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Couldn't this be said about anybody? Who can afford to lose 2 or 3 starters and not miss a beat?

Most teams, even us the past few years, could lose 2 or 3 starters and not be playing true freshmen. That's the difference.

Hell, in 1996 we lost one starter and lost to Clown Town the first game.

 

[GatorJ]

@CJonesScout: #Gators OL Trip Thurman said Martez Ivey and Tyler Jordan are the two freshmen OL that are standing out so far.

 

[MissouriGator]

Most teams, even us the past few years, could lose 2 or 3 starters and not be playing true freshmen. That's the difference.

Hell, in 1996 we lost one starter and lost to Clown Town the first game.

Jeff Mitchell in the Vandy game we squeaked out. If I remember correctly.

 

[Gator Fever]

@CJonesScout: #Gators OL Trip Thurman said Martez Ivey and Tyler Jordan are the two freshmen OL that are standing out so far.

That would be real good if those 2 were decent players as true freshman. Maybe we could survive the season then.

 

[FatCatG8r]

Here's what I'd like to see with these freshmen OL since we already have considerable size and stature there.

Before and/or after every practice session have one or two experienced mentors from each line group (ie. tackles, guards and centers or maybe guards and centers together), say Halter and Sharpe for the tackles and Thurman and Dillard for the centers and guards, get their freshman position groups together for playbook and film study. No coaches, just the players. Maybe the whole line together in some sessions.These are cram sessions so the freshmen have it in their heads during and after practice. Get the playbook and the line calls down like you would in an AP Chemistry course in high school.

Then as fall practice develops have them spend some time every practice going against the 1st string d-line. Start slow with some straight up run blocking then move to some simple 3 step drop pass protections, then some simple blitz schemes and then some 5 and 7 step drop pocket patterns and finish off the preseason with some more complicated blitzes and line stunts. Bring them along with intensity, have them create some chemistry of their own like the season is dependent on it. Along the way have them drop in to the 1st and 2nd string lines for quality reps alongside some (admittedly limited) experience. Playbook and line call proficiency and unit chemistry developed in a single fall camp. I think that's how I would approach it under the given circumstances. A methodology of necessity.

Comments welcome.

 

[t-gator]

Also wanted to add that Tennessee didn't return a single starter on the offensive or defensive line. Started 2 freshman on the oline , didn't figure out their qb situation until later in the year and still managed to win 7 games. It's not completely out of the realm of possibility for us to have a decent season.

 

[GatorStud]

Just say NO to the

game.

 

[MissouriGator]

Here's what I'd like to see with these freshmen OL since we already have considerable size and stature there.

Before and/or after every practice session have one or two experienced mentors from each line group (ie. tackles, guards and centers or maybe guards and centers together), say Halter and Sharpe for the tackles and Thurman and Dillard for the centers and guards, get their freshman position groups together for playbook and film study. No coaches, just the players. Maybe the whole line together in some sessions.These are cram sessions so the freshmen have it in their heads during and after practice. Get the playbook and the line calls down like you would in an AP Chemistry course in high school.

Then as fall practice develops have them spend some time every practice going against the 1st string d-line. Start slow with some straight up run blocking then move to some simple 3 step drop pass protections, then some simple blitz schemes and then some 5 and 7 step drop pocket patterns and finish off the preseason with some more complicated blitzes and line stunts. Bring them along with intensity, have them create some chemistry of their own like the season is dependent on it. Along the way have them drop in to the 1st and 2nd string lines for quality reps alongside some (admittedly limited) experience. Playbook and line call proficiency and unit chemistry developed in a single fall camp. I think that's how I would approach it under the given circumstances. A methodology of necessity.

Comments welcome.

That sounds like a good plan. I would spend a considerable amount of time on fundamentals that relate well to the strengths of the player. I think that it's important to adapt the offensive scheme to both the player's strengths and the philosophy of moving the ball. This is where the art of coaching meets simplicity; especially with these lineman because reaction time relative to movement is so crucial. Your plan highlights this concept but definitely keep it simple.

 

[Gatordiddy]

Hell, in 1996 we lost one starter and lost to Clown Town the first game.

Oh man - a buddy of mine and I drove up from Tampa for that one.
I'm not sure I've been as devastated after a loss (getting knocked out of the top spot and a national title - at least "temporarily" by the ).
That defensive line was ALL OVER Danny - including those frickin' late hits.
Was it Boulware?
Anyhoo - walking back down Pensacola street wearing orange and blue- lots of 'rocks and garbage' from passing Noles - had to duck into a Wendy's.
My hate runs deep for those asshats - and sweet vengeance only a short time after that.

I think that once those young guys get through NMSU and ECU (with no injuries please Baby Jesus) and get some game time under their belts - we'll be good to go for SEC play.

 

[Ancient Reptile]

Ray Graves like to call em big uglies, prolly Gene Ellenson too.

Yeah. I think it might have been Ellenson. When he got his big uglies, we beat uga.

 

[lagator]

It's about time we have a little good luck, isn't it? Surely Chimp didn't burn it all up in 2012.

I know you're being sarcastic (or perhaps weren't around) but I was more than happy with our OL recruiting. Hell, OL recruiting was really the ONLY thing that mattered in the last class. (I'm also ecstatic about getting the 1AA All American transfer.)

They look the part now because for the most part they looked the part when we recruited them. Scouting services get all gaga and start handing out five stars when they find an OL who can dunk a basketball. However, for the most part those kids struggle in college. I think there's a higher fail rate for 5 star linemen than 5 star smurf receiver-hybrid-next-Percies.

Bama has made a living with 3 star OL. If we continue as we are, we can too. I'm very optimistic about the future of this OL, but it's tough rowing with freshmen in the SEC no matter how strong the lads are.

The article mentions Thurman. It's hard to overstate how important it is for us that he returns, especially after the early rumors. He surprised me with how solid he was last year. He will anchor the OL I believe.

It's also nice that they mention Jake McGee. They failed to mention that he got to return over Concrete's objection for his lack of previous medical redshirt. I hope Concrete doesn't have an appeal pending.

Yeah, I was definitely just being sarcastic. I saw your posts about O-line outlook improving, especially compared to spring when it couldn't have been much worse.

It sounds like we have our first injured O-lineman and some seemed surprised. Everyone should know by now big uglies get leg injuries on a regular basis. They play with injuring in braces, it's just part of the deal. If we can avoid season ending injuries like ACL's or fractures I'll be happy, but odds are we'll lose one or more of these guys for the year a well. That's why you need so many of these guys, something the Chumpster-fire just didn't seem to get.

 

[Durty South Swamp]

Chumpster-fire

 

[TN G8tr]

Yeah, I was definitely just being sarcastic. I saw your posts about O-line outlook improving, especially compared to spring when it couldn't have been much worse.

It sounds like we have our first injured O-lineman and some seemed surprised. Everyone should know by now big uglies get leg injuries on a regular basis. They play with injuring in braces, it's just part of the deal. If we can avoid season ending injuries like ACL's or fractures I'll be happy, but odds are we'll lose one or more of these guys for the year a well. That's why you need so many of these guys, something the Chumpster-fire just didn't seem to get.

That's some funny shat right there.

 

[alcoholica]

Isn't Rod Johnson still around. He should be able to help the Freshmen from a coaching them up POV.