CPJ sez...

iceeater1969

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While team speed and athleticism were certainly in need of an upgrade, the LSU and Iowa Bowl Games amplified the lack of size in the trenches on both sides of the LOS for GT.

Against Iowa, their All American DE Adrian Clayborn was in the backfield all night and unblockable. I'm sure Dwyer still has nightmares about getting hit by him right after getting the rock on every play. I thought Clayborn was playing B-Back for the Yellow Jackets.
Clayborn was on left side by himself and they were overloaded to the right side. We tried at him and he would not be moved shedd in ng blockers and making okays in the backfield. Tried cut blocking while running away but he was on us when we made a cut. The 2014 lleft side line would have fought him to a draw while the right side would dominate. Our line men have the beef - fsu and msu were gassed by the end.
 

awbuzz

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While team speed and athleticism were certainly in need of an upgrade, the LSU and Iowa Bowl Games amplified the lack of size in the trenches on both sides of the LOS for GT.

Against Iowa, their All American DE Adrian Clayborn was in the backfield all night and unblockable. I'm sure Dwyer still has nightmares about getting hit by him right after getting the rock on every play. I thought Clayborn was playing B-Back for the Yellow Jackets.

So true.
Remember being at the player walk through before the game at the "fanfest" section. I'd all but swear that if you were have to have lined up all "85" scholarship players from biggest to smallest with the teams facing each other, I'd bet there wouldn't have been a handful of GT players that were "physically bigger" than the LSU play across from them.
 

iceeater1969

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Now our line is stout and soon our back field will be fast. I am optimistic the backs speed will help them have better angles to make better blocks which don't need to be held as long.
 

dressedcheeseside

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Clayborn was on left side by himself and they were overloaded to the right side. We tried at him and he would not be moved shedd in ng blockers and making okays in the backfield. Tried cut blocking while running away but he was on us when we made a cut. The 2014 lleft side line would have fought him to a draw while the right side would dominate. Our line men have the beef - fsu and msu were gassed by the end.
mutts too.
 

chewybaka

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Clayborn was on left side by himself and they were overloaded to the right side. We tried at him and he would not be moved shedd in ng blockers and making okays in the backfield. Tried cut blocking while running away but he was on us when we made a cut. The 2014 lleft side line would have fought him to a draw while the right side would dominate. Our line men have the beef - fsu and msu were gassed by the end.

I hope the anomoly from last year (dominating run blocking- facing SEC Talent) becomes the standard...I fear we shall miss Shaq more than we realize this upcoming season....
 

GTech63

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I hope the anomoly from last year (dominating run blocking- facing SEC Talent) becomes the standard...I fear we shall miss Shaq more than we realize this upcoming season....
It seemed to me that we started blocking and staying on our feet instead of diving at DL feet and whiffing. Did our technique change or is that learning curve. Same with downfield blocking but there were very good take downs on the perimeter. Again change in technique or learning curve? Maybe both? Thoughts?
 

AE 87

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It seemed to me that we started blocking and staying on our feet instead of diving at DL feet and whiffing. Did our technique change or is that learning curve. Same with downfield blocking but there were very good take downs on the perimeter. Again change in technique or learning curve? Maybe both? Thoughts?
Probably deserves its own thread
 

elwoodgt

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Probably deserves its own thread
I agree. O-line cut blocks are a talent equalizer. You cut when you're fast but small. As our OL gets bigger and stronger I expect to see more drive blocking mixed in. Still do both, to keep the D honest.

And yeah, we will miss Shaq, but I really think we're going to be okay.
 

Skeptic

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I agree. O-line cut blocks are a talent equalizer. You cut when you're fast but small. As our OL gets bigger and stronger I expect to see more drive blocking mixed in. Still do both, to keep the D honest.

And yeah, we will miss Shaq, but I really think we're going to be okay.
Well, there was more drive blocking than MSU wanted to see, but the cut block is as big a part of Johnson's offense as the triple option or midline. When a guy has done that for roughly 30 years with a bit of success, you know it will always be there. Once I started to get a hold of it, to know what to look for, those takedowns against MSU were wonderful. I think we tend to expect Johnson to change his offense when what he does is what makes it work. Keeping the defense honest won't figure in, I think. He'll do what works. He drives us nuts this way.
 

Ash

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It seemed to me that we started blocking and staying on our feet instead of diving at DL feet and whiffing. Did our technique change or is that learning curve. Same with downfield blocking but there were very good take downs on the perimeter. Again change in technique or learning curve? Maybe both? Thoughts?

I think it's recruiting bigger linemen. Somewhere along the line the coaching staff looked at the results smaller, quicker linemen we getting against teams like Clemson and UGA and drew a conclusion. We can do both now, and that more than anything has made a difference in our offensive production IMO.
 

AE 87

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I agree. O-line cut blocks are a talent equalizer. You cut when you're fast but small. As our OL gets bigger and stronger I expect to see more drive blocking mixed in. Still do both, to keep the D honest.

And yeah, we will miss Shaq, but I really think we're going to be okay.

LOL, yet you decide to continue the hijack of the CPJ sez thread. Smh
 

iceeater1969

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I agree. O-line cut blocks are a talent equalizer. You cut when you're fast but small. As our OL gets bigger and stronger I expect to see more drive blocking mixed in. Still do both, to keep the D honest.

And yeah, we will miss Shaq, but I really think we're going to be okay.
The classic is Erin joe.he starts with drive block approach. When they brace he goes low.
in past our smaller linemen were less a drive block threat so the dl remained agile and ready for the cut.
the orange bowl w as s a thing of bueaty
 

iceeater1969

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Sorry for hijack support

On week coach reported I happened to be in Atlanta and happened by gtaa and happened to see coach coming out of offices. I said welcome aboard and THWG. he got a big and I mean big smile aND said thanks.
I am beginning to know what he said with that big smile.
 

Northeast Stinger

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So true.
Remember being at the player walk through before the game at the "fanfest" section. I'd all but swear that if you were have to have lined up all "85" scholarship players from biggest to smallest with the teams facing each other, I'd bet there wouldn't have been a handful of GT players that were "physically bigger" than the LSU play across from them.
I know one thing. Our offensive line is much better now than it was when CPJ was relying more on Gailey recruits.
As for bigger, not necessarily, but definitely better. Perhaps Tech linemen are faster now and have more muscle. They definitely are more skilled.

Looking at listed weights for rosters here are the averages:

2008 slightly over 290 on offensive line
2009 slightly over 287 on offensive line
2014 289.8 on offensive line (remove Shamire DeVine and the average drops to 277)
 
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