Number of starts prior to this year

[dressedcheeseside]

I count 29 players on the current offensive depth chart.

5 of those players had started games prior to this season.

24 of those players had zero starts prior to this season.

18 of those players are in their first or second year in the offense.

Let that soak in.

http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools...pdf/2015-16/depth_chart_event/depth_chart.pdf

 

[IronJacket7]

I count 29 players on the current offensive depth chart.

5 of those players had started games prior to this season.

24 of those players had zero starts prior to this season.

18 of those players are in their first or second year in the offense.

Let that soak in.

http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools...pdf/2015-16/depth_chart_event/depth_chart.pdf

5 on offense. But not 5 total.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Inexperience is definitely a huge factor for our woes this season. But is it the biggest factor?....

 

[dressedcheeseside]

5 on offense. But not 5 total.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Inexperience is definitely a huge factor for our woes this season. But is it the biggest factor?....

Right. I didn't analyze the defensive experience.

Youth also tends to accumulate on ST's too, which could help explain some of the miscues, there. I've got no answer for the veteran kickers and snappers.

I think it's definitely the biggest factor. We're not playing fast or precise. Both of those things are critical and a reflection on inexperience. And then there's the number of mental errors that's off the charts compared to previous years.

 

[GTRX7]

Good post, Cheese. For those who do not recognize that this is the definition of a re-building year, I am not sure what to say. Blame recruiting if you want, but it is hard to win with new players and freshman dominating the roster. How might we look with healthy Leggett, Autry, Snoddy, and Searcy as A-backs, Custis as the starting B-back, and A. Autry in the receiver mix?

 

[SidewalkJacket]

Not even the starts, but think about experience on the whole.

Our top 2 BBs weren't in the program last year. Most envisioned a combo of Legget and QW. That gave way to MA and Skov. Now has become Skov/MM.

Most expected an AB combo of Snoddy and Andrews. Then we were excited by what we saw from QS and TM (both would get hurt, one for the season). Now we're starting a converted (in one week) DB (LG) and a walk-on (IW) or Lynch.

We've basically played the real games with two WRs who got zero snaps last year, and one wasn't even in the program.

I don't think anybody in the country has experienced what we have on the injury front.

 

[okiemon]

Good post, cheese, but to IJ7's point, I'm really disappointed in the defense's performance with all of the experience it returned this year. I like Roof, but it makes me wonder if we'll ever build a powerful D unless something changes.

 

[Unk T]

Not even the starts, but think about experience on the whole.

Our top 2 BBs weren't in the program last year. Most envisioned a combo of Legget and QW. That gave way to MA and Skov. Now has become Skov/MM.

Most expected an AB combo of Snoddy and Andrews. Then we were excited by what we saw from QS and TM (both would get hurt, one for the season). Now we're starting a converted (in one week) DB (LG) and a walk-on (IW) or Lynch.

We've basically played the real games with two WRs who got zero snaps last year, and one wasn't even in the program.

I don't think anybody in the country has experienced what we have on the injury front.

TM looks like he is playing scared out there to me. Just look at the one run that he had in the Clemson game. I'm still waiting to be impressed by him.

We have all of these young guys in the backfield, but what about the O-Line. With the way they are playing it really doesn't matter who is playing back there.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

TM looks like he is playing scared out there to me. Just look at the one run that he had in the Clemson game. I'm still waiting to be impressed by him.

We have all of these young guys in the backfield, but what about the O-Line. With the way they are playing it really doesn't matter who is playing back there.

One theory about the OL is the loss of Mason was more debilitating than we ever thought. His leadership was completely undervalued last year, imo. Some guys are able to elevate the players around them and he was one. And then there's the "get behind Shaq" play whenever we needed a yard or two. We don't have that anymore. We also miss his ability to pull and lead block.

That said, I'm more disappointed in the OL than any other unit. You expect the young guys to have growing pains. You don't expect grizzled veterans to regress when they're counted on to carry the load.

 

[JorgeJonas]

The offensive line has been debilitating, but with the A-backs and B-backs, the real issue is that spring practice was entirely lost. The guys who got the bulk of the reps then are now hurt, which means we've been behind schedule all year. Think back - we expected Legget and Weimerskirch to carry the load, which was concerning because they were both freshmen. But we lost both of them and had Allen carrying the load in the spring game. Then in fall, we had two more neophytes back there, plus Allen. At A-back, we had Andrews and Snoddy on the first team. Neither is available now, though Snoddy may end up playing again. Then we have had the litany of injuries there during the season. It's been unreal to watch.

 

[takethepoints]

I think one of the reasons we've had such OL trouble is the speed of execution of the O. I've said this before: I think we were moving the O so fast by the middle of last year that we really didn't need to be great on the OL. How long did you have to hold a block for Laskey or Days? Not long. How long did you have to hold a block for Perkins, Hill, or Andrews? Not long. How long did it take Smelter or Waller to get open? Not long. And that all added up as we got more confidence. When the O is moving like it was in the UGAG game, you're in hog heaven as an OL. Any old brush will do.

Losing Shaq was a blow alright, but, if we were cruising like I thought we would be right now, I doubt seriously if the consequences for our blocking would be as great.