Spring Practice 2016 News & Notes

[SidewalkJacket]

and we will discuss this SAME topic again for the 8th year.

5/22 is 23 percent

23 percent of 85 is 19.5

we have a FREAKING problem with how paul is running our program IMO on the lines and I am getting tired of it to be honest. This is every year we are short on OL numbers

this isn't hard. A d1A program needs to have 18+ OL on ship at any one time. But we are stocked at AB again. LOL

we self probate on the OL under paul and in numbers every year it seems.

Would you prefer we fill the "missing" OL spots with guys who aren't talented enough to make an impact here? As much as I love our offensive style, it can be a hard sell to NFL-minded recruits and we all know it. I don't think the answer is to just get more bodies. And as far as the DL goes, please tell me when GT last had a deep, stocked DL?

 

[33jacket]

Would you prefer we fill the "missing" OL spots with guys who aren't talented enough to make an impact here? As much as I love our offensive style, it can be a hard sell to NFL-minded recruits and we all know it. I don't think the answer is to just get more bodies. And as far as the DL goes, please tell me when GT last had a deep, stocked DL?

I would prefer we had a staff that can fill available slots in a timely manor and do their damn job. Which they are not. Now for a decade.

If its the support staff fine. If its the assistants sucking. Fine. But I am tired of the excuse that its cuz not enough talent out there. LOL we know thats not true. Go get em. Cast a bigger net. We left 3 ships on the board because we can't count and anticipate. But I will be damned if I walk around this program thinking we can't land more quality OL every year than we do.

we flat out have a massive void in OL staff and coaching and its obvious beyond obvious.

Or maybe to your point our system offends so many prospects recruiting the OL is hard. But I will tell you, there are MANY other schools less desirable than tech that field a decent OL and have decent OL numbers and its not ridiculous like we are to have 10. That is a f-in joke. Sorry hoss...I just can't validate the excuses here. We should have 15 or 16 right now with 3 entering. We have 10. Thats a big difference

I dont' recall mentioning DL; actually because I do concede that is much harder for sure. It requires a level of athleticism OL doesn't persay

but to answer your question 2008 was pretty salty and I would add 2006 too....

 

[AE 87]

did i say that right or mess it up ?

You're cool. My training is in Aerospace Engineering, and I've worked in rocket science. So, I was making a joke about an area of conversation to which I could contribute.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

and we will discuss this SAME topic again for the 8th year.

5/22 is 23 percent

23 percent of 85 is 19.5

we have a FREAKING problem with how paul is running our program IMO on the lines and I am getting tired of it to be honest. This is every year we are short on OL numbers

this isn't hard. A d1A program needs to have 18+ OL on ship at any one time. But we are stocked at AB again. LOL

we self probate on the OL under paul and in numbers every year it seems.

How many scholly OL's do we have now?

Maybe it's more a product of recruiting misses than numbers philosophy. In recruiting we have targets that we miss on like Campbell and our fall back guys are guys who would take a PWO anyways so why waist a ship? It seems we've missed a bunch on top OL's recently.

 

[33jacket]

How many scholly OL's do we have now?

Maybe it's more a product of recruiting misses than numbers philosophy. In recruiting we have targets that we miss on like Campbell and our fall back guys are guys who would take a PWO anyways so why waist a ship? It seems we've missed a bunch on top OL's recently.

we have 10 cheese...TEN. Thats not missing on 1-2. That is being short 5-6 with 3 coming in. Its more than a miss. Its a poor system of recruiting IMO.

as you know, we have this problem a ton. When a problem rinses and repeats...its generally behavior driven. We simply don't take or give or whatever it is enough OL ships each year...so we never have backups and never anticipate attrition and we are left in the cold a ton. Its a systematic approach problem IMO

and with recruiting...if you miss one year...the next you add that number and try to make it up. We miss year after year it seems...its just getting so frustrating to watch this disfunction for 8 years now on the OL. I am throwing up my hands.

In fact...this bothers me more than Roof does as our DC....and that says alot. Because this seems it can simply be fixed in approach...roof you have to fire and thats not always easy to do.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

You're cool. My training is in Aerospace Engineering, and I've worked in rocket science. So, I was making a joke about an area of conversation to which I could contribute.

Heck, I just wish you could contribute in the football talk.

 

[SidewalkJacket]

I dont' recall mentioning DL; actually because I do concede that is much harder for sure. It requires a level of athleticism OL doesn't persay

but to answer your question 2008 was pretty salty and I would add 2006 too....

I took your "we have a problem on the lines" as meaning both.

I do not think we are recruiting out of this world on the OL, either. I just don't think it is as easy as "go out there and get them."

 

[dressedcheeseside]

we have 10 cheese...TEN. Thats not missing on 1-2. That is being short 5-6 with 3 coming in. Its more than a miss. Its a poor system of recruiting IMO.

as you know, we have this problem a ton. When a problem rinses and repeats...its generally behavior driven. We simply don't take or give or whatever it is enough OL ships each year...so we never have backups and never anticipate attrition and we are left in the cold a ton. Its a systematic approach problem IMO

and with recruiting...if you miss one year...the next you add that number and try to make it up. We miss year after year it seems...its just getting so frustrating to watch this disfunction for 8 years now on the OL. I am throwing up my hands.

In fact...this bothers me more than Roof does as our DC....and that says alot. Because this seems it can simply be fixed in approach...roof you have to fire and thats not always easy to do.

My point is that it would be easy to fill up with acceptable numbers if you dropped your sights in talent. It's a double edged sword and we're feeling the edge that cuts on the side of low numbers rather than low talent. Then again, there's a good argument for talent not being quite there, either, so I'm not fighting you on this.

As for last year, the OL suffered for a multitude of reasons. The biggest was the loss of Shaq which hurt us exponentially. His talent loss at the key OL spot, RG, was a huge hit, but I'm not sure it was as big as the loss in leadership. His mates in '14 were hanging by a thread and Shaq was most likely the only thing holding them together. He got some of those guys to perform over their pay grade. Freddie was dealing with his dad's illness and I think that took a toll on his play.

Throw in the fact that our Bbacks were not nearly as good and that defenses could send more than we could block because they didn't respect the pass and you see what happens. Heck, they didn't respect the dive or the end runs, either.

 

[iceeater1969]

We're at our best when we can change blocking assignments on the fly and leave the defense scratching their heads. Most D's can adjust once, very few can adjust twice or more.

AT GAMES (clem, fsu, msu in 14 ) I saw defenses that moved to protect a lane at an assigned spot. Worked once then got blind sided.
AT GAMES (unc, nd, fsu ) in 15 I saw defenses adjust to move the force point further into backfield thus creating tough blocking angles (shooting safety to play side) & we got behind schedule. They then became more agressive.
In 16=With speed and execution coach has fixed it. I hope we burn them for big gain s when they over commit. If we get them guessing while over committed and then hit them with changed blocking assignment we will really kick a

 

[dressedcheeseside]

AT GAMES (clem, fsu, msu in 14 ) I saw defenses that moved to protect a lane at an assigned spot. Worked once then got blind sided.
AT GAMES (unc, nd, fsu ) in 15 I saw defenses adjust to move the force point further into backfield thus creating tough blocking angles (shooting safety to play side) & we got behind schedule. They then became more agressive.
In 16=With speed and execution coach has fixed it. I hope we burn them for big gain s when they over commit. If we get them guessing while over committed and then hit them with changed blocking assignment we will really kick a

We need to regain the dive more than anything else. We need our G-C-G on point and we don't even know who are starting guards are yet and our starting center is out rehabbing.

 

[Skeptic]

and we will discuss this SAME topic again for the 8th year.

5/22 is 23 percent

23 percent of 85 is 19.5

we have a FREAKING problem with how paul is running our program IMO on the lines and I am getting tired of it to be honest. This is every year we are short on OL numbers

this isn't hard. A d1A program needs to have 18+ OL on ship at any one time. But we are stocked at AB again. LOL

we self probate on the OL under paul and in numbers every year it seems.

I would not no so I'm not arguing. Just asking: who decides that ratio?

 

[iceeater1969]

We need to regain the dive more than anything else. We need our G-C-G on point and we don't even know who are starting guards are yet and our starting center is out rehabbing.

I was saying to try something like off tackle or pull guards to get them off balance so we can run up gcg with smaller people.
Simply sayin gto the world we are going to run gcg on play 1 wont work till be get studs at CGC. While I agree the Dive off Guard is a key - we will get stuffed till we get them off balance.

Also I guess the coaching staff getting a pass on SHAM not producing or Brown dragging up?

 

[redmule]

Last year should have taught us all that the usual metrics about the OL doesn't apply in this offense. Last year this time I think we would have all said that we have size, experience, and numbers coming back on the OL. Didn't matter. Maybe you only need two good OL guys in this offense. The first is center to make sure the exchange is good. The other guy has to be someone that you can usually get 2 yds behind when you have to have it. The other three OL are just there to occupy space. CPJ said as much when he talked about how poorly the OL outside of Mason played in 2014. If we take CPJ at his word, then the real reason for 2014 was talent, experience, and numbers at the skill positions. That would explain why we recruit so many A Backs and QBs. The speed of execution is the advantage. There will be a crease somewhere between the tackles. You just have to have a B Back that can find it instantly and get thru it (ie Laskey not Skov). There will be room to the outside if the lead A Back does his job. The other A Back has to be able to find that space and get thru it. That's why first year players are generally ineffective. When the skill players are gashing the defense, then the OL becomes a force multiplier as in 2014.

Maybe what we saw last year was what we all knew but didn't want to see. Our OL and DL will always be outmanned along the line of scrimmage with rare exceptions. Our success depends on misdirection, skill, timing, execution, and scheme. That means QB, WR, AB, BB. Navy could never outman anyone on the OL and DL, but their skill players perform great.

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

and we will discuss this SAME topic again for the 8th year.

5/22 is 23 percent

23 percent of 85 is 19.5

we have a FREAKING problem with how paul is running our program IMO on the lines and I am getting tired of it to be honest. This is every year we are short on OL numbers

this isn't hard. A d1A program needs to have 18+ OL on ship at any one time. But we are stocked at AB again. LOL

we self probate on the OL under paul and in numbers every year it seems.

Bama and Clemson, two "D1A" teams that seem to know what they are doing, had 14 scholarship OL apiece on their teams last year. We had 13. When you compare those two rosters against ours, what you will find is that, scholarship wise, our numbers are similar across the board, excepting WR and TE, where we have ABs.

 

[SidewalkJacket]

Bama and Clemson, two "D1A" teams that seem to know what they are doing, had 14 scholarship OL apiece on their teams last year. We had 13. When you compare those two rosters against ours, what you will find is that, scholarship wise, our numbers are similar across the board, excepting WR and TE, where we have ABs.

Something I was too lazy to look up but suspected. Every year you see stories of walk-ons turning into starters, even at the big factory schools. This is just a function of the difficulty in recruiting large numbers of super-talented linemen every single year. It is a tough position to recruit, no doubt. But the old "too many ABs" argument is stale. Name a "useless" AB on our current roster. And I cringe to think of how we would have done in '14 with even LESS of them.

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

I like listening to our next head coach. I liked the leadership discussion, so true. Thanks for the link.

Duke says hello!

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

and we will discuss this SAME topic again for the 8th year.

5/22 is 23 percent

23 percent of 85 is 19.5

we have a FREAKING problem with how paul is running our program IMO on the lines and I am getting tired of it to be honest. This is every year we are short on OL numbers

this isn't hard. A d1A program needs to have 18+ OL on ship at any one time. But we are stocked at AB again. LOL

we self probate on the OL under paul and in numbers every year it seems.

Agree with you, but it is a lot easier to sign a 5'8 fast kid with smarts than a 300 pounder that can run and is smart.

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

I would not no so I'm not arguing. Just asking: who decides that ratio?

HC!

 

[WrexRacer]

Last year our OL looked flat out lost. We had plays early on, UNC and ND, where we let 4 DL go unblocked. That should never happen. We didn't even chip guys and those weren't screen plays.

I think part of the problem was the no huddle experiment. As far as I could tell, JT5 got the call yelled to the center who then relayed it down the line. It was a big telephone game clusterf***. Add to that you are making calls in the DL face, and by the second half everybody knows the call. I am certain VT knew our line calls.

The OL was just piss poorly coached last season.

That said, they did improve as the season we t forward (and we dropped the no huddle). Personally, I think Navy looks worse when they go no huddle too.

JT5 added to the line woes on passing plays. He rarely steps up into the pocket and he takes massive drops when he doesn't need too. He didn't trust his line by the end of the season and we were worse off because of it.

 

[DvilleJacket]

Any news on Victor Alexander?