O-line play was scary bad...

[AAM62]

Personally Foy, and Palmer have never impressed me as being able to handle the tackle positions. The spring seems to have been their opportunity to show they can, and they haven't, they could be on the bench as backups when the season starts.

Respectfully you're wrong about foy. He's put it on film, you just have to be able to objectively watch and understand the game. I'm not saying he's first round material, but he certainly gets the job done. Sliding to left tackle will be a transition But we won't be doomed because of it. Palmer is naturally a guard at this level but he definitely held his own at RT last year. Still won't be doomed if he's there but it's unfortunate that he can't slide back inside.

 

[TheCusian]

I remember awhile ago, or, not too long ago when it was bad to question any of Shafers hires/coaches. Or, voice any concerns about the upcoming season. Are we allowed to question the program now?

Depends. A well-thought out take or a short one-line quip with no substance?

 

[SoBristol]

Much of the QB play was scary bad -- Lester's fault?
WRs dropped several passes -- Acosta is a bad coach?

People seem to pile on Coach Adam. Pass blocking and run blocking are not rocket science. If our veterans in the OL can't get any push, or hold their own against Ron Thompson, it might not be a coaching issue.

 

[Millhouse]

If they had called some more plays dead and let the defenders hit the QB, the offensive stats would have looked even worse. On top of the Spring Game performance, Palmer's quote a couple of days ago about the players coaching themselves up has me worrying about Adam's abilities to put together a working lineup. I had dismissed the idea that his inexperience was a factor before but I'm starting to come around to that way of thinking.

live by western michigan, die by western michigan

if we can't run the ball and are going to rely on giant receivers who can't get separation with Hunt throwing the ball, get ready for a million sack fumbles and interceptions

 

[Pyle]

Adam might not be Browning or Adkins but it's not just the OL that has me concerned. Hunt's 10-30 performance is a major red flag. Even when RBs did get to the 2nd level they were stopped. Not one RB broke away from the defense. The WR's dropped how many balls? I said in another post I don't care about the format, just show me a functional offense. They didn't do it and I have major concerns about their ability to win 6 this year, even with a cupcake front-loaded schedule.

 

[anomander]

Without question this is my single biggest concern for the upcoming season. Shafer says he lets his coaches coach. But IMO he needs to be all over Adam and Moreland because his job probably depends on it. Without an o-line that can establish some kind of running game this offense (and most offenses for that matter) are DOA.

The sad thing is there is absolutely no way we should be worried about our OL being the weakness in 2015. We return Trudo who will be starting for his 4th year, Foy who is starting for his 3rd year with some start in all 4, Robinson who will be starting for his 3rd year, and then either Palmer or Lasker with 3 years experience. Sprinkle in Emerich, McGolster, and Hayes who all have prior experience on top of that, and then again tell me honestly how this is a potential weakness? This unit was the strength of the team in 2012 and 2013, and we are returning a core of those lines. Adam will have absolutely no excuse if this is another subpar year for the OL.

 

[SoBristol]

The sad thing is there is absolutely no way we should be worried about our OL being the weakness in 2015. We return Trudo who will be starting for his 4th year, Foy who is starting for his 3rd year with some start in all 4, Robinson who will be starting for his 3rd year, and then either Palmer or Lasker with 3 years experience. Sprinkle in Emerich, McGolster, and Hayes who all have prior experience on top of that, and then again tell me honestly how this is a potential weakness? This unit was the strength of the team in 2012 and 2013, and we are returning a core of those lines. Adam will have absolutely no excuse if this is another subpar year for the OL.

So we lost the two best OL from the 2012-13 group and return some who weren't all that great last year It isn't a physically imposing group. Seriously, Emerich, McGloster and Hayes?? Lasker? The newbie Roberts is better than that bunch.

 

[OrangeinBoston]

So we lost the two best OL from the 2012-13 group and return some who weren't all that great last year It isn't a physically imposing group. Seriously, Emerich, McGloster and Hayes?? Lasker? The newbie Roberts is better than that bunch.

The fact that they haven't been able to get Ward into playing shape is really unfortunate. He was supposed to be Hickey's understudy. Does the guy not really want it enough to cut weight?

 

[Alsacs]

Our OL play has gotten worse from 2013 to 2014 and doesn't look better thus far for 2015. I among others questioned Coach Adam last year as our OL was a lot worse than the talent should have had it. I don't get why if you see a problem you don't replace it even if its 1 year. This is a coaching in major college FB either you have it or don't. I would be more patient if they talent was lacking but we had talent on the OL and it was bad.
Shafer has to win 6 games thus his patience should be low. All I can say is Adam was a question mark last year and it looks like the OL is a question mark right now.

 

[TheCusian]

Our OL play has gotten worse from 2013 to 2014 and doesn't look better thus far for 2015. I among others questioned Coach Adam last year as our OL was a lot worse than the talent should have had it. I don't get why if you see a problem you don't replace it even if its 1 year. This is a coaching in major college FB either you have it or don't. I would be more patient if they talent was lacking but we had talent on the OL and it was bad. Shafer has to win 6 games thus his patience should be low. All I can say is Adam was a question mark last year and it looks like the OL is a question mark right now.

"Thus far" is one glorified practice. I'm in no way defending that performance. But too many people are seeing it as evidence of their worst fears.

 

[Alsacs]

"Thus far" is one glorified practice. I'm in no way defending that performance. But too many people are seeing it as evidence of their worst fears.

I trust the OP and Anomander's assessment. Neither of them are posters who throw bombs without reason. Our OL last year had talent and had the best SU player in this year's draft and was subpar as a unit. If our OL isn't a strength we are screwed and I don't trust Coach Adam to be a good OL coach. You get what you deserve.

 

[TheCusian]

I trust the OP and Anomander's assessment. Neither of them are posters who throw bombs without reason. Our OL last year had talent and had the best SU player in this year's draft and was subpar as a unit. If our OL isn't a strength we are screwed and I don't trust Coach Adam to be a good OL coach. You get what you deserve.

I trust it too. But it's still one practice.

 

[anomander]

So we lost the two best OL from the 2012-13 group and return some who weren't all that great last year It isn't a physically imposing group. Seriously, Emerich, McGloster and Hayes?? Lasker? The newbie Roberts is better than that bunch.

Trudo, Robinson, and Foy aren't that great? And Hickey played last year so we were only missing Pugh from the prior year. They all seemed to regress, or if they didn't, they sure didn't improve. i don't know they looked pretty damn good to me in 2012 and 2013.

Plus didn't Adam change the blocking schemes? I thought i saw that somewhere?

 

[anomander]

Respectfully you're wrong about foy. He's put it on film, you just have to be able to objectively watch and understand the game. I'm not saying he's first round material, but he certainly gets the job done. Sliding to left tackle will be a transition But we won't be doomed because of it. Palmer is naturally a guard at this level but he definitely held his own at RT last year. Still won't be doomed if he's there but it's unfortunate that he can't slide back inside.

Totally agree. I've always been a fan of Ivan. imo he is a solid college offensive tackle. He may not be a future pro, but he is more then serviceable. You don't start for 3+ years if you can't play a little bit.

I'm also not sold on Palmer at OT. I realize they are doing it out of necessity, but so far the experiment hasn't turned out that well. I was never high on him as an OG, so I feel even worse about him at a position he doesn't have the prototypical size, and quickness for.

 

[RMH44]

Trudo, Robinson, and Foy aren't that great? And Hickey played last year so we were only missing Pugh from the prior year. They all seemed to regress, or if they didn't, they sure didn't improve. i don't know they looked pretty damn good to me in 2012 and 2013.

Plus didn't Adam change the blocking schemes? I thought i saw that somewhere?

Every player mentioned in your post missed games last year due to injury. Hickey played hurt all year. I guess none of that matters.

 

[OrangePA]

Adam might not be Browning or Adkins but it's not just the OL that has me concerned. Hunt's 10-30 performance is a major red flag. Even when RBs did get to the 2nd level they were stopped. Not one RB broke away from the defense. The WR's dropped how many balls? I said in another post I don't care about the format, just show me a functional offense. They didn't do it and I have major concerns about their ability to win 6 this year, even with a cupcake front-loaded schedule.

I am less concerned about Hunt than I was going into the spring game.

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

I remember awhile ago, or, not too long ago when it was bad to question any of Shafers hires/coaches. Or, voice any concerns about the upcoming season.

Are we allowed to question the program now?

I'm a recent convert. I'm suddenly very concerned about the upcoming season/state of the program.

 

[anomander]

Every player mentioned in your post missed games last year due to injury. Hickey played hurt all year. I guess none of that matters.

Even when they were healthy they didn't look that good. I guess we will see this year.

 

[JHarris44]

The fact that they haven't been able to get Ward into playing shape is really unfortunate. He was supposed to be Hickey's understudy. Does the guy not really want it enough to cut weight?

Ward treated his signing day press conference like it was the pinnacle of his career. Compare that to Aaron Roberts who was thankful to get a last minute offer from Shafer flipping him from a MAC school and you can see that drive means more than size.

 

[Pyle]

I am less concerned about Hunt than I was going into the spring game.

What is your reasoning for this? 10-33, ~150 yds, 0 TDs.... Unless you think our defense is top of the ACC then we have alot of red flags right now on offense.

 

[RMH44]

What is your reasoning for this? 10-33, ~150 yds, 0 TDs... Unless you think our defense is top of the ACC then we have alot of red flags right now on offense.

Did you watch the "game"? Just curious.

I know his stats are abysmal, but there is definitely more to the story. He looked comfortable going through his progressions and his accuracy, in general, appeared better.

 

[RMH44]

Even when they were healthy they didn't look that good. I guess we will see this year.

I'm not sure that any of us have 100% confidence in Coach Adam but I'm not willing to blame him for last year's OL because of all of the injuries.

Besides...maybe HCSS saw a problem and that's why he assigned the OT's to Moreland? Fingers crossed.

 

[Dnyr85]

Can't knock on the OL yet. This spring practice set-up was not in the best interest for the team. I did not like that after 7 practices the players were let go for spring break. After break they were back at it for 7 more practices and the spring game/practice. I am sure those first 2 practices back the players were probably still "out of whack" from spring break shenanigans!

I can not believe that the OL could gel in this new offensive scheme in such a short and spread out time period, especially the new terminology with blocking assignments. Also take into account some players were at class instead of practice, and at least Trudo was out with injury.

Now, if they still look confused or disorganized after summer camp and during the Rhode Island game, then maybe it might be time to worry. I say might as it will be the first test against a different defense.

 

[tep624]

Ward treated his signing day press conference like it was the pinnacle of his career. Compare that to Aaron Roberts who was thankful to get a last minute offer from Shafer flipping him from a MAC school and you can see that drive means more than size.

Roberts committed to Syracuse in October of that year, deciding between Illinois and Syracuse that both offered. He wasn't flipped from a MAC school and we didn't offer him last minute.

 

[qdawgg]

I trust it too. But it's still one practice.

I see it more as an extension from last year. Things that were concerning to start the year and continued throughout the season still seem to be logical concerns, even if it's just a glorified practice.