Our o line seems to always play better with better talent.
We have had some pretty good lineman in here past 7-8 years when you think about it, right now not seeing much. Macky being one of them. Adam is just shooting fish in a barrell really and I'm not saying his drawers are lily white in this but I think it's a combo of 4 things. Talent, coaching, S&C (specific programs kids are following ) and continuing changing schemes on offense. The lack of consistency never helps, 3 ol coaches in 3 years as well. Perles seemed to be pretty good. I don't think you will find a better combo of ol coach than when marrone/ young craig stadler ( forget his name) were here but we also had some talent there to, at least talent that was coached up significantly.
Even the JUCO kid who was good for a personal foul every game would be better than any of these tackles. AT least he played with a mean streak.
That said people complained about O line when Marrone was here questioning his acumen. It's always the same thing. Mitch Browning was perceived as one of the best OL coaches in college football when he came here, guys bitched about him too. He did make the line lose a bunch of weight though. I am sure he looked at Hicks and asked What are you doing with these guys? I remember countless posts to the tune of " I thought Marrone was an offensive line coach before he became an OC and HC". I probably said same thing, like I said people always bitch about O line. O Line sucked when McNabb was here too. The end of 2012 the last 5-6 games was the best O Line play we have had in 20 years.
Hicks makes fat guys fatter, slow and fat kids, slower and fatter. makes skinny kids bigger/ stronger, makes fast athletes bigger but slower. Been that way for years. Josh Thomas, Kimmel, C jones, couple other tweeners at D Line. all kids that hicks was good for, big lanky athletes/ big frames who can can put weight on. Freak athletes with huge work ethic like Bullock, S Thomas and Freeney doesn't matter, I could train them after a 3 night bender and find time for a 4th night. Certain kids don't do anything and get away with it, Mike Williams, Sales, Marinovich. Everywhere else he is terrible, IMO
Hicks is the dinosaurs of all dinosaurs. He's the commodore 64/ Atari 400 of S&C coaches. He's like the old entry mat that comes with a house when you buy it. You never get rid of it but not even the dog wipes his paws on it because its so old and ratty.
Shafer made the bed, it's his ship and he will go down with it.
