OL Struggles

[upperdeck]

one thing that has to make you wonder.. we have gone up tempo so much that maybe that helped hide oline issues even more since it took a bit of the pass rush away.. since we have so few good drives this year, we have much less tempo and never really have a chance to wear anyone down.

 

[supp]

We've been trying to install a zone blocking scheme since Gerg and after multiple head coaches and multiple OL coaches it seems like we're still struggling with it.

 

[upperdeck]

That's not minor at all. Tendencies are heavily studied. If you pin the pocket to his right, he's going to panic and take the sack. Huge issue.

Related but not really -- this is one of the issues I have with our play calling. If I can tell you what play is coming, the defensive players who have studied and practiced all week should probably be able to, too.

Can you really do that. and can you do it more than you can for any other team?

i mean i can watch wash st and tell you pass run about 80% of the time.

and sometimes people forget some plays are called because they are setting other plays. not just to win that particular play.

 

[SUFan44]

Can you really do that. and can you do it more than you can for any other team?

i mean i can watch wash st and tell you pass run about 80% of the time.

and sometimes people forget some plays are called because they are setting other plays. not just to win that particular play.

Are we still setting up plays for future games? Because we're 5 games in and our offense isn't very good.

 

[kcsu]

Zone blocking scheme needs to be reevaluated after the season.

 

[upperdeck]

Are we still setting up plays for future games? Because we're 5 games in and our offense isn't very good.

why do you think the long pass to the TE was open or that last week Tommy had those long runs.. we throw the long wr screens to stretch the D for other plays. sometimes it works, sometimes it doesnt.

 

[AAM62]

Servais is 3 yards behind the line of scrimmage on almost every play. It's a huge issue.

What happened to this guy in the offseason?

 

[SUFan44]

why do you think the long pass to the TE was open or that last week Tommy had those long runs.. we throw the long wr screens to stretch the D for other plays. sometimes it works, sometimes it doesnt.

All I'm saying is it's not working this year. A lot of reasons but I don't think the play calling deserves to be completely absolved of any wrong doing. Hasn't been good this year.

 

[FrancoPizza]

What happened to this guy in the offseason?

It’s not just one guy. The whole line is having issues.

 

[anomander]

Weight loss an issue here?

I think it's mostly a myth he lost weight. If you see him without pads he is absolutely jacked. His back looks like the back of a house. He doesn't have the extra tissue as some of the guys, but he's easily the most muscular. With that said he has under performed a bit.

 

[anomander]

We've been trying to install a zone blocking scheme since Gerg and after multiple head coaches and multiple OL coaches it seems like we're still struggling with it.

That's the thing i noticed. Some of the miscues has nothing to do with the guys being physically good enough. I am not a coach so i can't really explain what's happening. But there has been countless times where a lineman will have someone lined up literally right in front of them, but once the ball is snapped they go somewhere else and the guy that was right in front of that person has a free line to the backfield and makes a play. Mind boggling.

 

[P Vasiloff]

Fixing the offensive line will help this offense tremendously. Despite my recent frustrations with that position group, I have faith that during this bye week period, this staff will get it going in the right direction. They have too. Here is to faith, belief without evidence. Go Orange!!!!!!

 

[care taker]

Just finished re watching... first positives
The young 2nd team defenders were impressive , Kingsley’s , berry , Richards ,
Touzanama etc . Taj good game , benson must play more ! The D was very good can’t apologize for who you play .
The not so good .. vanilla play calling
Lack of run game to many short gains putting us in harder down and distance. And the fact they drop 8 makes it more disappointing that we aren’t running well . We put 3 in a route to help w protection coupled with a lack of time
Is putting tommy in a tough spot . Tommy missed a few as well . Every player at every level misses plays here and there but we should have run for 300 !
Hope moving forward... creativity on offense , to help with our deficiencies and personnel changes . I’m not good enough to know where our protection and run blocking problems are but something has to change
Coaches , announcers , cover players one play and bury them the next , only coach knows there assignments and can judge that not us .
Tommy will need to run every game to help out as well .

 

[SUbear]

Probably minor but does Tommy ever roll or even scramble to his left?

Off the top of my head he generally goes right, I can not remember him ever going to his left.

 

[SUbear]

That's the thing i noticed. Some of the miscues has nothing to do with the guys being physically good enough. I am not a coach so i can't really explain what's happening. But there has been countless times where a lineman will have someone lined up literally right in front of them, but once the ball is snapped they go somewhere else and the guy that was right in front of that person has a free line to the backfield and makes a play. Mind boggling.

That is where the line working as a unit comes into play, a lineman is not always suppose to be blocking the guy directly in front of him. Usually you are suppose to use blocking angles so you block the adjacent man, of course it all depends on the calls and the desired play. Point being it is not necessarily wrong when you see the DL man not being blocked by the OL he is directly in front of.

 

[anomander]

That is where the line working as a unit comes into play, a lineman is not always suppose to be blocking the guy directly in front of him. Usually you are suppose to use blocking angles so you block the adjacent man, of course it all depends on the calls and the desired play. Point being it is not necessarily wrong when you see the DL man not being blocked by the OL he is directly in front of.

I realize that. I'm saying whatever the calls are they are being missed. There are obvious times when somebody is supposed to be picked up the block when you vacate the man in front of you. It seems to be happening more and more this year.

 

[SUbear]

I realize that. I'm saying whatever the calls are they are being missed. There are obvious times when somebody is supposed to be picked up the block when you vacate the man in front of you. It seems to be happening more and more this year.

Pretty much definition of problems on your OL assuming it is not simply your linemen being overpowered and outmatched. The other problem is we are not getting an effective push by the line, and that is hurting the run game. The offense must be more effective to keep our D off the field and tire the opponents D.
We could not seem to do that even against Holy Cross.
Things must change quickly or this season will be really tough.

 

[BVille44]

Not that Marrone was a great recruiter but he talked about wanting to recruit OL who were also wrestlers in high school. Under Dino’s system I am not sure that type of OL would fit his profile.

 

[Millhouse]

When Steven was breaking down the tape for the Syracuse game, he told me that the assessment of the OL was that they play "confused" and a bit slow. Not sure if he meant that because they're confused, they play slow, or that their being slow makes them look confused.

Yes

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

...

(Our line has been pretty bad since Dino got here. Dungey's scrambling helped compensate for that.)

 

[AAM62]

...

(Our line has been pretty bad since Dino got here. Dungey's scrambling helped compensate for that.)

Yes. Red zone ineffectiveness the last 4 years made it clear as day (sans dungey doing it himself)

 

[Cuse12]

Rewatched the condensed game so only snippets.

1. We keep a TE and a RB in for pass protection WAY TOO MUCH. HC would drop 8 and rush 3, so we had 3 receivers down field against 8 defenders. That’s why we are seeing TD sit in the pocket and have no where to go. It starts with not being able to just use our OL to protect so we are pulling extra help in. Hurts our spread game.

2. Servais is not built for center. He is struggling in there. Heckle NEEDS to come back. Servais is light so he can play tackle and shadow the ends - not line up against a Chris slayton type player. (Not that HC has one of those even)

3. Confusion. We too often are double teaming allow an open defender to come in practically untouched and he is moving devito out of the pocket. Other teams are going to see this and bring pressure on pressure then drop back into just a 3 man rush on passing downs.

4. Our running plays just are a hair off. We have good line pulls and movement, but it seems like one person is shedding their block to make an 7 yard run into a 2 yard run. We are not finishing blocks and driving defenders back. It’s terrifying because that’s simply just physicality and if you can’t do that against HC ... I’m worried.

Side note: I do know we condition our linemen more hardcore then probably 99% of programs. In term I feel like we are built for stamina and not power. I feel like we are not big roadgrader type line. Watch UNCs line for example last week (a team comparable to us talent wise) and look how massive their OL were. So that being said everything needs to click on this system for the line to also succeed. Teams need to be on their heels and all year they haven’t. When they are it allows us to move quickly and get a step ahead with our blocks IMO. But, when we are lining straight up and trying to run it down your throat ... we just can’t effectively. Let’s hope they turn it around we need them!

 

[bothsocksup]

Offensive lines take a long time to gel. It’s a chemistry thing. I was speaking with a former nfl lineman the other day. He talked about the importance of the oline room and everyone being on the same page. That takes time. It’s not a position you can just insert right away. The guys we have im sure have talent but they’re relatively new to one another. It’ll take time and I suspect it improves in the upcoming weeks.

 

[Cuse12]

Offensive lines take a long time to gel. It’s a chemistry thing. I was speaking with a former nfl lineman the other day. He talked about the importance of the oline room and everyone being on the same page. That takes time. It’s not a position you can just insert right away. The guys we have im sure have talent but they’re relatively new to one another. It’ll take time and I suspect it improves in the upcoming weeks.

I hope so, but honestly we have been saying “we suspect the OL to get better next week” for the last 4 weeks and I have unfortunately not seen enough to make me think we have. Again, I hope they prove me wrong and do much better against nc state.

 

[GoSU96]

Rewatched the condensed game so only snippets.

1. We keep a TE and a RB in for pass protection WAY TOO MUCH. HC would drop 8 and rush 3, so we had 3 receivers down field against 8 defenders. That’s why we are seeing TD sit in the pocket and have no where to go. It starts with not being able to just use our OL to protect so we are pulling extra help in. Hurts our spread game.

2. Servais is not built for center. He is struggling in there. Heckle NEEDS to come back. Servais is light so he can play tackle and shadow the ends - not line up against a Chris slayton type player. (Not that HC has one of those even)

3. Confusion. We too often are double teaming allow an open defender to come in practically untouched and he is moving devito out of the pocket. Other teams are going to see this and bring pressure on pressure then drop back into just a 3 man rush on passing downs.

4. Our running plays just are a hair off. We have good line pulls and movement, but it seems like one person is shedding their block to make an 7 yard run into a 2 yard run. We are not finishing blocks and driving defenders back. It’s terrifying because that’s simply just physicality and if you can’t do that against HC ... I’m worried.

Side note: I do know we condition our linemen more hardcore then probably 99% of programs. In term I feel like we are built for stamina and not power. I feel like we are not big roadgrader type line. Watch UNCs line for example last week (a team comparable to us talent wise) and look how massive their OL were. So that being said everything needs to click on this system for the line to also succeed. Teams need to be on their heels and all year they haven’t. When they are it allows us to move quickly and get a step ahead with our blocks IMO. But, when we are lining straight up and trying to run it down your throat ... we just can’t effectively. Let’s hope they turn it around we need them!

Your point 1. They were working on things once they got up, like only putting 3 in the pattern That is not what they done historically just like all throws in the middle. They were working on new looks to the offense