Riley Voices OLine Concerns

[spurs1990]

And how much will we improve? I would say we have the players to make a significant improvement over last year. Just because we are not seeing it click now doesn't mean it won't happen. Let's at least wait until a few games are played before we start blaming Cav for the '17 line, you may be complimenting him without knowing it!

completely not likely, we were exposed when we played anyone with a pulse. It couldn't change that much!

I just don't get that perception. The gains that can be made from playing year 2 to year 3 can be huge. Everyone keeps saying that they haven't seen anything to show there will be any change. Well everything you've seen is pretty much underclassmen playing in the Big 10. Are there underclassmen that can do it and do it well? Yes, but we had almost an entire rotation of them. The rotation was also pretty limited (maybe a coaching error, but none of us are in the room so how can you really know if the others have earned playing time?). Slap on injuries and you're going to be hurting. How can you possibly not expect struggles with that? Let them grow up and show if they can truly do this or not before you burry them.

If it doesn't happen this year, then you can raise the alarm. Until then maybe we need to call in Aaron Rodgers to have y'all relax.

 

[Enhance]

At some point, talented youth and getting players healthy is no longer an excuse for the current line under performing. We've had almost two decades of not getting important recruits, certain recruits not panning out, linemen transferring and various injuries. "Next year," as it relates to offensive linemen, has grown old.

This. It makes me laugh when people use the "oh, fans are just impatient and want to fire everyone if they don't get immediate results" line.

No.

In 2 seasons, we're at the two decade mark. Twenty years is a long time.

The problem with that logic is that Cav hasn't been here for 20 years. Yes 20 years is a long time, but 90% of those aren't his problem. He can only control the here and now. He is the coach now and he definitely deserves a chance. You don't fire someone because they don't get immediate results. That line is applicable and viable in this situation.

Right, which is why I didn't lay all the blame at his feet. But he has to improve his unit this year, the excuses are pretty much gone.

Exactly. I don't think any of us were expecting Cav's unit to be dominant yet; however, at least in my opinion, I'm less likely to ride the 'youth and injuries' train for as long as I did in the past. After almost 20 years, even if most of the years don't relate to the current coach, it's become a tired narrative.

 

[BoNeyard]

I think Cav was deserving of getting one more year, but this is definitely a make it or break it year for him. These assistant coaches now know Riley is willing to axe anyone who isn't getting it done. The offensive line at Nebraska has been pitiful for years now and we desperately need a solid O-Line to have any sort of success in the B1G. If Cav can't get it done this year, hope Riley takes whoever Wisconsin has as O-Line coach. Why could Nebraska or why would Nebraska take Wisconsin's O-Line coach? Simple, it is well known Wisconsin doesnt pay their assistance very much, and whoever it is would have connections already in important B1G territory, and also our O-Line needs to be like Wisconsins.

http://www.uwbadgers.com/coaches.aspx?rc=494&path=football

Does not matter how much he is getting paid, he will not leave an OC/Associate HC/OL coach for a demotion to simply our offensive line coach. He was at Nebraska for one year, but that does not matter because he would not take a demotion to be here. We would have to go after someone else.

Its interesting that people are panicking this much during spring ball. Is this not the time for the athletes to get better instead of throwing in a revolving door of new coaches? He has to get the group to play better, but I feel like the maximum assistants Riley fires after the season is maybe 1. Too much change over the last few years to continue to fire and hire new people. Reggie is getting blamed a lot, but if Ozigbo and Bryant run behind an improved o-line in 2017, no one will be losing their job. Improvement is necessary, but how much is it on scheme is the real question.

Not panicking only for spring ball, the offensive line play has been really disappointing for about a decade now. Nebraska's offensive line play has been soft for years, and it was exposed by Tennessee in the bowl game. I mean that Tennessee game summed up Nebraska O-Line of the last 10 years.

 

[spurs1990]

I think Cav was deserving of getting one more year, but this is definitely a make it or break it year for him. These assistant coaches now know Riley is willing to axe anyone who isn't getting it done. The offensive line at Nebraska has been pitiful for years now and we desperately need a solid O-Line to have any sort of success in the B1G. If Cav can't get it done this year, hope Riley takes whoever Wisconsin has as O-Line coach. Why could Nebraska or why would Nebraska take Wisconsin's O-Line coach? Simple, it is well known Wisconsin doesnt pay their assistance very much, and whoever it is would have connections already in important B1G territory, and also our O-Line needs to be like Wisconsins.

http://www.uwbadgers.com/coaches.aspx?rc=494&path=football

Does not matter how much he is getting paid, he will not leave an OC/Associate HC/OL coach for a demotion to simply our offensive line coach. He was at Nebraska for one year, but that does not matter because he would not take a demotion to be here. We would have to go after someone else.

Its interesting that people are panicking this much during spring ball. Is this not the time for the athletes to get better instead of throwing in a revolving door of new coaches? He has to get the group to play better, but I feel like the maximum assistants Riley fires after the season is maybe 1. Too much change over the last few years to continue to fire and hire new people. Reggie is getting blamed a lot, but if Ozigbo and Bryant run behind an improved o-line in 2017, no one will be losing their job. Improvement is necessary, but how much is it on scheme is the real question.

Not panicking only for spring ball, the offensive line play has been really disappointing for about a decade now. Nebraska's offensive line play has been soft for years, and it was exposed by Tennessee in the bowl game. I mean that Tennessee game summed up Nebraska O-Line of the last 10 years.

This argument is just going in one big circle. Point and counter point have already been made for this.

 

[DrunkOffPunch]

The offensive line wasn't young last year. We played 2 seniors, a junior, and 4 sophomores all of which had a redshirt year so everyone was in the program for at least 3 years.

 

[Nebfanatic]

Young, no. Injured with little reliable depth, yes

 

[spurs1990]

4 sophomores isn't young? There's a difference between 3 years in the program including a redshirt and 3 years with game experience. Not the same thing.

 

[Enhance]

Follow up. Was it "nuances of the offensive line" that caused us to get stonewalled by a bad Tennessee defense that had given up 1055 yards rushing (6.46 ypr) against Kentucky, Missouri, and Vandy in the 3 games prior to playing us?

It's not like we're throwing a bunch of low 2* or 3* guys out there either. Here's the scholarship guys on the roster, excluding the latest class.

Broc Bando - 3* 0.8412

Jalin Barnett - 4* 0.9207

Brain Brokop - 3* 0.8847

Michael Decker - 3* 0.8544

Tanner Farmer - 4* 0.9021

Matt Farniok - 4* 0.9049

Jerald Foster - 3* 0.8708

Nick Gates - 4* 0.8929

Christian Gaylord - 3* 0.8882

David Knevel - 3* 0.8765

John Raridon - 4* 0.9435

Boe Wilson - 3* 0.8559

Not exactly garbage.

Star talent is looking good and should continue to get better

The players listed above are:

Freshman - Bando, Brokop, Farnoik, Rairdon, Wilson

Sophmore - Barnett, Decker, Gaylord

Junior - Farmer, Gates, Foster

Senior - Knevel

The bigger concern is that most of these players are young and the 3 top rated players are all underclassmen. Healthy players and talent that has been around the program an additional year will make Cav look better in 2017 - 2018 will be even better with the combination of talent and upperclassmen depth.

This isn't directed at you, necessarily, but at the theme of your post. It's one that's been around the program for a long time now.

At some point, talented youth and getting players healthy is no longer an excuse for the current line under performing. We've had almost two decades of not getting important recruits, certain recruits not panning out, linemen transferring and various injuries. "Next year," as it relates to offensive linemen, has grown old.

I get it and I totally agree - however Cav can not take the blame for the previous 18 years. Every time a new guy or staff comes in we have to be patient in respect to that generation - sucks for us, however it is what it is.

I don't blame him for the years he wasn't here. My point is only that I have less patience for that defense now, in 2017, than I did back in 2008. Coaches have come and gone and this logic has persisted, even through seven years with Barney Cotton.

I could fly with it in year one and also fly with it to a degree in year two under Cav. At some point, and I believe it is this year, we have to stop relying on youth and injuries as explanations for not having good lines. It simply can not continue to be the defense we rely upon year after year, coach after coach.

 

[DrunkOffPunch]

4 sophomores isn't young? There's a difference between 3 years in the program including a redshirt and 3 years with game experience. Not the same thing.

I'm aware. You didn't make that distinction though. You said the line was young and full of underclassmen, which it wasn't. Change redshirt sophomore to true junior and all of a sudden our line is only upperclassmen.

 

[spurs1990]

4 sophomores isn't young? There's a difference between 3 years in the program including a redshirt and 3 years with game experience. Not the same thing.

I'm aware. You didn't make that distinction though. You said the line was young and full of underclassmen, which it wasn't. Change redshirt sophomore to true junior and all of a sudden our line is only upperclassmen.

Unfortunately you can't change that label though because the redshirt sophomore accurately depicts their game day experience whereas true junior does not. Again, 3 years on campus is not the same as 3 years on the field.

 

[DrunkOffPunch]

4 sophomores isn't young? There's a difference between 3 years in the program including a redshirt and 3 years with game experience. Not the same thing.

I'm aware. You didn't make that distinction though. You said the line was young and full of underclassmen, which it wasn't. Change redshirt sophomore to true junior and all of a sudden our line is only upperclassmen.

Unfortunately you can't change that label though because the redshirt sophomore accurately depicts their game day experience whereas true junior does not. Again, 3 years on campus is not the same as 3 years on the field.

No starts does and I wasn't arguing that.

 

[Saunders]

4 sophomores isn't young? There's a difference between 3 years in the program including a redshirt and 3 years with game experience. Not the same thing.

Offensive line experience is overrated.

Offensive line experience, as calculated by career starts returning, has almost no impact on a team's Off. S&P+. That is rather mind-blowing. Now, that could be because career starts aren't the best measure to use. I will look into using solely the previous year's total -- percentage of 2015 OL starts returning, in other words -- and putting a cap on career starts. As it stands, losing one three-year starter and returning four one-year starters means you've barely returned 50 percent of your career starts. That might not be the best way to measure things.

http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2016/2/5/10921918/2016-ncaa-football-returning-starters-experience-lsu-ohio-state-tennessee-stanford

 

[spurs1990]

4 sophomores isn't young? There's a difference between 3 years in the program including a redshirt and 3 years with game experience. Not the same thing.

Offensive line experience is overrated.

Offensive line experience, as calculated by career starts returning, has almost no impact on a team's Off. S&P+. That is rather mind-blowing. Now, that could be because career starts aren't the best measure to use. I will look into using solely the previous year's total -- percentage of 2015 OL starts returning, in other words -- and putting a cap on career starts. As it stands, losing one three-year starter and returning four one-year starters means you've barely returned 50 percent of your career starts. That might not be the best way to measure things.

http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2016/2/5/10921918/2016-ncaa-football-returning-starters-experience-lsu-ohio-state-tennessee-stanford

I don't think you'd find anyone that'd say that reps aren't important. Full speed reps are important. Reps against similar level competition are important. Situational reps under the pressure of an important game are important. Experience is not overrated. Can't use it as the only metric like your article did, but experience is certainly not overrated.

 

[BoNeyard]

I think Cav was deserving of getting one more year, but this is definitely a make it or break it year for him. These assistant coaches now know Riley is willing to axe anyone who isn't getting it done. The offensive line at Nebraska has been pitiful for years now and we desperately need a solid O-Line to have any sort of success in the B1G. If Cav can't get it done this year, hope Riley takes whoever Wisconsin has as O-Line coach. Why could Nebraska or why would Nebraska take Wisconsin's O-Line coach? Simple, it is well known Wisconsin doesnt pay their assistance very much, and whoever it is would have connections already in important B1G territory, and also our O-Line needs to be like Wisconsins.

http://www.uwbadgers.com/coaches.aspx?rc=494&path=football

Does not matter how much he is getting paid, he will not leave an OC/Associate HC/OL coach for a demotion to simply our offensive line coach. He was at Nebraska for one year, but that does not matter because he would not take a demotion to be here. We would have to go after someone else.

Its interesting that people are panicking this much during spring ball. Is this not the time for the athletes to get better instead of throwing in a revolving door of new coaches? He has to get the group to play better, but I feel like the maximum assistants Riley fires after the season is maybe 1. Too much change over the last few years to continue to fire and hire new people. Reggie is getting blamed a lot, but if Ozigbo and Bryant run behind an improved o-line in 2017, no one will be losing their job. Improvement is necessary, but how much is it on scheme is the real question.

Not panicking only for spring ball, the offensive line play has been really disappointing for about a decade now. Nebraska's offensive line play has been soft for years, and it was exposed by Tennessee in the bowl game. I mean that Tennessee game summed up Nebraska O-Line of the last 10 years.

This argument is just going in one big circle. Point and counter point have already been made for this.

Not really here to make an argument. I am just here to say I'm tired of the Offensive Line being so weak.