Spring Practice - Offensive Line
- Thread starter spurs1990
- Start date
Saunders
Heisman Trophy Winner
It's an excuse. I can kind of buy year one issues. Year 2 for the older guys, sure, ok, if that's your crutch. But year 3? No way. As a coach, you either replaced guys who didn't fit what you wanted, or they do fit your criteria.
The older guys in the program now have been through 3 springs and 2 full seasons with this staff. The Seniors and RsJr's may not be Riley recruits, but they've been with him longer than they were with Bo.
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ColoradoHusk
Heisman Trophy Winner
Making Chimichangas
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Making Chimichangas
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I was talking about the OL the last two seasons. So not only does my "theory" hold water, it's a container the size of Jupiter.
HuskermanMike
Starter
For year one it does, but last year these players would have played at Nebraska for two full seasons. Some of those players had played as long as if not longer for Mike than Bo in year two. So if they were Bo guys, they would have left.
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Making Chimichangas
Banned
HuskermanMike said: For year one it does, but last year these players would have played at Nebraska for two full seasons. Some of those players had played as long as if not longer for Mike than Bo in year two. So if they were Bo guys, they would have left.
Except, Mike Riley redshirted his first two classes and how many of them saw the field the last two years? None? 1-2 at max?
Therefore, the last two years, the OL which played the majority of the snaps for Mike Riley, were in fact Pelini recruits.
They were recruited by Pelini, brought in, experienced the culture of laziness, liked it, and have carried that attitude forward to today.
So when Nick Gates says what he did in the article cited above, it makes logical sense that a LOT of our OL woes, the last two years, was due mostly to guys on the OL not really giving a ____.
But, I'm trying to be positive and wiping the OL slate clean. This is Mike Riley's 3rd year and in terms of the OL...this year's line is his. So any poor play, the focus will be on Riley and Cavanaugh.
Except, Mike Riley redshirted his first two classes and how many of them saw the field the last two years? None? 1-2 at max?
Therefore, the last two years, the OL which played the majority of the snaps for Mike Riley, were in fact Pelini recruits.
They were recruited by Pelini, brought in, experienced the culture of laziness, liked it, and have carried that attitude forward to today.
So when Nick Gates says what he did in the article cited above, it makes logical sense that a LOT of our OL woes, the last two years, was due mostly to guys on the OL not really giving a ____.
But, I'm trying to be positive and wiping the OL slate clean. This is Mike Riley's 3rd year and in terms of the OL...this year's line is his. So any poor play, the focus will be on Riley and Cavanaugh.
HuskermanMike
Starter
If they are so lazy, why are they playing? The one time the line complained was during finals week because these guys were exhausted from studying and going to practice. They had a lot to worry about with getting good grades and Gates in particular had to worry about a top DE rushing him on every down.
This is a big year for Cav and he needs to get the line to play much better. The five guys on the field will be watched closely by a lot of the fans because if our o-line can't produce, it might be another 9 win season.
admo
Heisman Trophy Winner
According to the player profiles, there is a mass of talent to work with (mostly developing or waiting in the wings).
Inside of Cav's cookie jar:
Nick Gates - JR (23 starts)
Gates was regarded as the top player in Nevada and one of the top 25 offensive tackles in the country.
Tanner Farmer - JR (11 starts)
Participated in the Under Armour All-American game. Rivals.com listed Farmer as the No. 4 offensive guard prospect in the country and the 82nd-ranked 2014 recruit overall.
David Knevel - SR (10 starts)
Knevel was regarded as the top overall prospect in Canada and ranked among the top 250 overall prospects by 247 Sports, which listed him among the top 20 offensive tackles.
Cole Conrad - JR (5 starts)
Conrad joined the NU program as a walk-on and made his first career start at Ohio State. He earned first-team Class C-2 all-state honors as an offensive lineman from the Associated Press, Omaha World-Herald and Lincoln Journal Star as a senior.
Jerald Foster - JR (4 stsarts)
Foster was rated as the top prospect in the state of Nebraska by Rivals.com, and among the nation’s top 25 guards.
Michael Decker - SO
Decker was ranked among the top 50 offensive guards in the country by several outlets, while Scout listed him as the nation’s No. 7 center prospect.
John Raridon - RFR
Raridon participated in the Army All-American Game and was a consensus choice as one of the top 10 offensive guards in the nation, including No. 2 by Scout.com.
Boe Wilson - RFR
Wilson participated in the Under Armour All-American game and was ranked among the top 10 offensive guards in the country by both Scout.com and ESPN.
John Farniok - RFR
Farniok played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and was ranked as the No. 129 overall prospect by 247 Sports and checked in at No. 257 in the ESPN300. Farniok was a consensus pick as one of the top 25 offensive tackles in the country.
Brian Brokop - RFR
Brokop was a consensus choice as one of the top 10 prospects in llinois. He was ranked among the top 25 offensive guards in the country by both Scout.com and Rivals.com.
Christian Gaylord - SO
Gaylord was ranked as the top prospect in Kansas by 247Sports and the No. 2 player in the state by Rivals.com. He was regarded as one of the top 50 offensive tackles in the country by all major recruiting services.
Jalin Barnett - SO
Barnett was ranked as the No. 4 offensive guard in the country by ESPN and was also among the top 15 offensive guards by 247Sports and Scout.
Player profiles from Huskers.com (http://www.huskers.com/SportSelect.dbml?spid=22&spsid=4)
In my opinion, aside from Gates and Farmer, it should be a free-for-all battle. I like Foster, but he's played 4 more games the Boe Wilson and the others that haven't started either.
Inside of Cav's cookie jar:
Nick Gates - JR (23 starts)
Gates was regarded as the top player in Nevada and one of the top 25 offensive tackles in the country.
Tanner Farmer - JR (11 starts)
Participated in the Under Armour All-American game. Rivals.com listed Farmer as the No. 4 offensive guard prospect in the country and the 82nd-ranked 2014 recruit overall.
David Knevel - SR (10 starts)
Knevel was regarded as the top overall prospect in Canada and ranked among the top 250 overall prospects by 247 Sports, which listed him among the top 20 offensive tackles.
Cole Conrad - JR (5 starts)
Conrad joined the NU program as a walk-on and made his first career start at Ohio State. He earned first-team Class C-2 all-state honors as an offensive lineman from the Associated Press, Omaha World-Herald and Lincoln Journal Star as a senior.
Jerald Foster - JR (4 stsarts)
Foster was rated as the top prospect in the state of Nebraska by Rivals.com, and among the nation’s top 25 guards.
Michael Decker - SO
Decker was ranked among the top 50 offensive guards in the country by several outlets, while Scout listed him as the nation’s No. 7 center prospect.
John Raridon - RFR
Raridon participated in the Army All-American Game and was a consensus choice as one of the top 10 offensive guards in the nation, including No. 2 by Scout.com.
Boe Wilson - RFR
Wilson participated in the Under Armour All-American game and was ranked among the top 10 offensive guards in the country by both Scout.com and ESPN.
John Farniok - RFR
Farniok played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and was ranked as the No. 129 overall prospect by 247 Sports and checked in at No. 257 in the ESPN300. Farniok was a consensus pick as one of the top 25 offensive tackles in the country.
Brian Brokop - RFR
Brokop was a consensus choice as one of the top 10 prospects in llinois. He was ranked among the top 25 offensive guards in the country by both Scout.com and Rivals.com.
Christian Gaylord - SO
Gaylord was ranked as the top prospect in Kansas by 247Sports and the No. 2 player in the state by Rivals.com. He was regarded as one of the top 50 offensive tackles in the country by all major recruiting services.
Jalin Barnett - SO
Barnett was ranked as the No. 4 offensive guard in the country by ESPN and was also among the top 15 offensive guards by 247Sports and Scout.
Player profiles from Huskers.com (http://www.huskers.com/SportSelect.dbml?spid=22&spsid=4)
In my opinion, aside from Gates and Farmer, it should be a free-for-all battle. I like Foster, but he's played 4 more games the Boe Wilson and the others that haven't started either.
HuskermanMike
Starter
DJ Foster will play, he is one of if not the best run blocker on the team. The injury last year held him back from having more starts. so lets hope he stays healthy and the line gels well together.
Making Chimichangas
Banned
At the risk of...
The 2017 Nebraska football team will go as far as the OL is willing to take them.
Who ever plays at QB, RB, TE, WR, FB...they're all going to play well. The defense, under Diaco, is more than likely going to play well.
Cavanaugh, and the OL, remains the unknown in this equation.
Because we don't have Tommy Armstrong anymore* and Tanner Lee, more often than not, will not be able to escape any type of pressure (at least not compared to TA)...so the OL has got to come through.
* I will miss Tommy Armstrong's: 1) elusiveness, 2) ability to escape pressure, and 3) being able to tuck the ball and run.
What I won't miss is his erratic passing or his expletive it, ima yolo this play with a 40 yard bomb down the field into double coverage.
The 2017 Nebraska football team will go as far as the OL is willing to take them.
Who ever plays at QB, RB, TE, WR, FB...they're all going to play well. The defense, under Diaco, is more than likely going to play well.
Cavanaugh, and the OL, remains the unknown in this equation.
Because we don't have Tommy Armstrong anymore* and Tanner Lee, more often than not, will not be able to escape any type of pressure (at least not compared to TA)...so the OL has got to come through.
* I will miss Tommy Armstrong's: 1) elusiveness, 2) ability to escape pressure, and 3) being able to tuck the ball and run.
What I won't miss is his erratic passing or his expletive it, ima yolo this play with a 40 yard bomb down the field into double coverage.
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admo
Heisman Trophy Winner
He's played 4 games!!! That's a small sample size for being "the best run blocker"
Yes I do hope for him to stay healthy. He's Gate's buddy and Cav likes him. But he still has much to prove
Toe
All-American
One of the biggest things a coach (or any sort of leader) needs to be able to do is take control. You might have good players and be a good coach in every other respect, but if you can't be The Man in the eyes of the team, it's not gonna be pretty. Frankly, Turner Gill at KU is a good example of this: good guy, good coach, but he never really took control of his players and he was rightly fired for it. (Granted, KU is a good place to go if you want your career to die, but still.)
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Saunders
Heisman Trophy Winner
So, Pelini OL recruits did ok enough for us to have a good offense when Bo was here, but when he left, they got lazy? Just let me know where we're moving the goalposts to, so I can keep up.
Maybe, they just weren't that good? Or maybe, Cav wasn't doing something right? But "lazy" seems like an easy copout excuse.
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Toe
All-American
Funny how 'lazy Bo players' produced the #19 rushing offense in the country in Bo's last year, but could only manage #73 under Riley, ain't it Chimi? (Oh, I'm sure that was all Ameer, and not the guys who had to clear a path for him. Nevermind that it continued to go downhill from 2015 to 2016 with basically the same players...)
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