My issues with the offensive line

Making Chimichangas said:
It is an overall culture issue, but it's the players who help create sustain that culture.  And while I agree that cursing and using profanities towards players is not acceptable, they are not snowflakes who deserve special treatment or to be handled with kid gloves just because they're in college.

They are scholarship athletes at P5 school and if they can take the praise for winning and playing well, then they can take the heat for losing and playing poorly.  They can't have it both ways. 
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Part of the problem is motivation.  There isn't much direct criticism of players from fans or press because we're Nebraska nice.  Of course that kind of criticism can go overboard.  There has to be some middle ground where players are held accountable when they aren't at least earning their scholarship.  The coaches aren't chewing butt and they probably wouldn't respond anyway since I doubt the players respect them.  We have a team full of players that will go pro in something besides football so no motivation there.  Pride isn't a factor unless they are Nebraska kids and losing has become acceptable.  A lot of issues for the next staff to deal with. 

 
4skers89 said:
Part of the problem is motivation.  There isn't much direct criticism of players from fans or press because we're Nebraska nice.  Of course that kind of criticism can go overboard.  There has to be some middle ground where players are held accountable when they aren't at least earning their scholarship.  The coaches aren't chewing butt and they probably wouldn't respond anyway since I doubt the players respect them.  We have a team full of players that will go pro in something besides football so no motivation there.  Pride isn't a factor unless they are Nebraska kids and losing has become acceptable.  A lot of issues for the next staff to deal with. 
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I see what you're saying, but the biggest issue/problem is that this staff doesn't bench players who are playing poorly until it is far too late.  For examples:

  • This staff should have benched Tanner Lee during the Northern Illinois game.  
  • It took them about 2.5 years to figure out that David Knevel was a liability and shouldn't be playing.  For the record, David Knevel was a 5th year senior who, half way through this season, lost his starting job to Jameis, a true freshman who was redshirting.
  • I have no idea how #21 Lamar Jackson retains his starting spot.
The next staff can deal with these issues rather easily by benching players who aren't playing well.  When a coaching staff doesn't bench players who are playing poorly, it sends a rather clear message to the rest of the team that playing poorly is okay and there are no consequences.  That's what we're seeing right now out of Nebraska. 

 
Making Chimichangas said:
I see what you're saying, but the biggest issue/problem is that this staff doesn't bench players who are playing poorly until it is far too late.  For examples:

  • This staff should have benched Tanner Lee during the Northern Illinois game.  
  • It took them about 2.5 years to figure out that David Knevel was a liability and shouldn't be playing.  For the record, David Knevel was a 5th year senior who, half way through this season, lost his starting job to Jameis, a true freshman who was redshirting.
  • I have no idea how #21 Lamar Jackson retains his starting spot.
The next staff can deal with these issues rather easily by benching players who aren't playing well.  When a coaching staff doesn't bench players who are playing poorly, it sends a rather clear message to the rest of the team that playing poorly is okay and there are no consequences.  That's what we're seeing right now out of Nebraska. 
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And Knevel started tonight.....,,,

Against Minnie, the announcers even commented on them rushing 3 against 5 and still getting to POB.  6 times......

 
Making Chimichangas said:
I see what you're saying, but the biggest issue/problem is that this staff doesn't bench players who are playing poorly until it is far too late.  For examples:

  • This staff should have benched Tanner Lee during the Northern Illinois game.  
  • It took them about 2.5 years to figure out that David Knevel was a liability and shouldn't be playing.  For the record, David Knevel was a 5th year senior who, half way through this season, lost his starting job to Jameis, a true freshman who was redshirting.
  • I have no idea how #21 Lamar Jackson retains his starting spot.
The next staff can deal with these issues rather easily by benching players who aren't playing well.  When a coaching staff doesn't bench players who are playing poorly, it sends a rather clear message to the rest of the team that playing poorly is okay and there are no consequences.  That's what we're seeing right now out of Nebraska. 
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Benching players is definitely a tool a coach should use to instill accountability.  In order to do that you need good backups.  That means you need to develop players and recruit well.  Alabama is down to something like their 6th string linebackers due to injury but they are still doing OK.  It helps when you have a lot of 4 & 5 star recruits that are coached up.  Putting in backups that aren't ready to play could also be demotivating to the team.  Bad defensive players will get exploited and a bad O-lineman could get a QB hurt.

 
BoneyardHusker said:
Yes the offensive line is horrible, it has been for years. Putting that aside, the one of the things that bothers me with the offensive line is the lack of brotherhood, I guess I would describe it? They express. They seemingly do not care that they get beat almost every single play. They seemingly don't care that Tanner Lee gets hit almost every single play. They seemingly don't care that we can't run the football.

The other thing is, Tanner Lee has been getting hit all the time. But what does Lee do? He gets up and he goes back out there and he continues to play. Say what we will about his talent, but at some point we don't really know Lee's talents because he does not have an offensive line to protect him. But regardless, Lee continues to get up, hit after hit, after hit. He was hurt last week thanks in large part to his offensive line not protecting him. Then here we are tonight, where his jersey is practically green getting knocked on the grass play after play, and I don't see the offensive line reaching out their hand to help him up. Really? This may be what really bothers me. The one man who is out there fighting like a warrior and is getting pummeled because of your seemingly lack of pride and care, and you can't reach an arm out to help the man up?

Forget the score, forget the terrible season. This is a mindset that needs to change, come together, show some pride and battle for each other. As the offensive line you are the heartbeat of a football team. Without an offensive line, you have.....4-8 type seasons.
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Quit defending Lee, he is awful 

 
KingBlank said:
Quit defending Lee, he is awful 
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He isn't great, but we also have not been able to see what he is capable of doing due to a terrible O-Line. But nonetheless, my respect has grown a lot on Lee because he continues to go out there and play and refuses to stay down when he gets hit after every single play. The guy has heart, which is all we can ask for sometimes.

 
JoeHuskers! said:
I have long suspected that some of the O-line don't like Lee, particularly Gates.... nothing to base that on other than what was talked about above and what I've seen during games
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I don't have any inside info and I'm just speculating.

I don't think Gates necessarily dislikes Tanner Lee. I think he just doesn't have the motivation or desire to work hard. My guess is he is super confident in his abilities, like most D-I athletes are, and just thinks he's going to leave after this year and play in the NFL. Nebraska hasn't been good in his time there and he's ready to leave. Therefore, he's just going through the motions and that's why he plays poorly.

Again, just speculation on my part.

 
I think several of you are overthinking this.

Ive worked in extremely high performing and really disfunctional organizations.  In the high performing, you want to kick a$$ and you don't want the spot light on you when it comes to making a mistake.  You don't want to be viewed as the individual slowing down the machine.  Because of this you self correct and try to close gaps on your own.  In the jacked up organization you become an individual that is minimized.  No matter how hard you work some aspect of the toxic organization drags you down.  You see the people around you stealing oxygen and you start to question your effort vs reward. Eventually you start going through the motions to get a pay check.

These kids are going through the motions because the place they work is horrible.  Their organization lacks results and they don't enjoy their work. There is bad culture because there is no leadership.

I don't think it's fair to call out any unit because honestly, they are all bad.  This is a leadership/coaching issue.  These kids are not getting it.

 
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gobiggergoredder said:
I think several of you are overthinking this.

Ive worked in extremely high performing and really disfunctional organizations.  In the high performing, you want to kick a$$ and you don't want the spot light on you when it comes to making a mistake.  You don't want to be viewed as the individual slowing down the machine.  Because of this you self correct and try to close gaps on your own.  In the jacked up organization you become an individual that is minimized.  No matter how hard you work some aspect of the toxic organization drags you down.  You see the people around you stealing oxygen and you start to question your effort vs reward. Eventually you start going through the motions to get a pay check.

These kids are going through the motions because the place they work is horrible.  Their organization lacks results and they don't enjoy their work. There is bad culture because there is no leadership.

I don't think it's fair to call out any unit because honestly, they are all bad.  This is a leadership/coaching issue.  These kids are not getting it.
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This guy gets it.

 
The line play has gone from average to terrible over the course of the last 20+ games - I used to think it was an underclassmen issue and as guys like gates/foster got older and stronger they would become studs.  I'm starting to think that this average staff was so concerned about winning and getting 9+ wins that they just went with the players that gave them the best chance to win immediately and gave NO consequences for lack of effort or playing for the team.  (how many times do we see the QB on the ground with 5 lineman standing no where near a defender or coming to help the QB or RB up off the ground).  Thinking back to the Minnesota game and every play their entire offense would run over to help a guy up or even the guys on the sideline that weren't playing would do the same.  After a couple years of this mentality - the product becomes what it is (good or bad - see MINN or NU).   Can't believe we are on the bottom side of that 2 team combination.

 
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About 35 years ago I worked at Kawasaki on the 4 wheeler line for a couple weeks. Some jobs were easier than others, but it didn't matter to the management. If you were working like a dog to get the rear end hooked up while some other guy was just putting on a couple easy hoses, it didn't matter.....if the line stopped, the red light started flashing, the siren started wailing, and the managers were over there browbeating everybody and saying things under their breath that sounded like Japanese cuss words. I don't ever want to get to the point where we put flashing red lights on the helmets to intimidate guys who miss a block.

 
Is it just me, or do many of the players (especially the O-line) appear 'sluggish' with a lack of lateral quickness.

I'm not an expert in human anatomy, kinesiology or physiology; but to me, it looks like the staff simply tried to put weight on these guys waaaaay to fast, without a proper s&c plan, and w/o proper developmental time.

When you look at lineman from other programs, they may have a large midsection, but they look broad & stout up top, w/ tree trunk legs... the weight looks properly proportioned.

To be fair, though; #46/56 (Wilson) looked built like those Wisconsin lineman; I think he's gonna be a good one.

 
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