Offensive line play

[VectorVictor]

Disagree.  We don't have an offense built to play traditional smash mouth.  We tried to go smash mouth after Troy fumbled the punt to us inside their 10.  Ozigbo got two yards total on two carries.  

Give me Bell or Washington who can make a guy miss.

Maybe when we get some stellar O-Line play and the kids consistently show good ball security, yes. 

We don't have either right now, and it's going to be closer to the end of the season before one or both show up. 

 

[Mavric]

Of course, the caveat to all that is Michigan has one of the better DLs we'll play all year.  They have a likely Top 10 draft pick in Gary and six other four-star guys to work in.  So it's entirely possible that we don't look all that great again this week.  But a healthy Martinez will help the entire operation look better.

 

[Undone]

This I attribute to personnel decisions by the coaching staff. I dunno why we keep Ozigbo on the sideline when he's the best back in the stable we have to get you 2 or 3 hard yards. 

No, Ozigbo isn't going to break land-speed records and go streaking for a TD. But he'll get you those 2-3 consistently in heavy traffic, and he'll even break a 10-20 yard gain too...over and over again. And I would think using Ozigbo to break the will of opposing defenses would pay dividends, especially as we go through conference play. 

And yes, I get that this is an O-Line thread. But I don't think our 3rd and Short issues are purely on the O-Line. 

Yep. I thought about this a lot this week. 

It seems that one limiting factor is that we try to "go fast." I have a feeling Frost isn't going to budge on that and probably isn't going to be very likely to slow it down and get Ozigbo on the field in these situations. Probably only for goal line situations.

I had the same exact thought after it happened a couple of times - "Why isn't Ozigbo taking these 3rd & short runs?"

 

[StPaulHusker]

Yep. I thought about this a lot this week. 

It seems that one limiting factor is that we try to "go fast." I have a feeling Frost isn't going to budge on that and probably isn't going to be very likely to slow it down and get Ozigbo on the field in these situations. Probably only for goal line situations.

I had the same exact thought after it happened a couple of times - "Why isn't Ozigbo taking these 3rd & short runs?"

Vs Troy, Ozigbo had 2 tries from the Troy 7 to get it into the end zone.  He got 2 yards total.

 

[Thanks_Tom RR]

Well, considering our OL stinks and only one back-up is worthy of PT... Next year gone be rough, since we lose 3 "crappy" SR's.

It could be addition by subtraction. LT play so far has been better this year. However, an inexperienced OL will likely have it's own problems. 

 

[StPaulHusker]

It could be addition by subtraction. LT play so far has been better this year. However, an inexperienced OL will likely have it's own problems. 

I expect the 2 OT's to be much improved next year.  The 3 interior guys is worrisome.

 

[SouthLincoln Husker]

Our line is far from great, but Bunch's lack of reading the defense put too much pressure on them.  Please, please move Farmer to center and Wilson to guard.

 

[Mierin]

We don’t have a good enough OL to make an okay QB (Bunch) look good, but I think Martinez is a good enough QB to make a decent OL look good.

 

[admo]

I expect the 2 OT's to be much improved next year.  The 3 interior guys is worrisome.

Same. 

Maybe the "next up" guys will be good and ready. They will have had summer, fall, this season, next spring and following to get squared away with S&C and playbook.  In addition to whatever reps they've been getting in practices.  So yeah, more reps, weights, strength and so forth.  Should be okay.  We are moving forward in the right direction under this staff.

 

[StPaulHusker]

Same. 

Maybe the "next up" guys will be good and ready. They will have had summer, fall, this season, next spring and following to get squared away with S&C and playbook.  In addition to whatever reps they've been getting in practices.  So yeah, more reps, weights, strength and so forth.  Should be okay.  We are moving forward in the right direction under this staff.

It just has me worrisome because we are in a somewhat similar situation we were under with Cav.

The differences were Cav didn't WANT to play back ups.  Which led to players not being really ready in games when called upon.  

Austin, according to his own words, can't rely on anyone but Wilson.  So we are still in the same situation with backups not getting any reps for the most part.

 

[admo]

It just has me worrisome because we are in a somewhat similar situation we were under with Cav.

The differences were Cav didn't WANT to play back ups.  Which led to players not being really ready in games when called upon.  

Austin, according to his own words, can't rely on anyone but Wilson.  So we are still in the same situation with backups not getting any reps for the most part.

True. 

Would you think it might be because these other guys are not in college football bodies quite yet? Remember, it wasn't that long ago that the staff mentioned this team wasn't in very good physical shape. That's less than a year ago.  Or do you think it's a coaching thing or player development?

 

[VectorVictor]

Vs Troy, Ozigbo had 2 tries from the Troy 7 to get it into the end zone.  He got 2 yards total.

That example (that was given previously) is a little out of context though. Ozigbo had been sparingly used until that point...so sending him out there was pretty much tipping our hand that we were going to rush with Ozigbo. 

Now, if you said that those tries happened while he was getting most of the carries during the first half of the Colorado game...then that's another story. 

 

[StPaulHusker]

True. 

Would you think it might be because these other guys are not in college football bodies quite yet? Remember, it wasn't that long ago that the staff mentioned this team wasn't in very good physical shape. That's less than a year ago.  Or do you think it's a coaching thing or player development?

I don't know.  8 months should have been more than enough time to get anyone into football shape.  Bando and Schichterman and definitely the younger Farniok are maybe not physically ready.  So I don't believe it would be all a S&C thing.

I wonder about the players ability a bit.  Christian Gaylord is a Jr and can't see the field.  At some point that has to be on him.  Unless he's injured, of course.

Rairdon is our highest rated OL player since Steinkuhler and even Sharp and Benning were wondering where he is.

 

[Roger Dorn]

My current guess is we see more of Farmer at Center and Wilson in at RG. Too bad of a performance against Troy to not change anything. 

As far as next season, I think Farniok profiles better as a guard long term. The addition of Desmond Bland will be huge, that guy can play. I see Jaimes, Wilson, Bland, Farniok and Sichterman (or JuCo OT) being our line next year.

 

[Mavric]

It just has me worrisome because we are in a somewhat similar situation we were under with Cav.

The differences were Cav didn't WANT to play back ups.  Which led to players not being really ready in games when called upon.  

Austin, according to his own words, can't rely on anyone but Wilson.  So we are still in the same situation with backups not getting any reps for the most part.

I think - hope? - that mentality will being to pay off down the road.  It sure sounds like we are doing a much better job of getting guys reps in practice.  Previously, it kind of sounded like if you weren't in the top group there was a lot of standing around.  And since Cav only worked with his top group .....

I think the younger guys are getting a lot more practice time than they used to.  I don't think we'll probably see much benefit from that this year but hopefully down the road we will.