Offensive Line Woes

C N Red

C N Red

All-American
The more and more I think about it, our O Line has just not been good for so long. I really believe if we can get some players in and get an above average O-line it will make such a huge difference. Our line has been below average, and sometimes well below for so long. It will be tough to have a contender until this one aspect gets fixed. I feel we have enough to compete at pretty much every other position when everyone is healthy right now, but it starts and ends with the O-Line.

 
Tomhusker64 said:
Sounds like the blueprint for everybody. Get better linemen and get better production.
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I know it's basic, but we don't seem to have a very good blueprint. I think as of right now it better be the blueprint coaches/recruiters should be looking at 99.9% of the time. It's just hard to take how long it's been since we've had even an average O-line.

 
Don't worry they say they don't plan to rotate the o line again this week, with that many reps they'll eventually get better....maybe

 
80% of the starting O line had a combined 2 or 3 starts. Maybe we can give them more than 1 game to decide how bad they are.

 
The offensive line is very important and as a group is the most important on the offensive side of the ball. But I would submit that the Defensive line is equally as important to the defense and you don't win championships with offense OR defense alone! Once the front lines are loaded, then you need a QB and LBs with speed to burn. Once you have those, arguably you need a secondary (also with speed to burn and strong open field tackling skills). Then you need a great punter and place kicker. Then you need running backs also with speed to burn. Finally, once you have all these positions well stocked, you can go shopping for receivers and tight ends and fullbacks. I would argue receivers are last on the list and should be easiest to recruit because there are so many athletes out there that can play the position. Size is less critical. First they need to be able to catch but most reasonably decent athletes can catch presumably. Good speed and blocking skills are important but speed to burn is not critical. Good hands is more important than speed. Once you have a strong running game, the passing game follows as long as your QB can throw accurately receivers can catch, you will be successful in a passing game complement to the run.

 
I'm encouraged that our current O-line coach is spending quite a bit of time with the old Pipeline O-line coach. If I could make a plan for how to improve our O-line play, that is where I would start too.

 
unlfan said:
If i were to rank all of the position groups as it realtes to importance of winning a chmapionship it would be:

1) Offensive Line

2) QB

3) Defensive Line

4) Defensive Backs

5) Wide Recievers

The offensive line is so important, your offense can literally do anything with a dominanat offensive line. And, as the OP states, we have had an abysmal to below average offensive line over the past 15 years. We won't win anything until we get the horses upfront again.
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I definitely agree with your top three, and I like where you ranked defensive backs if that includes linebackers.

It's no coincidence that the last time Nebraska won a conference title was also the last time they had a pretty good offensive line. The one constant with all championship winning teams is their line play. Ohio State last year, Florida State the year before. Look at just about any good team out there and they've got great talent on the lines. Naturally, they have playmakers elsewhere, but it's crucial on the line.

Since Nebraska won it's last conference title, they've been anywhere from below average to above average, but that's about it. They've missed on recruits or a lot of recruits just didn't pan out for whatever reason. Until this gets rectified, we're not winning a conference title.

 
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Enhance89 said:
unlfan said:
If i were to rank all of the position groups as it realtes to importance of winning a chmapionship it would be:

1) Offensive Line

2) QB

3) Defensive Line

4) Defensive Backs

5) Wide Recievers

The offensive line is so important, your offense can literally do anything with a dominanat offensive line. And, as the OP states, we have had an abysmal to below average offensive line over the past 15 years. We won't win anything until we get the horses upfront again.
Click to expand...
I definitely agree with your top three, and I like where you ranked defensive backs if that includes linebackers.

It's no coincidence that the last time Nebraska won a conference title was also the last time they had a pretty good offensive line. The one constant with all championship winning teams is their line play. Ohio State last year, Florida State the year before. Look at just about any good team out there and they've got great talent on the lines. Naturally, they have playmakers elsewhere, but it's crucial on the line.

Since Nebraska won it's last conference title, they've been anywhere from below average to above average, but that's about it. They've missed on recruits or a lot of recruits just didn't pan out for whatever reason. Until this gets rectified, we're not winning a conference title.
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Back when we won championships we coached them up. We have not had a good OL coach in years. I am hoping Cavanah is this next good coach.

 
Actually, after watching the game in depth, the line didn't play nearly as poorly as I originally thought. Kondolo was not very good - if there was a bust on the line, about 75% of the time it was him. And there were a few misses here and there but that's going to happen.

I'd say it was pretty much 50/50 if a failed run could be blamed on the line or the backs. There were missed blocks but there were also several times that the backs were slow getting to the hole, tentative or flat cut back away from where the play was going. And I don't think it helped that about 60% of our running plays were basically an inside zone run. BYU always had seven guys in the box and a safety was usually closing fast when we were in tight formations. Early in the second half when we were having more success we were also mixing things up a lot more - a reverse, a true option, running off tackle instead of between the guards.

 
Mav, I'm sure you already know this, but Riley conceptually uses a small handful (4 was mentioned IIRC) of running plans from a lot of different formations. Inside zone is te meat and potatoes of his running game.

I'd like more variety on the ground as well, but I can certainly see what he's going for. A lot of very successful coaches (esp if the runny zone blocking scheme) have this same mindset. We shall see if it gels better as the season goes along. If no they'll adjust. I believe they'll be working on it regardless. Riley knows we need to be able to run more successfully.

I've also heard he ran a LOT of stretch plays while he had Steven Jackson at OSU. I'm sure we'll see more of that as well.

 
unlfan said:
If i were to rank all of the position groups as it realtes to importance of winning a chmapionship it would be:

1) Offensive Line

2) QB

3) Defensive Line

4) Defensive Backs

5) Wide Recievers

The offensive line is so important, your offense can literally do anything with a dominanat offensive line. And, as the OP states, we have had an abysmal to below average offensive line over the past 15 years. We won't win anything until we get the horses upfront again.
Click to expand...
If you go back to the 95' season, I think you can definitely make an argument against your order here. We would have won the NC with Turman at QB all season long. Bama with Saban have been winning with less than stellar QB play.

 
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