A thought for blocking clowney...

[preachermatt83]

There is NO WAY I would want Blaine Clausell to be lined up across from Clowney.. So what should we do... For this week I would have Holley at center and slide Day over to guard freeing up Gabe to move over to LT.. I feel this gives us the ONLY chance to keep the DLINE in check. If we try to double team him all night it will just do what it's done all year for USC opponents which is make us venerable to their other very capable d linemen... Just a thought. It's logical so we can't expect to see it from Dan or Hevesy so just wishful thinking I guess.

[DawgInMemphis]

There is NO WAY I would want Blaine Clausell to be lined up across from Clowney.. So what should we do... For this week I would have Holley at center and slide Day over to guard freeing up Gabe to move over to LT.. I feel this gives us the ONLY chance to keep the DLINE in check. If we try to double team him all night it will just do what it's done all year for USC opponents which is make us venerable to their other very capable d linemen... Just a thought. It's logical so we can't expect to see it from Dan or Hevesy so just wishful thinking I guess.

Guard and tackle are very different positions. They require different lines of thinking, body types, techniques, etc. Moving Gabe to LT would be a mistake. He's our best offensive lineman, and he's built like a guard. If we moved him to LT it would do more harm than good.

[preachermatt83]

I agree it's not typical but he could block clowney, clausell will look like a jr high water boy against him.

[CadaverDawg]

I agree it's not typical but he could block clowney, clausell will look like a jr high water boy against him.

Jackson is used to blocking bigger, slower guys for the most part. He would probably be worse at blocking Clowney than Clausell. I'm not saying Clausell is great, but you aren't giving him enough credit. He is not too bad, and with a chip by a RB or TE, should be able to hold his own. A lot will be based on our strategy, check downs, screens, and running right at him, etc...so I think if somehow we gameplan correctly, Blaine will do fine. Nobody is going to shut Clowney down...that's why he is going to be a high first round pick.

[slickdawg]

I bet we see Artimas Samuel at TE next to Clausell and Nick Griffin in to block more.

[Political Hack]

there are a thousand ways to neutralize a DE out of the spread option.

I worry more about him sliding over to Dt across from Beckwith, but well just out Clayborn on him at that point and show him why you don't screw with MS boys.

[WeWillScrewItUp]

In order to block Clowney you have to use great technique. He is to strong, fast, and just plain athletic to try and over power. I hope our coaches have been pounding technique into our O-Linemens heads this week.

[thf24]

I agree it's not typical but he could block clowney, clausell will look like a jr high water boy against him.

No, he couldn't. It's Gabe who would look like the water boy. Guard and tackle require completely different skill sets and techniques. Gabe, with only a week to prep for playing tackle in a guard's body against the best college DE in the country (probably one of the best in the NFL right now too), would get roasted all night. Clausell will at least slow him down. I don't understand why this idea that Clausell is so bad is still around. He probably won't be drafted after next year and isn't going to be making All-SEC anytime soon, but he's become more than serviceable. He's not the weak link he was as a redshirt freshman anymore.

What we'll hopefully do to neutralize him is try to chip him with Samuel and Griffin, as slick said. Pass rushing DE's can get frustrated and impatient when attacked like that, which ideally leads to mental mistakes and makes the tackle's job easier. We could completely negate him with the read option if Dak could make correct reads consistently, but he's still a little ways off from being able to do that.

[Coach34]

There is NO WAY I would want Blaine Clausell to be lined up across from Clowney.. So what should we do... For this week I would have Holley at center and slide Day over to guard freeing up Gabe to move over to LT.. I feel this gives us the ONLY chance to keep the DLINE in check. If we try to double team him all night it will just do what it's done all year for USC opponents which is make us venerable to their other very capable d linemen... Just a thought. It's logical so we can't expect to see it from Dan or Hevesy so just wishful thinking I guess.

uhhhhh no

Clausell is not a bad player at all- all he needs is a little help from the RB's on certain plays.

Hell, on the zone read we dont even have to block Clowney

[preachermatt83]

uhhhhh no

Clausell is not a bad player at all- all he needs is a little help from the RB's on certain plays.

Hell, on the zone read we dont even have to block Clowney

im not worried about the running plays, im referring to the pass rush.

[chef dixon]

I haven't seen enough from Clowney this year to be exceedingly more worried about this than I would playing almost any other SEC D-line.

[War Machine Dawg]

There is NO WAY I would want Blaine Clausell to be lined up across from Clowney.. So what should we do... For this week I would have Holley at center and slide Day over to guard freeing up Gabe to move over to LT.. I feel this gives us the ONLY chance to keep the DLINE in check. If we try to double team him all night it will just do what it's done all year for USC opponents which is make us venerable to their other very capable d linemen... Just a thought. It's logical so we can't expect to see it from Dan or Hevesy so just wishful thinking I guess.

This is quite possibly the dumbest idea I've seen on MSU message boards. And I've seen a LOT of dumb ideas on our message boards over the years. If you don't know football, please just shut the **** up. No wonder you're on Team Hud. You're battling bully99 and cheewgum for worst poster on the board, but this post has put you in the lead.

[Coach 57]

This is quite possibly the dumbest idea I've seen on MSU message boards. And I've seen a LOT of dumb ideas on our message boards over the years. If you don't know football, please just shut the **** up. No wonder you're on Team Hud. You're battling bully99 and cheewgum for worst poster on the board, but this post has put you in the lead.

Coach 57 approves this message (except the profanity of course). I was going to say the se thing though.

Clausell is actually the best player to block Clowney. It's when they move him to Siddoway's side is when you should worry. That's when we are going to use Samuel to chip/help. Blaine has made some nice strides as a player! Very much improved. But moving Gabe is not smart at all. He doesn't have the mobility either T's have.

[PMDawg]

don't project his stupidity on others just because he jumped on a bandwagon....

by the way, I'm not on "team Hud" (b/c I don't know much about the guy) but I am pretty solidly on "team not Mullen" (since we're giving everything cutesy teenage girl nicknames now).

[thedawg]

You have to constantly chip him with a TE or RB for any tackle in the country to have a chance... Same way they will block him next year in the NFL

[CJDAWG85]

Clausell has done fine this year... Best way to beat Clowney is to run right at him

[preachermatt83]

This is quite possibly the dumbest idea I've seen on MSU message boards. And I've seen a LOT of dumb ideas on our message boards over the years. If you don't know football, please just shut the **** up. No wonder you're on Team Hud. You're battling bully99 and cheewgum for worst poster on the board, but this post has put you in the lead.

I assure you I know more about football than your little mind ever will. You might want to do some checking on just who I am before you open your mouth and make yourself look this dumb.

[Coach 57]

I assure you I know more about football than your little mind ever will. You might want to do some checking on just who I am before you open your mouth and make yourself look this dumb.

Well please.....by all means. Who are you? Because I would love to know a person who claims to have a lot of football knowledge that ACTUALLY thinks this "option" would be successful? Gabe is too heavy & honestly I never have even seem the kid give a kickstep when he open his hips right or left. Which is the only way to block a pure pass rusher like Clowney. Besides we'll need Gabe (absolutely our best player in the team) blocking there sack leader for the year. So please tell me.

[bluelightstar]

Agreed. Clowney would be a matchup nightmare for Gabe - don't want a guard trying to deal with an end rusher like that.

[preachermatt83]

Well please.....by all means. Who are you? Because I would love to know a person who claims to have a lot of football knowledge that ACTUALLY thinks this "option" would be successful? Gabe is too heavy & honestly I never have even seem the kid give a kickstep when he open his hips right or left. Which is the only way to block a pure pass rusher like Clowney. Besides we'll need Gabe (absolutely our best player in the team) blocking there sack leader for the year. So please tell me.

1) Clowney is not going to go around but rather through someone.. clausell in this case but he would not run through Gabe as easily.
2) The reason that quarles is dominating is because Clowney is double teamed freeing Quarles up. My argument was that Gabe could block clowney without having to use an extra man therefore taking someone away from quarles.