Offensive Line single handedly..

[dawgday166]

Well, we're recruiting nobodies on the OL and just lost our top JC OL recruit. So don't expect improvement soon. We're years away from winning anything if this offense even works.

Cross was 5*. Dolla Bill 4*. Eiland was 3* and honestly I thought he moved slow in HS recruiting video.
For 4 games under Hev in 2017 tho he played pretty decent. Hasn't really done anything like that since tho. And Bama wanted both Cross & Dolla Bill if I recall correctly. But outside of them and on interior of line, nothing but 3* players. And depth is a huge issue too.

[HoopsDawg]

Then how did we block more guys vs LSU and can't block 3 or 4 now? What has changed? The whiff on people head up. They let blitzing LBs run right by them when no one was on them to begin with(and still hit nobody).

LSU blitzed us 34 times. Last 3 opponents have blitzed us 6 times total. Wow.

[DownwardDawg]

Block?

Lol. That's exactly what I was gonna type.
If they're being asked to do too much, then how about start with just blocking the guy that's in front of you.

[Bdawg]

LSU blitzed us 34 times. Last 3 opponents have blitzed us 6 times total. Wow.

Just astonishing. That just has to tell you it is totally mental right. Unreal how they can't get the job done.

[Cooterpoot]

Then we need to hit the grad transfer portal if JUCO isn't an option. Cross, Smith, and Dollar Bill all have good upside and will get better. They're also all freshmen or sophomores. We just need to find two guards. But for the future we have the three most difficult spots to fill.

You got one correct. Cross is it. Other two won't work out and have already lost starting spots to a DL and a guy that can't play RT.

[Todd4State]

You got one correct. Cross is it. Other two won't work out and have already lost starting spots to a DL and a guy that can't play RT.

Yeah but Smith might be starting at left guard now. And the fact that we're starting a DL at center says a lot about our recruiting.

[Coach34]

Leach has his OL guy coaching it. His group gave up the fewest sacks in the Pac12 in 2018 and 2019.

We have talent on the OL and guys that have been solid players in the SEC for the last couple of years.

The system is making these guys worse. Thats the bottom line. Just like in 2009- it was mazing how much better the OL was once we changed systems. The OL can only do so much

[Lance Harbor]

Yep. The line used to could keep the D-Line off balance a bit by running. Now they are asked to play defense the entire game and the D-Line gets to pin their ears back and get after it every play. I could see that being frustrating from the O-Line standpoint.

Or maybe it's because of what they are being asked to do

[ShotgunDawg]

Leach has his OL guy coaching it. His group gave up the fewest sacks in the Pac12 in 2018 and 2019.

We have talent on the OL and guys that have been solid players in the SEC for the last couple of years.

The system is making these guys worse. Thats the bottom line. Just like in 2009- it was mazing how much better the OL was once we changed systems. The OL can only do so much

So them only being in the system for 4 games and no Spring practice has nothing to do with it?

Leach himself said in the press conference that they’re having communication issues.

[Bdawg]

Leach has his OL guy coaching it. His group gave up the fewest sacks in the Pac12 in 2018 and 2019.

We have talent on the OL and guys that have been solid players in the SEC for the last couple of years.

The system is making these guys worse. Thats the bottom line. Just like in 2009- it was mazing how much better the OL was once we changed systems. The OL can only do so much

Seems like our run blocking sucks too. Nobody scraping or just getting to the second level(which should be easy with 3 DLmen). Like in my OP, our center, who was uncovered, took one step on a run play and got knocked on his ass by a LB who ended up making the tackle. No way your uncovered OLmen should get blown up by a LB.

[Todd4State]

Leach has his OL guy coaching it. His group gave up the fewest sacks in the Pac12 in 2018 and 2019.

We have talent on the OL and guys that have been solid players in the SEC for the last couple of years.

The system is making these guys worse. Thats the bottom line. Just like in 2009- it was mazing how much better the OL was once we changed systems. The OL can only do so much

Yeah. Heaven forbid we ask five guys to block three. Eiland has been terrible for four years. Kentucky 2017? He was absolutely abused. Cross, Dollar Bill and Cole Smith are all in their first year. Jackson split time between DT and OL and didn't start last year. So no- they haven't been solid players for years. Except for maybe Parker. Who no one outside of MSU knows who he is.

[Coach34]

Yeah. Heaven forbid we ask five guys to block three. Eiland has been terrible for four years. Kentucky 2017? He was absolutely abused. Cross, Dollar Bill and Cole Smith are all in their first year. Jackson split time between DT and OL and didn't start last year. So no- they haven't been solid players for years. Except for maybe Parker. Who no one outside of MSU knows who he is.

It's not that they are just blocking 3- its that the LB's have no play action to worry about. So when the LB's see a QB looking to hand off- they come downhill to make a tackle. They dont have to worry about RPO's or play-action against us. It's drop back or handoff. Simple to read

[Bdawg]

It's not that they are just blocking 3- its that the LB's have no play action to worry about. So when the LB's see a QB looking to hand off- they come downhill to make a tackle. They dont have to worry about RPO's or play-action against us. It's drop back or handoff. Simple to read

Then why are our free OLmen not scraping up and taking on the LBs? It's not like it's a loaded box.

[ShotgunDawg]

It's not that they are just blocking 3- its that the LB's have no play action to worry about. So when the LB's see a QB looking to hand off- they come downhill to make a tackle. They dont have to worry about RPO's or play-action against us. It's drop back or handoff. Simple to read

Agree with this

[Cooterpoot]

Yeah but Smith might be starting at left guard now. And the fact that we're starting a DL at center says a lot about our recruiting.

He's not good. Why do people think that players that can't touch the field at our competition are always great moves. We didn't really want him out of HS and he was a legacy.

[Todd4State]

He's not good. Why do people think that players that can't touch the field at our competition are always great moves. We didn't really want him out of HS and he was a legacy.

Then why did LSU give him a scholarship in the first place? Hevesy didn't want Saahdiq Charles and the guy from Clemson either. I remember Derek Sherrod looking bad at times when he was a freshman and sophomore.

[Bdawg]

Agree with this

I think we have done a little play action, but not enough to my liking. Think we need to incorporate it more to try to hold some LBs in tight to hopefully open some windows behind them. But we hardly run it enough for play action to work. Also, if we do run against a 3 down set, then some of our OL should be working to the 2nd level and picking up a LBer or two. Our runs should be gashing a drop 8 defense, but none of this is happening.

[HoopsDawg]

Then why did LSU give him a scholarship in the first place? Hevesy didn't want Saahdiq Charles and the guy from Clemson either. I remember Derek Sherrod looking bad at times when he was a freshman and sophomore.

schools miss all the time. happens with at least 5 guys in every class. even at places like Bama and LSU.

Having said that, I though Cole looked decent at LG when he came in. But Cole did not look good at Center.

[HoopsDawg]

It's not that they are just blocking 3- its that the LB's have no play action to worry about. So when the LB's see a QB looking to hand off- they come downhill to make a tackle. They dont have to worry about RPO's or play-action against us. It's drop back or handoff. Simple to read

That's why the last 3 MLB's have had career games versus us. Must be fun to play LB against a Leach offense.

[dawgday166]

Leach has his OL guy coaching it. His group gave up the fewest sacks in the Pac12 in 2018 and 2019.

We have talent on the OL and guys that have been solid players in the SEC for the last couple of years.

The system is making these guys worse. Thats the bottom line. Just like in 2009- it was mazing how much better the OL was once we changed systems. The OL can only do so much

We have 2 tackles that are starting for the 1st time this year as RS Soph & RS FR. They have talent. No one else really has that much talent.

We've got 2 TOTAL Olinemen that have contributed before with Parker being pretty decent and Eiland being so-so (not that good). We aren't returning even what we had last year (and it was very bad) and damn sure ain't returning what we had 2 years ago. And we have NO center.

So we have 2 out of 5 Olinemen that have played a decent amount before, with one of those decent and one ho-hum. And we got 2 pretty talented tackles that are very young (haven't play much at all and starting for 1st time this year) with no real leadership on Oline to guide or direct them or tell them what they should be doing. And we have NO center. And we have NO depth that I can see.

What I just described don't look like a good Sun Belt Oline, much less an SEC Oline.

ETA: Throw in an all true FR backfield (now that Hill has flamed out and KJ didn't work out) and average WRs and I'm not sure why we ain't scoring 30+ on everyone we play ****