We've got 9 months to put together an offensive line that can control the line of scrimmage. That is what's lacking in this program right now, and I don't blame the offensive line coach. We had a guard making the line calls for most of the season, talk about unbalanced. We had players that were being shuffled all over the place to find some kind of combination, that could actually play and get a hat on a hat matched up with shifting defensive fronts. Changing schemes has a learning curve, when players need to learn new systems and assignments and movements, but that learning curve ended in September.
With an offensive line that can exert some kind of control at the line, we are a bowl team, last year, this year, and most likely a top 25 team next season. But how do you replace an entire OL in two seasons? You don't.
You do what we have been doing, and shuffling players, getting them experience, tryign to find some kind of combination that can play, and getting the younger players so fired up and chomping at the bit, that they come out in spring and fall camps and destroy the upperclassmen, nad continue to recruit as hard as you possibly can for the OL, to find big, strong, and mean players that can move their feet.
The OL we had in 2010, was powerful, and is the reason we got to where we were at. We've been weak on the OL since. Systems don't explain it people, sorry you Mike Foley lovers. Intemperate, mean old man coachign doesn't explain it, either, and if that really - really is a reason why the OL didn't perform well - b/c they didn't like being berated by an old screamer of a coach? What does that tell you about the players? Well, if those that have suggested that are actually correct, well, it translates clearly to what we've seen on the field, and it means they're soft, and you can't have mentally soft players on the OL.
Who was recruiting the OL for the past few years? Next season is the make or break for this coaching staff. Without a doubt, and it will come down to how the OL performs.
The season is over now, and I'm not afraid to call things the way I see it. These coaches aren't going anywhere, so get over yourselves. Next season is the target, and will be the make or break. Deleone's play calling, is suspect at times, and makes me crazy at times, but play calling is over-rated. You need to go out with a game plan, and beat your opponent on the field, blocking and tackling, and when you've got a weak team,a weak offensive line, play calling that doesn't capitalize on momentum, can and does make it harder to move the ball, and score points, as we've all seen. Don Brown's defense, has been fantastic, but is subject to giving up big plays, so that means we need an offense that can score quickly as well. It all comes down to control of the line of scrimmage on offense.
THe biggest problem we've got,is that our starting offensive linemen are no where near top 25 in the country speed, and toughness. We need to recruit like hell on the offensive line, and we need the younger players to step in, compete, and win the jobs, and we all need to hope that the OL's that have been brought in, in the past two season, are ready to play come fall.
and to whoever vandalized my truck on Saturday, you better hope that I never find you.
