O-line key vs WVU

[jdb50]

During the Fordham game it concerned me that they were able to pressure our QB's during passing situations and that we weren't able to rip off longer runs more often as the holes closed quickly. At Vanderbilt the run game started better but then evaporated. We all thought that the o-line would not be a big concern with Foley retained and three starters back. Rewatching the 4th quarter of the WMU game the other day on SNY I was suprised at how much of a struggle it is for our tackles to pass block. When Ryan was a Soph. I thought he was going to be a pro prospect but unless he can pass block better that's not happening. Too often our guys get one punch and then the defender is past them and after the QB. In the 4th Q against WMU on two possesions in a row #99 beat Ryan and drove J MAC out of the pocket the second time just missing a sack/fumble. It seems that this group doesn't have the foot speed that we had the last two years and this impacts the run game as well as the defense is beating us to the point of attack which Iowa St did repeatedly. We aren't going to beat WVU in a defensive stuggle so hopefully the O-line will start to gel with this new lineup - since Bennett was injured- and give the skill guys a fighting chance against the EER's.

 

[businesslawyer]

Mike Ryan played LT almost all of last year. He was an absolute beast and his footspeed dealing with LTs was fine. Is it possible he's no longer as physically good? Sure, that's possible. Is it more likely that he's uncomfortable with the techniques and schemes that he has been asked to shift to after 4 years? That would strike me as a much more plausible hypothesis.

But there is not question that we're not getting to 6-6 without the OL playing better than it has been.

 

[jdb50]

BL, This isn't only on M Ryan and I wonder if our guys aren't a little too heavy for their own good. The guards have been caught flat footed as well. Then there was the snap difficulties from Moe earlier in the year. It's a new brushfire every week. Maybe it's thinking about the new system that's impacting play. I'm expecting things to improve going forward, if not then maybe other players like Cruz or Bullock will get a chance.

 

[huskysupporter]

Disagree Biz Law on the scheme change. I have said in other threads, Ryan looks very slow footed this year, and also appears to be carrying extra weight. I wonder if that has something to do with it. On some run plays he is not getting movement on his defender, and is not bending his knees enough to get leverage. Ryan has the ability to play tackle in any scheme.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Didn't Ryan have some kind of off season surgery? I'm pretty sure he did, and wasn't in on spring training practices.

I think it's safe to say that he's been playing catch up on offense, but it should be coming around at this point, and hopefully he'll be making some ketchup out of that guy wearing #11 in the dark jerseys on Saturday.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

I think Ryan's injury is affecting his play more than the new schemes he's being asked to run.