'14 JUCO OT Dontavius Blair (UT SIGNEE 12/18/13)

[abrock42]

My personal opinion of who we should start on Saturday isn't the same as the coaching staff. I'd go:
Kendrick
Jackson
Kerbyson
Robertson
Thomas

that's exactly my thoughts except at left tackle. Kendrick, who I playe against at CAK, is soft and has terrible feet. why kendrick? why not Blair? I'm just tryna gain some other insight.

 

[abrock42]

This system has been EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL without a "dual threat" with other teams though

tell me one. a zone run offense that frees up the defensive end. please please tell me

 

[Wickman]

that's exactly my thoughts except at left tackle. Kendrick, who I playe against at CAK, is soft and has terrible feet. why kendrick? why not Blair? I'm just tryna gain some other insight.

Blair doesn't have it together. Doesn't understand the mental game of OL in the SEC. Needs to improve footwork dramatically

 

[keckjm]

doesn't sound like a bad idea am I right? screw the zone read bullish and go with a more downhill pistol look. that would fit our guys so much better rather than sticking with something that doesn't work because. it's about adapting to your best players my man.

The entire idea behind a pistol is to have a read option in it, otherwise you are simply lining up in the formation just to do it. Just because we line up in the pistol doesn't mean we are going to run a new offense. Manning ran a pistol formation with the Broncos last year, and the only reason they did it was to provide a new look to the defense. The plays were the same. A change in a formation doesn't mean a change in you offensive philosophy. You talk about adapting to the best players, but then you want our offensive coordinator to move away from a read option offense when he's a read option spread offensive coordinator. So, in your world we hired a coach who has a read option offensive mind set and you want to tell him not to run the read option? Yea, you are a genius.

 

[Wickman]

tell me one. a zone run offense that frees up the defensive end. please please tell me

Pike, Collaros, and LeFevour are not typical "dual threat" guys and have been very successful in this offense

 

[abrock42]

Blair doesn't have it together. Doesn't understand the mental game of OL in the SEC. Needs to improve footwork dramatically

why not have a back shade him on passing downs and just tell him to maul the person in front of him?

 

[NotoriousRPP]

that's exactly my thoughts except at left tackle. Kendrick, who I playe against at CAK, is soft and has terrible feet. why kendrick? why not Blair? I'm just tryna gain some other insight.

Honestly I'd like to flip BK and Thomas but that's asking a lot as a freshman.

 

[Wickman]

why not have a back shade him on passing downs and just tell him to maul the person in front of him?

Why not have your best OL out there? Obviously Blair is not one of the top OL. He is currently 3rd string LT

 

[abrock42]

The entire idea behind a pistol is to have a read option in it, otherwise you are simply lining up in the formation just to do it. Just because we line up in the pistol doesn't mean we are going to run a new offense. Manning ran a pistol formation with the Broncos last year, and the only reason they did it was to provide a new look to the defense. The plays were the same. A change in a formation doesn't mean a change in you offensive philosophy. You talk about adapting to the best players, but then you want our offensive coordinator to move away from a read option offense when he's a read option spread offensive coordinator. So, in your world we hired a coach who has a read option offensive mind set and you want to tell him not to run the read option? Yea, you are a genius.

a pistol allows you to run straight downhill. and yes, if we don't have the players for it, change. that's why we pay him. correct?

 

[abrock42]

Honestly I'd like to flip BK and Thomas but that's asking a lot as a freshman.

now that could work. Thomas is a freak athlete. I like the way you think friend

 

[jjay2518]

The entire idea behind a pistol is to have a read option in it, otherwise you are simply lining up in the formation just to do it. Just because we line up in the pistol doesn't mean we are going to run a new offense. Manning ran a pistol formation with the Broncos last year, and the only reason they did it was to provide a new look to the defense. The plays were the same. A change in a formation doesn't mean a change in you offensive philosophy. You talk about adapting to the best players, but then you want our offensive coordinator to move away from a read option offense when he's a read option spread offensive coordinator. So, in your world we hired a coach who has a read option offensive mind set and you want to tell him not to run the read option? Yea, you are a genius.

I think he was saying to switch to a downhill rushing scheme out of pistol. Take away the read and just block straight up. Get the backs attacking the holes instead of hesitating for the read. You can run out of the pistol without having to read the end.

I'm not sure why you're saying you have to implement a read to run out of the pistol. I'm not saying that's what we should do, but it's definitely something that can be done.

 

[abrock42]

I think he was saying to switch to a downhill rushing scheme out of pistol. Take away the read and just block straight up. Get the backs attacking the holes instead of hesitating for the read. You can run out of the pistol without having to read the end.

I'm not sure why you're saying you have to implement a read to run out of the pistol. I'm not saying that's what we should do, but it's definitely something that can be done.

exactly! no hesitating or dancing. hit the hole and let these guys get full speed before reaching the line. it seams like in our current scheme, the backs have to break the line of scrimmage before even gaining a TAD of steam.

 

[keckjm]

why not have a back shade him on passing downs and just tell him to maul the person in front of him?

Because when teams stack 8 in the box like they have been he doesn't understand who to block, thus allowing pressure either to the outside or up the B gap. He's a mental liability. No one argues with you on whether he physically has it. Physically he's the best run blocker on this team. I've seen him with my own eyes block guys 10 yards down field, but that does no good when you don't understand pass protection and you are a LT. That's my entire reason for wanting him to move to RT. Kendrick and Thomas can hold the fort at LT, and Blair and Kerbs can fight it out for RT. Your boy Robertson still gets to play, and if Kerbs is beat out he could move inside to RG or C. If he moves to RG, Robertson could RS next year so come 2016 when we are actually expected to be good we will have a good RG for the next 2 years at least.

 

[jjay2518]

exactly! no hesitating or dancing. hit the hole and let these guys get full speed before reaching the line. it seams like in our current scheme, the backs have to break the line of scrimmage before even gaining a TAD of steam.

I wouldn't be for changing our entire running scheme to this, but I'd be interested in seeing a pistol package put in to mix things up. I think Hurd especially would run really well out of pistol. I actually think Lane runs better offset with a read. He seems to like to hesitate and find seams to squeeze through.

 

[abrock42]

Because when teams stack 8 in the box like they have been he doesn't understand who to block, thus allowing pressure either to the outside or up the B gap. He's a mental liability. No one argues with you on whether he physically has it. Physically he's the best run blocker on this team. I've seen him with my own eyes block guys 10 yards down field, but that does no good when you don't understand pass protection and you are a LT. That's my entire reason for wanting him to move to RT. Kendrick and Thomas can hold the fort at LT, and Blair and Kerbs can fight it out for RT. Your boy Robertson still gets to play, and if Kerbs is beat out he could move inside to RG or C. If he moves to RG, Robertson could RS next year so come 2016 when we are actually expected to be good we will have a good RG for the next 2 years at least.

ok, we're getting somewhere haha. Robertson, the kid is a stud. what do you see him that makes him a liability? easily, and I mean easily, the best lineman on the field last 2 weeks. and your point about Blair was nice, definately see your 2 cents.

 

[keckjm]

I think he was saying to switch to a downhill rushing scheme out of pistol. Take away the read and just block straight up. Get the backs attacking the holes instead of hesitating for the read. You can run out of the pistol without having to read the end.

I'm not sure why you're saying you have to implement a read to run out of the pistol. I'm not saying that's what we should do, but it's definitely something that can be done.

I didn't say we had to run a read. Do you think Manning ran a read option in the pistol last year? The entire idea is to have a read option in a pistol. The entire formation was based upon a QB who could run 200 yards a game. If you want to block down hill then do it in single back formations where we know for certain Worley can throw in them and make the right reads down field.

 

[abrock42]

I didn't say we had to run a read. Do you think Manning ran a read option in the pistol last year? The entire idea is to have a read option in a pistol. The entire formation was based upon a QB who could run 200 yards a game. If you want to block down hill then do it in single back formations where we know for certain Worley can throw in them and make the right reads down field.

no no no, the entire point is to allow the backs to see the entire field while giving them more time to pick a hole to compensate for a lackluster offensive line. Nevadas coach even stated that was their though process.

 

[jjay2518]

I didn't say we had to run a read. Do you think Manning ran a read option in the pistol last year? The entire idea is to have a read option in a pistol. The entire formation was based upon a QB who could run 200 yards a game. If you want to block down hill then do it in single back formations where we know for certain Worley can throw in them and make the right reads down field.

Except the majority of our passing game is out of shotgun. If I were going to try and implement more downhill rushing with this team I would do it out of pistol so that it wouldn't foul up any timing in the passing game by adding in a bunch of 3/5/7 step drops.

I know it was originally made popular at Nevada with Kaepernick running the read out of it, but I don't see how that applies to this discussion. It's been used successfully in other ways since then, as you know.

 

[keckjm]

ok, we're getting somewhere haha. Robertson, the kid is a stud. what do you see him that makes him a liability? easily, and I mean easily, the best lineman on the field last 2 weeks. and your point about Blair was nice, definately see your 2 cents.

Man I don't think he's a liability at all. I think he's going to be very, very good actually. My point is if Blair steps up at RT and Kerbs is a RS senior, then play Kerbs at RG, and redshirt Robertson because we will need him come 2016. I'd rather have Robertson 2016-2018 when we should be competing for SEC championships then the next two years when we will struggle to win 6 games. We did this with Jackson last year too, and you have to think long terms because right now we haven't proven we can consistently recruit top OL.

 

[abrock42]

Man I don't think he's a liability at all. I think he's going to be very, very good actually. My point is if Blair steps up at RT and Kerbs is a RS senior, then play Kerbs at RG, and redshirt Robertson because we will need him come 2016. I'd rather have Robertson 2016-2018 when we should be competing for SEC championships then the next two years when we will struggle to win 6 games. We did this with Jackson last year too, and you have to think long terms because right now we haven't proven we can consistently recruit top OL.

damn, first ever post on volnation that I while heartedly agree with. good sh** my friend

 

[Tennessee Golfer]

Dooley's 3 OL classes:

2010: Stone, James, Fulton, Pair
2011: Crowder, Jackson, Posey, Richardson
2012: Teo's girlfriend, Casper, Uncle Sam, Betty Crocker

So that's maybe 5 SEC OL in 3 classes. So basically it took him 3 years to assemble a decent starting 5 and most of those actually committed under the previous loser.

 

[keckjm]

Except the majority of our passing game is out of shotgun. If I were going to try and implement more downhill rushing with this team I would do it out of pistol so that it wouldn't foul up any timing in the passing game by adding in a bunch of 3/5/7 step drops.

Ok, but you aren't accounting for the entire reason we throw out of a shotgun. We are a read option team, so if we run a pistol, we will do so in a read option. If you don't want the read option then the only way you won't see it will be in single back sets or other FB driven sets. You can't expect a read option coach to not run a read option in a pistol. I know you don't have to. I'm not arguing that what you are saying is wrong. I'm telling you that what you are saying isn't feasible with the coaching staff we have now. If we line up in anything not under center, it will have a read option in it. That's just who we are now.

 

[triad280]

Dooley's 3 OL classes:

2010: Stone, James, Fulton, Pair
2011: Crowder, Jackson, Posey, Richardson
2012: Teo's girlfriend, Casper, Uncle Sam, Betty Crocker

So that's maybe 5 SEC OL in 3 classes. So basically it took him 3 years to assemble a decent starting 5 and most of those actually committed under the previous loser.

I think he had the Keebler elf as a 5* in 2012

 

[jjay2518]

Ok, but you aren't accounting for the entire reason we throw out of a shotgun. We are a read option team, so if we run a pistol, we will do so in a read option. If you don't want the read option then the only way you won't see it will be in single back sets or other FB driven sets. You can't expect a read option coach to not run a read option in a pistol. I know you don't have to. I'm not arguing that what you are saying is wrong. I'm telling you that what you are saying isn't feasible with the coaching staff we have now. If we line up in anything not under center, it will have a read option in it. That's just who we are now.

I actually specifically said that we shouldn't change our run philosophy. The reason I said that is because I don't disagree with anything you just posted.

As it is now we don't run 100% reads though. I don't see how it would be such a horrible thing to put in a pistol package to run on occasion that would get the backs running downhill at the line. With our OL being a liability this year it could help a little by not requiring them to hold their blocks as long.

 

[keckjm]

I actually specifically said that we shouldn't change our run philosophy. The reason I said that is because I don't disagree with anything you just posted.

As it is now we don't run 100% reads though. I don't see how it would be such a horrible thing to put in a pistol package to run on occasion that would get the backs running downhill at the line. With our OL being a liability this year it could help a little by not requiring them to hold their blocks as long.

It could. However, until Worley comes out and lights it up against elite competition, no one will take our passing game very seriously. The reason a Manning or Brady can run pistols very well is because they are feared in the passing game. Teams are going to stack 8 in the box all day against us until we develop a deep ball or allow Worley to just go loose with it and pass 30 times a game to open the defense up. Even in a pistol, when a team stacks 8 guys in a box with an inexperienced o-line you are in trouble. The only way we will win big games is to get the passing game going. Once that happens then yea you could run a pistol, and if you have success, then it will set up the play action. If you set up the play action your offense is near impossible to stop with an accurate QB. Until then, Worley needs to be in a shotgun throwing the ball because it buys him some time.