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

[triadvolfan]

Who is saying the coaches DON'T want to put the best 5 they have in? It's not a question of "Want to"....it's a question of evaluation and decision-making. Both of the 4* linemen (Blair and Sanders) they recruited in the past two classes (the rest were all 3*s), are sitting on the bench. That alone shows they've already blown their evaluations during the recruiting process. Coaches are flawed creatures like the rest of us. It's why there are as many firings as there are hirings in the coaching ranks, each year.

People claiming Blair is fat and out of shape don't know what the hell they are talking about. No one has been able to divine what the issue really is. In the spring, he had some conditioning issues, but they said he made great progress in that area over the summer.

He doesn't look any fatter than Tiny did the past few years. If our current OL wasn't getting owned on a weekly basis, I would agree with the "RS him" crowd. But we need help NOW, and I cannot see how Mahoney, Bajakian and CBJ can determine Blair is a worse option at this stage, or not....without getting him some live game reps. UTC would have been the perfect game, if not the Ark. State or Utah State games.

Like EVERY SWINGING RICHARD here, I can only speculate what the problem is. The staff has routinely dodged the media's attempts to find out why he's not playing. So, stop acting like ANY of you know. You don't. Simple as that.

My guess is they don't think his strength levels are sufficient. Why do I say that? Cause every time CBJ is asked about Blair's status, he just says he continues to improve and develop. But hidden in the brush off is a vague reference to improving strength levels.

To that I whip out the "BS!" card. I mean the guys they have ahead of him are getting their hat's handed to them and we are withholding the one player we held our hopes on all offseason....because his bench or squat numbers aren't what they want?

Andre Smith was an Outland Trophy winner and dominant LT for Bama...who was drafted in the 1st Rd by the Bengals in 2009. His bench #'s at the Combine were underwhelming for a man his size....just 19 reps (at 225lbs).

NFL Draft 2009: Alabama tackle Andre Smith hopes to erase the stigma of his combine departure - ESPN

I think this is all Mahoney's call and he's f-ing it up BIG time.

On Blair, he was 2nd string all throughout fall camp and then hasn't played and they're trying to redshirt him. Given this, it seems reasonable to conclude:

a) He is worse at the moment than Thomas and Kerbyson
b) The coaches haven't completely given up on him developing into a quality player. If he's 2nd string and they decided for sure he was a bust they'd get him some snaps at the end of games to prep him in case Thomas or Kerbyson go down. The fact that they're trying to save him a year of eligibility says something to me.

Of course, it's possible he's just fallen to 3rd string but it sure seemed like he was ahead of the other back-ups until the season started.

As you said, we really have no idea what's going on and we're just speculating. CBJ may like all his assistants but I think he'll make a change if it's warranted. And he's better positioned to know if it's talent or coaching. We won't know if he'll make a change until the end of the year anyway.

 

[Vol knight]

After this season some of these Big East assistants may have to be reevaluated.

:good!:

I would hope that would be the case. The O side is not ready for prime time. But I am seeing a HC that is too loyal and stuck in his own offensive system to make the necessary changes. Truly hope I am wrong.

 

[keckjm]

Wiesman is the future at center. He just needs to continue working on the shotgun snaps and get consistent.

I don't see any way that we move Sanders to Tackle. He is a road grader at OG and is built for that position. In the same mode that Kerbyson is built to be an OG.

Blair may be at RT now, but he will be the starter at LT next season. The only reason we are not seeing him this year is that he came into camp out of shape and overweight. He also needs to add strength in the weight program. We will see him next year. As far as Thomas is concerned, i see the same things in him that i saw in Jawuan James when he was a freshman. He just needs time to develop strength and technique. As is, he is the best we have right now at OT and we have to get him on the field.

Blair didn't just come here out of shape. He came here never playing anyone in JuCo who could challenge him. Go through this thread and I promise you from the very beginning I've stated that this kid wouldn't see the field at LT. I saw this kid when he was in JuCo and he has zero problems run blocking down field, actually he's one of the best Ts I've ever seen run blocking down field, but he has terrible leverage when pass blocking. There were times when he'd almost stand straight up and get by with it because he was way bigger than anyone he went against. Blair is built to be a RT. He's a great run blocker, he can get down field and block, and he has nice footwork. His downfall is he plays way to high at times, and his handwork needs massive work. Maybe he plays LT next year, but I believe that'll be a job won between Kerbs and Kendrick.

Another thing to consider is the fact that Wiesman can't stay healthy. Wesiman is better than Crowder right now, but he can't stay healthy enough for us to play him. Come 2016, if we say Wiesman is our C and we keep Thomas at T, then we have no one else besides him who can play C unless we obtain someone in the 2016 class. 2016 is our year. CBJ will be ran out of UT if he doesn't win 9-10 games come 2016. Do you really think it's a smart idea to put all your money on Wiesman at C for 2016 when he never stays healthy? I'm going to say that's a terrible idea.

 

[volnashun]

I'll say one more thing about Mahoney. He's feeling the pressure. You can tell it in his responses when interviewed. He admitted that the OL's confidence wasn't very high, lately, and I bet CBJ is starting to turn on him a bit.

UTC doesn't even have the talent we have on our 3rd and 4th string. Maybe the walk-ons, but that's about it And for our OL to look as bad as they did against that talent level? There just is no excuse.

That was the OL's opportunity to improve...to sharpen their technique. And they bungled that opportunity. Could not run a lick on UTC. Could not pass protect (5 sacks). Mahoney needs to re-evaluate his OL evaluations.

I cannot believe a short, undersized Crowder is a better option at C than Weisman, Raulerson, Kendrick or Sanders. Crowder is the smallest OL on our roster!

Your posts on Crowder are getting old. A 6-2.5, 295 lb center is a prototype. Maybe it's time u set up a meeting with the coaches and give them council and advice since u know more than they do?

 

[butchna]

After this season some of these Big East assistants may have to be reevaluated.

There were the same sentiments about Jancek last year...guess the SEC in his blood upped it's count. Jake and Mahoney are Butch's guys...success that he's had bear their fingerprints...they suddenly can't coach?...if that's true " reevaluating" won't take much time.

 

[butchna]

Still say that if Butch/ Mahoney has botched anything this year it's the Weisman situation...meaningless minutes instead of letting him get healthy for the year was wasteful IMO. His role this year hasn't been worth a potentially healthy three years later.

 

[therickbol]

I was watching but were you? Sanders had 4 pancakes. He did great.

Evaluation of 2nd team OL against UTC defense at the end of the gave is almost worthless. While UTC has two potential NFL lineman as starters somehow against all odds, their backup DL are terrible. That is to be expected at their level. 1st team OL would have looked good against the backups too.

 

[TechnoVol]

Since the game was not broadcast, all we have to go on, regarding Blair, are the Spring game highlights. But even when you watch every single play, he does a pretty good job at LT. You cannot convince me he is not the best option we have....

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihrpVZp3gu8[/youtube]

Watching Blair go against an average DL in the spring game may not be a good measuring stick but we'll never know if he would have helped this year because the coaches apparently have decided to RS him. Personally, I would have seen what he could do in live competition and just roll with it.

The other thing the highlights from the spring game show is that Dobbs throws a MUCH more accurate deep ball than Worley and would also force defenses to respect the QB keeper.

 

[TechnoVol]

Our LT for the future is going to be either Kerbs, Kendrick, and possibly Sanders if they would give him a chance to play.

Kerbyson at either tackle position puts him out of position IMHO. His natural position is OG, hopefully that's where he'll be next year.

 

[Dust10]

For the record, I was joking when I asked if he could redshirt as a junior. Shoulda used blue font.

 

[NashVOL93]

Watching Blair go against an average DL in the spring game may not be a good measuring stick but we'll never know if he would have helped this year because the coaches apparently have decided to RS him. Personally, I would have seen what he could do in live competition and just roll with it.

The other thing the highlights from the spring game show is that Dobbs throws a MUCH more accurate deep ball than Worley and would also force defenses to respect the QB keeper.

Our D-line's actually pretty decent this year, though. I know the spring game version didn't have Barnett, but still.

 

[Billy Antrim]

For the record, I was joking when I asked if he could redshirt as a junior. Shoulda used blue font.

It was obvious to me that you were joking, but I had my coffee this a.m. :zeitung_lesen:

 

[VOLorNuttin]

So you're saying CBJ should be fired?

Enough with the silly BS. Nobody said that. You're trying to use a strawman argument to start shiite

 

[VolinArizona]

Enough with the silly BS. Nobody said that. You're trying to use a strawman argument to start shiite

I haven't given you my opinion on our offensive line. I have no agenda.

Just asking because when you say you can't be convinced that the five guys you listed aren't the best, well, that seems arrogant.

If you truly believe that, then Butch and Co have 4 guys in the wrong spots. That's either incompetence or idiocy. Both of when are fire able things.

So I ask, you're saying CBJ is either incompetent or idiot. Which one?

 

[jave36]

I haven't given you my opinion on our offensive line. I have no agenda.

Just asking because when you say you can't be convinced that the five guys you listed aren't the best, well, that seems arrogant.

If you truly believe that, then Butch and Co have 4 guys in the wrong spots. That's either incompetence or idiocy. Both of when are fire able things.

So I ask, you're saying CBJ is either incompetent or idiot. Which one?

More strawman. You can believe CBJ has made a mistake without believing he's incompetent or an idiot. Posts like this are why message boards are so irritating some times.

 

[jjay2518]

More strawman. You can believe CBJ has made a mistake without believing he's incompetent or an idiot. Posts like this are why message boards are so irritating some times.

More false dilemma than strawman, but still not valid.

 

[JacketVol]

Evaluation of 2nd team OL against UTC defense at the end of the gave is almost worthless. While UTC has two potential NFL lineman as starters somehow against all odds, their backup DL are terrible. That is to be expected at their level. 1st team OL would have looked good against the backups too.

And let's just ignore what Antonio Davis says about how he dominates in practice. We have two guys on left side going two on one and both do not even touch him yet sanders would be worse than that. If so, let's just send him packing because he would never get on the field if he is that bad.

 

[TechnoVol]

And let's just ignore what Antone Davis says about how he dominates in practice. We have two guys on left side going two on one and both do not even touch him yet sanders would be worse than that. If so, let's just send him packing because he would never get on the field if he is that bad.

^^^ Fixed your post. :hi:

 

[Biopsyman]

Right

 

[engineerVOL]

Kerbyson at either tackle position puts him out of position IMHO. His natural position is OG, hopefully that's where he'll be next year.

Yep. He's grown man strong but his back peddle against a speed rush end is a total mismatch for him. Just not fair to him what he looks like. I think he's going to be good once we develop Blair.

 

[KokoBVol]

Right

Yup

 

[keckjm]

Yep. He's grown man strong but his back peddle against a speed rush end is a total mismatch for him. Just not fair to him what he looks like. I think he's going to be good once we develop Blair.

We need to find a way to put Kendrick and Sanders on the line at the same time. I'd be down for a line up of:

Kendrick, Jackson/Sanders, Crowder/Weisman, Kerbs, Blair

I'd try my best to redshirt Thomas, Robertson, and Wiesman next year. We could have Ray and Sanders as our back up OL, and Kerbs could always move back to T if Kendrick/Blair got hurt. This way in 2016 we'd have:

Kendrick(RSJR), Sanders (RSJR), Wiesman (RSSO), Robertson (RSSO), Blair (RSSR)

That's a line, especially when you include Thomas and 2015 class, that can be very productive in 2016 & 2017.

 

[Darth_Shiveman]

Your posts on Crowder are getting old. A 6-2.5, 295 lb center is a prototype. Maybe it's time u set up a meeting with the coaches and give them council and advice since u know more than they do?

The problem is that Crowder is shorter than his listed height. I'm right at 6' tall and have walked by him before campus. He maybe has an inch on me and his arms aren't very long. When compared to the average SEC OL, he's not a big dude.

I don't think that means he couldn't be a good center. Bama won a natty with the Vlachos kid who was only 5'11. But that kid was as nasty as they come and was surrounded by very good OGs. Crowder is undersized and unathletic. If he had Fulton and Bullard on either side of him, he'd likely be fine. However, he has a true freshman and an underperforming Marcus Jackson beside him.

He should get credit for always being on point with his snaps though. He's as solid as it comes in that regard.

 

[JacketVol]

^^^ Fixed your post. :hi:

Thanks

 

[UTMark]

Blair didn't travel with team.