Offensive Tackle & OL recruiting

[valoisvol]

Yeah, why don't we try holding. All the other teams do it and get away with it. Have we even had a holding call this year. Maybe that's why we don't even touch the other team. Are they afraid they might be called for holding? How could any lineman not get your hands involved. That doesn't even make sense to me

 

[keckjm]

Good way of putting it. I don't care if our guys get blasted by better players, as long as they get in the way. So many untouched guys in the backfield.

It's as much mental as it is physical. Thomas has consistently blocked the wrong guy. Normally, the C calls out blitz packages at the line and adjusts the blocking. Usually the QB can overrule these changes if he sees something different. I'm not sure Crowder is able to read blitz packages properly, and I know Worley struggles with CB blitz packages.

 

[Playdo]

Yeah, why don't we try holding. All the other teams do it and get away with it. Have we even had a holding call this year. Maybe that's why we don't even touch the other team. Are they afraid they might be called for holding? How could any lineman not get your hands involved. That doesn't even make sense to me

This guy for offensive line coach:

 

[jbr82]

This guy for offensive line coach:

I'm for it. Better than bumpin bellies or patty cakin and allowing QB gettin sacked for yds lose

 

[jbr82]

Draw, Screen, slants. and then draw, screen and slant again. You can mix them up I guess, But we need to use their pass rush against them

Maybe have Worley roll out on TE side most pass plays. Staying in pocket is dangerous

 

[bigl3327]

I'm not a college coach or recruiter, but I have coached and I did play at the collegiate level. I may get blasted by some, but this is just my opinion on OL and OL recruiting. OL is the one position that you never have to leave the state to recruit. You have heard many of the coaches state that it is a developmental position, and this is a true statement. But the truth of the matter is that every year there are at least 10 kids that come out of the state of TN that are 6'3"-6'6" tall and athletic enough to become more than serviceable SEC OL. If you recruit a minimum of 4 a year, then your starting line would eventually always be 4th and 5th year players with the occasional stud that is able to win the starting job early in his career. Then you only have to leave the state to recruit those said studs each year. This would provide adequate depth, and experienced and "developed" starters and back ups every year.

 

[LebanonVolunteer]

I'm not a college coach or recruiter, but I have coached and I did play at the collegiate level. I may get blasted by some, but this is just my opinion on OL and OL recruiting. OL is the one position that you never have to leave the state to recruit. You have heard many of the coaches state that it is a developmental position, and this is a true statement. But the truth of the matter is that every year there are at least 10 kids that come out of the state of TN that are 6'3"-6'6" tall and athletic enough to become more than serviceable SEC OL. If you recruit a minimum of 4 a year, then your starting line would eventually always be 4th and 5th year players with the occasional stud that is able to win the starting job early in his career. Then you only have to leave the state to recruit those said studs each year. This would provide adequate depth, and experienced and "developed" starters and back ups every year.

I agree with the idea 100%. I'd love to see 13-15 OL guys on the UT roster all from instate. When it's time to get mean and nasty, give me a kid who bleeds Orange any day.

 

[Vols4us]

I'm not a college coach or recruiter, but I have coached and I did play at the collegiate level. I may get blasted by some, but this is just my opinion on OL and OL recruiting. OL is the one position that you never have to leave the state to recruit. You have heard many of the coaches state that it is a developmental position, and this is a true statement. But the truth of the matter is that every year there are at least 10 kids that come out of the state of TN that are 6'3"-6'6" tall and athletic enough to become more than serviceable SEC OL. If you recruit a minimum of 4 a year, then your starting line would eventually always be 4th and 5th year players with the occasional stud that is able to win the starting job early in his career. Then you only have to leave the state to recruit those said studs each year. This would provide adequate depth, and experienced and "developed" starters and back ups every year.

big "gets it". Spot on post. By running all over creation trying to get marginally better O-linemen outside the region coaches lose focus on those in the primary recruiting region. Not pointing this at the current staff at all. But they need to focus on what big says since this is their 3rd recruiting class. They should be able to pull 3-4 quality guys a season from the primary recruiting grounds in-state. The key is having an O-line coach that can develop as he should and that is where the verdict has not yet been rendered. It can be said that so far the evidence is mounting against the accused.

 

[Vols4us]

That can be said about all of our OTs. I've seen them ALL get beaten without getting a hand on the DE. (I can't say that about Jacob Gilliam because I didn't key on him any when he played)

Exactly. They all messed up. I think Gilliam gave up the 5th sack that the game commentators mistakenly announced as Thomas.

But that's the point. They all messed up because they threw two true freshmen into the starting line-up, one that had never played the position before, and moved a 4th year player to his third or fourth best position when Gilliam went down. Kendrick got to play part of the first game, the second game, and then sit until mop up time with a different G beside him than when he started. Ridiculous. The O-line needs continuity and the older, stronger guys playing so they can build chemistry. It is not just OT that is the problem. The other better ones mess up because they are trying to cover for the novices and end up missing their own assignments. Gilliam comes back on a bad wheel and gets moved to a different position since he is hurt, but he has zero experience with the G beside him.

 

[LebanonVolunteer]

Exactly. They all messed up. I think Gilliam gave up the 5th sack that the game commentators mistakenly announced as Thomas.

But that's the point. They all messed up because they threw two true freshmen into the starting line-up, one that had never played the position before, and moved a 4th year player to his third or fourth best position when Gilliam went down. Kendrick got to play part of the first game, the second game, and then sit until mop up time with a different G beside him than when he started. Ridiculous. The O-line needs continuity and the older, stronger guys playing so they can build chemistry. It is not just OT that is the problem. The other better ones mess up because they are trying to cover for the novices and end up missing their own assignments. Gilliam comes back on a bad wheel and gets moved to a different position since he is hurt, but he has zero experience with the G beside him.

I noticed that a lot of folks on here use the "they are young excuse" and fall back on that when looking at say how UTC's DL did against our OL. They say "Well, those guys have been in the program longer and been in the S&C program longer, so even though they are not as talented, they look better as a group".

Well how about that? Maybe our coaches should consider the same? ANY OL guy who has been in the program for 2-3 years IMO should be starting over a TFR unless the TFR is an absolute NFL lock coming in the door and we clearly have nothing like that on this roster on the OL. If the guys who have been in the program for 2-3 years are not WAY AHEAD of the TFR coming in, then CBJ needs to take a long look at the S&C coach and the OL coach. It's just that simple for me.

 

[Vols4us]

Yeah, why don't we try holding. All the other teams do it and get away with it. Have we even had a holding call this year. Maybe that's why we don't even touch the other team. Are they afraid they might be called for holding? How could any lineman not get your hands involved. That doesn't even make sense to me

Sanders held and got called for in the second half. But your point is well taken. Find a guy to hit, don't let anybody get past your inside shoulder and grab as much as you get. lol.

 

[Vols4us]

I noticed that a lot of folks on here use the "they are young excuse" and fall back on that when looking at say how UTC's DL did against our OL. They say "Well, those guys have been in the program longer and been in the S&C program longer, so even though they are not as talented, they look better as a group".

Well how about that? Maybe our coaches should consider the same? ANY OL guy who has been in the program for 2-3 years IMO should be starting over a TFR unless the TFR is an absolute NFL lock coming in the door and we clearly have nothing like that on this roster on the OL. If the guys who have been in the program for 2-3 years are not WAY AHEAD of the TFR coming in, then CBJ needs to take a long look at the S&C coach and the OL coach. It's just that simple for me.

Preach. Spot on.

I had the privilege of talking with Chaney for about 30 minutes at a letterman's picnic that a VFL friend invited me to during his first year here with Kiffin. In essence he said the same thing. His plan was to plug physically strong, well conditioned linemen regardless of size that could grasp the offense in roles they could do best. He said they would be adequate, that it would take a few years to get to a top level, but they would each compete at a high level and do their jobs. He took two former walk on 260 lbs. Sullins brothers and got reasonably good play out of them and went from there. Guess we know how that worked out. 7 wins and a bowl. They went out and got the best TN lineman in Richardson, Stone, and Bullard's (transfer) - plus Fulton from Illinois was a good fit and James from another primary recruiting area in north GA. The same Chaney that also got Crowder, Jackson and Kerbyson. That last season with Chaney it was top 20 offense scoring 35 points per game. The only one that changed position in that 4 years was Stone from G to C after his freshmen season. Bullard experimented at C, but they sent him back to stay at G. Essentially they were assigned to their best position and stayed there.

They did not fit Butch's offense well, but Chaney's point stuck with me because he proved it as did Fulmer back in his most successful years. In state for most of them, develop in their best position, work hard on strength, play them as a unit every game they are not injured.