This is the old adage that has been and will always be true in football. And, in retrospec, this years Oline and Dline were just not that good.
Oline: everyone was concerned about this group at the beginning of the year, and our concerns were well founded. Injuries, lack of size, lack of experience, all of that played out at the end of the games when we could neither run the ball nor protect the passer. This group is a far cry away from the 02 line, when we could run the ball for 5 yards a carry at will. And the 04 line will not get the pub because of the lack of rushers, but Drew had all day to throw, even in crunch time. And the one thing that we did not have that will bail an Oline out? A mobile quarterback.
Dline: This is probably the most overrated unit in all of football this year. I know what the stats say, but I think like Jon, they lie. The tell-tale indicator of this is look at how many teams could run for 5-6 yards on first down against us, even when we knew it was coming. That put us in 2nd and short so many times. Not many TFL, not many sacks. I have watched a lot of football this year, and I swear I would not rate this unit in the top half of all of college football. Even with only rushing 4 we should still be able to get to the passer before a receiver makes a 10 yard route.
Lots of injuries at linebacker didn't help either, and our group last year made this Dline look way better than it was. Remember last year, when a RB would hit the hole? Who stopped him most of the time? Wasnt Klug or Ballard. Angerer, that guy was a machine.
But, I don't think we have to go to the spread or anything like that. Our problem this year was situational football, created by the lack of dominance or competence of our lines. Teams will convert lots of 3rd downs if it is 3rd and 2 or 3. Did anyone this year at any point in the year have the confidence that we could run for 3rd and 2 or 3? We did it all the time with the 02 squad. Wisky did it to everyone this year. We couldnt. ARob and Coker had some good games and gains, but how many on 3rd down when it mattered?
So here it is: Offensively, if we do not have a dominant line, that can allow a capable RB to run for 4-5 yards at will, our offensive scheme with an immobile quarterback cannot execute play action. And this year, when play-action became null (trailing in 4th quarter) we were done.
Defensively, if we cannot stop the run, and make the other team 1 dimensional we are done. I don't care what our stats say, we did not stop the run this year when it mattered.
We can win with an average QB, average WR's, average RB's, average CB's. But cannot win without excellent lines, Safeties, LB's, and TE's under this scheme.
Oline: everyone was concerned about this group at the beginning of the year, and our concerns were well founded. Injuries, lack of size, lack of experience, all of that played out at the end of the games when we could neither run the ball nor protect the passer. This group is a far cry away from the 02 line, when we could run the ball for 5 yards a carry at will. And the 04 line will not get the pub because of the lack of rushers, but Drew had all day to throw, even in crunch time. And the one thing that we did not have that will bail an Oline out? A mobile quarterback.
Dline: This is probably the most overrated unit in all of football this year. I know what the stats say, but I think like Jon, they lie. The tell-tale indicator of this is look at how many teams could run for 5-6 yards on first down against us, even when we knew it was coming. That put us in 2nd and short so many times. Not many TFL, not many sacks. I have watched a lot of football this year, and I swear I would not rate this unit in the top half of all of college football. Even with only rushing 4 we should still be able to get to the passer before a receiver makes a 10 yard route.
Lots of injuries at linebacker didn't help either, and our group last year made this Dline look way better than it was. Remember last year, when a RB would hit the hole? Who stopped him most of the time? Wasnt Klug or Ballard. Angerer, that guy was a machine.
But, I don't think we have to go to the spread or anything like that. Our problem this year was situational football, created by the lack of dominance or competence of our lines. Teams will convert lots of 3rd downs if it is 3rd and 2 or 3. Did anyone this year at any point in the year have the confidence that we could run for 3rd and 2 or 3? We did it all the time with the 02 squad. Wisky did it to everyone this year. We couldnt. ARob and Coker had some good games and gains, but how many on 3rd down when it mattered?
So here it is: Offensively, if we do not have a dominant line, that can allow a capable RB to run for 4-5 yards at will, our offensive scheme with an immobile quarterback cannot execute play action. And this year, when play-action became null (trailing in 4th quarter) we were done.
Defensively, if we cannot stop the run, and make the other team 1 dimensional we are done. I don't care what our stats say, we did not stop the run this year when it mattered.
We can win with an average QB, average WR's, average RB's, average CB's. But cannot win without excellent lines, Safeties, LB's, and TE's under this scheme.
