WUWs highlight surprising facts regarding current O-line

MikeyLikesIowa

MikeyLikesIowa

Well-Known Member
I was watching Washed Up Walkons episode 260 on YouTube with LeShun Daniels Jr this morning. They drop a surprising correlation between the current O-line and recent recruiting classes/scholarships from the last few years. The interesting part starts at about the 30:25 mark.

TLDR: Iowa's offensive line recruits aren't panning out nearly as well as most would think considering Iowa's reputation for churning out good, NFL caliber offensive linemen.

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NCHawker said:
Iowa has a mixed reputation regarding offensive line. 1) They always seem to produce an all-american, high round draft pick. 2) they have an unearned reputation of having great offensive lines that enable 'down hill running'
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Do you have the stats on of we throw it or run it more in wins under Brian?
 


The offensive line as a whole has been inconsistent, as probable every team in D1 outside Alabama.
 




This is just anecdotal, but I've felt that Iowa has done a much better job of developing Tackles and Centers than Guards in the KF era. And often times, we can be deficient as an overall line despite having 1 or 2 extremely good linemen.
 


PlatypusMessiah said:
This is just anecdotal, but I've felt that Iowa has done a much better job of developing Tackles and Centers than Guards in the KF era. And often times, we can be deficient as an overall line despite having 1 or 2 extremely good linemen.
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I think some of this has to do with over all scholarship limits and how they think they can cover their recruiting needs. Guard is one of those position where they can develop walk-ons for at least part of their depth. Right guard has been the perennial developmental spot for Iowa. I would argue that their system does fairly well at this, but recently there has been increased early turnover at tackle and center. Mix together that early turnover to the NFL, with people dropping out of the program for whatever reasons, than you are going to end up leaning on your underclassmen. The situation this year happens to be particularly acute.
 


AreWeThereYet said:
I think some of this has to do with over all scholarship limits and how they think they can cover their recruiting needs. Guard is one of those position where they can develop walk-ons for at least part of their depth. Right guard has been the perennial developmental spot for Iowa. I would argue that their system does fairly well at this, but recently there has been increased early turnover at tackle and center. Mix together that early turnover to the NFL, with people dropping out of the program for whatever reasons, than you are going to end up leaning on your underclassmen. The situation this year happens to be particularly acute.
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Yeah, you need so many linemen and the good ones are just freaks of nature.
 




Hitting on 1 Olineman out of 5 isn't a very good ratio... The others that we have are any of them considered any good or future pros? They are pretty young yet most of em but still. Besides Linderbaum it's been a frustrating thing to watch with them rotating guys in and out that are all getting blown off the ball.
Is it a recruiting thing/developmental thing? I'm sure like with most things there's not any one answer to it and it's a combination of reasons. But as many have mentioned the Oline is where many of our offensive woes could be resolved. Tough to watch..
 


dahlhawk said:
The offensive line as a whole has been inconsistent, as probable every team in D1 outside Alabama.
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Ohio State has an unbelievable offensive line year in and year out. This year's unit is clearly the best in college football. Hate to say it but it's a fact and far more the reason for their run of dominance than elite QB play, "speed," etc and all the other BS analysis out there.
 


NCHawker said:
Iowa has a mixed reputation regarding offensive line. 1) They always seem to produce an all-american, high round draft pick. 2) they have an unearned reputation of having great offensive lines that enable 'down hill running'
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What always drives me crazy is when analysts talk about Iowa's "big o line." Look at the two deeps for Wisconsin, Minnesota, and OSU vs our o line - we are probably giving up 30 lbs/person on average vs those teams.

You can run the ball with a smaller line (look at my alma mater), but it's best done with a healthy dose of misdirection plays which are mysteriously missing from Iowa's playbook most games.
 


Agreed on size. I debated that with a buddy this year. Our OL is young and smallish. He pointed out that our size is similar to the 2015 team that went to the conference championship. True, but that was not a great running team either. For its time, the 2002 OL was good sized.

I have wondered whether losing Doyle has impacted our S&C the last couple years. Both sides of the line lack any impressive size. Are we just not recruiting big bodies the last few years or are we not bulking them up as readily in years past?

KF is probably the third best OL program in the conference behind OSU and Wisky, and probably on par with Michigan and PSU. Not bad, but the reputation is overblown some.
 


Hell what if KF wasn't intuitive enough to have moved Linderbaum to center. He was a DT his freshman yr. Our Dline would be a little better but where would this Oline have been the last couple yrs? Yikes...
 


Hawkfnntn said:
Hell what if KF wasn't intuitive enough to have moved Linderbaum to center. He was a DT his freshman yr. Our Dline would be a little better but where would this Oline have been the last couple yrs? Yikes...
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True but can you imagine Linderbaum and Nixon on last year's defensive line? With Gholston outside?

Doyle's long-time assistant took over S&C so I really doubt his absence has anything to do with the size of this team only 16 months after his departure. Alaric Jackson came into last season having dropped 15-20 pounds. Recruiting has played a part, along with a development. I agree that Iowa is overrated at o line but probably underrated on the other side of the ball in terms of developing NFL prospects.

Speaking of the other side of the ball: Iowa strangely prefers its D tackles to be outrageously tall (Van Ness and Black seem like they should be playing outside ...).
 


getting buttons and T-shirts that say "Its the O Line Stupid" ...

its almost always the O Line... and of course up until a few years ago it was WR position and prior to that it was RB position that was weak. This is how 7-5 teams are built.

IWA has better WR and RB now than they had 8 years ago.
 


NorthKCHawk said:
I have wondered whether losing Doyle has impacted our S&C the last couple years. Both sides of the line lack any impressive size. Are we just not recruiting big bodies the last few years or are we not bulking them up as readily in years past?
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AFAcademyHawk said:
Doyle's long-time assistant took over S&C so I really doubt his absence has anything to do with the size of this team only 16 months after his departure.
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According to some folks up this way in the Pottebaum camp, Braithwaite runs the exact same program as Doyle did, obviously there will be changes as things evolve. I have a really hard time thinking Iowa isn’t getting guys bulked up. Braithwaite worked together with Doyle for a really long time.
 


Iowa has always gone for smaller more agile Olineman to execute the zone when compared to Wisconsin's power running style sized olineman for example
 


Fryowa said:
According to some folks up this way in the Pottebaum camp, Braithwaite runs the exact same program as Doyle did, obviously there will be changes as things evolve. I have a really hard time thinking Iowa isn’t getting guys billed up. Braithwaite worked together with Doyle for a really long time.
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I bet the only thing that's changed is the music being listened to... That's why he got the job was to keep the continuity of it all. Made too much sense for him to get it all the way around.
 


Given that most years Iowa has 2-4 new "young" players and a couple of guys injured...so the O Line is being asked to execute blocking schemes that they just can't do well consistently. SO I'm wondering is KF's philosophy hamstringing the lines effectiveness? Insisting on schemes that can't be executed consistently.
 


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