Question: We are several games into the season…is the OL improving?

[GrayTide]

To my untrained eye, I cannot see any improvement after three games.

 

[Moro Creek]

I think they will improve throughout the year. The question is, will they become championship quality. We will find out.

 

[Toddrn]

“Progressing” is a strong word…

So are you saying that we missed on both of them as recruits?

 

[Tideflyer]

As others have stated, I think it`s not possible at this juncture to know, what with all the switching about on the interior. I personally think the starting O line against Arkie will be it. Between now and then it`s still open. Will be interesting to see what transpires with Tyler Booker between now and then.

 

[imauafan]

I think the OL would improve tremendously with a less predictable pattern of play calling. I remember when Homer Smith became the OC in the late 80's, our OL talent was average at best, but they looked better than they actually were because of his ability to keep the D off balance and guessing.

 

[CrimSonami]

Improved? - Me thinks Yes.
How much? - We'll see about 7 pm Saturday Oct 1.
Vandy won't offer a great deal more resistance than we saw in games 1 & 3.

 

[CoachJeff]

So are you saying that we missed on both of them as recruits?

Huge whiffs.

 

[Bama Lee]

I think our biggest issue is at center. Dalcourt seems to struggle when the calls change at the line. He has whiffed a couple of times on MLB's shooting the A gap. The interior offensive line cannot allow penetration. I would like to see Seth McCoughlin start in a game like Vanderbilt. I think I see overall where Dalcourt is the better blocker, but McCoughlin is maybe better at communications and switching blocks at the line.

 

[bamaga]

If we already have Wolfird fired(I know how this board thinks) , Brent Key will be available very soon.

 

[imauafan]

If we already have Wolfird fired(I know how this board thinks) , Brent Key will be available very soon.

I haven't seen anyone on this board remotely close to suggesting that Wolford should be fired.

 

[AlexanderFan]

I just want to see an opposing defender of equal size to the offensive line, on his backside. Many times. Dominate a one on one matchup and then maybe I’ll think they are getting better. Lack of physicality is apparent. Our guys just kind of get in the way, as opposed to knocking the defender out of the way. We need to stop impeding their path to the quarterback and start impeding their ability to wake up Sunday morning not sore from the pounding they took.

 

[AlexanderFan]

If we already have Wolfird fired(I know how this board thinks) , Brent Key will be available very soon.

He left for an associate head coach role, means he’d probably be looking to climb back up again. The do like the idea of a local fella coaching, and he also helps with the run game. Like was said though, nobody has mentioned firing the current guy though.

maybe he’d like to come analyze for a bit closer to home.

 

[CoachJeff]

Wolford doesn't need to get canned after one year. He isn't responsible for the lack of development among the guys he's coaching. Of all the position coaches, O line gets the longest leash. He has a mess to clean up from the last guy.

 

[TiderJack]

I think our biggest issue is at center. Dalcourt seems to struggle when the calls change at the line. He has whiffed a couple of times on MLB's shooting the A gap. The interior offensive line cannot allow penetration. I would like to see Seth McCoughlin start in a game like Vanderbilt. I think I see overall where Dalcourt is the better blocker, but McCoughlin is maybe better at communications and switching blocks at the line.

I was thinking McLaughlin would take over at center and made the comment last week that I thought we were better on the OL at the end of last year with him in the game. However Dalcourt was named SEC offensive lineman of the week in week 1 and was named one of three offensive players of the week by the staff in this past week. He obviously is doing better than what we see from our couches.

 

[TiderJack]

If we already have Wolfird fired(I know how this board thinks) , Brent Key will be available very soon.

That's crazy talk and not going to happen.

 

[Ledsteplin]

Hopefully, the musical chairs and experiments are over, and we see a settled group of starters on Saturday. Maybe have another look at Booker with the starters. Improvements are hard to judge with cupcakes, when the above mentioned is going on.

 

[JustNeedMe81]

To answer the OP: I don't know.

Given the combination of weak opposition and OL lineup shuffling, I don't think anybody knows yet.

Absent a performance Saturday at the extremes (good or bad), I don't think we know until Fayetteville.

Yeah, I know about Arkansas' trouble against the pass. Who owns the LOS will tell a lot. We have 11 days, including one game, between now and then.

I'm cautiously optimistic. But we'll have to prove our mettle against a team that's physical overall, and talented on the offensive side.

Can our OL gel? Can our WRs start playing to potential? Can our OC create mis-matches? We'll see.

We just need to get into tempo offense. That's when we are at our best.

 

[bamaslammer]

I think you can assign too much blame to offensive line breakdowns on switching guys in and out. Sure the guys who haven't locked a spot down might not be as prepared as those who have, but when you're playing an OL position your understanding of who to block and what technique to use isn't effected by who is playing next to you. So if we have to rotate some guys to get enough reps to figure out who needs that spot I'm ok with it. It also tends to keep everybody focused when you know the coach isn't afraid to yank you.

 

[NoNC4Tubs]

Not trying to be a smart Aleck but 3 isn’t several.

Bwuh?!?

We always have five of them on the field.

Not trying to be a smart aleck either, are you meaning backups, perhaps?

 

[Bama Lee]

I was thinking McLaughlin would take over at center and made the comment last week that I thought we were better on the OL at the end of last year with him in the game. However Dalcourt was named SEC offensive lineman of the week in week 1 and was named one of three offensive players of the week by the staff in this past week. He obviously is doing better than what we see from our couches.

Im scratching my head as to why sometimes. He did look good in the first game. But I saw some glaring issues against both Texas and UL Monroe