A Few Notes and Analyses

[VolinDawgland]

Originally Posted by volinexile17

There was some discussion last year that the line was too slow. We rarely pulled or trapped, and some posters argued it was because the guys couldn't get there in time to make the blocks.

Personally, I like the idea of a more mobile line. I don't see the need for everyone to weigh 330.

We didn't screen much if any either. A good screen game requires good mobility and athleticism from the line.

[King Webbsticles]

Originally Posted by UTGhostHunter

Linebacker isn't nearly as thin as some people seem to believe. The only thing making linebacker seem thin is the struggle to adjust to the new scheme.

Linebacker is pretty thin, especially with proven talent.

After Maggitt and Johnson, LB consists of returning from injury players (Lathers), young players (Propst and Harris) and players who didn't start at LB (Fugate, Brewer, the old DL players).

I think that qualifies as pretty thin.

[VolinDawgland]

Originally Posted by Vols4us

This.

You hit them both. Coach Pittman likes and teaches the zone blocking scheme. You need more agility for zone. Sprint draw scheme blocking that used both zone and man is officially dead thank goodness. Tiny going in with Dallas moving to OG officially signals this new approach. You need stud OT's (Check); physical, mobile OG's and C that can read D alignments/movements. With Coach Mac's S&C the fat has dropped off and has been replaced with muscle, quicker feet and endurance. Not really sure what Wylie was after - glad he's gone.

May not have just been Wylie but also the old line coach...not sure what he was after either.

[UTGhostHunter]

Originally Posted by ItsAllVols

1. Well I believe the O-Line needed to get faster, watching some of the replays last year when pulling guards just wasn’t getting to the holes early enough, causing RB's to slow waiting on the block.

2. Probably enough to make positions up for computation.

3. I agree, but I haven’t heard any talk about our center, It was a need in the off season to get better.

4. Palardy needed 2 things, 1 a coach to help manage the problems and computation to push him.

5. I thought the same of the NFL but it didn’t affect the decision of bringing it out instead of downing it, just made it safer for the Kick-off team and the speed they generate with the extra 5 yards.

Computation? Why in the heck our the players doing math on the field? No wonder we couldn't win games; they're doing their homework instead of blocking!

[VolinDawgland]

Originally Posted by Vols4us

Remember when Fulmer's O-lines played their best? The favorite play was the old Washington Redskins counter trey that ran off tackle. Pulled guards and tackles on the counter. Also used the center to block on screen plays. They used to rack up yards in a hurry with them. Gone when he shifted to the big, slow, man blocking scheme of the of 10 years ago. It continued with Kiffin and Dooley until this year apparently. It will mean an immediate improvement in the run game - the single most important improvement they need. If you can run the ball you control the game and the clock.

Agreed except for the Kiffin comment. He wasn't really here long enough to have much of an impact, but his one year line was fairly small due to the Sully twins and they ran almost total zone fairly successfully. Where they ran into issues was 3rd/4th and short...and blocking Mr Cody on field goals.

[ItsAllVols]

Originally Posted by UTGhostHunter

Linebacker isn't nearly as thin as some people seem to believe. The only thing making linebacker seem thin is the struggle to adjust to the new scheme.

Agreed but since the basic 3-4 scheme puts LB into position to make plays also puts them at more risk of injury, so we better be ready with a lot of LB’s..Georgia was lucky to pick USC LB stud or they would have been average at best.

[King Webbsticles]

Originally Posted by VolinDawgland

Agreed except for the Kiffin comment. He wasn't really here long enough to have much of an impact, but his one year line was fairly small due to the Sully twins and they ran almost total zone fairly successfully. Where they ran into issues was 3rd/4th and short...and blocking Mr Cody on field goals.

Exactly. When opponents knew it was a run, they could just walk past the 265 lb Sullins twins.

[UTGhostHunter]

Originally Posted by King Webbsticles

Linebacker is pretty thin, especially with proven talent.

After Maggitt and Johnson, LB consists of returning from injury players (Lathers), young players (Probst and Harris) and players who didn't start at LB (Fugate, Brewer, the old DL players).

I think that qualifies as pretty thin.

Mitchell-Thornton, King, Crump, Sapp, the three newcomers (Bynum, King, Lewis)...nope, you're right, sixteen or more bodies simply isn't enough. We need to go five or six deep...if, as so many people on here say, youth is no longer an excuse, then Dooley had best find a two deep out of all the bodies he has at linebacker.

[DjCrenshaw]

Originally Posted by King Webbsticles

Exactly. When opponents knew it was a run, they could just walk past the 265 lb Sullins twins.

However, Kiffy did use the roll out PA, instead of always the dive PA.. That was usefull to cromp. I'm not so sure Bray always throws well on the run.

[nicksjuzunk]

Ah... Intelligent football discussion. Carry on gentlemen...

[King Webbsticles]

Originally Posted by King Webbsticles

Linebacker is pretty thin, especially with proven talent.

Originally Posted by UTGhostHunter

Mitchell-Thornton, King, Crump, Sapp, the three newcomers (Bynum, King, Lewis)...nope, you're right, sixteen or more bodies simply isn't enough. We need to go five or six deep...if, as so many people on here say, youth is no longer an excuse, then Dooley had best find a two deep out of all the bodies he has at linebacker.

Quoted for reading comprehension. Unless you count the 2010 tackle production last year of those players as "proven talent"?

[theutvolunteers]

Originally Posted by King Webbsticles

Linebacker is pretty thin, especially with proven talent.

After Maggitt and Johnson, LB consists of returning from injury players (Lathers), young players (Probst and Harris) and players who didn't start at LB (Fugate, Brewer, the old DL players).

I think that qualifies as pretty thin.

Isn't Probst a JR?

[King Webbsticles]

Originally Posted by DjCrenshaw

However, Kiffy did use the roll out PA, instead of always the dive PA.. That was usefull to cromp. I'm not so sure Bray always throws well on the run.

It was very useful to Crompton. It took away half of the field that he didn't have to look at. Crompton would only have a couple of options per play, which he needed. And to be honest, Kiffin probably used the roll out because of the lack of beef on the line.


Kiffin got Jonathon Crompton drafted... in the NFL.

That still amazes me.

[DjCrenshaw]

Originally Posted by theutvolunteers

Isn't Probst a JR?

I believe he is... was in Dooley's first class IIRC?

[DjCrenshaw]

Originally Posted by King Webbsticles

It was very useful to Crompton. It took away half of the field that he didn't have to look at. Crompton would only have a couple of options per play, which he needed. And to be honest, Kiffin probably used the roll out because of the lack of beef on the line.


Kiffin got Jonathon Crompton drafted... in the NFL.

That still amazes me.

It amazes me as well. Crompton was......... (put in whatever makes you happy here).