How much does an O-line affect results?

#1
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walkenvol

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#1
Everyone is rightfully concerned about the mass turnover on the O-line. The difference made by an elite QB / RB / WR is easy for the average fan to notice. An elite D-lineman can show up big also. It got me wondering though, just how much of a difference is there between D1 college o-linemen? Obviously they are important or the staff wouldn't try so hard to recruit elite talent there, but is it easier to train a big body in your program to be a competent O-lineman vs most any other position on the field?

Everyone recalls Kiffy's year with the 265 lbs walk on twins in the lineup. Hardesy had a great season running the ball and Crompton wasn't on his back all the time. Is there really that big of a difference in an average O-line and an good O-line when it comes to wins and losses? I was trying to remember when UT had a terrible offense due to bad line play and couldn't think of one. Everyone remembers bad play from offensive skill players but not really bad O-line play preventing quality skill players from doing there thing.

This is a question, not a statement. I'm not a FB coach and may be completely wet here. :hi:
 
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#3
#3
yes.

a great anything makes the average look better.

A great offensive line makes running backs look better, qb's look better, and even wr's look better.
 
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#4
#4
Look at last year's offensive line play. Those guys had nightmares in their heads. Stability of coaching would have made that line one of the best in Tennessee. Instead they were never coached properly until their final year and it was patchwork. Bad habits were established early on under the Dooley Regime and with the Pass happy offense and in the dirt drawing plays by Bray.

The tasks and their responsibilities kept changing from OL coach to OL Coach plus the HC was all over the place. Not a lot of Keep it Simple Stupid building blocks to work with because of the coaching Changes. CBJ was stuck with a great OL but confused group of guys when he got here.
 
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#6
#6
Well, Vandy's oline was supposed to be a big strength and.....well.....
:thud: :mega_shok: :mf_surrender: :eek:lol:

Honestly, I think we will run the ball fairly well. I just hope we can keep Worley clean 3 seconds at a time to get it to our Playmakers.
 
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#8
#8
Not to over simplify, but O-Line play might be THE most important factor to results. If the o-line plays well the QB, RB's, etc have time and ability to do what they are supposed to do. If they play terrible, RB's can't run the ball, QB's have no time to throw and get sacked/intercepted/hurt or all three.

When Fulmer's teams were clicking in the 90's he was going after every big ole boy for the offensive and defensive line he could. IMO, when he stopped recruiting those guys and went after the flashy RB's, WR's he began to slide. I don't feel that you can take any average o-lineman and make them all great. There are fundamentals learned in HS that make the elite players elite. I don't think that can be taught once in college frequently enough to have sustained success.

Just my :twocents:
 
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#10
#10
you will see us getting the ball out fast. screens, slants, etc. Lots of kids who can make plays when they get the ball in their hands


this isnt as gifted a group but this group has some bite to them and theyre physical. Mahoney will atleast tell you that. I think it will be okay. Its a developmental position and 4 of 5 have been around for atleast 4 years.
 
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#11
#11
As far as negative impacts go, I'd say a lack of experience/communication is what can really blow up our offense. I'm hoping that since our guys have been in the program for a while there won't be those kind of glaring mental mistakes.

This group isn't as talented physically as last year's line but if they're able to stick to their assignments we should be OK.
 
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#13
#13
OL is vital... and difficult to assess.

It is the most difficult position to recruit because many great OL's develop once they get in college. Gilliam was a 240 lb OT coming out of HS. No one wanted him. One of Mizzou's best OL's last fall was a former walk on with a similar path. Justin Britt who was their best OL and an NFL draftee... was a 2* coming out of HS at 267 lbs.

Once you get past talent... nowhere in sports is synergy more important than OL play. It isn't just important to have quality parts... you have to have them working together well.

Lastly, you have to have what last year's group never seemed to have. A mean streak. You have to finish. You have to drive your opponent into the turf and grind him into submission.
 
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#14
#14
Anyone remember when we could barely get the ball to the QB a couple years ago? I think of the oline like the chassis and the skill players as the engine. If your frame is busted it doesn't matter how good the engine is.
 
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#15
#15
Just watch the TAMU game last night to see what a good offensive line can do. USCe never had a chance, for a lot of reasons, but not being able to pressure the QB was a huge part of their problem. If they could have gotten pressure, it's a TOTALLY different game.
 
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#16
#16
OP, congratulations on the proper use and spelling of "affect" in your title! Glad to see that diploma of yours was given based on merit.
 
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#17
#17
If the OL plays poorly it obviously affects everything. You can call plays to mask the weaknesses, but that severely limits your offense. Our interior seems to be very good with Jackson and Crowder. Robertson is a question mark, but I fear the tackle play could be bad. Blair and Thomas may not be ready to compete at the needed level so Mahoney is applying some patchwork. The lack of depth there could be a killer this year. The real test will be Oklahoma. We shall see.
 
#18
#18
DD4ME said:
Anyone remember when we could barely get the ball to the QB a couple years ago? I think of the oline like the chassis and the skill players as the engine. If your frame is busted it doesn't matter how good the engine is.
Click to expand...

Good analogy.

I think you're talking about the 08 clawfense.

Thankfully my memory of that season is fuzzy.
 
#19
#19
99gator said:
yes.

a great anything makes the average look better.

A great offensive line makes running backs look better, qb's look better, and even wr's look better.
Click to expand...

No doubt, if you have such an elite O-line that they push the entire defensive front 7 back 5 yards every play then you're going to have a very successful offense. Does that ever happens these days as I can't recall one? SEC d-lines are too good and deep for the most part to be pushed around like high schoolers.

My question is whether O-linemen are possibly an easier position to develop a quality unit vs recruiting an elite talent at DL, LB, QB, RB etc. It seems like there are so many more success stories of unknown recruits developing into stellar O-linemen than at other positions.
 
#21
#21
Sharriscgcs said:
Not to over simplify, but O-Line play might be THE most important factor to results. If the o-line plays well the QB, RB's, etc have time and ability to do what they are supposed to do. If they play terrible, RB's can't run the ball, QB's have no time to throw and get sacked/intercepted/hurt or all three.
Click to expand...

I agree that poor O-line play will doom an offense, but isn't it usually missed assignments more than getting steam rolled by the defense? My question is whether O-linemen are more developed within a system vs other players who have to be elite talents when they arrive on campus?
 
#22
#22
walkenvol said:
Can't recall who the Redskin's O-line was back then, but I do recall that there weren't many in the NFL successfully blocking LT much.
Click to expand...

Joe Jacoby was an amazing tackle back then. I forget who was the great guard on that team.
 
#23
#23
I feel our O line will be a very capable unit this year. Playing O-line for several years, one of the key components to a good O-line may sound simple but its who you block. Are you zone blocking ? are you using a number system. Some elite players get an automatic double team on passing plays or runs to their side.

You walk to the line they show a base 4-3 defense, then a second before the snap they walk an OLB on the tackles outside shoulder. Then you throw in that they have swapped that elite DL to the other side. Now you got a bunch of 300lb guys counting and making on the fly adjustments. If one person screws up then its a free ticket to the backfield.

Lastly it is coaching, its hard to admit but there were some guys I just couldn't handle on the edge 1vs1 consistently.Coach has to see who is struggling with their 1-1 match ups, He has got to help you with double teams in certain situation, chip block from TE, or even backfield protection to the problem side. I think this group will grow into a good line by the time we get to the meat of the schedule just need snaps together and good communication..... Go Vols !
 
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#24
#24
walkenvol said:
I agree that poor O-line play will doom an offense, but isn't it usually missed assignments more than getting steam rolled by the defense? My question is whether O-linemen are more developed within a system vs other players who have to be elite talents when they arrive on campus?
Click to expand...

Elite players coming out of HS are very likely to continue that way in college with good coaching. An average player coming out of HS, given the same coaching, is not certain to become an elite level talent. I think recruiting the elite level guys at every position is crucial.

Coaches should be recruiting players that they feel fit their "systems" anyway. Missed assignments are part of why o-lines get blown up, but it could also be poor footwork and technique on the part of the o-lineman too.

To further answer your question, I think its just as important to have elite talent at the line positions as much as the skill positions. If you've already got elite fundamentals and physical build out of HS the coaches can better spend practice time fine tuning the line into something special rather than taking average players and making them elite.
 
#25
#25
walkenvol said:
Everyone is rightfully concerned about the mass turnover on the O-line. The difference made by an elite QB / RB / WR is easy for the average fan to notice. An elite D-lineman can show up big also. It got me wondering though, just how much of a difference is there between D1 college o-linemen? Obviously they are important or the staff wouldn't try so hard to recruit elite talent there, but is it easier to train a big body in your program to be a competent O-lineman vs most any other position on the field?

Everyone recalls Kiffy's year with the 265 lbs walk on twins in the lineup. Hardesy had a great season running the ball and Crompton wasn't on his back all the time. Is there really that big of a difference in an average O-line and an good O-line when it comes to wins and losses? I was trying to remember when UT had a terrible offense due to bad line play and couldn't think of one. Everyone remembers bad play from offensive skill players but not really bad O-line play preventing quality skill players from doing there thing.

This is a question, not a statement. I'm not a FB coach and may be completely wet here. :hi:
Click to expand...

Everything starts at the line and finishes at the line. It's how games are won and how games are lost.
 
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