Let's talk about the OL for a minute, shall we?

[beneVOLence]

I'm all for having an OL!!

 

[BLUTickbusdriver]

That's putting a lot of faith in the prospect that two true freshmen lineman are going to come in and shore up the mess of an oline that we currently have. It's possible I guess.

Along with true freshmen, we need to hit the JUCO and Grad transfers HARD! We need better players immediately...I think that with Fulmer behind the scenes helping, I believe we will see this scenario come to fruition this off season.

 

[BigOrangeTrain]

Strength and conditioning times 100! Our guys are soft and weak. After an off season with this S&C program they should all improve. Let's hope we land Morris and Wright and they come in ready to play. We need more team speed too. Even Mizzou looked faster than us. Our DB's looked lost but se earl are freshmen.

Bituminous not return for Sr. Season?? Where would he go? He's no where close to being an NFL player yet.

This post right here should get 1000 likes. You talk about the DBs being Fr, but the sad part is, those FR are leagues better than the upperclassmen DBs. That says a lot.

 

[Dougie_D]

I've never coached football but I would ASSUME that the OL coach and OC coach need to be on the same page. Friend was an OC/OL coach while at Colorado State and way better buddies with Pruitt than Helton. My guess is that Pruitt wanted Friend to be OC/OL but with his history with GA and the way SEC Teams are, he was like "get someone else and I'll help out with what I can"... for job security purposes.
My guess is that Helton is fired or pushed out and Friend and Pruitt find a guy that knows the way Friend coaches.

 

[gasguy98]

The offensive line is definitely "offensive" to Volnation. I think if we had a serviceable line we would have at least one more win this season (South Carolina) and maybe more. The lack of anything resembling a running game has doomed us while defenses being able to tee off on poor JG is flat out dangerous.

 

[gasguy98]

I just don't get it.. we recruit higher ranked o linemen every year than these other teams we are struggling against. Why are ours so bad every single year? Why was mizzou's oline handling our dline full of 4 and 5 stars? It never freaking fails. How did charlotte have a chance?? I just don't understand how we could miss on so many prospects living up to their billing over and over..

I have wondered the same thing. Many of these linemen were rather highly regarded by the recruiting services. I guess they have certain skill sets that simply are not worth anything in the SEC? Your example of Mizzou is spot on. They NEVER recruit anywhere as well as we do, at lease according to the recruiting experts but her we are with another old fashioned butt kicking at their hands. It really is a mystery to me.

 

[Volfan2012]

It doesn't take a minute to state the OL sucks is close or probably is the worst in the SEC. We also have some huge problems with backs and TE picking up the blitz. We have to see a huge improvement in blocking and defensive pressure it this team is going to do anything next season. If coaches can't get these two areas fixed another 5 or 6 win season.

 

[Cartervol]

I think we're badly undersized up front. The coaching hasn't been impressive either. It's been a mixed bag. They have played decent at times, just not often enough.

 

[Volhoops]

Will Friend could not coach up a great line at Georgia when he was surrounded by talent why does everyone think he will do it here ?

 

[jpope9]

It is offensive, that's for sure.

 

[ftsandersvol]

Our starting O-Line would be Bama’s 3rd string right now.

We are very outclassed in the trenches, it’s too obvious.

You're being generous. Trey is the only one who could make the Bama team.

 

[VolFan..But]

I just don't get it.. we recruit higher ranked o linemen every year than these other teams we are struggling against. Why are ours so bad every single year? Why was mizzou's oline handling our dline full of 4 and 5 stars? It never freaking fails. How did charlotte have a chance?? I just don't understand how we could miss on so many prospects living up to their billing over and over..

Charlotte will have more lineman drafted then Tennessee

 

[VolFan..But]

The key is not recruit, recruit, recruit. The key is coaching. Our talent level is just as high or higher than Mo., S.C., Ky. Recruiting is an excuse. We have enough talent to stay with or beat the mid level teams. Recruiting is important to contend against the upper echelon, not mid level. If the OL technique and "IQ" doesn't improve, even the better recruits will not hold up to Fla., Ga., and Ala. Doesn't matter how many Morris' or Wright's you have.

All of those schools have more draftable players then Tennessee. Charlotte does as well. Looks like another know nothing fan reading what grades a bunch of Brent Hubbs types puts on a kid. They do not know. Stop wasting your time reading that stuff.

 

[OakdaleVol]

The line issues on running plays are simply them being too light in the rear and poor technique/ footwork. Pass blocking and not knowing who to block are IQ issues meaning its not a physical nor is it a talent thing when u don't know who to block. Now, IMO never ever should the rb be required to pick-up a guy blitzing the gaps between the tackles unless its play-action because they simply dont have the size to do so. It seems like our OL fails on 1 basic principal 1st and foremost.......protect the inside gap!

This stuff we're seeing falls completely on Friend.

every team in the country runs protections that backs pick up blitzing linebacker. look up half slide protection or big on big protection. I cant think of a team that runs full slide protection where rb is responsible for end as a base 5 step protection.

 

[MWAVolfan]

My son went through the program, player by player, and sure enough, our offense is intact for next year, except those that are NFL bound. Early exits could be Callaway and Jennings on offense and maybe Bituli on defense? Those are could really hurt.

I hope we wont be returning all those guys. Hopefully Pruitt can recruite better OL players and yank some schollys back from these duds and give them to better players.

 

[MAUSERWERKE]

Ever since this thread started, I've been thinking about the OL and their troubles. I agree that we need SEC caliber recruits, a bunch. And the S&C needs to have a significant impact in both strength and size. Each and every returning OL needs to have significant gains in every aspect. Also including the new class coming in.

The coaching is another issue. Coach Friend has had success at several coaching stops. UGA being one of those. At first look, he would appear to be the one to fix the problems. I'm just not convinced. Why have we had so many breakdowns and missed assignments? Why is it that DL have gotten to our QBs and RBs untouched? Why haven't they improved over the course of the season? Something is just not right. Even 2* recruits at smaller schools improve and become effective players. They learn and grow. CJP will have some interesting offseason issues to address. I assume he already knows. We'll see.

Good thread with lots of good comments and thoughts.

Agree with your comments. It is a mystery to me what the O-line does in practice every day. As you note, Friend has been successful everywhere he has been, and I find it hard to believe he forgot how to coach when he came to UT. Perhaps our offensive lineman are just uncoachable? Or, don't have the capacity to learn and improve? It seems like they should at least get somewhat better just by accident. Very strange.

 

[orangemadam]

All of those schools have more draftable players then Tennessee. Charlotte does as well. Looks like another know nothing fan reading what grades a bunch of Brent Hubbs types puts on a kid. They do not know. Stop wasting your time reading that stuff.

They have more draftable players because the coaches know how to coach them. Not because of talent alone. I take no offense, sonny. I have probably forgotten more about football than you ever knew from the wording of some of your posts. Hehehehehe!

 

[lexkyvol]

every team in the country runs protections that backs pick up blitzing linebacker. look up half slide protection or big on big protection. I cant think of a team that runs full slide protection where rb is responsible for end as a base 5 step protection.

several teams do due to the size and athleticism of the edge blitzer vs the inside blitzer. what u look up is just a general guide, but in most u see are participate in.....the back picks up the edge defender. a great majority of lineman are taught to protect inside gap 1st

not saying others dont scheme different....but most ive seen have the back blocking the edge guy. it also sets up the rb screen

 

[Backwards K]

During their expansion years, Tampa Bay coach John McKay was asked about his offensive's execution, to which he replied, "I am all for it."

That pretty much sums up my feelings about this offensive line. Most of these guys will never get any better than they are now. If they have been in the program 3 years and they are not any stronger than they are now, they obviously don't have the work ethic or heart to get stronger. If they haven't figured out the proper techniques of blocking, they either don't care enough to do it or they aren't physically able to do it. This part of the program won't reach an SEC level until these guys are no longer on the field. RECRUIT SOME OFFENSIVE LINEMEN WHO WANT TO BE DOMINANT AND ARE WILLING TO PUT IN THE WORK.

 

[Remy]

We'll need 3 recruiting classes before the line is 'fixed'. You can't just plug a highly rated recruit or two into the line and have it work.

Actually you can. UF, UGA, and Bama make it work like that all the time. All routinely start true freshmen on their OL, Bama stated one as LT just a few short years ago. Last year UGA's starting right OL consisted of one true freshman and one redshirt freshman. Tired of hearing frosh on the OL don't do well in the SEC when they whoop the dog crap out of our older 5 star DLs and put up Ws against us.

 

[BeardedVol]

Actually you can. UF, UGA, and Bama make it work like that all the time. All routinely start true freshmen on their OL, Bama stated one as LT just a few short years ago. Last year UGA's starting right OL consisted of one true freshman and one redshirt freshman. Tired of hearing frosh on the OL don't do well in the SEC when they whoop the dog crap out of our older 5 star DLs and put up Ws against us.

Because that's the situation we are in, we have an already stellar line, and are having to replace one player with a 5* freshman? You think plopping Morris into this line next year will suddenly make it SEC-caliber?

 

[dan4vols]

A few that post here seem to claim insider status. I’d be very intrigued to hear the answers from players mouths to the question “Why, when recruiting says we have talent, is this team not winning games? I’d love to hear what a dozen or so players from all positions would say.

 

[OakdaleVol]

several teams do due to the size and athleticism of the edge blitzer vs the inside blitzer. what u look up is just a general guide, but in most u see are participate in.....the back picks up the edge defender. a great majority of lineman are taught to protect inside gap 1st

not saying others dont scheme different....but most ive seen have the back blocking the edge guy. it also sets up the rb screen

yes in full slide protection that some teams run in 3 step protection. please give me the teams that run slide protection as their base 5 step protection.

 

[thegasman54]

Have you actually been to a game ? Without Trey and Kennedy we are very very small up front. Richmond may be the only one that is legit 300 LBs. Jahmir Johnson is not close to 285 and neither is Neuhaus

 

[GVol1966]

Kennedy and by mid season, two frosh will be starting. Quite frankly, I thought JJ was a senior. Wow to have him back will be huge. I don't think Calloway or JJ bolt this year. Could be wrong, but they could legitimately go from a 5-7 round pick to 2nd round pick...again, if OL is improved.

If they are a 5-7 round pick this year, they gone!