OL under Fulmer

[WA_Vol]

I remember when Fulmer took over as HC after Majors.

What ran through my mind was, well UT will have the best OL in the conference and will recruit the best players for it.

Just like Spurrier is synonymous with the QB position and Cutcliffe to a degree, I expected UT to be synonymous with OL play under Fulmer.

Fulmer has coached some all-americans of late (Sears, Munoz) but overall the OL isnt often the strength of the team.

Maybe UT hasn't had the speed of someone like Coker to make them look good, but even this year they are not dominant. The DL has had dominant years, 01 and 05 for instance where they were the strength of the team. But it simply hasnt happened with the OL under Fulmer that I remember.

Under Majors it seemed like you could play several different RB's at UT and the holes would be so large they all could run through it. Now it takes one of the fastest players in the conference to make that unit look good. Maybe its the changing speed of the game.

It seems Fulmer gets a free pass in this area. Is the OL play now different then when Fulmer coached and played it?

 

[maotai]

When fulmer became HC I remember him talking about how as an OC he was always trying to get all talent on the offensive side. Then he became HC and realized that he wanted all the talent and speed on the defensive side. That is probably the difference in PF and JM. Majors tended to recruit talent and move them to the offense. Where PF recruits mostly for speed and moves them to defense.

 

[VolunteerHillbilly]

When fulmer became HC I remember him talking about how as an OC he was always trying to get all talent on the offensive side. Then he became HC and realized that he wanted all the talent and speed on the defensive side. That is probably the difference in PF and JM. Majors tended to recruit talent and move them to the offense. Where PF recruits mostly for speed and moves them to defense.

All part of the playing not to lose strategy. Put the ball in the hands of your burners and maybe UT can win another SEC C-ship someday.

 

[mattvols]

you play with a bad, slow defense in the sec you will lose. We had good lines before Jimmy Ray Stephens took over. He brought in a new philosophe which was to do zone blocking with slower but huge power guys aka Albert Toeania at 6'6 375. That philosohpe failed and none of these guys were performing. Before Stephens was here though we had series of really good lineman. We are back to running power sets under Cutcliff and they've said they've thought Atkins has done a good job so hopefully we'll be back to gettin some guys in the NFL. Sanders and Stephens are responsible for our poor lineplay over the last few years. Those fat guys just dont have the speed for NFL play.

 

[GAVol]

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A perfect assessment IMO.

 

[rockydoc]

you play with a bad, slow defense in the sec you will lose. We had good lines before Jimmy Ray Stephens took over. He brought in a new philosophe which was to do zone blocking with slower but huge power guys aka Albert Toeania at 6'6 375. That philosohpe failed and none of these guys were performing. Before Stephens was here though we had series of really good lineman. We are back to running power sets under Cutcliff and they've said they've thought Atkins has done a good job so hopefully we'll be back to gettin some guys in the NFL. Sanders and Stephens are responsible for our poor lineplay over the last few years. Those fat guys just dont have the speed for NFL play.

(") ditto

 

[VOL95]

you play with a bad, slow defense in the sec you will lose. We had good lines before Jimmy Ray Stephens took over. He brought in a new philosophe which was to do zone blocking with slower but huge power guys aka Albert Toeania at 6'6 375. That philosohpe failed and none of these guys were performing. Before Stephens was here though we had series of really good lineman. We are back to running power sets under Cutcliff and they've said they've thought Atkins has done a good job so hopefully we'll be back to gettin some guys in the NFL. Sanders and Stephens are responsible for our poor lineplay over the last few years. Those fat guys just dont have the speed for NFL play.

BINGO:thumbsup:

 

[Ohio Vol]

Mattvols has a good assessment of the picture.

What adds to the problems of next year (and they will be there, trust me) is that the guys who were recruited when Stephens was there are accustomed to zone blocking; that is, they're big and slow and block in a completely different manner than in a man-blocking scheme.

But what compounds that is when you have a running back who is too impatient to wait for blocks to develop. If a guard is trying to pull and, say, kick out a DE and the running back keeps stretching it outside because he's not patient, it destroys the play in the backfield and makes it look like the lineman is too slow or uninspired to block. What makes Ladainian Tomlinson great is because he has the acceleration but also the patience; what has made Oklahoma's running game better in the absence of Adrian Peterson is that patience.

When guys who are ideal for the blocking scheme are the ones who are getting all the playing time and the running backs who will let things develop are the ones in the backfield, you'll see a return to 200+ yards per game rushing. Until then, it's going to be more pining for days gone by.

 

[OrangeU]

I don't think Fulmer's philosophy has changed much, but matt is very right. I think everyone and their grandmother went to that "zone blocking" scheme a few years ago after going to Broncos and Colts camps. Fulmer still loves to talk about the guys who can 'get downfield on those screens and roll a guy down' but his best offensive lines by far were during the Mike Barry era. Whatever happened to him anyway? Why did he leave?

 

[corona1898]

I remember when Fulmer took over as HC after Majors.

What ran through my mind was, well UT will have the best OL in the conference and will recruit the best players for it.

Just like Spurrier is synonymous with the QB position and Cutcliffe to a degree, I expected UT to be synonymous with OL play under Fulmer.

Fulmer has coached some all-americans of late (Sears, Munoz) but overall the OL isnt often the strength of the team.

Maybe UT hasn't had the speed of someone like Coker to make them look good, but even this year they are not dominant. The DL has had dominant years, 01 and 05 for instance where they were the strength of the team. But it simply hasnt happened with the OL under Fulmer that I remember.

Under Majors it seemed like you could play several different RB's at UT and the holes would be so large they all could run through it. Now it takes one of the fastest players in the conference to make that unit look good. Maybe its the changing speed of the game.

It seems Fulmer gets a free pass in this area. Is the OL play now different then when Fulmer coached and played it?[/QUOTE

O line has been slipping. I never was a fan of Munoz. Got tired of them showing his dad in the stands on TV.(kinda of like a certain player on the team now) very overrated and the draft showed it. Can't always recruit big. Big doesn't always mean good. Look at the blob!!!!! I think Stephens has had a lot to do with performance or lack there of.

 

[corona1898]

pardon me.......I meant Adkins. I have always heard from the UGA fans in the area that Adkins is a great recruiter but from an Oline perspective, they are glad he is gone.