'20 GA OL Tate Ratledge (UGA commit)

#777
#777
Bassmaster_Vol said:
If we don't see improvement this year than yeah, he's bad.
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Eh what do you mean by improvement? I do agree with you a little Bass. The OL has to be better with the simple mechanics of blocking. If they dont improve on those things, then you are right. But, I believe next year will really tell the tale about him.
 
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#778
#778
TDawg said:
This couldn't be further from the truth since Friend left with Bobo to go to CSU. Now, bringing in Schottenheimer along with Rob Sale to coach the OL, THAT probably got Richt fired. We generally liked Will Friend as a coach and almost as much as a recruiter.
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It's the "almost" that gives me some pause. Not enough to worry or anything, we have Nieds to help out.
But we are obviously going to be in on many of the same kids. And recruits give a lot of praise to Pittman. GA already has the instate advantage, I just prefer to have a "leg up" everywhere else possible.
That said, I'm rolling with Friend until given a reason not to.
 
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#779
#779
BigOrangeTrain said:
Eh what do you mean by improvement? I do agree with you a little Bass. The OL has to be better with the simple mechanics of blocking. If they dont improve on those things, then you are right. But, I believe next year will really tell the tale about him.
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I'm not saying they have to be elite. But last year was the worst offensive line I have ever seen. I'm not the only one who has said that. The guy who called our spring game was a former OL and he went on the Swain show and said the same thing. Not only did guys get dominated up front failing to make a push, but they completely whiffed on assignments all season long leading to JG taking direct hits over and over again.

I'm not saying they have to be elite this year. But if they aren't better than last year, then we have a real problem. And it has to be coaching being this is the second year here.
 
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#780
#780
chargervol said:
It's the "almost" that gives me some pause. Not enough to worry or anything, we have Nieds to help out.
But we are obviously going to be in on many of the same kids. And recruits give a lot of praise to Pittman. GA already has the instate advantage, I just prefer to have a "leg up" everywhere else possible.
That said, I'm rolling with Friend until given a reason not to.
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Like I said, I liked Friend when he was at UGA (although he went with a "cross training" method in developing the OL in getting guards in tackle spots and vice versa and it seemed like some of the players went backwards). Friend has a very sharp offensive mind as well which is why Bobo tabbed him to be his OC at CSU initially. But we have never had the level of OL recruiting that we are seeing now with Pittman which is a step up from having Rob Sale who just had no clue .. he was a huge downgrade from Friend. As far as Wright goes, we would have loved to have him but he was a Vol lock if there ever was one and with Morris, any kid associated with Kenyatta Watson won't be at UGA as we saw with Pappoe as well even though most of our fans liked him (maybe to play the Star position).
 
#781
#781
TDawg said:
Like I said, I liked Friend when he was at UGA (although he went with a "cross training" method in developing the OL in getting guards in tackle spots and vice versa and it seemed like some of the players went backwards). Friend has a very sharp offensive mind as well which is why Bobo tabbed him to be his OC at CSU initially. But we have never had the level of OL recruiting that we are seeing now with Pittman which is a step up from having Rob Sale who just had no clue .. he was a huge downgrade from Friend. As far as Wright goes, we would have loved to have him but he was a Vol lock if there ever was one and with Morris, any kid associated with Kenyatta Watson won't be at UGA as we saw with Pappoe as well even though most of our fans liked him (maybe to play the Star position).
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#785
#785
TDawg said:
Like I said, I liked Friend when he was at UGA (although he went with a "cross training" method in developing the OL in getting guards in tackle spots and vice versa and it seemed like some of the players went backwards). Friend has a very sharp offensive mind as well which is why Bobo tabbed him to be his OC at CSU initially. But we have never had the level of OL recruiting that we are seeing now with Pittman which is a step up from having Rob Sale who just had no clue .. he was a huge downgrade from Friend. As far as Wright goes, we would have loved to have him but he was a Vol lock if there ever was one and with Morris, any kid associated with Kenyatta Watson won't be at UGA as we saw with Pappoe as well even though most of our fans liked him (maybe to play the Star position).
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We're doing the cross training as well but have to. No depth means we need our few legit players on the field.
I do hope that once we have some depth, guys can focus on their specialities instead. That's always been my preference but we haven't been able in a few years.
 
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#786
#786
coskramer said:
The biggest hurdle is Georgia will probably lose both starting tackles. TN will be starting 2 freshman. That will be the biggest challenge IMO.
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They’ve been signing 4 and 5 star OT’s the last 3 seasons. Multiples just two seasons ago. Pittman is pretending UGA had a zero OL class like his only one at UT.
 
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#787
#787
butchna said:
They’ve been signing 4 and 5 star OT’s the last 3 seasons. Multiples just two seasons ago. Pittman is pretending UGA had a zero OL class like his only one at UT.
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would be a great sales job if that's what gets him to GA.

dare i say he'd be in the two deep day one at TN?
 
#790
#790
Bassmaster_Vol said:
I'm not saying they have to be elite. But last year was the worst offensive line I have ever seen. I'm not the only one who has said that. The guy who called our spring game was a former OL and he went on the Swain show and said the same thing. Not only did guys get dominated up front failing to make a push, but they completely whiffed on assignments all season long leading to JG taking direct hits over and over again.

I'm not saying they have to be elite this year. But if they aren't better than last year, then we have a real problem. And it has to be coaching being this is the second year here.
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agree. they just can't suck out loud. be average and that's probably a game or two right there.
 
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#792
#792
chargervol said:
We're doing the cross training as well but have to. No depth means we need our few legit players on the field.
I do hope that once we have some depth, guys can focus on their specialities instead. That's always been my preference but we haven't been able in a few years.
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One thing I always liked with Friend was his ability to build a cohesive line. He and Richt occasionally brought in a few top OL guys but never brought in a top overall OL class and yet he was still able to make something out of it that worked and kept guys like Murray upright and provided some places for the backs to run.
 
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#794
#794
TDawg said:
One thing I always liked with Friend was his ability to build a cohesive line. He and Richt occasionally brought in a few top OL guys but never brought in a top overall OL class and yet he was still able to make something out of it that worked and kept guys like Murray upright and provided some places for the backs to run.
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If he pulls that off this fall Vols will be pretty decent.
 
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#795
#795
Technically you’re only so good as an OL coach. The difference maker is recruiting. We had Harry Heistand who SOME think’s ok. Notre Dame, the Chicago Bears if you’re into name dropping. Couldn’t coach up a depleted bunch in Knoxville and jumped on the first train headed to South Bend. Pittman has never coached OVER his talent level available...no OL coach does. His first squad he took over from Stacy Searles necessitated a grad transfer LT from Rhode Island. They couldn’t convert a 4th and 1 against Vanderbilt. Two straight classes loaded with 5 star OL and they got better with schematics. 🤔
 
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#796
#796
TDawg said:
One thing I always liked with Friend was his ability to build a cohesive line. He and Richt occasionally brought in a few top OL guys but never brought in a top overall OL class and yet he was still able to make something out of it that worked and kept guys like Murray upright and provided some places for the backs to run.
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i think we'd all settle for that right now and not even blink. @chargervol is correct, we've had to cross train for what seems like forever, because of the depth issues....seems like every quality OL we've had in the last 4 years has had to start/play as a tr freshman, and several never made it to be productive veterans like Jack Jones, Boulware, Hall, and now maybe Smith as well.

i think we're going to have 10 guys that can play this season. but we're gonna be young and thin at Tackle. i think we're probably "ok" on the interior #'s wise.

they just can't suck. if they just won't suck and be "the reason" we lose. just be average.........and i think we can win 7 or 8 games.
 
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#797
#797
Bassmaster_Vol said:
I'm not saying they have to be elite. But last year was the worst offensive line I have ever seen. I'm not the only one who has said that. The guy who called our spring game was a former OL and he went on the Swain show and said the same thing. Not only did guys get dominated up front failing to make a push, but they completely whiffed on assignments all season long leading to JG taking direct hits over and over again.

I'm not saying they have to be elite this year. But if they aren't better than last year, then we have a real problem. And it has to be coaching being this is the second year here.
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The previous year was worse. And that’s what Friend inherited...minus a healthy Trey Smith.
 
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#798
#798
butchna said:
Technically you’re only so good as an OL coach. The difference maker is recruiting. We had Harry Heistand who SOME think’s ok. Notre Dame, the Chicago Bears if you’re into name dropping. Couldn’t coach up a depleted bunch in Knoxville and jumped on the first train headed to South Bend. Pittman has never coached OVER his talent level available...no OL coach does. His first squad he took over from Stacy Searles necessitated a grad transfer LT from Rhode Island. They couldn’t convert a 4th and 1 against Vanderbilt. Two straight classes loaded with 5 star OL and they got better with schematics. 🤔
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I am assuming you are talking about the grad transfer being Tyler Catalina but he didn't take over from Searles, he took over from Rob Sale. That group had to have a complete change in philosophy and they had little talent. Plus, that 4th and 1 was a jet sweep to little Isaiah McKenzie despite having Chubb and Michel healthy (thank you Jim Chaney .. worst play call that year) so yes, a rebuild was in order in talent, coaching and style of blocking.
 
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