SEC Country ranks Vols OL worst in SEC

#26
#26
Most of the problems on Oline have been a direct product of injury. It has not really been a talent thing for the most part just guys having to get out there before it was time and O-line is the one place that's rarely gonna turn out good.

The offensive line is the one place on a football team where experience and chemistry trump talent in most cases. When Mahoney had healthy bodies his guys produced. Even in the past 2 years given the sheer amount of injuries they have suffered and the issues we had from a couple big names being busts and the dearth at tackle caused by the class of 2012 they did OK.

Worst in the SEC is not good but it has to be put in perspective. The worst O-line in the beat league is still nowhere near the worst period. I honestly think the biggest problem on the O-line came from S&C and that terrible field probably hasn't helped either
 
#28
#28
Remy said:
How quickly they forget. Team 119 was not bad on the OL. We actually became very productive and Kendrick out performed as LT for the season. Our OL gave the NC Bama D all it wanted that day, anybody recall going into the 4th quarter at Tuscaloosa with a lead as an example? IMO that for me is why team 120 and last season was soooooooooo disappointing in that our OL was soft and performed poorly throughout the season, a very serious regression. THAT needs fixing for 121 IMO.
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You can count the number of good games our OL has played since Jones and Mahoney have been there on one hand. Team 119's loss to Bama was one of those games. OL play is the only thing that has been worse than our corners over the last four years. A major overhaul is needed or it'll just be more of the same; sitting around at the end of the season talking about what could have been.
 
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#30
#30
To be the the absolute worst OL over the last two years and we won 18 games in the SEC wow I guess Butch must be doing better than most of you thought. And before you say Josh Dobbs and Karmara was the difference; first every team that wins can say the same thing Clemson with Watson even Alabama this year. So what gives then if Butch is bad and OL is bad how did we win all these games?
 
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#31
#31
Regardless of who it is. The scheme won't change. And as it was explained to me by a VFL/NFL center. That's where the problems arise.
 
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#32
#32
I've been saying we had the worst line in the SEC. One of the worst in the country honestly. This is what made what Dobbs was able to do even more impressive. There are many here that will never appreciate what that young man was for this university.
 
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#33
#33
Coleman Thomas was named to the Rimington Trophy watch list prior to last season. You're going to tell me that one of the "strengths" of our line having serious ankle injuries didn't hurt our line? His injuries compounded the problems since it started a never-ending shuffle throughout the season. Enter Jack Jones injury, Robertson's injury, Wiseman getting a concussion at AM, Kendrick getting injured in the Bama game, Chance Hall coping with recovery from surgery throughout the season...pretty sure that's every starter from last season.

In addition to dealing with injuries to every starter on the line, Richmond was getting his first experience playing in an actual football game at LT, one of the hardest positions to play especially in the SEC (not to mention the kid played RT in high school). We never even had Austin Sanders this season due to injury. Hell we were forced to play a true freshman against Da'shawn Hand and Johnathan Allen.

Looking at next year, I absolutely think we'll be light years better at O line.

LT: Richmond, Smith
LG: Roberston, Boulware
C: Thomas, Johnson
RG: Jones, Sanders
RT: Kendrick, Hall

If nothing else I think it'll be some combination of that rotation. Who knows where Marcus Tatum, Nathan Niehaus and Locklear end up. Richmond should be much more comfortable at LT, and Smith will be there pushing him. I would love to see Kendrick and Hall duke it out for that RT spot. I think G, on either side, is the most settled at this point. Boulware was a bright spot this past season.

*Seems like I remember there was some talk about those close to the program that there were concerns about the O-line not quite being there in regards to strength. Rock can solve that problem.
 
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#34
#34
RPAV said:
To be the the absolute worst OL over the last two years and we won 18 games in the SEC wow I guess Butch must be doing better than most of you thought. And before you say Josh Dobbs and Karmara was the difference; first every team that wins can say the same thing Clemson with Watson even Alabama this year. So what gives then if Butch is bad and OL is bad how did we win all these games?
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Not sure what your going for here man, we lost to Vandy and SC when big rewards were on the line? Moreover, some of us on here didn't need an article to tell us our OL sucked. I've bashed Mahoney over the last two years as bad as anyone on this board. The guy can't coach. He wouldn't have a job if he weren't buddies with Butch.

I got slammed by posters on here not 3 months ago when I said our OL recruiting is not good and the coaching is even worse. Our OL issues are real, and they were highly masked by great playmakers in Kamara and Dobbs. That's just facts.

I want my Vols to win as bad as you guys, but the OL recruiting and development has not been good under Butch. I think there's many factors to why that is, but at the end of the day, it comes down to recruiting top players and then having a developmental plan for each individual guy.

I look at UGA's 1st recruiting class under Kirby and see a orginization focused on winning the line of scrimmage. They took 6 OL in his first class, and at least three are big time OT prospects. They have 5 4 star or better players, and they have at least 3 OT over 6'5" and 290. They aren't taking OT prospects like we do who weigh 265 coming in. They get dudes who are 300+ coming in. That makes a huge difference when building depth quickly. That's the level of recruiting it takes to win in the SEC. Currently, for every Smith or Richmond we get, we are taking two other 2-3 year projects.
 
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#35
#35
I think Mahoney is a bit overpaid. I feel confident, given the chance, I could have coached this group to the bottom of the SEC
 
#37
#37
You guys are unreal and I think you just do it for my responces at this point.

1: We had 0-goose egg-nada O linemen when Butch took over, and we were not able to focus on it because of so many other areas of need. Butch is only now in a position to focus on the oline, and watch what happens next recruiting cycle. We will stock up on o linemen just watch.

2: The Oline Butch has been able to put together ALWAYS GOES DOWN like a week before the season starts. Half of them are freshmen, and it's a pieced together mismatched mess for the rest of the season with inexperienced kids out of position.... you know this, you should know this, you guys are the experts right?

3: We have a line this year for the first time since Butch has been here. These guys have experience playing together and they have all played just about every position so... they should be ready for a better year, and they better because we absolutely are a completely different team this year. The scheme is a pro set offense because we don't have a running back at QB this year.
 
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#38
#38
Whoa whoa whoa..........how do you have one of the highest scoring offenses in recent memory and have the worst Oline in the league? Dobbs threw for around 3K yards and our running game, outside of the quitter in chief, was pretty dang good. You can't do that with a line ranked worst in the league so I'm going to break rank with most of you and say I don't think they are the worst in the league. Maybe not top half but certainly not the worst.
 
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#40
#40
fade route said:
Whoa whoa whoa..........how do you have one of the highest scoring offenses in recent memory and have the worst Oline in the league? Dobbs threw for around 3K yards and our running game, outside of the quitter in chief, was pretty dang good. You can't do that with a line ranked worst in the league so I'm going to break rank with most of you and say I don't think they are the worst in the league. Maybe not top half but certainly not the worst.
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Holy Crap! A positive post from fade! Some one go quick, and check on him. Either he hit his head getting out of bed or he's been tied up and had his keyboard stolen!! lol, I kid, I kid. :) Good post and I agree.
 
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#41
#41
The two weakest area's last year were db's and o-line. One hopefully has been fixed and Butch needs to fix the other or we'll be in another disappointing season.
 
#42
#42
VolsnRavens said:
Holy Crap! A positive post from fade! Some one go quick, and check on him. Either he hit his head getting out of bed or he's been tied up and had his keyboard stolen!! lol, I kid, I kid. :) Good post and I agree.
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Ha ha touché. The writer focused on technique and a handful of plays to say they are the worst, and completely ignored the offensive production. If he thinks Dobbs created all that offense behind the worst line in the league, then he should have been publicly campaigning Dobbs for Heisman.
 
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#43
#43
IluvdoubleD's said:
You guys are unreal and I think you just do it for my responces at this point.

1: We had 0-goose egg-nada O linemen when Butch took over, and we were not able to focus on it because of so many other areas of need. Butch is only now in a position to focus on the oline, and watch what happens next recruiting cycle. We will stock up on o linemen just watch.

2: The Oline Butch has been able to put together ALWAYS GOES DOWN like a week before the season starts. Half of them are freshmen, and it's a pieced together mismatched mess for the rest of the season with inexperienced kids out of position.... you know this, you should know this, you guys are the experts right?

3: We have a line this year for the first time since Butch has been here. These guys have experience playing together and they have all played just about every position so... they should be ready for a better year, and they better because we absolutely are a completely different team this year. The scheme is a pro set offense because we don't have a running back at QB this year.
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This didn't start with Butch in 2013. Remember how painful 2009 was?

http://www.volnation.com/forum/tennessee-vols-football/86066-sullins-twins-worst-ol-sec.html
 
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#44
#44
HuntlandVolinColo said:
Richmond did improve towards the end of the season, but the injuries to Chance Hall, Dylan Weisman and Jack Jones were devastating.

Also, it seemed like Robertson was banged up most of the last two seasons.

S&C Rock!
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I've never seen the amount of injuries on Oline as I have with these last two years. Kendrick was hurt much of the year and is out this spring with overdue surgery. Thomas had issues to both ankles, that limited him in the 1st half of season. Of course, it was a mistake by Butch to start him despite commenting to the media about the extent of his ankle issues. Weisman was much better, until, of course, he was hurt.

Not sure if Boulware was hurt, but he played well when given opportunity.

In Butch's first year, the Oline played intact the entire year. So much, it allowed them to redshirt Marcus Jackson, who, ironically, was lost to injury the following year.

Remember the criticism of Dooleys S&C? Yet, it was the remnants of Dooleys recruiting that provided Butch his best and most durable Oline, which he managed to accomplish little with. Most of those guys played and are still playing in the league. Since then it's been a comedy of errors and injury, and not one Olinemen drafted.
 
#45
#45
fade route said:
Whoa whoa whoa..........how do you have one of the highest scoring offenses in recent memory and have the worst Oline in the league? Dobbs threw for around 3K yards and our running game, outside of the quitter in chief, was pretty dang good. You can't do that with a line ranked worst in the league so I'm going to break rank with most of you and say I don't think they are the worst in the league. Maybe not top half but certainly not the worst.
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Fade- spot on...

I am pretty sure the columnist only watched the App State game, and then made this list... At times the line was pretty darn good this year. I certainly expect it to be a top 5 SEC unit for next year.
 
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#47
#47
81Orange said:
I feel Bama overlooked us for 119. They eventually woke up. Our line was inconsistent in that year and had both good and bad play. It seems to me we have had a decline in line play since the Dooley crew left. We should have kept Pittman. It really hurt us that Dooley didn't recruit OL that one year. We had to restock before we could see the coaching problems.
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As a reminder, we were not being overlooked by Bama in that game, far from it. We had two freshman OLs on the right side who crushed the Bama D on that side all day. Again all the more disappointing to see how soft we were on the OL all year in 2016.
 
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#49
#49
fade route said:
Whoa whoa whoa..........how do you have one of the highest scoring offenses in recent memory and have the worst Oline in the league? Dobbs threw for around 3K yards and our running game, outside of the quitter in chief, was pretty dang good. You can't do that with a line ranked worst in the league so I'm going to break rank with most of you and say I don't think they are the worst in the league. Maybe not top half but certainly not the worst.
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Peyton in his prime and Tom Brady couldn't throw for 3K if the o-line is as bad as some are saying in 2016. Pure hyperbole to get clicks and rile up the fan base. I'm not saying they were world beaters, but last in the conference? Come on guys. I've seen some pretty bad O-lines here at UT. 2005 comes to mind where our qbs were running for their lives the whole season. I'll give Dobbs huge props for making great plays this year, but if the line is that bad, he has no lanes to scramble and run through. In fact, I say if the o-line is last in the league, we would have been seeing a lot of Dormady and JG, not because of runaway wins but because Dobbs is out for the season with multiple rib, shoulder, and concussion injuries. Guess what folks! The internet media does lie quite a bit. They have a job and clicks keeps their jobs. :popcorn:
 
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#50
#50
fade route said:
Whoa whoa whoa..........how do you have one of the highest scoring offenses in recent memory and have the worst Oline in the league? Dobbs threw for around 3K yards and our running game, outside of the quitter in chief, was pretty dang good. You can't do that with a line ranked worst in the league so I'm going to break rank with most of you and say I don't think they are the worst in the league. Maybe not top half but certainly not the worst.
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Yeah I wouldn't stick them at the end either. There were games last year where they played solid, and it looked like an offensive line instead of five random big dudes in orange. There's definitely talent there, but without proper coaching, those guys are never going to realize their potential.

The biggest problem with Mahoney-coached lines at UT is that the only real consistency that we had was that there was almost always at least one lineman on every play, confusedly looking for a defender to block and not finding one.
 
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