DiderotsGhost
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Time for my second post on the O-line and probably the 8,217th post on the issue in this forum.
We have the worst offensive line in the SEC this year, and its not even close. While I wont say that our O-line issues were inevitable, they were at least probable before the season even started. Thats primarily because we lack experience and depth and all it took was one injury to derail the whole unit. Unfortunately, that injury happened during the first game, and at the worst possible position (i.e. Left Tackle). Im not going to make the case that well have a top O-line in 2015, but I will make the case that the odds of being average are much higher. To understand why, lets compare the 2014 roster with the potential 2015 roster.
The first thing to note is that most top-tier SEC programs have at least 15 scholarship O-Linemen. Whereas, we only have 14 OLs on the entire roster! The numbers get worse once you dig deeper. Presumably, Butch Jones made a decision to redshirt two Freshmen who werent ready: Benson Napier and Ray Raulerson. Subtract two more who are walk-ons and who arent likely to be contributors: Marquis Pair and Thomas Edwards. After those subtractions, were down to 10 serviceable OLs.
Finally, once Jacob Gilliam beat out Dontavius Blair for the starting LT position, I think Butch Jones made an executive decision to redshirt Blair. This might seem like an ill-advised decision on the face of it given our lack of depth, but consider the other side: we also lack depth at LT in 2015 and probably in 2016. Therefore, Butch might have reasoned if Blair was still a year away from starting, he might as well save him for 2015 and 2016, when we have a better chance at competing. However, this left us with 9 serviceable offensive linemen on the entire roster in 2014.
Here was our starting line at the beginning of the season:
LT: Jacob Gilliam (R-Sr)
LG: Marcus Jackson (R-Jr)
C: Mack Crowder (R-Jr)
RG: Jashon Robertson (Fr)
RT: Kyler Kerbyson (R-Jr)
Here are our four serviceable backups:
Coleman Thomas (Fr)
Brett Kendrick (R-Fr)
Dylan Weisman (So)
Austin Sanders (R-Fr)
Of the 9 serviceable OLs on the roster in 2014, 2 were true freshman (one was shifted to the OL not long before the season started), and another 3 were second-year players with no experience. While our guys are getting blamed a lot for the struggles, a lot of the issues have to do with lack of depth, forcing guys to play out of position, or without enough experience. Once Gilliam got injured, there was basically no one behind him (without burning through Blairs redshirt year). So Kerbyson was shifted to LT and Coleman Thomas (a true Freshman, originally recruited as a Center) was inserted at Right Tackle. This is far from ideal.
Will 2015 be any better? At least on paper, it seems more probable that our O-line will be average. We still lack depth at Left Tackle, but we should have more experience and more options. Out of our serviceable OLs this year, we only lose Jacob Gilliam from that group. We should add the following to the group next year:
Dontavius Blair (R-Jr, Tackle)
Charles Mosley (R-FR, likely a Guard)
Ray Raulerson (R-FR, likely a Tackle)
Jack Jones (FR, Tackle) --- possible redshirt
Zach Stewart (FR, Guard) --- possible redshirt
There are a few other possibilities as well. Chance Hall will join the program as a Tackle, but he recently had surgery, and I think most people expect him to redshirt. Venzell Bouleware is projected to be a Guard, and since we have less depth issues at Guard, its likely hell redshirt too. Its also possible that one of the walk-ons will develop and become serviceable. But even if not, we still look like we have better odds next year.
We have 9 serviceable OLs this year. We should theoretically have about 12 - 14 next year. Thats a big improvement. Well still be behind many of our SEC rivals (Georgia, Bama, etc), but it doesnt seem quite as disastrous if one guy gets injured.
Of course, well still have one big issue and thats the Tackle positions. By 2015, it seems like we should have a lot more depth and a lot of quality-options at the Center and Guard positions. Tackle is still very thin. While we'll still be vulnerable there, well at least have more options next year and more people with experience there.
I wont completely rule out coaching as a factor in our poor O-line play. However, Mahoney has a history of developing very good Offensive Linemen. There have also been some threads suggesting that Worleys mechanics are a part of the problem and Id tend to agree. That said,I dont think even Gus Malzahn or Kevin Sumlin would be doing well with this line. Its a leaky ship that were trying to plug with a few parts that dont exactly fit the holes. I think well get a better sense of how the offense really functions under Coach Jake in 2015 and 2016.
Overall, well still have a pretty young line in 2015, and Id be surprised if we were amongst the best in the SEC next year, but the odds of having an average O-line will be greatly improved. An average line may not sound exciting, but frankly, if we merely had an average line this year, wed be 5-2 instead of 3-4. We might have even made the Oklahoma game a competitive one.
We have the worst offensive line in the SEC this year, and its not even close. While I wont say that our O-line issues were inevitable, they were at least probable before the season even started. Thats primarily because we lack experience and depth and all it took was one injury to derail the whole unit. Unfortunately, that injury happened during the first game, and at the worst possible position (i.e. Left Tackle). Im not going to make the case that well have a top O-line in 2015, but I will make the case that the odds of being average are much higher. To understand why, lets compare the 2014 roster with the potential 2015 roster.
The first thing to note is that most top-tier SEC programs have at least 15 scholarship O-Linemen. Whereas, we only have 14 OLs on the entire roster! The numbers get worse once you dig deeper. Presumably, Butch Jones made a decision to redshirt two Freshmen who werent ready: Benson Napier and Ray Raulerson. Subtract two more who are walk-ons and who arent likely to be contributors: Marquis Pair and Thomas Edwards. After those subtractions, were down to 10 serviceable OLs.
Finally, once Jacob Gilliam beat out Dontavius Blair for the starting LT position, I think Butch Jones made an executive decision to redshirt Blair. This might seem like an ill-advised decision on the face of it given our lack of depth, but consider the other side: we also lack depth at LT in 2015 and probably in 2016. Therefore, Butch might have reasoned if Blair was still a year away from starting, he might as well save him for 2015 and 2016, when we have a better chance at competing. However, this left us with 9 serviceable offensive linemen on the entire roster in 2014.
Here was our starting line at the beginning of the season:
LT: Jacob Gilliam (R-Sr)
LG: Marcus Jackson (R-Jr)
C: Mack Crowder (R-Jr)
RG: Jashon Robertson (Fr)
RT: Kyler Kerbyson (R-Jr)
Here are our four serviceable backups:
Coleman Thomas (Fr)
Brett Kendrick (R-Fr)
Dylan Weisman (So)
Austin Sanders (R-Fr)
Of the 9 serviceable OLs on the roster in 2014, 2 were true freshman (one was shifted to the OL not long before the season started), and another 3 were second-year players with no experience. While our guys are getting blamed a lot for the struggles, a lot of the issues have to do with lack of depth, forcing guys to play out of position, or without enough experience. Once Gilliam got injured, there was basically no one behind him (without burning through Blairs redshirt year). So Kerbyson was shifted to LT and Coleman Thomas (a true Freshman, originally recruited as a Center) was inserted at Right Tackle. This is far from ideal.
Will 2015 be any better? At least on paper, it seems more probable that our O-line will be average. We still lack depth at Left Tackle, but we should have more experience and more options. Out of our serviceable OLs this year, we only lose Jacob Gilliam from that group. We should add the following to the group next year:
Dontavius Blair (R-Jr, Tackle)
Charles Mosley (R-FR, likely a Guard)
Ray Raulerson (R-FR, likely a Tackle)
Jack Jones (FR, Tackle) --- possible redshirt
Zach Stewart (FR, Guard) --- possible redshirt
There are a few other possibilities as well. Chance Hall will join the program as a Tackle, but he recently had surgery, and I think most people expect him to redshirt. Venzell Bouleware is projected to be a Guard, and since we have less depth issues at Guard, its likely hell redshirt too. Its also possible that one of the walk-ons will develop and become serviceable. But even if not, we still look like we have better odds next year.
We have 9 serviceable OLs this year. We should theoretically have about 12 - 14 next year. Thats a big improvement. Well still be behind many of our SEC rivals (Georgia, Bama, etc), but it doesnt seem quite as disastrous if one guy gets injured.
Of course, well still have one big issue and thats the Tackle positions. By 2015, it seems like we should have a lot more depth and a lot of quality-options at the Center and Guard positions. Tackle is still very thin. While we'll still be vulnerable there, well at least have more options next year and more people with experience there.
I wont completely rule out coaching as a factor in our poor O-line play. However, Mahoney has a history of developing very good Offensive Linemen. There have also been some threads suggesting that Worleys mechanics are a part of the problem and Id tend to agree. That said,I dont think even Gus Malzahn or Kevin Sumlin would be doing well with this line. Its a leaky ship that were trying to plug with a few parts that dont exactly fit the holes. I think well get a better sense of how the offense really functions under Coach Jake in 2015 and 2016.
Overall, well still have a pretty young line in 2015, and Id be surprised if we were amongst the best in the SEC next year, but the odds of having an average O-line will be greatly improved. An average line may not sound exciting, but frankly, if we merely had an average line this year, wed be 5-2 instead of 3-4. We might have even made the Oklahoma game a competitive one.