What I Saw on the OL Yesterday That Possibly Explains Things...

#26
#26
sjt18 said:
At a certain point, you choose your starters as best you can and go with them.
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This.

I don't understand how you ever expect to have a consistently performing oline with that sort of shuffling. Maybe you have two guys who you cross-train for injuries, but what other team shuffles the entire line on the regular?
 
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#27
#27
MontyPython said:
I like to keep track of who's playing in the trenches each series - generally speaking, unless there's an injury on the OL, the same group of 5 will stay in there. On the DL, though, you obviously have a lot more rotation to keep guys fresh and dependent on the down and distance. This is what I saw yesterday... granted, no tape review or anything, so take it FWIW:

On the OL, there was a HUGE amount of shuffling. Going into the game, Pruitt didn't bother to post a true starting lineup, instead opting to post 2 starters for each position. Apparently, he wasn't kidding. The OL was a self-inflicted train wreck! Why? Complete lack of continuity. Not only did the OL Coach Friend continuously sub players in at each position, he also shifted them around on the line. One play in particular showed the fallacy here: Wanya Morris - who had been at LT got moved inside to LG. GT didn't run a stunt or any elaborate pass rush, but the DE ran STRAIGHT BY Morris who opted to dual-block a DT with the Center. JG had the guy in his face instantly, and fell to the ground for a sack.

Why? Why would coaching staff put Morris at LG, when anyone who has followed practices to date knows that he has practiced (at least during the open periods) almost EXCLUSIVELY at LT?

This was just one instance that comes to mind, but the point is there was clearly ZERO CONTINUITY on the OL. As Pruitt himself has said repeatedly, picking the best 5 to play on the OL is all about minimizing mistakes. But, to minimize mistakes, our players have got to have some continuity - play in and play out. The revolving door that featured new OL members coming in out / shifting positions was a disaster - not by our players - but by our coaching staff.

This is a big reason why we stopped running effectively after the 1st quarter.

Explanation(s)? Anyone?

Staff wanted to "test" as many guys as possible to see which new guys could perform on gameday?

Staff didn't feel pressured to produce the "best line" possible, since this was a cupcake game, so time for experimentation?

There were undisclosed injuries?

Staff isn't very good?

The take away for me from this game is that our coaching staff isn't the "best staff in the country" as Pruitt has boasted. Clearly. We just lost to a team without a SINGLE 4* player on its roster.

Whatever the issue is here - such that Coach Friend can't take 4* and 5* talent and run against a crap team like GS - it needs to be nipped in the bud like pronto.
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Doug Mathews basically just validated your point.
 
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#29
#29
Vol_from_86 said:
It’s not that difficult, IMO. I don’t understand the shuffling either. Just made a decision and roll with it.

LT - Morris
LG - Smith
C - Kennedy
RG - Johnson
RT - Wright

Morris and Wright are the foundation for the future, so you develop them as quickly as possible.
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I don’t think Johnson played after his first few series.
 
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#31
#31
jaxvol said:
It did look like we were in scrimmage mode. They were in game mode.

We came out with the attitude of keeping it vanilla and trying out a lot of players in different positions, and never could shift back to win the game.
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That Tennessee team that took the field would have lost an intersquad scrimmage.
 
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#32
#32
Goodness gracious put what you think is your best 5 out there and work them 5 until they can do it right. We need continuity up front, that was pathetic. GBO!
 
#34
#34
JonGrudensAgent said:
Cronyism going back as far as the eye can see.

Fulmer couldnt pull the plug on Sanders when it was obvious.

Kiffin brought his dad in on defense.

Cant recall a specific instance with Dooley.

Jones leaning on the swim coach to survive.

Now Pruitt has his Achilles Heel with a guy who belongs on a team like GA ST...not the SEC.
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As I recall, Kiffen's dad did a helluva job.
 
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#38
#38
willinhf said:
I saw that and was like WTF when it happened...never have I seen a defense that was just uncoached, unprepared and completely lost....completely...
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I thought it was a trick play then quickly realized they had no idea wtf was going on...and the coaches didnt even call a time out. Do we know if they were even watching the game?
 
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#39
#39
BeardedVol said:
This.

I don't understand how you ever expect to have a consistently performing oline with that sort of shuffling. Maybe you have two guys who you cross-train for injuries, but what other team shuffles the entire line on the regular?
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but we've told you guys all offseason what the glaring issue on tennessee's offense is. ur just now figuring it out? amazing!
 
#43
#43
lexkyvol said:
but we've told you guys all offseason what the glaring issue on tennessee's offense is. ur just now figuring it out? amazing!
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You think the personnel are the issue, rather than the poor coaching and practicing methods being employed by Will Friend and whomever else thought it would be a good idea to rotate olinemen into different positions?
 
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#45
#45
It looked to me like no one has had contact except for in the locker rooms. Our guys fell before contact while it took 4 of our guys to get their kids on the ground. I didn’t see one tackle executed correctly. None of our guys looked like athletic football players except for Gray. Palmer catching that ball on his heels and just falling on his butt? WTH? You’re on scholarship to catch a ball and run. Another scared bust. Byrd? Still no where. Chandler? Mia. Jennings gets tripped one on one. None of Butch’s guys compete, just came for the swag
 
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#46
#46
What we saw from the coaches is a lack of understanding that we are under dogs in EVERY game we play. Offensively they should have known going into the game who the top five lineman will be and gave them a half or more to prove otherwise. you shouldn't be experimenting until you have the game won.
 
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#48
#48
Volhoops said:
What we saw from the coaches is a lack of understanding that we are under dogs in EVERY game we play. Offensively they should have known going into the game who the top five lineman will be and gave them a half or more to prove otherwise. you shouldn't be experimenting until you have the game won.
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We were rotating personnel on the oline in the first quarter down 7-0, as if we were in garbage time up 57-7 and trying to get players some snaps.

It made zero sense.
 
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#50
#50
In the last 20 years, the only time that this program has had a decent OL coach was the brief period of time under Dooley when Harry Hiestand was here.

I will never understand the idea of just shuffling offensive linemen among the various positions like it's a video game.
 
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