Key Indicator of Football Success

bomanishus

Sophomore
Mar 17, 2009
414
112
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Per the Wall Street Journal

<h1>Offensive-Line Experience Can Predict Success </h1> <div class="mastertextCenter" id="articleTabs_panel_article"> <div class="col6wide colOverflowTruncated" id="article_story"> <p class="dropdown_container collapsed"> http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123984090891223207.html#mod=todays_us_personal_journal

It talks about the correllation between the number of starts your offensive linemen have and the success of the team. In fact, it referenced the fact that OM had 80 offensive line starts among its regulars and that contributed to their surprise season.

For 2009, it suggests: "Virginia Tech looms as a contender and there's even hope for Notre Dame and Michigan. The reason: their offensive lines.Last season, eight of the top 10 teams in the final Associated Press poll began the season with at least 65 combined career starts by their offensive linemen, including title-game participants Florida and Oklahoma. Two of 2008's biggest surprises, Utah and Ole Miss, had more than 80 starts of experience, enabling them to improve dramatically on offense. Conversely, Georgia, Missouri and Clemson -- three preseason top-10 teams that disappointed -- were green up front, with fewer than 40 starts each."</p> <div class="article story" id="article_story_body"> <div class="articlePage">

Anybody know how many we'll have this year?

Sherrod: 12
Brignone: 12
Lawrence: 0
T Smith: 0
T Hardy: 0

Is this rigiht? We have about 24 starts? Uh oh...
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RebelBruiser

Redshirt
Aug 21, 2007
7,349
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I remember seeing something about that heading into last year, and I believe we were close to 100 combined starts, maybe more. I'd be curious to see the number on Bama this year as well. I'll bet it's fairly low.
 

stevo1a

Redshirt
Feb 27, 2008
533
0
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Craig Jenkins has probably 30+ starts. Not sure if he'll start this year though.

Oh, and DJ Looney got a start last year. Pure genious, that move.
 

rebelrouseri

Redshirt
Jan 24, 2007
1,460
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<table style="width: 350px; height: 286px;"> <tbody> <tr class="odd"> <td valign="top">TEAMS TO WATCH</td> <td valign="top" align="left">O-LINE STARTS</td> <td valign="top" align="left">TEAMS TO WORRY ABOUT</td> <td valign="top" align="left">O-LINE STARTS</td> </tr> <tr class="even"> <td valign="top">NotreDame</td> <td valign="top" align="left">100</td> <td valign="top" align="left">Oregon</td> <td valign="top" align="left">20</td> </tr> <tr class="odd"> <td valign="top">Virginia Tech</td> <td valign="top" align="left">100</td> <td valign="top" align="left">West Virginia</td> <td valign="top" align="left">25</td> </tr> <tr class="even"> <td valign="top">Texas</td> <td valign="top" align="left">91</td> <td valign="top" align="left">Oklahoma</td> <td valign="top" align="left">29</td> </tr> <tr class="odd"> <td valign="top">Florida St.</td> <td valign="top" align="left">86</td> <td valign="top" align="left">PennState</td> <td valign="top" align="left">39</td> </tr> <tr class="even"> <td valign="top">Michigan</td> <td valign="top" align="left">75</td> <td valign="top" align="left">Alabama</td> <td valign="top" align="left">50

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RebelBruiser

Redshirt
Aug 21, 2007
7,349
0
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Should be interesting in that you get a neutral site game with one of the teams to watch (Va. Tech) against one of the teams to worry about (Bama) in the first week. I'd think that the OL experience number would mean a lot more early in the season too, so we'll see. If Va. Tech runs away from Bama, it'll help prove this stat.