Offensive line may not be as bad as advertised

[Toag Redloh]

Gene's got some articles up interviewing Burns and McPhenom. They say Tobias Smith is hell.

And another nugget, JP Alford also said the OL will be very much improved.

 

[gtowndawg]

I've been hearing how great this guy is for two years now. I hope he can live up to the expectations once he actually plays a game.

 

[Toag Redloh]

so we have to get somewhat better. If two different coaching staffs praise him, and our DL, he's got to have something about him </p>

 

[lawdawg02]

still not saying a lot.

 

[saltybulldog]

I would imagine Crooms play calling would have a bunch of runs and roll outs to the right. Mullens may end up being similar.

 

[FlabLoser]

I felt throughout the Croom era that the OL was weaker than the sum of the parts. In other words, the were coached down. It stands to reason they'd instantly be better with better coaching.

 

[ColMuldrow]

This is a guy who, at first, was only offered a grayshirt (which he almost didn't get). That just tells me that, not only was our prior staff's ability to coach up the line pathetic, their evaluation of talent there was as well.

 

[saltybulldog]

I think their evaluation of need and talent at specific positions was horrible. They found several good LB, DL, and DB prospects and a few TE/OL. They did a piss poor job at WR and QB. I know that Henig, Carrol, etc were not at the "top of the board" but they did not even attempt to really court good QB and WRs.

 

[Coach34]

scheme alone makes them 33% better. Croom's ****** offense made them look much worse than they really are. Its alot harder to block when the defense knows what the hell you are going to run all the time

 

[maroonmania]

if he turns out to be a stud, we were definitely not the only ones who would have initially misevaluated him coming out of HS. I don't think any SEC teams other than us offered him (and we were late in the game). I believe USM was going to be his destination until we offered.

 

[coach66]

be successful was to have a dominating offensive line which we never came close to having. With Mullen's scheme I don't think you have to be as dominant strength wise and more emphasis is going to be placed on speed, technique and using your head. Coach34 is right, when the other team has about a 75% chance of being right about what you are going to run next you have no chance.

 

[vicious]

You have got to be kidding me. We have no RT period. I mean NO RT! There is no one that can play SEC caliber ball that is a RT on MSU's team, absolutely no one. In fact, I think the QB position is in better shape than RT. How the right side is going to be even adequate I'd like to know. You say its going to be good? Keep dreamin'.

Regarding Smith, we hear this every year. Somebody is just awesome, Can't stop them...can't block them...somebody is kicking 50 yard fg's, somebody is so fast no one can catch him, on and on. Those guys over on Genespage are really bad at this. Every year they think we have good WR's. Smith hasn't played one down of SEC ball and my guess ids he's going to get his *** ripped a few times before he gets better. Give him a year or two and he will be good, but if he starts SEC DL are going to tear his *** up the first year.

 

[rebfan04]

that he had zero, zero technique or footwork, and was flabby (ie: not strong).