The Big Red Machine

[Bigredhunter]

I'm shocked at how the redshirt discussion has become a debate. Nebraska kept things going for so long because of continuity and development. Our OLine guys didn't sniff the starting lineup until their 3rd year in the program at the earliest. '97 was all 5th year guys except for a one redshirt junior!

We also had the same OLine coach to help mold our players through out their career.

Development matters. We won't be the Big Red Machine again until we get back to this!

*Red indicates players who had only been in the program 3yrs.
*Bold indicates players who had been in the program 5yrs.
1994
LT: Rob Zatechka, Redshirt Senior
LG: Joel Wilks, Redshirt Senior
C: Aaron Graham, Redshirt Junior
RG: Brenden Stai, Redshirt Senior
RT: Zach Wiegert, Redshirt Senior
OLine Coach: Milt Tenopir

1995
LT: Chris Dishman, Redshirt Junior
LG: Aaron Taylor, Redshirt Sophomore
C: Aaron Graham, Redshirt Senior
RG: Steve Ott, Redshirt Senior
RT: Eric Anderson, Redshirt Sophomore
OLine Coach: Milt Tenopir

1997
LT: Fred Pollack, Redshirt Senior
LG: Aaron Taylor, Redshirt Senior
C: Josh Heskew, Redshirt Junior
RG: Jon Zatechka, Redshirt Senior
RT: Eric Anderson, Redshirt Senior
OLine Coach: Milt Tenopir

 

[Bigredhunter]

I'm shocked at how the redshirt discussion has become a debate. Nebraska kept things going for so long because of continuity and development. Our OLine guys didn't sniff the starting lineup until their 3rd year in the program at the earliest. '97 was all 5th year guys except for a one redshirt junior!

We also had the same OLine coach to help mold our players through out their career.

Development matters. We won't be the Big Red Machine again until we get back to this!

*Red indicates players who had only been in the program 3yrs.
*Bold indicates players who had been in the program 5yrs.
1994
LT: Rob Zatechka, Redshirt Senior
LG: Joel Wilks, Redshirt Senior
C: Aaron Graham, Redshirt Junior
RG: Brenden Stai, Redshirt Senior
RT: Zach Wiegert, Redshirt Senior
OLine Coach: Milt Tenopir

1995
LT: Chris Dishman, Redshirt Junior
LG: Aaron Taylor, Redshirt Sophomore
C: Aaron Graham, Redshirt Senior
RG: Steve Ott, Redshirt Senior
RT: Eric Anderson, Redshirt Sophomore
OLine Coach: Milt Tenopir

1997
LT: Fred Pollack, Redshirt Senior
LG: Aaron Taylor, Redshirt Senior
C: Josh Heskew, Redshirt Junior
RG: Jon Zatechka, Redshirt Senior
RT: Eric Anderson, Redshirt Senior
OLine Coach: Milt Tenopir

I added in the 2001 Rose Bowl team and our current OLine. There is a noticeable difference between our depth chart from our dominate years and where we are now.

*Red indicates players who had only been in the program 3yrs.
*Bold indicates players who had been in the program 5yrs.
*Green indicates a player who has been in the program 2 yrs or less.
2001
LT: Dave Volk, Redshirt Senior
LG: Toniu Fonoti, Junior
C: John Garrison, Junior
RG: Jon Rutherford, Redshirt Senior
RT: Dan Vili Waldrop, Redshirt Sophomore

2018
LT: Brenden Jaimes, Sophomore
LG: Jerald Foster, Redshirt Senior
C: Tanner Farmer, Redshirt Senior
RG: Boe Wilson, Redshirt Sophomore
RT: Matt Farniok, Redshirt Sophomore

2019
LT: Brenden Jaimes, Junior
LG: Trent Hixson, Redshirt Sophomore
C: Cam Jurgens, Redshirt Freshman
RG: Boe Wilson, Redshirt Junior
RT: Matt Farniok, Redshirt Junior

 

[SoFL Husker]

Agree. Good post. All the old-school guys know this. You didn't sniff the field on the OL at Nebraska in it's heyday until you were a redshirt Jr. or Sr.

GBR

 

[SoFL Husker]

 

[SoFL Husker]

It's Tuesday bitches!!!

 

[SoFL Husker]

 

[nu2u]

I completely agree that development is critical but you play your best players regardless of years in the program.

I would contend that football has changed a lot in the last 20-25 years. Overall, high schools are graduating players who are more physically developed and better trained than players who graduated last century. I visited my old high school for my 25th reunion and couldn't believe the training facilities HS players have access to now - light years ahead nowadays, the difference is astounding. Some of the bigger urban high schools today would rival many colleges back in the 90's. 280-300lb. high school linemen are not an anomaly anymore. More and more kids are coming in ready to play early.

 

[Bigredhunter]

I completely agree that development is critical but you play your best players regardless of years in the program.

I would contend that football has changed a lot in the last 20-25 years. Overall, high schools are graduating players who are more physically developed and better trained than players who graduated last century. I visited my old high school for my 25th reunion and couldn't believe the training facilities HS players have access to now - light years ahead nowadays, the difference is astounding. Some of the bigger urban high schools today would rival many colleges back in the 90's. 280-300lb. high school linemen are not an anomaly anymore.

Yes high schools strength and conditioning is improving but in most cases you are better off not playing True Freshman. I posted this in another thread yesterday. It shows that top programs today woth top recruiting classes are not playing True Freshmen outside of the #1 rated 5 star at Bama.

*Red players are True Freshmen
*Bold players have been in their program 3 years or longer

#1 Alabama
1 Senior
3 Juniors
1 Freshman, 5 star recruit, #1 at his position

#2 LSU
2 Seniors (1 redshirted)
3 Juniors (1 redshirted)

#3 Ohio St
2 Senior (1 redshirted)
1 Junior
2 Sophomores (2 redshirted)

#4 Clemson
4 Seniors
1 Sophomore, 5 stars, #2 at his position

#5 Oklahoma
1 Senior (1 redshirt)
2 Sophomores (2 redshirts)
2 Freshmen (2 redshirts), both 4 stars, #4 and #6 at their positions

 

[nu2u]

Yes high schools strength and conditioning is improving but in most cases you are better off not playing True Freshman. I posted this in another thread yesterday. It shows that top programs today woth top recruiting classes are not playing True Freshmen outside of the #1 rated 5 star at Bama.

*Red players are True Freshmen
*Bold players have been in their program 3 years or longer

#1 Alabama
1 Senior
3 Juniors
1 Freshman, 5 star recruit, #1 at his position

#2 LSU
2 Seniors (1 redshirted)
3 Juniors (1 redshirted)

#3 Ohio St
2 Senior (1 redshirted)
1 Junior
2 Sophomores (2 redshirted)

#4 Clemson
4 Seniors
1 Sophomore, 5 stars, #2 at his position

#5 Oklahoma
1 Senior (1 redshirt)
2 Sophomores (2 redshirts)
2 Freshmen (2 redshirts), both 4 stars, #4 and #6 at their positions

No doubt you would need an exceptional athlete to start as a true freshman or even rFr at most P5 schools. The point I was trying to make is that the days of systemically redshirting your freshman class (primarily to gain weight and strength) in favor of starting older players (primarily upperclassmen) are, for the most part, long gone.

 

[SoFL Husker]

Yes high schools strength and conditioning is improving but in most cases you are better off not playing True Freshman. I posted this in another thread yesterday. It shows that top programs today woth top recruiting classes are not playing True Freshmen outside of the #1 rated 5 star at Bama.

*Red players are True Freshmen
*Bold players have been in their program 3 years or longer

#1 Alabama
1 Senior
3 Juniors
1 Freshman, 5 star recruit, #1 at his position

#2 LSU
2 Seniors (1 redshirted)
3 Juniors (1 redshirted)

#3 Ohio St
2 Senior (1 redshirted)
1 Junior
2 Sophomores (2 redshirted)

#4 Clemson
4 Seniors
1 Sophomore, 5 stars, #2 at his position

#5 Oklahoma
1 Senior (1 redshirt)
2 Sophomores (2 redshirts)
2 Freshmen (2 redshirts), both 4 stars, #4 and #6 at their positions

Jr and SR on the OL and DL, at Nebraska and Wisconsin, ideally

Pull the DL stats, that would be tight, you would still see a lot of Jr and Sr All-Americans at Nebraska.

Solid post here

 

[uberism1111]

I'm shocked at how the redshirt discussion has become a debate. Nebraska kept things going for so long because of continuity and development. Our OLine guys didn't sniff the starting lineup until their 3rd year in the program at the earliest. '97 was all 5th year guys except for a one redshirt junior!

We also had the same OLine coach to help mold our players through out their career.

Development matters. We won't be the Big Red Machine again until we get back to this!

*Red indicates players who had only been in the program 3yrs.
*Bold indicates players who had been in the program 5yrs.
1994
LT: Rob Zatechka, Redshirt Senior
LG: Joel Wilks, Redshirt Senior
C: Aaron Graham, Redshirt Junior
RG: Brenden Stai, Redshirt Senior
RT: Zach Wiegert, Redshirt Senior
OLine Coach: Milt Tenopir

1995
LT: Chris Dishman, Redshirt Junior
LG: Aaron Taylor, Redshirt Sophomore
C: Aaron Graham, Redshirt Senior
RG: Steve Ott, Redshirt Senior
RT: Eric Anderson, Redshirt Sophomore
OLine Coach: Milt Tenopir

1997
LT: Fred Pollack, Redshirt Senior
LG: Aaron Taylor, Redshirt Senior
C: Josh Heskew, Redshirt Junior
RG: Jon Zatechka, Redshirt Senior
RT: Eric Anderson, Redshirt Senior
OLine Coach: Milt Tenopir

Spot on. WI's best OL (2011) since 1999 was this

LT 58 Ricky Wagner (RS Jr.)
LG 72 Travis Frederick (So.)
C 66 Peter Konz (RS Jr.)
RG 70 Kevin Zeitler (RS Sr.)
RT 67 Josh Oglesby (RS Sr.)

It's going to be a while before the Frost recruited OL guys are juniors and seniors.

 

[uberism1111]

I completely agree that development is critical but you play your best players regardless of years in the program.

I would contend that football has changed a lot in the last 20-25 years. Overall, high schools are graduating players who are more physically developed and better trained than players who graduated last century. I visited my old high school for my 25th reunion and couldn't believe the training facilities HS players have access to now - light years ahead nowadays, the difference is astounding. Some of the bigger urban high schools today would rival many colleges back in the 90's. 280-300lb. high school linemen are not an anomaly anymore. More and more kids are coming in ready to play early.

That is nice and all but they still need time to get developed at the college level. A young OL in the Big Ten would get slaughtered no matter how sexy the high school facilities were.

 

[SoFL Husker]

Spot on. WI's best OL (2011) since 1999 was this

LT 58 Ricky Wagner (RS Jr.)
LG 72 Travis Frederick (So.)
C 66 Peter Konz (RS Jr.)
RG 70 Kevin Zeitler (RS Sr.)
RT 67 Josh Oglesby (RS Sr.)

It's going to be a while before the Frost recruited OL guys are juniors and seniors.

Boom

Great post

 

[SoFL Husker]

No doubt you would need an exceptional athlete to start as a true freshman or even rFr at most P5 schools. The point I was trying to make is that the days of systemically redshirting your freshman class (primarily to gain weight and strength) in favor of starting older players (primarily upperclassmen) are, for the most part, long gone.

Exactly, this NFL HOFer gets to play as a True Frosh. Bama gets them a lot...but not typical.

Therefore, I reject your OL hypothesis, at Nebraska. GBR

#donetyping eyes tired gettin old