this would have been a great class IF...............

[futaba.79]

we already had a roster full of OLs. Unfortunately we don't. I don't think we have enough line talent to be successful in the near future. If we sign a bunch of linemen next year, then it will be 2011 before we see results and, assuming most of this years skill players play early, they'll be juniors before they have anybody to block for them.

Tobias Smith, Sam Watts and Gabriel Jackson better be really good.</p>

</p>

 

[futaba.79]

we already had a roster full of OLs. Unfortunately we don't. I don't think we have enough line talent to be successful in the near future. If we sign a bunch of linemen next year, then it will be 2011 before we see results and, assuming most of this years skill players play early, they'll be juniors before they have anybody to block for them.

Tobias Smith, Sam Watts and Gabriel Jackson better be really good.</p>

</p>

 

[Shmuley]

Prepare to see your DL raided.

Sincerely,

Dan Mullen

 

[bullysleftnut]

I think our OL will be fine for what we're probably going to try and do -- which is not be an I-formation, power-running team.

If they're spread out it'll make it easier for our RB's to find a hole won't it?

 

[FlabLoser]

I'm hoping that our OL sucked last year because the scheme was too complicated. Maybe Mullen looked at what we had and decided it was serviceable.

OL take longer to develop than WRs. By signing 7 WRs and not many OL, I hope this is a sign that our OL is better than we think.

 

[War Machine Dawg]

Unless the guy is a special, special player like Sherrod, most OL take 2-3 years to be ready to contribute significantly from the time they graduate HS. That's right, they'll be RS Soph's before they're expected to be on the two deep and get serious PT. That includes the USC's, FL's, and LSU's of the world. You generally don't want an OL starting before RS Soph at worst and hopefully not until they're redshirt JRs. The biggest reason is most of these guys dominate HS competition because of their sheer size. It generally takes 2-3 years of hard work in the weight room and on the practice field to get them strong enough and teach them enough technique to be able to contribute, especially in the SEC. Look at our OL this past year. We started a few RS Freshmen(s) and True Freshmen. You can't win or have productive line play in this league when you're that young up front, unless every one of them is Sherrod good coming out of HS. And hell, it even took Sherrod half the year or better last year to get to the point of playing starter minutes. The line will be better next year simply based on experience, more time in the weight room, and more time on the practice field learning technique. And they'll be better if we don't have to play a guy like Saulsberry, a natural guard, out of position at tackle.

Your statement that we won't have any OL help from the 2010 class until 2011 is ridiculous. It'll be at least 2012 and probably more like 2013 before we can make much of prediction as to how good our future 2010 OL signess actually are.

 

[Ol Blue.sixpack]

we already had a roster full of OLs. Unfortunately we don't. I don't think we have enough line talent to be successful in the near future. If we sign a bunch of linemen next year, then it will be 2011 before we see results and, assuming most of this years skill players play early, they'll be juniors before they have anybody to block for them.

Tobias Smith, Sam Watts and Gabriel Jackson better be really good.</p>

I agree. We've had some of the worst offensive line play in SEC history over the last few years. And it doesn't look like we've improved on that.

 

[maroonmania]

that we still have the stench of the past 7 years on us (minus one 8-5 Liberty bowl trip season). To get this good of a class with essentially the positives being a chance to play early and hope of a better tomorrow with Mullen running the show I think says that a very good job was done. I'm sure the Cotton Bowl appearance and the prediction that Ole Miss should be a Top 20 team next year with a proven QB helped them late on some guys along with possibly some "wheeling and dealing". Unfortunately, we don't have some of those factors going for us at the moment. Nobody outside of Starkville is predicting great things for us next year and we are not that far removed from coming off a probation so we are watching our back probably a little more closely than some others.

 

[windcrysmary]

conditioning coaches now..... I think our OL play this year will be one of the pleasant surprises.... it was horrid last year but this year will be better....

 

[RonnyAtmosphere]

...before you make claims that aren't true...

</p> <table cellspacing="1" cellpadding="2" width="100%" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td class="even shirt-number" align="right">47 </td> <td class="even player-name">Anthony Littlejohn</td> <td class="even player-position" nowrap="nowrap" align="left">LB</td> <td class="even player-height" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">6-1</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">242</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">Sr.</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">3L</td> <td class="even">Jacksonville, FL (Englewood HS)</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="odd shirt-number" align="right">48 </td> <td class="odd player-name">Addison Lawrence</td> <td class="odd player-position" nowrap="nowrap" align="left">OL</td> <td class="odd player-height" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">6-4</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">282</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">RFr.</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">RS</td> <td class="odd">Coldwater, MS (Magnolia Heights HS)</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="even shirt-number" align="right">49 </td> <td class="even player-name">Terrell Johnson</td> <td class="even player-position" nowrap="nowrap" align="left">LB</td> <td class="even player-height" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">6-2</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">212</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">RFr.</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">RS</td> <td class="even">Cullomburg, AL (Southern Choctaw HS)</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="odd shirt-number" align="right">50 </td> <td class="odd player-name">Mark Brown</td> <td class="odd player-position" nowrap="nowrap" align="left">LB</td> <td class="odd player-height" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">5-11</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">214</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">Jr.</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">SQ</td> <td class="odd">Madison, MS (Madison Central)</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="even shirt-number" align="right">52 </td> <td class="even player-name">Karlin Brown</td> <td class="even player-position" nowrap="nowrap" align="left">LB</td> <td class="even player-height" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">5-9</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">195</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">So.</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">1L</td> <td class="even">Tallahassee, FL (Lincoln HS)</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="odd shirt-number" align="right">53 </td> <td class="odd player-name">Anthony Strauder</td> <td class="odd player-position" nowrap="nowrap" align="left">OL</td> <td class="odd player-height" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">6-3</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">292</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">Sr.</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">3L</td> <td class="odd">Natchez, MS (Natchez HS)</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="even shirt-number" align="right">54 </td> <td class="even player-name">Trevor Stigers</td> <td class="even player-position" nowrap="nowrap" align="left">DL</td> <td class="even player-height" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">6-4</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">225</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">Fr.</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">HS</td> <td class="even">Ridgeland, MS (Ridgeland HS)</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="odd shirt-number" align="right">55 </td> <td class="odd player-name">Quinton Saulsberry</td> <td class="odd player-position" nowrap="nowrap" align="left">OL</td> <td class="odd player-height" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">6-3</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">293</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">RFr.</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">RS</td> <td class="odd">Coldwater, MS (Independence HS)</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="even shirt-number" align="right">58 </td> <td class="even player-name">Johnny Carpenter</td> <td class="even player-position" nowrap="nowrap" align="left">OL</td> <td class="even player-height" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">6-2</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">293</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">Jr.</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">1L</td> <td class="even">Citronelle, AL (Citronelle HS)</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="odd shirt-number" align="right">59 </td> <td class="odd player-name">Anthony Bowles</td> <td class="odd player-position" nowrap="nowrap" align="left">SN</td> <td class="odd player-height" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">5-11</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">208</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">Sr.</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">SQ</td> <td class="odd">Grenada, MS (Grenada HS)</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="even shirt-number" align="right">60 </td> <td class="even player-name">Devin Jones</td> <td class="even player-position" nowrap="nowrap" align="left">DL</td> <td class="even player-height" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">6-2</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">252</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">Fr.</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">HS</td> <td class="even">Olive Branch, MS (DeSoto Central HS)</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="odd shirt-number" align="right">63 </td> <td class="odd player-name">Chris Spencer</td> <td class="odd player-position" nowrap="nowrap" align="left">OL</td> <td class="odd player-height" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">6-3</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">306</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">Jr.</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">SQ</td> <td class="odd">Meridian, MS (Meridian HS)</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="even shirt-number" align="right">64 </td> <td class="even player-name">Mark Lynn</td> <td class="even player-position" nowrap="nowrap" align="left">LB</td> <td class="even player-height" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">6-0</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">210</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">So.</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">SQ</td> <td class="even">Madison, MS (Madison Central HS)</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="odd shirt-number" align="right">65 </td> <td class="odd player-name">Joshua Jackson</td> <td class="odd player-position" nowrap="nowrap" align="left">DL</td> <td class="odd player-height" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">6-3</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">308</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">Fr.</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">HS</td> <td class="odd">Canton, MS (Canton HS)</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="even shirt-number" align="right">66 </td> <td class="even player-name">D.J. Looney</td> <td class="even player-position" nowrap="nowrap" align="left">OL</td> <td class="even player-height" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">6-1</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">295</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">RFr.</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">RS</td> <td class="even">Birmingham, AL (Oak Mountain HS)</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="odd shirt-number" align="right">67 </td> <td class="odd player-name">Tobias Smith</td> <td class="odd player-position" nowrap="nowrap" align="left">OL</td> <td class="odd player-height" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">6-3</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">328</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">Fr.</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">HS</td> <td class="odd">Columbus, MS (Columbus HS)</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="even shirt-number" align="right">68 </td> <td class="even player-name">Templeton Hardy</td> <td class="even player-position" nowrap="nowrap" align="left">OL</td> <td class="even player-height" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">6-3</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">312</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">Fr.</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">HS</td> <td class="even">Como, MS (Lincoln HS)</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="odd shirt-number" align="right">69 </td> <td class="odd player-name">Reggie Odom</td> <td class="odd player-position" nowrap="nowrap" align="left">DL</td> <td class="odd player-height" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">6-0</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">300</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">So.</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">SQ</td> <td class="odd">Deland, FL (Deland HS)</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="even shirt-number" align="right">70 </td> <td class="even player-name">J.C. Brignone</td> <td class="even player-position" nowrap="nowrap" align="left">OL</td> <td class="even player-height" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">6-1</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">292</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">So.</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">1L</td> <td class="even">Pass Christian, MS (St. Stanislaus HS)</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="odd shirt-number" align="right">72 </td> <td class="odd player-name">John McMillian</td> <td class="odd player-position" nowrap="nowrap" align="left">OL</td> <td class="odd player-height" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">6-2</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">285</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">So.</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">SQ</td> <td class="odd">Paragould, AR (Paragould HS)</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="even shirt-number" align="right">73 </td> <td class="even player-name">Dakota Merritt</td> <td class="even player-position" nowrap="nowrap" align="left">OL</td> <td class="even player-height" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">6-5</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">302</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">RFr.</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">RS</td> <td class="even">Cantonment, FL (West Florida Tech)</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="odd shirt-number" align="right">74 </td> <td class="odd player-name">Mark Melichar</td> <td class="odd player-position" nowrap="nowrap" align="left">OL</td> <td class="odd player-height" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">6-5</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">294</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">So.</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">1L</td> <td class="odd">Birmingham, AL (Oak Mountain HS)</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="even shirt-number" align="right">75 </td> <td class="even player-name">Craig Jenkins</td> <td class="even player-position" nowrap="nowrap" align="left">OL</td> <td class="even player-height" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">6-4</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">313</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">Jr.</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">2L</td> <td class="even">Pearl, MS (Pearl HS)</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="odd shirt-number" align="right">76 </td> <td class="odd player-name">Phillip Freeman</td> <td class="odd player-position" nowrap="nowrap" align="left">OL</td> <td class="odd player-height" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">6-6</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">297</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">Jr.</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">TR</td> <td class="odd">Wesson, MS (Copiah-Lincoln [MS] CC)</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="even shirt-number" align="right">77 </td> <td class="even player-name">Sam Latham</td> <td class="even player-position" nowrap="nowrap" align="left">OL</td> <td class="even player-height" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">6-2</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">271</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">RFr.</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">RS</td> <td class="even">Cordova, TN (Briarcrest HS)</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="odd shirt-number" align="right">78 </td> <td class="odd player-name">Michael Gates</td> <td class="odd player-position" nowrap="nowrap" align="left">OL</td> <td class="odd player-height" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">6-4</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">310</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">Sr.</td> <td class="odd" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">3L</td> <td class="odd">Fairburn, GA (Sandy Creek HS)</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="even shirt-number" align="right">79 </td> <td class="even player-name">Derek Sherrod</td> <td class="even player-position" nowrap="nowrap" align="left">OL</td> <td class="even player-height" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">6-5</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">303</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">So.</td> <td class="even" nowrap="nowrap" align="middle">1L</td> </tr> </tbody> </table>
That's over a dozen OL on the current roster, not counting the OL signed today.

Next time, take the 5 minutes to do the research before you try to get over on the board with a "gut feeling."

 

[AccountingDawg]

NFM

 

[GoToHellOleMiss.sixpack]

asdf

 

[War Machine Dawg]

and of the 14, 10 are either true frosh, RS Frosh, or Sophs. Most of them being either true frosh or RS frosh. How can we NOT be better next year. aGAIN, these people don't know **** about OL recruiting and development at this level.

 

[slickdawg]

The OL woes might just have been due to:

bad coaching
offensive scheme that isn't suited for college
lack of effort

Mike Brown sure didn't help us out. Having to move Sherrod over to LT and start freshman Saulsbury at RT and interior by design didn't help.

Of course, it's not going to matter that much when we line up with 5 wide in the shotgun, there's going to be one on one coverage, and that's where we will win or lose. If Lee/Russell can get the ball to them, then we get to see these speedsters in open space. You can coach a lot of things, but you cannot teach speed.

 

[saltybulldog]

We signed several lineman (OL and DL) over the last few classes that were decent. Most of those were thrown to the wolves and we should be better next year and the next. No, we dont have a Andre Smith or Oher, but they should be good enough for us to be productive with the offense we are going to run.

Also, this past class did not have alot of gool OL recruits that we had a shot at. Supposedly, next year we have a shot at several good to great OL guys.

 

[Mjoelner]

You can lift weights and teach blocking schemes but, <insert the cliche' here. you know the one i'm talking about>. We got what we needed most this year. I would have liked to have gotten Patterson and/or Thigpen but I'm happy with what we did.</p>

 

[Ol Blue.sixpack]

and of the 14, 10 are either true frosh, RS Frosh, or Sophs. Most of them being either true frosh or RS frosh. How can we NOT be better next year. aGAIN, these people don't know **** about OL recruiting and development at this level.

And you do? Forgive me for taking a wait and see approach.

 

[RonnyAtmosphere]

...You can bash Croom about a lot of things, but him credit on this: The guy went nuts with the OL recruiting over the last couple of years.

That means Mullen wasn't pressed to bring in a bunch of OL this time.

Granted, we have a bunch of young OL who need to get stronger & tougher.

But the upside is we have a bunch of them. (I think that's called depth).

 

[8dog]

d

 

[Todd4State]

was why we started Saulsberry over Freeman, who was a JUCO. The only thing I can assume is that Freeman really sucks.

Anyway, here's what our line might look like next year:

C- Brignone- The man who defied physics by snapping a ball straight up.
G- Tobias Smith- Croom liked him (Woohoo!) but has no experience.
G- Quentin Saulsberry- Sucks
T- Derek Sherrod- Best guy we got.
T- Freeman- Not good enough to beat out Saulsberry. But, this was a Croom decision, which may be in his favor.

 

[Fratrebel]

Croom liked his linemen a little on the small side didn't he.

 

[Indndawg]

looked small, slow,weak, and out of shape compared to OM's DL. A coach can do nothing about an athlete's genes, but he can take care of the other stuff.

Another joked that MSU's OL had the poorest footwork they'd ever seen in college (lazy)

 

[War Machine Dawg]

C- Brignone- The man who defied physics by snapping a ball straight up. Played ok otherwise. aGAIN, should be better with experience and a simplified scheme.
G- ? Could be Melichar, Looney, Freeman, Hardy, Jenkins, Addison Lawrence, pretty much anyone on the roster. If I were betting, I think I'd put my money on Melichar winning this spot, but that ain't saying much on the confidence scale. Looks like we recruited a bunch of tackles and hoped to move them inside.
G- Quentin Saulsberry- His natural position. Good motor, let's give him a chance inside where he belongs instead of out of position before declaring him a complete bust.
T- Derek Sherrod- Best guy we got. Agree
T- Tobias Smith - Crxxms liked him, thought he could start before getting hurt in last preseason. But since Crxxms liked him, who really knows?

I have no hope for Freeman. If a JUCO OL can't come in and at least be able to play half the snaps (really should start), then he sucks. If Watts is a special player, maybe he can start at C and allow us to slide Brignone over to G. Don't think that's very likely though. We'll be better from sheer experience and a simplified scheme next year, though. Will it be enough? I don't know. But we'll definitely be better up front.

 

[Todd4State]

Croom liked his linemen a little on the small side didn't he.

and WR's, LB's- see Karlin Brown, and pretty much anyone else.

I think Croom had something in common with Napoleon.

 

[patdog]

Croom liked his linemen a little on the small side didn't he.

 

[futaba.79]

it's worse than I thought.

Unlike you, I've never recruited and developed an O-Line. However, I did watch our team play last year and noticed that our OL looked small, slow and weak compared to most everybody we played. Apparently, we didn't recruit and develop OLs very well under Croom.

I also found it interesting that Croom hinted that a true frosh, Smith, would've likely started had he not been injured. I took that to mean that, of all the lineman he had signed, save Sherrod, none were as good as Smith, a last minute signee. To me, that doesn't bode well for the state of the OL.

We needed to upgrade the position and we didn't. But you're the expert so I'll defer to you.

 

[Ol Blue.sixpack]

it's worse than I thought.

Unlike you, I've never recruited and developed an O-Line. However, I did watch our team play last year and noticed that our OL looked small, slow and weak compared to most everybody we played. Apparently, we didn't recruit and develop OLs very well under Croom.

I also found it interesting that Croom hinted that a true frosh, Smith, would've likely started had he not been injured. I took that to mean that, of all the lineman he had signed, save Sherrod, none were as good as Smith, a last minute signee. To me, that doesn't bode well for the state of the OL.

We needed to upgrade the position and we didn't. But you're the expert so I'll defer to you.

Careful, futaba. You're dealing with Little Peaches here.

 

[Ol Blue.sixpack]

South Panola Dawg wrote:

I have no hope for Freeman. If a JUCO OL can't come in and at least be able to play half the snaps (really should start), then he sucks.
It generally takes 2-3 years of hard work in the weight room and on the practice field to get them strong enough and teach them enough technique to be able to contribute, especially in the SEC.

Like I said, Little Peaches

 

[War Machine Dawg]

Virtually every coach I've ever talked to says the same thing. Except in the unusual case, it takes 2-3 years to get a HS OL ready to play in the SEC. I specifically remember Jackie saying the same thing when he was here. Coach shouldn't have given your dumb *** any mercy.

 

[Ol Blue.sixpack]

Virtually every coach I've ever talked to says the same thing. Except in the unusual case, it takes 2-3 years to get a HS OL ready to play in the SEC. I specifically remember Jackie saying the same thing when he was here. Coach shouldn't have given your dumb *** any mercy.

So that's what you think? That somehow Peaches had something to do with me coming back?

ROTFLMAO

 

[Coach34]

all he knows how to make are short, one sentence ******** replies and then it goes to name-calling...he has no substance in any reply, so he has to deflect

 

[4suredog]

I think the scheme completely changes what our needs are. MSU is one of the few teams in the nation that has never really grasped the whole forward pass concept. With the system Mullen wants to run, the oline will need to block for approx. 2.5 seconds vs the 4+ in the previous system. Now surely to god out of 16 schollie players that play that position 5 can block for half the time they needed to prior to now? SPdawg your not wrong if we were going to run the football as we have done the past 60 years, but you are wrong in your assesment of the oline design for this sytem.

 

[War Machine Dawg]

I should be careful, he might send me a nasty PM for making him look like dumbass. Although I dare say he should be used to looking like a dumbass by now.

As Ronny and I proved earlier in the thread, our OL was/is too damn young to be getting the snaps they were forced to get last year. 10 of the 14 linemen on roster are either True Frosh, RS Frosh, or True Sophs. 10 of 14 OL 2 years or less removed from HS. That fact cannot be disputed. Not a great comparison, but people were bitching something fierce about FL's young defense last year, and now they're a solid unit. I'm not saying we'll improve that dramatically, because the odds are very strong we won't. But to think the line can't be at least serviceable with a full year under most of these guys' belts, another offseason to work on conditioning & technique, and a new, simplified blocking scheme is ridiculous. And most of what Blew, Futaba, et. al are bitching about (small, weak, etc.) can be fixed in the offseason. Go look at the chart aGAIN. 10 of the 14 OL are 6'3", 280 or better. Hardly what I'd call "small". Do they really think it's that hard for an OL to gain 10-15 pounds and increase their strength in an offseason? Forgive me if I don't want to throw guys under the bus for not being world beaters when they're forced to start or play significant minutes much earlier than most coaches would ever consider playing them. If they suck as bad this year as they did in '08, then I'll throw them under the bus. But most of them deserve at least one more season to prove if they can play or if they're busts.

 

[Fratrebel]

That's kinda funny.

 

[futaba.79]

about our OL more than I do. I want those dudes to overachieve like MFers next fall. I want them blocking the **** out of people. I'm hoping you're right and they do improve their technique, get bigger and stronger and all that. I want you to be able throw it in my face every time I post.

All that said, I think we have one guy that's a solid SEC starter in Sherrod. I think Brignone has some potential. The rest...well, I guess we'll wait and see. I see our linemen around S'ville from time to time and, compared to the average man, they're enormous. You see these guys and think, 'why aren't we any better on the OL?' Then you meet a guy like Michael Brown and it becomes obvious why. You stand Brown next to anybody we've got and you quickly understand what an SEC Olineman looks like. And remember, Brown started for us what would've been his RS Fr year. He was a really good player and all but nothing that the big boys in the conference don't have 7 or 8 of. We needed to sign guys like that and we didn't. I'll hope for the best and hope I'm surprised.