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Offensive Line Thoughts (Part 2)

NorthwoodHusker said:
Bama was 80th in rushing
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Bama can pretty much do what they want. They have an OL that could be heavy run focus or pass focus. They feed their pipeline of talent and then allocate their pay calling according to who is most ready in their system.

We have a little different situation. Instead of picking between how ready 4/5 stars are in terms of being ready to play, we need to recruit and develop toward something that can allow us to compete year to year consistently.

Given that we play in the B10, and given that we play our home games in Lincoln (surrounded by 500 miles of farmland mostly), our recruiting capabilities and the resulting system will be different from Bama.

What is interesting is that Bama can get about any offensive lineman they want, and they tend to get guys who knock people off the ball over super tall pass blocking OT's (even their last outland winner, Leatherwood, was more of a power blocking athlete than a prototypical pass blocker)
 

Huskerwisdom said:
Bama can pretty much do what they want. They have an OL that could be heavy run focus or pass focus. They feed their pipeline of talent and then allocate their pay calling according to who is most ready in their system.

We have a little different situation. Instead of picking between how ready 4/5 stars are in terms of being ready to play, we need to recruit and develop toward something that can allow us to compete year to year consistently.

Given that we play in the B10, and given that we play our home games in Lincoln (surrounded by 500 miles of farmland mostly), our recruiting capabilities and the resulting system will be different from Bama.

What is interesting is that Bama can get about any offensive lineman they want, and they tend to get guys who knock people off the ball over super tall pass blocking OT's (even their last outland winner, Leatherwood, was more of a power blocking athlete than a prototypical pass blocker)
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Possibly they can.
But until you become good at something, you wont be champions.
They wont all the sudden 'learn' to be incredible run blockers, their average per run was 79th.
However,their passing game was 7th.

Getting top qb and WR tilts what they do here.
 
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NorthwoodHusker said:
Possibly they can.
But until you become good at something, you wont be champions.
They wont all the sudden 'learn' to be incredible run blockers, their average per run was 79th.
However,their passing game was 7th.

Getting top qb and WR tilts what they do here.
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and that last part won't happen at Nebraska, or won't happen with any regularity that resembles Alabama.
 



NorthwoodHusker said:
So, like Michigan,you create a monster run game and have bigger guys than Bama on your O line
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I wouldn't get too focused on a single year for Alabama. This year (using FBS only statistics), Bama is 77th in yards per game rushing, last year they were 48th (Leatherwood was still playing then, and he's only 6-5). Prior to that 57th, 33rd, and 10th in 2017-2018 (FWIW, they won the national title that year as well)

Additionally, many of the teams traditionally near the top in yards/game have shorter, quicker offensive linemen (e.g., the service academies).

Michigan is 8th this year, 94th a year ago, 68th, 31st and 48th before that

My point is that there are a lot of ways to run the ball. Alabama's kind of special because they have so much talent year-in/year-out that they can adapt their scheme to fit the OL and skill talent. When they had a few power blocking offensive linemen they ran the ball as well as Michigan did this year.

Harbaugh reverted a bit to his Stanford roots this year, but it was something they could do with a top 10 D, and they still somehow lost to MSU

Either way, we need to get to top 50 and top 25 rushing levels in order to matter again. I like the option, but let's get the RB centered run game going, then the option game will be really difficult to stop
 
LarstheRed said:
The hard part for many tall guys is bending at the hips and knees, instead of just leaning and bending at their back. You see it in other sports as well, especially when it comes to moving laterally. Getting low means more than just leaning your head closer to the ground. For the most part, Minnie's guys do a pretty solid job of getting their pads lower, but I think some of that is because of what they are, or aren't asked to do. If you are pulling, or having to cover a distance to make a block, you tend to go upright, which means you aren't getting to drive block, you tend to shield more. I don't think we've been in a position to drive as much as we'd like to, and I do think we have some guys on the team that would greatly appreciate doing that more. A certain hat comes to mind.
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Get your donkey in the grass.
 
Huskerwisdom said:
I wouldn't get too focused on a single year for Alabama. This year (using FBS only statistics), Bama is 77th in yards per game rushing, last year they were 48th (Leatherwood was still playing then, and he's only 6-5). Prior to that 57th, 33rd, and 10th in 2017-2018 (FWIW, they won the national title that year as well)

Additionally, many of the teams traditionally near the top in yards/game have shorter, quicker offensive linemen (e.g., the service academies).

Michigan is 8th this year, 94th a year ago, 68th, 31st and 48th before that

My point is that there are a lot of ways to run the ball. Alabama's kind of special because they have so much talent year-in/year-out that they can adapt their scheme to fit the OL and skill talent. When they had a few power blocking offensive linemen they ran the ball as well as Michigan did this year.

Harbaugh reverted a bit to his Stanford roots this year, but it was something they could do with a top 10 D, and they still somehow lost to MSU

Either way, we need to get to top 50 and top 25 rushing levels in order to matter again. I like the option, but let's get the RB centered run game going, then the option game will be really difficult to stop
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Long story short, IMO,Mich running game is much better because their passing game is more consistent, better at any time since Harbaughs first year I believe.
 




NorthwoodHusker said:
Would you?
Would Husker nation?
The point earlier was to run better and more often, neither of which Bama does, and as I pointed out, even scheme really doesnt need to change, but you need a qb and receivers like Bama has, not much to do for the previous mentions of more runs, better runs.
Goal posts in place
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Incorrect.
Finishing 80th in rushing is an aberrance for Alabama because this year, like us, they do not have a premier RB.
2019: 42nd in rushing
2020: 48th in rushing

Both years with a more than 1200 yard back to go with their premium passing game.

So no, Alabama still likes to be able to hurt you with a great RB in addition to passing it.
 
NorthwoodHusker said:
Long story short, IMO,Mich running game is much better because their passing game is more consistent, better at any time since Harbaughs first year I believe.
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partly because they have been able to run strong enough to force teams to prioritize their running game, leaving play action passes as a very effective attack.

Nobody lines up and smashes everyone regardless of defensive alignment, and few people can throw the ball all over against good defenses without a running game to make safeties and LB's to make tough decisions.

Their OC, Gattis, has done a really good job with a good (but not great, IMO) QB this year.
 
HuskerSuperGenius said:
Incorrect.
Finishing 80th in rushing is an aberrance for Alabama because this year, like us, they do not have a premier RB.
2019: 42nd in rushing
2020: 48th in rushing

Both years with a more than 1200 yard back to go with their premium passing game.

So no, Alabama still likes to be able to hurt you with a great RB in addition to passing it.
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So, you're saying their running game worked better with better players for it plus great wrs/qbs, of course.
Do you think finishing lower than us with their excellent rbs is an accomplishment?
 
NorthwoodHusker said:
So, you're saying their running game worked better with better players for it plus great wrs/qbs, of course.
Do you think finishing lower than us with their excellent rbs is an accomplishment?
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While I agree with a lot of your points I think you need to acknowledge the SEC has the best defenses in the country. They are big, fast, strong and very well coached.

Nobody is stupid enough in the SEC to think they are going to run on Alabama or Georgia including Alabama or Georgia. So yes Alabama passes ~50% of the time during the season.

My real point is if being tall is important, Alabama would have the tallest OL in the country but it isn't

However they are larger human beings than our OL and that is the real point
 



dallasblackshirt said:
While I agree with a lot of your points I think you need to acknowledge the SEC has the best defenses in the country. They are big, fast, strong and very well coached.

Nobody is stupid enough in the SEC to think they are going to run on Alabama or Georgia including Alabama or Georgia. So yes Alabama passes ~50% of the time during the season.

My real point is if being tall is important, Alabama would have the tallest OL in the country but it isn't

However they are larger human beings than our OL and that is the real point
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6'7 and 6'6 aren't short in the world of OL.
 

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