Maybe- I’d take 6-0 Aaron Taylor over any 6-6 kid on this team for the last ten years in a heartbeat.
Big doesn’t necessarily mean tall.
-
You do not need to register if you are not going to pay the yearly fee to post. If you register please click here or log in go to "settings" then "my account" then "User Upgrades" and you can renew.
HuskerMax readers can save 50% on Omaha Steaks .
"We want big kids..."
- Thread starter DuckTownHusker
- Start date
Big doesn’t necessarily mean tall.
They looked pretty bad to me this year… Not sure their height was the reason though. I also don’t believe a badass lineman should be ruled out cause he’s 6’3”.
Doesn’t Rhule first have to create a Husker mold? Looks like the last successful one was broken about 20 years ago.
I like him saying that, but I'm pretty sure that's what every single football coach says they want.
Its so hard to be really successful at anything you really don't love doing. Playing football at the college level requires a level of commitment that isn't just 'Off the shelf' anymore, likely never really was. Belichick's comments are spot on.
6'6" isn't a problem. When we're bumping up against 7' with some of them and they don't play like offensive lineman, it's a problem.
If Teddy is the only example of a really tall guy who can play at a.....relatively high level, we're either picking the wrong vertically gifted kids, not developing them or their height isn't an advantage at the position.
I will be interested to see who Rhule brings in as OL coach and what the blocking schemes do for the kids on the roster.
There are a bunch of undeveloped players on this team. A good coach could change the trajectory of many of these guys. They don’t all suck.
I still maintain that the "failure" of our tackles is not their talent, their height nor their effort ... the failure is S&C and coaching. The tackles slide step needs to be faster ... I would have them working on improving their lateral quickness every day between now and the start of the season.
The NFL loves tall Tackles ... everything trickles down from the NFL to college football ... I think there's enough proof out there that 6'6" to 6'8" tackles can succeed ... they just need to have a quick first step.
That doesn't mean an OT can't be 6'3" or 6'4" tall. Point being IMO is the struggles our tackles have had is not their height but their development and coaching!
I don't recall Mike Riley or Scott Frost ever saying that, or at least not with any conviction.
Riley and Frost seemed content to take whatever the recruiting/portal would give them. Rhule seems like he has a specific profile of athlete and he's going to target those kids regardless of star ratings or recruiting blue-chippyness.
The closest thing I can compare it to is working in sales. Over my career, I've known hundreds of salespeople who show up at work and wait to see what the day brings them. But the successful ones are those who walk into the office with a plan for exactly which clients they'll call that day. It's a farmer -vs- hunter mentality.
Duck, you're a good dude, but this is revisionist history for sure. You don't remember Frost talking about combining Husker Power with Oregon/UCF speed?
Even Riley, a man I've rarely defended, certainly emphasized both size and speed. Everyone does, so Rhule's statement isn't really anything noteworthy.
Actually going out and doing it, and having it translate to the field, will be noteworthy.
Foot movement first, then height. Doesn't matter how big and strong a kid is if he can't get into position to do his job. I'd take a 6'2" guy (assuming in the 285 lbs+ range with good feet vs a cement footed 6'6" kid. Last year I checked the Bama OL stats, they had plenty of guys under 6'5" and they have their pick of the litter.
Alabama’s starting Offensive Tackles are 6’6” and 6’5”. Their backups are 6’7” and 6’6”. Last year starters were 6’7” (Neal, playing in the NFL) and 6’5”.
I also disagree with the cement-footed comment. These were kids recruited by Minnesota, Wisconsin, Notre Dame and Iowa. The lateral slowness is S&C and coaching related. Period!
You really think Duval doesn't keep up on all of the latest methods of training and is stuck in the 1990s?
He is well regarded in the S&C community and knows a bit more about it than you or anyone on this board. Period!
Seriously? You’re defending Duval?You really think Duval doesn't keep up on all of the latest methods of training and is stuck in the 1990s?
Sure he knows stuff, more stuff than me, but our line in the SF era was poor year in a year out. And that includes a couple of guys playing in the NFL.
But I can see that the lateral movement has not gotten better in three years. Can’t you? Maybe there’s a lack of synergy between coaching (OLine) and S&C. Maybe there’s some playing guys out of position (Benhart might be a better G than OT).
Where’s Duvall now? Unemployed. You have no data to suggest that Duvall wasn’t at a minimum … part of the problem.
PS Alabama’s starting tackles average 6’6”.
Last edited:
