Is the O-line fixable

The OL was the number 1 thing I wanted to look at last night because it appeared during the off-season that it might be a weakness and a weak OL is an anathema to an effective ground game and controlled passing attack that Napier wants. I would give them an F last night...lets hope they gel enough for that grade to improve.

 

The biggest problem with the running game was predictability. There are 11 players on defense and only 5 offensive linemen. The OL can't block the whole defense. Which is why you have to run to where the defense isn't and we didn't do that. I don't really recall our RB's getting hit in the backfield, which is the OL's primary responsibility. The RB's were making it past the line of scrimmage but they just didn't have much room to do anything once they got past there.

 

I believe it's mental errors... very fixable.

 

BN's zone-blocking running scheme, although very good, it's hard to learn and take a lot of practice time. Every minute spent on these is one less minute spent on pass blocking, and thst's why our pass blocking is sub-optimal and we can't recruit OTs very well, despite we have 2 OLCs.

It's very bad fit for UF, bad fit for CFB in general

 

New stud OL coach
New OC
New ST coach
New mentality of head coach

By this Thursday please

And house keeping, um, fire these guys.

Funny thing as the boss you don’t get to do the fun stuff you want (call plays, mentor qb) you have folks for that. Global focus.

 

I have always believed that an entire unit can significantly improve over the course of a season. However, I have yet to see this happen. Sure, a unit can have a good game here and there, but that is not enough to sustain improvement over a full season.

The off-season is where the real improvements are made. This is when teams can focus on recruiting new talent, strength and conditioning training, and repetitions to drive out mistakes. What we saw yesterday at the two #3's game is likely to be typical for this year. Weekly game prep should be focused on preparing for the opponent. We’ll be spending the time on how to not false start.

 

Fire the coaches after one road game against a top 15? Was this tongue in cheek?

 

This! I am learning this in real life too. The job gets a lot easier when you learn to let go and find someone to do the work for youl

 

If only we had 3 OL coaches to compete against the 1 other top programs have.

Seriously, the two OL coaches miss on all the top/highest rated OL on the recruiting front and the effort against Utah on the OL was pitiful

 

Yeah not sure you can blame the lack of running attack 100% on the OL. There are deficiencies there but regardless it will be hard for us to run when every team is going to key in on stopping the run. Opposing teams are going to hedge their bets and force us to pass to get anywhere which is what I would do. Until we are a decent threat vertically using the pass, I would expect more of the same here.

 

Only six offensive linemen played. Do you want to develop continuity or get some other guys snaps to see if they perform better?

Will Kingsley be back Saturday or do we give him another week to prepare for Tennessee? Slaughter could use all the experience he can get.

I suspect we will see a lot of mix and match this Saturday.

 

Watch this

 

I guess just a really bad take. Napier may or may not get this ball rolling but I bet fsu is glad they didn’t listen to their knee jerk fans a couple years ago.

 

If you can’t pass and win with a loaded box, that says all you need to know. They still have to keep Mertz on his feet to be successful.

 

I'm a bucs fan. I thought I was done with number 76...but oh nooo, I guess not.

 

To the OP, fixable? It depends on "what is the problem." IMO, I get that we have new pieces who were maybe less used to playing big boy ball (Utah is pretty good) with each other. I also get some first game jitters for some of the young guys. I can sort of get behind the notion that the running game is a VERY precise machine where if one link just misses, it looks disjointed. And I definitely see a disparity between what appears to be the m.o. of the offense versus what I see on other teams.

But to me, and this is also similar regarding the not-so-special teams, the penalties (ie, brain farts) are pretty damn concerning. What this was supposed to be was an "a ha" moment when we finally saw what Billyball and his attention to foundation-building was all about. And beleive me, I knew that last year's game...at our home...was a toss-up and the ball magically bounced our way. And so, it could easily have been a loss this year. New pieces and whatnot (including the revenge factor) can make a winnable game not-so. But you SHOULD see what Billyball is all about.

In some of the posts (including mine) in the post-game thread, there are some sobering questions as to the makeup of the team, psychologically. The old adage is a team reflects the temperament of the HC. Is Napier, at this level of competition and player skill, a tad too laid back and it reflects on the mental makeup of the team? Is this a game of a lack of leadership and passion (mainly too many new players) to hold each other accountable, like Miller last year when he was healthy? Does this wake up some not-so-tuned-in players to the totality of major college football with a mental swift kick in the ass to finally hear those who are attempting to provide the leadership...in earnest...for the position groups (like Mertz and perhaps Wingo)?

To me, the next game is going to be telling. First, and let's get this out of the way early, no...more...damn...silly...exercises on special teams. NONE for this game. PERIOD!!! The next, show basic fundamentals in running the ball. Finally, show what I think HAS to be the basics of passing this season: quick slants (ie, working on the timing in live action) and some long bombs. Not too many of those against a minimal opponent, because they should make them look TOO easy. Oh, and...

NO...MORE...DAMN...FALSE...START...PENALTIES...AT...HOME!!!!!!

All I can ask is an awareness and a sense of urgency moving forward. That and players getting more experience playing together means it will be corrected...in time. Tennessee in Week 3 is a real challenge. But again, for me, if we miss (like we could easily have against Utah) but look capable then I am fine with that. But to continue down Brain Fart Alley and given what Billy demands in his system, that is going to be a DAMN HUGE red flag. The Peter Principle has bitten us before, and it could happen again.

 

Don't blame the OL coaches for recruiting. No one can recruit elite OTs for this offensive scheme, just like NO one can recruit elite WRs for Navy

 

And about the worst thing you can have with the statue in the pocket with the initials GM. You absolutely have to have a solid oline with an immobile QB or expect to get shutout a lot.

 

Did the Meyer teams employ zone blocking ?