evolution of the OL

We've all heard the phrase "once CPJ gets his guys on the OL...." Well, I wonder if CPJ's definition "his OL" has changed since being at Tech. He's always said big and fast is better than small and fast, but we continue to get pushed around upfront against the better half of the schedule. Maybe the bigger part of the equation is starting weigh more than the faster part. All I know is that the size of our offensive linemen have gotten much bigger the last few years and me likey!

Here's a post I copied on TOS that supports this position (from a poster many consider a reputable source):

I think PJ realized this officially vs Iowa; LSU was the first hint he wasn't going right (but I think he was in denial). If you notice the 2010 class was the first that started to get bigger guys in; that are legitimately bigger, not fake recruiting site measurables. Finch for instance is hardly over 6 foot and hardly over 270 despite his listings; jackson small guy etc.

Gotta stand next to these guys to tell. Mason is big. Morgan Bailey has a big frame and will be a fit 300 lbs. Erin Joe, Chamberlain, braun all have BIG frames, a true 6-4, 6-5. You can see the size improvement from the 2010 or 2011 class on; and validated with the 2012 class and transfers coming in.

FYI I believe you may start seeing inside zone plays now...

-33jacket

Originally Posted by dressedcheeseside

We've all heard the phrase "once CPJ gets his guys on the OL...." Well, I wonder if CPJ's definition "his OL" has changed since being at Tech. He's always said big and fast is better than small and fast, but we continue to get pushed around upfront against the better half of the schedule. Maybe the bigger part of the equation is starting weigh more than the faster part. All I know is that the size of our offensive linemen have gotten much bigger the last few years and me likey!

Here's a post I copied on TOS that supports this position (from a poster many consider a reputable source):

Is this true for the OL? We get pushed around on the perimeter, but as far as I can tell, we've been able to establish the dive pretty well against UGA, FSU, USC...

UGA: Sims and Laskey combine for 127 yards. Sims averages 5.1 yards per carry.
FSU: 105 yards. Both backs average 4.5+
USC: 159 yards. Laskey averages 10 yards per carry.

Our OL can stand up to the big boys, and even dominate them. If we've got even bigger ones waiting in the wings, people need to watch out.

For the record, I think we've already begun to see the effects of PJ recruiting bigger lineman. Our average weight on the OL seems to be up about 15 pounds (estimate) from what it was in '08 and '09.

The problem seems to be that we don't have a back that can punish defenses when the holes open up. Laskey is close, but he's no Dwyer or even Allen. When you take a one-dimensional attack and fail to deliver on any one of the three options, the defense can cheat and smother you.

Originally Posted by pckl300

Is this true for the OL? We get pushed around on the perimeter, but as far as I can tell, we've been able to establish the dive pretty well against UGA, FSU, USC...

UGA: Sims and Laskey combine for 127 yards. Sims averages 5.1 yards per carry.
FSU: 105 yards. Both backs average 4.5+
USC: 159 yards. Laskey averages 10 yards per carry.

Our OL can stand up to the big boys, and even dominate them. If we've got even bigger ones waiting in the wings, people need to watch out.

For the record, I think we've already begun to see the effects of PJ recruiting bigger lineman. Our average weight on the OL seems to be up about 15 pounds (estimate) from what it was in '08 and '09.

The problem seems to be that we don't have a back that can punish defenses when the holes open up. Laskey is close, but he's no Dwyer or even Allen. When you take a one-dimensional attack and fail to deliver on any one of the three options, the defense can cheat and smother you.

I think some of our success up the middle against those teams was based on the defenses picking their poison. The linebackers were chasing the motion leaving no second level. If our OL could handle the the guy infront of him for a split second on the dive, it went for 3 to 5 a pop.

But yeah, we were starting to gel up front towards the end of the season. But there's no doubt we starting recruiting taller OL's with more potential to be big, fast and strong. Look at the depth chart and see how many guys we have at 6'4"+ and then check their year. I'll do it for ya, there's 4: 3 RSfrosh and 1 RSsoph. By the time these guys are jr's and sr's, they won't be struggling to maintain weights at or over 300 lbs and they'll be in shape, too.

Then we have the two monster OL's in this year's class, the Aubie transfer and now the Maryland transfer. The third OL in this year's class is 6'5" but needs to add weight.

Originally Posted by dressedcheeseside

We've all heard the phrase "once CPJ gets his guys on the OL...." Well, I wonder if CPJ's definition "his OL" has changed since being at Tech. He's always said big and fast is better than small and fast, but we continue to get pushed around upfront against the better half of the schedule. Maybe the bigger part of the equation is starting weigh more than the faster part. All I know is that the size of our offensive linemen have gotten much bigger the last few years and me likey!

Here's a post I copied on TOS that supports this position (from a poster many consider a reputable source):

Through this forum I tried to tell PJ three years ago that his service academy-sized linemen weren't going to cut it if he ever expected to keep us firmly entrenched as a Top 15-10 team. It was patently obvious a change of recruiting strategy was needed.

My next message to PJ is, if he intends to keep the cut blocking as part of his blocking schemes, to get some better coaching or get some better talent. As much as people say that the cut blocking is mostly, if not eclusively, done on the backside, the FSU replays showed me a bunch of it was done on the playside - and still poorly in most cases. :-)