OL and DL lines: who are the problems?

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Our biggest problems, in my opinion, are the offensive and defensive lines. But, like many fans, I follow the ball on most plays, or watch something develop in the defensive secondary. I have to rely on people to tell me when linemen are good ... or not.

Are there any specific linemen who are getting the job done? Who should be replaced? Just what is the problem?
 

We do not have a DE who can get to the QB. That is the biggest problem on defense. Any QB is going to look great if you let them be as comfortable as we have.
 

gopher7 said:
We do not have a DE who can get to the QB. That is the biggest problem on defense. Any QB is going to look great if you let them be as comfortable as we have.
Click to expand...

I will also add that our DL especially is not very disciplined. There was one pass play in particular on Saturday in which the entire DL pretty much let their OL pus them to the one side, and the NDSU QB just stepped over to his right with no one in front of him at all. It's pretty easy to make completions when you have a wide open field to find your receivers.
 

On defense I could'nt agree more with gopher7, our lack of a pass rush is the single most problematic symptom that our defense must correct. The front four all share some responsibility for this problem but our ends own a much larger percentage. Additionally, our ends seem to blow containment quite often resulting in numerous long gains every game, very frustrating to watch.
 

It bothers me…

When I played DE, I was taught to stay in my lane (home) and if it was a pass (and I wasn’t getting to the QB) to get my hands up.

I know defenses have become much more complex than when I played, but these types of things should be instinctive anyway, shouldn’t they?
 


It's hard to say for sure because we don't know the call, whether the line is supposed to stunt one way and it's supposed to be a LB that is responsible or what not; same thing with the offensive line calls.

But what I see without knowing any of that, I think Ed Olson needs to get better at pass blocking. I also don't think too highly of Ryan Orton's abilities (He is what he is, a depth player at best). I believe Epping was playing here & there in Orton's place & was playing with a bit of grit that I'm sure Limegrover is looking for (haven't watched a replay of the NDSU game). I'd personally like Tommy Olson to take over for Bunders simply because of the same argument that some are making about Shortell over Gray (he's younger and is only a freshman so get him the experience), but I don't know if Bunders has done enough to lose his job; he's not playing too awful. Gjere is a redshirt freshman; you take the good with the bad. I'm encouraged by him and think he'll only improve. The best thing we're doing this year is redshirting Bjorklund, the McAvoy's, et. al........I feel Wisconsin wins not because of the Joe Thomas' & Gabe Carimi's.....they win because of the overall talent & depth of their OL as a collection. That's created when you have to luxury of redshirting kids & building them for the system.

I don't know DL play or what I'm watching as much as OL. But I do know that I don't like what I see and I don't know what the answer is.
 

The interior OL isn't very good. I really don't care if they are experienced, they still don't get any push.

Ed Olson hasn't been good at all, especially given the expectations.
 

As we head into conference season, I fear we ain't seen nothing yet as far as bad line play.
 

Ed Olson and Jimmy gjere play like they are looking to avoid contact. They have been the two worst IMO
 



Rosemountian said:
Ed Olson and Jimmy gjere play like they are looking to avoid contact. They have been the two worst IMO
Click to expand...

Jemmy Gjere, as someone else pointed out is just a RS freshman so I expect him to make mistakes. Olson played all last year however and should be better than he is I think. He doesn't seem to handle speed rushers to the outside very well.
 

Yeah, hate to single Eddie out, but he's at the most visible spot on the line

It's also sad that Tinsley has been our best D-lineman so far
 

I'm hoping gjere is just making freshmen mistakes. He simply isn't playing physical. Hopefully that is because he is thinking too much and not because he is soft.
 

Hard to say on the OL, and I know Olson is the one being highlighted, but the OL is meant to be a unit and these guys have another knew system and really have not had enough play time to gel. As for the DL, they do seem to need a stud rusher. Obviously they either do not have one as of yet or he may be on the team but needs time to mature.
 



Offensive line hasn't been as bas as the DL (IMO).

I expected more out of Ed Olson, but he is only a SO and he has the most responsibilities. I think he will be fine, but yeah, i've been underwhelmed by his play (could be partially due to too high of expectations).

Bunders and Wynn.. been ok. I was expecting more from Bunders but he just doesn't seem to be getting a consistant push.

Orton, I think he's been bad. This spot has to be up for grabs with Epping and Tommy Olson.

Gjere....he's looked athletic but not very strong. I haven't noticed him shying away from contact as much as I have noticed that he doesn't appear really strong.

The defensive line...pretty much everyone has been bad. Our DE's are not only not getting a pass rush but they are also hyperaggresive and getting out of their lanes. Probably the most annoying is that they seem completely unable to finish a play, the few times we do get pressure, they miss the tackle. They've been bad.

DT's...they've been somewhat better. Hageman has flashed at times, Jacobs has been consistant, Kirksey is ok (gets zero pass rush), and Botticelli holds his own.
 

Willie's still in pretty good shape. Would anyone notice if he slipped into Garin's #49 jersey and put on a helmet with a really dark visor?
 

I know Campion was (is?) hurt, but are they planning on red shirting him or does anyone see him getting time coming up here? He's a "true freshman", but not in the same way as the other kids.
 

I'd imagine it depends on how quickly he gets better. If he can still play the majority of the Big 10 season, i'd imagine he loses his RS. We'll want more OL with experience coming back next season and it would be nice to get him some time. We also already have Bjorklund, Bush(i think) and the McAvoys RSing this season.
 

Didn't see Saturday night's game, but what I've seen thus far is very little interior push.
 

Oh Lord...great question, but where to begin?

DL: Sadly, they're all the problem. Great kids, I'm sure, but not D1 athletes. No pass rush (as has been stated) forces us to blitz way more than most teams, which leaves open the short to intermediate routes which everyone and their brother has been completing on us on 3rd and medium (seam routes to TE's, drags and "under" routes to slots, short hitches and slants to outside WR's). All of these are situations where other teams' LB's would be helping out in coverage.

When the DL DOES get to the QB (which has been surprisingly often the last two weeks at least), they're too unathletic to finish the job and bring him down...which obviously allows the QB to break the pocket and either run for 1st downs or complete passes on the run. Sad stuff.

OL: I think there is more talent here than people give credit for, but more than any other position, the scheme changes every year have hurt these guys. They've went from spread, to "pound the rock," to multiple , to a zone read scheme...and that's just the run game! Pass pro is even more complex, and it takes a long time for guys to get comfortable with each other. Anyway, JMHO...
 

Marcus tweets that Wilhite has lost his starting spot at DE.

GophersNow PiPress Gophers Now
Freshman starting DE Amaefula said Wilhite continues to be good teammate despite fact that he lost his starting spot. DL still plays a lot.

http://twitter.com/#!/GophersNow
 

DE Line fundamentals are bad

Notice how every team runs a short side trap against our left defensive end for yardage. Same each week. It is because the end gets suckered into moving up field and the tackle has no penetration. This leaves the center or left OG to pull into the hole.

They set this up to work by not having a tight end on the right side and thus we shift the linebackers to the wide and strong side of the formation. QB takes hand off and takes a step to his left and back and everybody flows that way. Tailback moves moves left one step and then takes hand off going back right and follows the pulling line man into the gap created by the DE that is now too deep to make a play. Linebacker is caught trying to get through the pulling line man but it is too late because first contact is on our side of the line. Best case scenario is they only gain 5 yards. Most often the safety is having to make the tackle and it is down field 9 yards before contact.

Only way to fix this is for the end to maintain his lane and not try to go around the OFF Tackle. Basic but hard for a kid who keeps hearing to be aggressive and get to the QB. Discipline and coaching. I trust the coaches. Ends are young. Linebackers are not aggressive.
 

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