If my concerns about BRAD are a 5 on a scale of 1 to 10, then my present concerns about our O-LINE are a 9 on a scale of 1 to 10... Sorry, I just don't have the confidence in this unit at the moment, and playing against both UNC and especially VT on the road makes BOTH of these games "toss-ups" in my opinion...
In my opinion, there are THREE major issues with the offensive line.
TALENT:
I took a look at Alabama's recruiting OFFENSIVE LINEMEN since Nick Saban arrived at Alabama in 2007. Nick Saban is now in his TENTH season at Alabama- here is what he has recruited as far as LINEMEN:
2007: 0 4-stars, 0 5-stars
2008: 2 4-stars, 1 5-star
2009: 2 4-stars, 1 5-star
2010: 2 4-stars, 0 5-stars
2011: 2 4-stars, 1 5-star
2012: 1 4-star, 0 5-stars
2013: 1 4-star, 1 5-star
2014: 5 4-stars, 1 5-star
2015: 3 4-stars, 0 5-stars
2016: 0 4-stars, 2 5-stars
2017: 1 4-star, 2 5-stars (committed not signed)
^^^ That is absolutely absurd... lol. Look at the last 3 signing classes for this team. 8 4-STARS and 3 5-STARS... And yes, Mario has been a good asset for them on that coaching staff too... I understand that NOBODY recruits like Alabama does right now, but this list above DOES put some things into perspective. We need to be CLOSER to ALABAMA than to where WE are right NOW...
Alabama 2014-2016: 8 4-STARS and 3 5-STARS
Miami 2014-2016: 3 4-STARS and 0 5-STARS
So there you have it- couple that with shit coaching and a program in decline for 15 years, and it isn't hard to come to the realization that our offensive line talent is SIGNIFICANTLY BELOW anything that we saw in 2001 with that Bryant McKinnie led offensive line.
DEPTH:
I also looked at Alabama's recruiting 3-stars since 2007. They have at least 1-2 3-star offensive linemen EVERY YEAR since Saban arrived except for maybe 2007... What that means is Alabama has a bunch of at least average to above average guys here and there who can fill depth and spot start when needed. That's what Alabama does with its three stars... We have STRUGGLED to get even moderate depth at the offensive lineman position the last 3-5 years, and sometimes we have to reach for recruits to fill roster spots... That's a MAJOR problem- as big of a problem as impact talent in my opinion. Top-10 schools have depth, but they have QUALITY depth- players who can actually develop and push starters to be better...
COACHING:
This pretty much speaks for itself... We know how bad Al Golden was a head coach. His recruiting offensive linemen was well below average, and that is really sugarcoating it, truth be told... Kehoe- look, I'm not going to hammer the guy too hard here because he is a Cane LEGEND as far as I am concerned, but the COLD HARD TRUTH is both recruiting AND development of our offensive line diminished under Kehoe in his LATER years... I think the game slowly and steadily passed him by when he was here under Golden, and that is always a tough situation given what an INSTRUMENTAL part he was in ALL FIVE of our National Championships... But the proof is in the recruiting classes and the on-the-field product when it comes to our offensive line, and this previous coaching staff did Richt and this coaching staff NO FAVORS when it comes to both talent and depth of our offensive line... Richt needs a solid THREE years to build up this offensive line to a top-10 unit. Period... AT LEAST 2 4-stars in each class over the next 3 years and a total of 3 5-stars over that same time period... We also need about 5 solid backup offensive linemen... This unit is in DIRE NEED of an overhaul as far as coaching.. The footwork of our tackles is poor, and they don't look tough enough in the trenches... The unit as whole right now is at a D Grade when you look at everything from top to bottom...
SUMMARY:
I knew that the offensive line was going to be a weak spot going into this season, but I didn't think it was going to be this bad until I saw what Florida State (and App State to some extent) did against our offensive line in the run game, and also when I did some in-depth research this morning. We have still managed to rack up some yards and points here through the first 5 games, but this has been against inferior opponents... I worry about what we will do ON THE ROAD against Virginia Tech (especially), and even Notre Dame in what could be wet/cold weather, despite Notre Dame's defensive deficiencies.
The GOOD NEWS is that the FUTURE is bright with Richt and this coaching staff... Georgia almost ALWAYS had a solid running game under Richt, and Georgia has put offensive linemen in the NFL and blocked relatively well under Richt... So for THIS UNIT, patience is going to be the key... There are FIVE starting offensive linemen, and getting BOTH talent AND depth at each starting offensive linemen position is going to take some time here...
For now, we have to hope for the best, be patient, and see whether we can use some more mis-direction and screens to keep opposing defenses off guard...
Just my honest opinion...
Go Canes...!!!
Prost! (Cheers!)
In my opinion, there are THREE major issues with the offensive line.
TALENT:
I took a look at Alabama's recruiting OFFENSIVE LINEMEN since Nick Saban arrived at Alabama in 2007. Nick Saban is now in his TENTH season at Alabama- here is what he has recruited as far as LINEMEN:
2007: 0 4-stars, 0 5-stars
2008: 2 4-stars, 1 5-star
2009: 2 4-stars, 1 5-star
2010: 2 4-stars, 0 5-stars
2011: 2 4-stars, 1 5-star
2012: 1 4-star, 0 5-stars
2013: 1 4-star, 1 5-star
2014: 5 4-stars, 1 5-star
2015: 3 4-stars, 0 5-stars
2016: 0 4-stars, 2 5-stars
2017: 1 4-star, 2 5-stars (committed not signed)
^^^ That is absolutely absurd... lol. Look at the last 3 signing classes for this team. 8 4-STARS and 3 5-STARS... And yes, Mario has been a good asset for them on that coaching staff too... I understand that NOBODY recruits like Alabama does right now, but this list above DOES put some things into perspective. We need to be CLOSER to ALABAMA than to where WE are right NOW...
Alabama 2014-2016: 8 4-STARS and 3 5-STARS
Miami 2014-2016: 3 4-STARS and 0 5-STARS
So there you have it- couple that with shit coaching and a program in decline for 15 years, and it isn't hard to come to the realization that our offensive line talent is SIGNIFICANTLY BELOW anything that we saw in 2001 with that Bryant McKinnie led offensive line.
DEPTH:
I also looked at Alabama's recruiting 3-stars since 2007. They have at least 1-2 3-star offensive linemen EVERY YEAR since Saban arrived except for maybe 2007... What that means is Alabama has a bunch of at least average to above average guys here and there who can fill depth and spot start when needed. That's what Alabama does with its three stars... We have STRUGGLED to get even moderate depth at the offensive lineman position the last 3-5 years, and sometimes we have to reach for recruits to fill roster spots... That's a MAJOR problem- as big of a problem as impact talent in my opinion. Top-10 schools have depth, but they have QUALITY depth- players who can actually develop and push starters to be better...
COACHING:
This pretty much speaks for itself... We know how bad Al Golden was a head coach. His recruiting offensive linemen was well below average, and that is really sugarcoating it, truth be told... Kehoe- look, I'm not going to hammer the guy too hard here because he is a Cane LEGEND as far as I am concerned, but the COLD HARD TRUTH is both recruiting AND development of our offensive line diminished under Kehoe in his LATER years... I think the game slowly and steadily passed him by when he was here under Golden, and that is always a tough situation given what an INSTRUMENTAL part he was in ALL FIVE of our National Championships... But the proof is in the recruiting classes and the on-the-field product when it comes to our offensive line, and this previous coaching staff did Richt and this coaching staff NO FAVORS when it comes to both talent and depth of our offensive line... Richt needs a solid THREE years to build up this offensive line to a top-10 unit. Period... AT LEAST 2 4-stars in each class over the next 3 years and a total of 3 5-stars over that same time period... We also need about 5 solid backup offensive linemen... This unit is in DIRE NEED of an overhaul as far as coaching.. The footwork of our tackles is poor, and they don't look tough enough in the trenches... The unit as whole right now is at a D Grade when you look at everything from top to bottom...
SUMMARY:
I knew that the offensive line was going to be a weak spot going into this season, but I didn't think it was going to be this bad until I saw what Florida State (and App State to some extent) did against our offensive line in the run game, and also when I did some in-depth research this morning. We have still managed to rack up some yards and points here through the first 5 games, but this has been against inferior opponents... I worry about what we will do ON THE ROAD against Virginia Tech (especially), and even Notre Dame in what could be wet/cold weather, despite Notre Dame's defensive deficiencies.
The GOOD NEWS is that the FUTURE is bright with Richt and this coaching staff... Georgia almost ALWAYS had a solid running game under Richt, and Georgia has put offensive linemen in the NFL and blocked relatively well under Richt... So for THIS UNIT, patience is going to be the key... There are FIVE starting offensive linemen, and getting BOTH talent AND depth at each starting offensive linemen position is going to take some time here...
For now, we have to hope for the best, be patient, and see whether we can use some more mis-direction and screens to keep opposing defenses off guard...
Just my honest opinion...
Go Canes...!!!
Prost! (Cheers!)
