BDV, did you read the McKeefery article on VQ?

[ReVOLver]

I really, really want to believe based on that but I'm gunshy. 

For those who can't access it takes the Mt. Leconte story and the Locust street story and fills in the gaps of the summer. McKeefery is a convincing SOB but I've been burned so many times before.

[Clockwork Orange]

I really, really want to believe based on that but I'm gunshy. 

For those who can't access it takes the Mt. Leconte story and the Locust street story and fills in the gaps of the summer. McKeefery is a convincing SOB but I've been burned so many times before.

Team strength has been a weakness the last couple of years. I think this is evident when you watch film. I know nothing about McKeefery but if we can get improvements in strength and conditioning it will really shore up some problem areas-- especially on the OL.

[ReVOLver]

Team strength has been a weakness the last couple of years. I think this is evident when you watch film. I know nothing about McKeefery but if we can get improvements in strength and conditioning it will really shore up some problem areas-- especially on the OL.

The thing that holds me back on McKeefery is that this isn't his first year. He was in Knox for the last offseason. He says that when he got there they were not an SEC team from a conditioning perspective, but then again I think Dooley's first team (with Bennie Wylie) held up better in the 4th quarter than McKeefery's first team did. Maybe it had to do with the transition between strength coaches and things are settled now.

I also think that coaching was a big, big problem on the OL. Hiestand has a great resume but I think he is probably a better NFL coach. He's a screamer and a lot of the rumors were that he was deep in the heads of Stone and Bullard.

10EC jokes about it every year but he's right... usually about this time I transition from skeptic into full-bore homer. But this year every time I read something that pulls at my heartstrings a little, I go back to Alabama, LSU, Arkansas, and Kentucky last year and how they were just without answers in the second half of those four games. I don't only think this was due to conditioning. So every "It's changed, things are better, we're together, we're in shape, we're committed" article is met with skepticism and the disclaimer of "I want to believe, but..."

[Clockwork Orange]

I also think that coaching was a big, big problem on the OL. Hiestand has a great resume but I think he is probably a better NFL coach. He's a screamer and a lot of the rumors were that he was deep in the heads of Stone and Bullard.

I was watching a video of our offense in the UF game last year and noticed a pattern that IMO can only be attributed to coaching (and youth, but it still comes down to coaching). There were several running plays where a guard would pull and the center was supposed to step out and get a push on the man that was lined up over the pulling guard, just to give the HB long enough to get out of the backfield. Well, he failed to get out far enough to make that block, over and over and over again. When you look closely the DL was lined up over the guard's outside shoulder, and was rushing straight upfield . . . meaning the center had to get 4-5 feet to his left or right to make a block after snapping the ball. Simple geometry shows just how unlikely he was to be able to make that block, and we failed on many plays because of just this sort of error. This spot in the game is a really clear example of this happening.

So the question is . . . is this bad blocking scheme? Is it a mistake by Bray not to read the DL alignment and get to a safer play? Is it a mistake by the OL not to recognize and help the C out with a chip from the RT? It's hard to blame this one on the strength or athleticism of the C, as the block he was asked to make was nearly impossible.

And of course the biggest question is, have we done anything in the offseason to assure that kind of crap isn't the norm again this year?

[ReVOLver]

I was watching a video of our offense in the UF game last year and noticed a pattern that IMO can only be attributed to coaching (and youth, but it still comes down to coaching). There were several running plays where a guard would pull and the center was supposed to step out and get a push on the man that was lined up over the pulling guard, just to give the HB long enough to get out of the backfield. Well, he failed to get out far enough to make that block, over and over and over again. When you look closely the DL was lined up over the guard's outside shoulder, and was rushing straight upfield . . . meaning the center had to get 4-5 feet to his left or right to make a block after snapping the ball. Simple geometry shows just how unlikely he was to be able to make that block, and we failed on many plays because of just this sort of error. This spot in the game is a really clear example of this happening.

So the question is . . . is this bad blocking scheme? Is it a mistake by Bray not to read the DL alignment and get to a safer play? Is it a mistake by the OL not to recognize and help the C out with a chip from the RT? It's hard to blame this one on the strength or athleticism of the C, as the block he was asked to make was nearly impossible.

And of course the biggest question is, have we done anything in the offseason to assure that kind of crap isn't the norm again this year?

It sounds and looks like bad play design to me.

[ReVOLver]

It sounds and looks like bad play design to me.

To add, it may not be bad play design at all... you hit on the fact that it's probably Tyler's responsibility to get them out of that play when that front alignment is presented.

[Clockwork Orange]

It sounds and looks like bad play design to me.

I thought so too, but I am far from an expert on OL play. It seems to me that a guard pulling around the center is always going to be risky if the center is expected to block the DL lined up over the guard's outside shoulder. I could be wrong, but I would assume the tackle is usually supposed to make first contact on that guy.

[Black Diamond Vol]

No, I actually dropped VQ last month.  Just didn't feel I was getting my money's worth anymore.

[ReVOLver]

No, I actually dropped VQ last month.  Just didn't feel I was getting my money's worth anymore.

You are probably right... all the articles sound the same these days. They don't have the sources they had with Fulmer's regime.

I'm paid up for a year though.

[10EC]

10EC jokes about it every year but he's right...

I am just looking forward to the days when we don't have to hope anymore.  It is just a given

[PirateVOL]

I was watching a video of our offense in the UF game last year and noticed a pattern that IMO can only be attributed to coaching (and youth, but it still comes down to coaching). There were several running plays where a guard would pull and the center was supposed to step out and get a push on the man that was lined up over the pulling guard, just to give the HB long enough to get out of the backfield. Well, he failed to get out far enough to make that block, over and over and over again. When you look closely the DL was lined up over the guard's outside shoulder, and was rushing straight upfield . . . meaning the center had to get 4-5 feet to his left or right to make a block after snapping the ball. Simple geometry shows just how unlikely he was to be able to make that block, and we failed on many plays because of just this sort of error. This spot in the game is a really clear example of this happening.

So the question is . . . is this bad blocking scheme? Is it a mistake by Bray not to read the DL alignment and get to a safer play? Is it a mistake by the OL not to recognize and help the C out with a chip from the RT? It's hard to blame this one on the strength or athleticism of the C, as the block he was asked to make was nearly impossible.

And of course the biggest question is, have we done anything in the offseason to assure that kind of crap isn't the norm again this year?

You would be correct.  In addition, all too often the pulling guard (in particular the RG) would turn up field to early and as a result the kick out block never happened.  I forget the game (it was a home game and we were going South to North on the drive) but 3 out of 4 counter plays this occured.

Also, IMO, we were flat terrible at center, especially the 2nd half of the season.  Poor technique, incorrect positioning, individual breakdowns, etc.

The above being said, I would lay a bit more of the blame for the poor running game at the feet of the RBs. 

[VinnieVOL]

I read it, starting to get pumped for this fall.

[EmerilVOL]

I really, really want to believe based on that but I'm gunshy. 

For those who can't access it takes the Mt. Leconte story and the Locust street story and fills in the gaps of the summer. McKeefery is a convincing SOB but I've been burned so many times before.

One of the things I noticed and Heistand never corrected (and you can tell this by watching games like the ND game at ND in 92???(The Miracle) and the guards were always stepping back to receive the rush rather than stepping forward to hit the rush before the head of steam was up.  I had access to some film from daBears while Heistand was there and noticed they did the same thing.  I can remember Fulmer's guards never did backup like that.  He taught them to explode outward and from what i have seen this is the way Pittman teaches the guards to play also....I think Heistand got in that passive blocking mode rather than exploding out mode.

Just my humble little observation.