2009 tOSU Offensive Line Discussion (official thread)

[OregonBuckeye]

Last year why would we not have slid Browning down to guard and Cordle to RT. Why would that had not been an option last year? Why did BB have to struggle being out of position if Cordle would have been the right fit all along. Go Bucks

Who cares? The past is in the past.

 

[Oneshot]

Who cares? The past is in the past.

Ehh, I have to disagree -- I think it says something about the coaching staff if it turns out that a player with great talent was not only playing out of position, but that player's mis-positioning cost the entire offensive line.

Of course, hindsight is 20/20, but as fans, we would like to see the right decisions made as soon as it could benefit the team.

So, to summarize - I would care.

 

[OregonBuckeye]

Ehh, I have to disagree -- I think it says something about the coaching staff if it turns out that a player with great talent was not only playing out of position, but that player's mis-positioning cost the entire offensive line.

Of course, hindsight is 20/20, but as fans, we would like to see the right decisions made as soon as it could benefit the team.

So, to summarize - I would care.

Cincinnati didn't realize Connor Barwin was a great DE until his senior year. Now he's about to be a 1st day pick. Happens everywhere.

Rehring played LG, RG, and RT. Cordle played C and LG. That's a lot of shuffling to be made in season. Making the move from C to LG to RT during the season is a hell of a lot to ask. Even if Cordle has a good year at RT, it doesn't necessarily mean he would've last year too.

You can't say the staff didn't try.

 

[OState29]

I do believe that there is a different attitude on this team now. That is evidenced by the text that Brewster sent to Coach Tressel after watching Florida win the NC in January. There is leadership on this team that I don't think was there last season. Guys like Brewster and Pryor are guys that are willing to take a team on their back and do whatever it takes to win. They don't love to win as much as they hate to lose and that goes a long way.

What did the text say?

 

[matcar]

I think Shugarts was our best tackle last year until he got hurt...he would have started over Browning if he hadn't got hurt. Browning was just inconsistent really, but so was our whole OL. Plus he is a year older now with experience and we have a new OL and hopefully a fresh mentality. With that said, I project this at two deep:
LT: Adams, Miller
G: Boren, Smith
C: Brewster, Moses
G: Cordle, Browning
RT: Shugarts, Mewhort (maybe Hall)

I'm thinking that's a solid two deep, plus guys can move around if need be. Behind that you have Blankenship, Hall, Linsley, Kerr, and Longo, so there is some talent in the depth.

I know it's early...and early SPRING at that, but the Ozone report suggests that Adams is struggling a bit. ....you may have to reverse your LT projection if that continues.

 

[schwab]

What did the text say?

"That should be us"

 

[Sportsbuck28]

-- First-team offensive line: Adams-Boren-Brewster-Browning-Cordle. We have been seeing more and more of this alignment as practices have progressed. This appears to be jelling.

Good indoor action (Blogging the Buckeyes)

 

[Buckskin86]

April 20, 2009
Scrimmage, draft thoughts
A few things to think about on a dreary, rainy Monday in central Ohio:

-- It's time to officially be concerned about Ohio State's offensive line. I know, I know, probably half of the 12 sacks they surrendered in Saturday's jersey scrimmage would not have been sacks in a real game, as for the first two-thirds of the day, the quarterbacks were whistled "down" after little more than being tapped by defenders.

But that's missing the point -- sacks or not, defenders were in the quarterbacks' faces all morning. At the least, that forces a hurried decision, if not a mistake.

OSU has stuck pretty much with the same first-team lineup: Justin Boren at left guard, Michael Brewster at center, Bryant Browning at right guard, Jim Cordle at right tackle, and the Buckeyes are rotating Mike Adams and Andrew Miller at left tackle.

Cordle spoke of missed assignments and miscommunication as causing several sacks. That's not a good thing to be happening three weeks into spring ball.

Jim Tressel could barely hide his concern when asked about the line, mustering very tepid responses to two questions about the unit Saturday.

And it's also pretty clear neither Miller nor Adams has separated himself at left tackle -- sort of an important spot. Adams was injured in spring ball last year, and again during the season.

The Buckeyes' best lineman by far (and there's not even a close second) has been Boren, who dropped out of the sky into OSU's lap last year via transfer.

The Buckeyes have to hope that summer drills help build cohesion, that Miller or Adams steps up, and maybe that J.B. Shugarts -- sitting out spring while recovering from shoulder surgery -- will come in and challenge Cordle (or, less likely, Browning) for a starting spot, raising the level of competition.

So....it's not time to panic, but it's certainly not looking good so far.

http://blog.dispatch.com/buckeyesblog/2009/04/scrimmage_draft_thoughts.shtml

 

[Buckskin86]

Go easy on the O-line -- for now
Game's format tough on blockers
Saturday, April 25, 2009
By Ken Gordon
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Take five strangers, throw them in a pool together, and demand that they perform a synchronized swim routine.

It's not going to happen, obviously. Likewise, do not judge the Ohio State offensive line by how it looks in the spring game today.

Because of the nature of the game, it's totally unfair to the line. The split-squad format wreaks havoc on a unit that relies on cohesion between five players.

It takes hundreds of repetitions for a tackle to feel comfortable with a guard, to develop that instinctive "feel" for his neighbor -- the feel that in the split-second chaos of a blitzing linebacker, might make the difference between a sack and a touchdown.

When the units are jumbled up in a spring game, the offensive line suffers more than any other group.

"It's fun to watch guys as individuals play this game, but as far as evaluating the group as a unit? No, it's almost impossible," Ohio State offensive coordinator and line coach Jim Bollman said. "You have guys playing perhaps positions they haven't played all spring, (and) playing next to people they haven't played next to all spring."

Fifth-year senior Jim Cordle has played right tackle most of spring, lining up with guard Bryant Browning to his left.

Today for the Scarlet team, Cordle likely will play center, maybe with Browning to his right and Connor Smith to his left. Or maybe Evan Blankenship will be to his right and Zach Slagle to his left.

Get the picture?

BuckeyeXtra - The Columbus Dispatch : Go easy on the O-line -- for now

 

[ysubuck]

Hmmmm.

So what are we to make of Coach Tressel's comments? I mean he is never too high or too low, but the line is making mistakes that it shouldn't after 3 weeks of practice.

That's a little disconcerting.

You guys in the know: What can the line do to build cohesion a la 7 on 7 for skill position players? Anything?

 

[Buckeneye]

It depends on how much work they get done over the summer.

Remember how poor our line played the first few games of 2007?
We ended up fielding a pretty solid unit by years end.

With that said, we've had success in the past even with lines that were.... not up to par (see, 2002)

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

Ohio State football: Filling the hole at left tackle

by Doug Lesmerises Wednesday April 29, 2009, 3:02 PM


Now that spring practice is complete, I'll have five thoughts on each Ohio State position group this week: receivers, defensive line, offensive line, running backs, quarterbacks, linebackers and defensive backs.
We're done with the receivers and defensive line, so we're on to group three, the offensive line.

OSUMike Adams could be the new starting left tackle.

Ohio State offensive line Thought No. 1
For at least the first part of the season, Alex Boone will be missed.
Boone's performance last season was hard to gauge. Opinions were all over the place - good, bad, mediocre. Don't judge it all by what happened over the weekend - the fact that Boone wasn't drafted has at least as much to do with his off-field behavior as his on-field performance.
I thought he was pretty good last year.
Given the current state of Ohio State's tackles, OSU fans may be thinking the same thing after the USC game.

Andy Miller and Mike Adams basically split the first team and second team reps during spring practice, and as Jim Tressel himself said, both need to get better.
That's no crime. Adams is a sophomore who didn't play much as a freshman while battling some injuries, while Miller is a redshirt junior who came to Ohio State as a tight end. But this spring certainly didn't show that left tackle is a place that no one has to wonder about.
Left tackle is a position where every mistake is exposed. Miss a block in pass protection and get ready for a holding call or a hit on your quarterback. Miss an assignment in the run game and watch your running back go down in the backfield.
For three seasons, Boone was the guy making those mistakes at left tackle, and after that long, OSU fans got sick of it - even if those mistakes didn't happen as often as you might think.
As for the attitude of the offensive line, the belief is that Michigan transfer Justin Boren is bringing a nasty new attitude to the line. Quarterback Terrelle Pryor said he loves Boren's nasty approach, that he loves nasty linemen - and then he went on about how nasty Alex Boone was.
Cont...

 

[Buckskin86]

Ohio State football: Where does Shugarts fit into the line?
by Doug Lesmerises
Thursday April 30, 2009

Ohio State offensive line

Thought No. 2

J.B. Shugarts will be a starter somewhere on the line.

The theory I'm throwing out is Shugarts as a real candidate at left tackle. Not right. Left.

I think if neither Mike Adams nor Andy Miller has seized control of the position by early in camp in August, Shugarts deserves some snaps there to see what he can do. Maybe Shugarts' absence from spring contact following shoulder surgery has given him an appealing air of the unknown. We could see Adams - a sophomore who battled some injuries last season, just like Shugarts - get out in practice and show that he's still learning to compete at this level. Shugarts was watching or working on the side, so his progress wasn't out there for everyone to see. He's still largely defined by his potential, not results.

Ohio State football: Where does Shugarts fit into the line? - Ohio State Buckeyes Football & Basketball Blog (OSU) - cleveland.com

Ohio State football: If asked, Cordle's choice would be center
by Doug Lesmerises
Thursday April 30, 2009

Ohio State offensive line

No. 3

Jim Cordle is a center at heart.

Given the choice between center (where he played as a freshman and started as a sophomore), guard (where he played for the last 10 games after moving over from center last season) and tackle (where he worked the most the spring), there would be no choice to make.

"I started playing center in fourth grade," Cordle said. "I started out at center here and I played so long at center, obviously it's where I'm most comfortable."

Cordle is also wrapped up in the tradition of recent Ohio State centers, from players like Nick Mangold and LeCharles Bentley. Not that he's complaining. He's just being honest, but he knows the best Ohio State line in the fall might include him playing elsewhere. He also knows that if he has a chance at the NFL, the 6-foot-4, 295-pounder will be playing inside at either center or guard.

"You can't be selfish and want to play a position, and then the rest of the line is subpar," said Cordle, a senior who is a likely candidate for captain. "Whatever the best lineup is, when you can maximize everyone's potential, that's where I'll play."

Ohio State football: If asked, Cordle's choice would be center - Ohio State Buckeyes Football & Basketball Blog (OSU) - cleveland.com

Ohio State football: Offensive line decisions should come sooner than later
by Doug Lesmerises
Thursday April 30, 2009

Ohio State offensive line

Thought No. 4

The starting offensive line needs to be figured out sooner rather than later.

When it's in place, offensive linemen love to talk about camaraderie with the guys next to them, how they know what the other guy is thinking before he thinks it.

That only comes with familiarity. When that familiarity is not there, then guys don't talk about it as much.

Three candidates on Ohio State's offensive line - Jim Cordle, Bryant Browning and Mike Brewster - started for the Buckeyes last season, while Justin Boren is a former starter at Michigan.

They're experienced individually but inexperienced as a group. Each of the players is taking at least some snaps at a position he didn't play last year. That's great for versatility, great for depth, but not so good for going out and performing as a unit against USC.

http://www.cleveland.com/buckeyeblog/index.ssf/2009/04/ohio_state_football_offensive_1.html

Ohio State football: Justin Boren has the look
by Doug Lesmerises
Thursday April 30, 2009

Ohio State offensive line

Thought No. 5

Justin Boren is a different shape than the rest of the Ohio State offensive linemen.

Jim Tressel talked from the jump about how Boren at Michigan was one of the best run blockers in the Big Ten. And forced into playing left tackle in the spring game, Boren held his own out on the edge while pass blocking.

But I'm interested in how physically he differs compared to the rest of the line.

Andy Miller is 6-6, 279.

Mike Adams is 6-8, 322.

Jim Cordle is 6-4, 295.

Bryant Browning is 6-4, 312.

J.B. Shugarts is 6-8, 298.

Boren is 6-3, 315.

http://www.cleveland.com/buckeyeblog/index.ssf/2009/04/ohio_state_football_justin_bor_1.html

 

[Taosman]

Duane Long has some updated thoughts( on his sight) on the offensive line. http://www.duanelongreport.com/profiles/blogs/more-spring-game

I would tend to agree on everything he's saying right now. Looks to me like we will need the freshmen to contribute this year. We have little usable depth.

 

[RB07OSU]

I think Duane was a tad bit harsh on Miller but I agree with everything else. Browning is going to be a starter at RG, Boren at LG, not sure whether Cordle will play tackle or center, Shugarts starts LT, and Adams starts at RT if Cordle doesn't. I am not as concerned as Duane because he failed to mention the patchwork on the OL. I think we have some real talent, especially on the interior, plus Shugarts is going to be a big upgrade.