I've read a lot of concerns about our O-line from yesterday's game and they may be legitimate. I want to preface this by saying I was not able to watch the game because I don't get the Pac 12 Network, so anything I say from here on out is pure speculation on my part. With that in mind.....
I'm not too concerned about the O-line play yesterday and still have a quite a bit of optimism for the season on offense. I think the underwhelming play, especially in the first half, is pretty normal. Let's be honest, the O-line play the past few years has not been very good to begin with, especially technique and fundamental wise. No matter how good of coaching they've been getting since GA and staff got here, it's actually pretty normal in the first game for players to resort to the same old bad habits they're used to doing in the past. For the first time there were no coaches on the field getting on them every step of the way, first game jitters, trying to impress the new staff and the fans, etc. It's going to take more than one game for the new staff to get all the players to start performing up to their standards out of reflex. You add in what GA said in his press conference, "there's a lot more to switching from a Pro Style blocking scheme to what we do, than most people realize...", and I wouldn't worry too much about the OL just yet.
Now, if we're at game 9 and this is still happening, you have every right to worry
But the good news is that I don't think this staff will be very patient with players who don't listen and make it their #1 priority to correct what they're told to correct. I believe we have the talent on the OL to succeed, so if I'm close to being right on anything I've written here, the OL will be just fine by conference play.
I'm not too concerned about the O-line play yesterday and still have a quite a bit of optimism for the season on offense. I think the underwhelming play, especially in the first half, is pretty normal. Let's be honest, the O-line play the past few years has not been very good to begin with, especially technique and fundamental wise. No matter how good of coaching they've been getting since GA and staff got here, it's actually pretty normal in the first game for players to resort to the same old bad habits they're used to doing in the past. For the first time there were no coaches on the field getting on them every step of the way, first game jitters, trying to impress the new staff and the fans, etc. It's going to take more than one game for the new staff to get all the players to start performing up to their standards out of reflex. You add in what GA said in his press conference, "there's a lot more to switching from a Pro Style blocking scheme to what we do, than most people realize...", and I wouldn't worry too much about the OL just yet.
Now, if we're at game 9 and this is still happening, you have every right to worry
But the good news is that I don't think this staff will be very patient with players who don't listen and make it their #1 priority to correct what they're told to correct. I believe we have the talent on the OL to succeed, so if I'm close to being right on anything I've written here, the OL will be just fine by conference play.
