2014 Offensive Line……Realistic Projections?
This unit will no doubt be the linchpin to our 10 plus win season in 2014. Watching Taylor Lewan on NFL Network inspired me to gander at our O Line situation for next season.
Here is what I project. What do you guys think?
LT. Erik Magnuson
Logan Tulley-Tillman/ Blake Bars
RT. Ben Braden
Chris Fox/ Blake Bars
LG. Kyle Kalis
Kyle Bosch
RG. David Dawson
Dan Samuelson
C. Graham Glasgow
Patrick Kugler
Jack Miller
Most of these fellas will have 2 years in the program and should be physically ready to compete at a Big Ten level. The issue should NOT be run blocking. I forsee issues in Pass Pro particularly with two new tackles. This is not good for Gardner who doesn't show the most patience in the pocket. This could potentially lead to so ill advised scrambles or just plain leave us susceptible to stout D lines....unfortunately along the lines of what MSU and Ohio will be rolling out. Given the loss of Butt, it appears MAJOR work needs to be put in by this group come August to regain our BiG title form. It can be done...but it will be an uphill battle. This is a very green bunch....albeit it a very talented one. Go BLue!!!
February 22nd, 2014 at 5:58 AM ^
February 22nd, 2014 at 5:58 AM ^
February 22nd, 2014 at 7:55 AM ^
February 22nd, 2014 at 9:59 AM ^
8-5 or 9-4 is pretty realistic for next season. 8-4 means that we missed a bowl game somehow. So yeah, I'd probably complain about that.
February 22nd, 2014 at 1:11 PM ^
February 22nd, 2014 at 8:17 AM ^
76% of positive yards from scrimmage would equal 1241 yards. Exactly what makes an average of 100 yards per game ill advised?
In any case, you might check your math.
February 22nd, 2014 at 9:17 AM ^
I'll add the /s just for you Mr BLU
February 22nd, 2014 at 11:50 AM ^
Is that the quarterback is reduced to a fine paste. See Devin Gardner's ribs circa October 2013.
February 22nd, 2014 at 1:37 PM ^
February 22nd, 2014 at 1:37 PM ^
February 22nd, 2014 at 4:14 PM ^
February 22nd, 2014 at 7:04 AM ^
I know we had a very similar thread yesterday, but again, I think one of the qualifiers we need to put on any projection right now is that we have a new offensive coordinator and will probably not be running the hodge-podge of schemes that we did last year. It seems like Nussmeier will incorporate a pretty consistent scheme and some base plays (given what he's done at Alabama and elsewhere), so this alone probably injects rather significant error into any projection made before spring practice at the very least.
I tend to think that, this year, we're starting with as close to a blank slate as you could get on the offensive line. That being said, if epxerience or performance has any bearing on it (not sure what Nussmeier, Hoke, Funk, etc...will look for now), a total shot in the dark would probably put Glasgow at center, Bosch and Kalis on either side of him and then Magnuson and Braden on the outside. Still, you've probably got nearly a dozen players here vying for playing time and perhaps some serious competition in a couple places (e.g., Kugler / Glasgow at center - I could see this being something to watch), so that could be completely different by August.
I would think that anyone's guess - for the most part - is as good as anyone else's right now.
February 22nd, 2014 at 7:25 AM ^
I suspect that if we do see Kugler at center, we will also be seeing Glasgow at guard.
I seem to remember that aside from 2-3 bad snaps over the course of last season, Glasgow held up pretty well in UFRs.
February 22nd, 2014 at 10:04 AM ^
Maybe even if Nuss can recognize NOT calling an under-center play-action pass on 3rd and long that puts your QB with his back to the LOS would be a massive improvement in concept.
I think that the line play can be substationally better simply by identifying weaknesses after a full spring/fall, identifying a base scheme that plays to those strengths, and NOT appearing to randomly generate play calls like a monkey throwing darts at the playbook.
There has just not been a coherent and consisent application of an offensive identity. IIRC in one game last fall there were something like 42 slightly different formations run alone...pick a damn scheme and get good at it, run a few variations off of each play with some counters and get the ball to your play makers.
My opinion is that Borges suffered from the same thing I saw from Nebraska with Callahan when I moved out here...paralysis by overanlysis...overly complex playbooks with extremely complicated terminology/calls that requires too long to communicate in the huddle. That leads to getting to the LOS late in the play clock limiting any ability to audible by the QB out of bad calls vs the defense, and with simply too many moving parts leaving a lot of young players confused. You then xix that in with struggling, and then players begin to not only have to think too much about scheme, but think too much about mistakes and it leads to tentative execution and the circle continues to go round & round.
February 22nd, 2014 at 10:56 AM ^
I think big Al enjoyed the Mad Scientist approach to play calling. I will say after listening to him the last few years that he seems like an incredibly intelligent person. I'm not being sarcastic with that either. But sometimes the K.I.S.S. philosophy (keep it simple stupid) is the better way to go. I'm a bit surprised that this is where Brady Hoke didn't step in and do something.
This might be a bit off-topic but I'm surprised Al Borges isn't coaching in the pros. It sounds like he didn't enjoy the recruiting part of college football but loved the complexity of the game. The pros just seem like a better fit for him.
February 22nd, 2014 at 7:28 AM ^
...just not every day. I'm sure the OP is well intended but I'm thinking that little search feature would do everyone wonders if they'd just use it.
February 22nd, 2014 at 7:49 AM ^
LT - Magnuson, Braden
RT - Braden or Dawson
LG - Kalis, Glasgow
RG - Bosch, Glasgow
C - Glasgow, Kugler
February 22nd, 2014 at 8:01 AM ^
Who decides who plays and where? Funk, Nuss, or Hoke? I know Funk answers to Nuss, and Nuss to Hoke, but who is really making the decision most of the time?
February 22nd, 2014 at 8:28 AM ^
February 22nd, 2014 at 8:24 AM ^
February 22nd, 2014 at 8:39 AM ^
February 22nd, 2014 at 10:05 AM ^
You need a different team.
February 22nd, 2014 at 10:17 AM ^
February 22nd, 2014 at 11:06 AM ^
is that repeating the same general complaints in every thread is pointless and annoying.
February 22nd, 2014 at 2:42 PM ^
February 22nd, 2014 at 8:46 AM ^
I can project this. If the Offensive Line isn't worlds better than it was last year, and I'm not holding out much hope, then we can expect another 6 to 8 win season, and are probably looking for yet another head coach. At this point we can only hope.
February 22nd, 2014 at 9:31 AM ^
February 22nd, 2014 at 9:59 AM ^
February 22nd, 2014 at 10:32 AM ^
February 22nd, 2014 at 11:31 AM ^
I doubt Nuss would get consideration. If the season were bad enough to get Hoke fired (I concur that would probably have to be sub .500) I suspect that means the offense wasn't particularly impressive and any positive buzz we have about him would be greatly diminished.
February 22nd, 2014 at 5:28 PM ^
I agree, but bump that number to 7. 6-6 would not get him a fifth year.
February 22nd, 2014 at 10:03 AM ^
If Michigan fails next season it will most likely be because the offense couldn't get it together. So it would be odd to promote the OC to head coach. If you're going to go through the trouble of firing your head coach, its best to go with the clean slate and can everyone.
February 22nd, 2014 at 10:35 AM ^
February 22nd, 2014 at 11:11 AM ^
I'd be okay with Nuss getting a shot at being a head coach, but I don't see it happening. We'll end up with Mike DeBord.
February 22nd, 2014 at 11:03 AM ^
It really is disappointing though. I thought the transition back to man ball would be a lot easier than what it was. I also thought our defense would be further along. I personally don't feel like a coaching change will necessarily help. Unless our coaches are having issues motivating players, which I doubt, I doubt Harbaugh would change much from the system standpoint. Similar offense, similar defense, similar smash mouth style, Our recruiting is pretty good.... Harbaugh might help there a little bit.
I'll give Siri a break and quit rambling now
February 22nd, 2014 at 8:50 AM ^
February 22nd, 2014 at 9:14 AM ^
February 22nd, 2014 at 8:57 AM ^
February 22nd, 2014 at 9:25 AM ^
I don't see anyway you take one of the nation's worst O-lines subtract two NFL caliber tackles and see improvement
February 22nd, 2014 at 11:21 AM ^
Kugler and Dawson are big adds. Kalis, Bosch and Glasgow have experience, character and leadership. Injury rebounds from Magnuson, Burzynski and Fox are question marks but all are capable of impact. I'll take some pressure from the edge for a little traction up the middle.
The cheerleaders are pretty awesome...
Whoops... wrong picture...
Is this better?...Go Blue!
February 22nd, 2014 at 1:02 PM ^
but I've learned to hate fluff words, especially with our awful O-line. None of experience, character or leadership are directly correlated with being able to run block.
You can march all 5'10" 175 lb of me out to play center for 3 years. In that 4th year I'll have experience, maybe I can lead and holler about THIS IS MICHIGAN and be a real nice guy but I will still suck a lot.
Similarly, this O-line sucked last year. No ifs ands or buts about it. I don't see a way in which you lose your two best guys off it and then 8 months later find something better than just bad. I'd love to be optimisitc, but I think the O-line is a smoldering crater that is only going to continue to smolder for another season, maybe two.
February 22nd, 2014 at 3:12 PM ^
I'm just not dwelling in the wreckage of the future... which you are. Enjoy that.
Lewan came back last year and that didn't make much difference overall did it? His absence though sad is not a deal breaker. If all the lineman block their assignments in a new maybe simpler scheme things will be relatively much better.
The truth about the OL is going to be invisible to any fan until the season is in full swing.
February 22nd, 2014 at 10:02 AM ^
February 22nd, 2014 at 10:39 AM ^
There is one unknown variable which is how much time michiganman14 spends over 100 points.
February 22nd, 2014 at 10:24 AM ^
How long until MichiganMan14 gets negbanged below 100 again?
I give it 2-3 weeks.
February 22nd, 2014 at 11:07 AM ^
February 22nd, 2014 at 11:24 AM ^
You don't have a very good history of starting threads that survive more than a few hours. Then you return from your side trip to the suburbs of Bolivia and start a reduntant thread about the offensive line.
Can't wait to see what you post next. I'm guessing it will be one of your patented locker room speeches.
February 22nd, 2014 at 11:37 AM ^
You don't know who your talking to. I'm glad your entertained though. I started a thread to talk about the offensive line. Since you've deemed it worn out...let all talk of the O line cease this day forth because All-Mighty Shirtless said so......