It’s easy to identify a potentially great DL - explosion, athleticism, size, strength, aggression.
Harder to identify & a much longer gestation period for developing a great OL - Size, strength, feet, arm length, ability work with others, perseverance & willingness to not have any limelight, memorizing complex plays & timing, adjustments, etc.
With the blend of experience & talent (Nick Ford) with young / inexperienced guys, getting continuity and experience takes time. Having offensive execution that keeps the opposing D off balance is essential. If they know what’s coming, it turns the LOS into a colossal mess for the OL.
The one OLineman we’ve had in a while who was an obvious 1st rounder was the most amazing false start machine I’ve ever seen, now is the LT for the Broncos, Garret Bolles.
“Denver’s offensive line was one of the Broncos’ most-improved units in 2020, as Garett Bolles took a massive leap forward and the rest of the line provided capable play.”
That’s a great point. Youth and lack of experience is probably the main problem. I think Harding has proven his worth and firing him may not be the solution.
Lack of experience and lack of a consistent season hasn’t helped us. Last year was such a mess, but hey forward to better things. Have to stay optimistic.
The lack of experience excuse has been used for the last two years…what happened to the upperclassmen? if Utah needed “experience” why was this not a transfer portal priority?
The 2016 offensive line was the reason Joe Williams was able to run for a bazillion yards. The 2017 offensive line was a huge reason why Huntley was named the starter over Troy Williams–b/c the staff didnt think that the line would be alble to protect Willaims, who was lartgely immobile, and Huntley could escape. Sort of like this year between Brewer and Rising.
still didn’t address the elephant in the room. Why do the Utes need a Usain Bolt for a QB to have a shot at success. Is pass blocking just a bridge to far for this coaching staff?? Je$us, this shouldn’t be quantum physics!
I do think we have a coaching problem. Harding has a greater responsibility than just coaching the players at practice. He has to recruit good players with high potential. He has to have a succession plan to ensure we don’t have an overabundance of freshman being relied on to protect the QB. He has to be able to make in game adjustments and make sure players are in positions where they can best contribute. The o-line has been a constant source of disappointment and one of the major reasons why other offensive positions struggle.—Just my $.02
Really, what O-line just gives hours to the QB in pass protection? Most years the Utes D-line is a nightmare for every offense we play. That DE at Oregon will probably be the #1 pick, nobody can block him. And with a player like that, it opens things up for the other Dlinemen.
Not saying the Ute Oline doesn’t need a lot of work and improvement but typically QBs only have about 2.5 seconds to get rid of the ball. Not sure the Ute Olines have been awful.
As they say, the backup is only one play away. What do we know about Jackson? It appears he is quite the athlete. Big, strong kid. We could very well see him get some run on Saturday.
Recruiting is such a crapshoot. We chose Tuttle over Wilson. We beat out Alabama in recruiting Olaseni yet he is still a work in progress after a couple years in the program. How many rugby studs have brought on who just don’t ever pan out on the field? I get what you are saying on recruiting, but with injuries, transfers, and limited scholarships, sometimes you end up with a young online and you try and get the best five on the field.
However since I am not Spence Eccles or Ken Garff my opinion doesn’t really matter either. I just hope the team comes out hot and smashed WSU in the mouth on Saturday.
Do any of you think the covid year has affected the Utah football team specifically and the Pac-12? If so, how? Utah football does not look like it should, nor does it look like it has in the past. Something isn’t right. It’s not just Utah though. Look at the PAC12 as a whole. Your entire league is down and the Covid year might be a contributing factor.
My thoughts: With the small # of practices and games last season, players and coaches might not be into it like they have in the past. How the coaches recruit took a hit, how the coaches met with recruits, coached and motivate players took a hit. The few games Utah had in 2020 didn’t generate optimism in the program making it a longer time to remember the optimism. All around, the “edge” that Utah football usually carries seems to be lacking. It seemed like Utah went into the BYU game resting on past results and weren’t prepared or motivated as they could’ve/should’ve been.
Also, some of you deny that there is an emotional letdown after the BYU game when statistics show that during your 9 game win streak against BYU, your team is 3-6 in games following the BYU game.
If the price of taking measures in coordination with CDC and WHO guidelines during a pandemic prior to the vaccine looses some games but saved lives then I’ll take those stats any day
