Where’s the beef?

[Chris Mannix]

As a former high school ol coach turned oc now turned head coach the line is the position I pay the most attention to. My question for this recruiting class is where is the beef?

I understand Moorhead and Johnson like more athletic lineman. That is coach speak for lighter line guys that can move. I have never seen a team in the sec be successful, and have sustained success without those road graders.

Maybe we will become a passing team with Schrader and the new direction of the offense. Maybe we do need lighter tackles that can move.

I guess as a coach, again only meager high school coach, the thing that scares me the most is seeing these lighter linemen. Hopefully I am wrong and it all works out.

 

[The Fatboy]

Maybe the idea is not lighter linemen but more athletic linemen. I'm sure we are gonna add some weight to these guys.

 

[drumrcraig]

Just because they are lighter now, doesn't mean they will be after a year in a SEC weight room. I would hold off on the concern until they at least get in our weight room with our S&C staff. We've put pretty substantial weight on some of these kids in their first year in the past.

 

[Chris Mannix]

Yeah the whole weight thing is easy to say, much harder to do. Like most things I guess, I am just saying these new “more athletic” line guys scare me. I hope it works out and these guys grow into the dominant players Moorhead envisions. It just a concern of mine as someone that almost exclusively pays attention to states o and d line.

 

[o_dawgnabit]

I imagine it's probably easier to add weight to a more athletic lineman than it is to make a fat, big lineman more athletic.

 

[57stratdawg]

I think the opposite could be a criticism of the prior staff. We had a couple kids enroll flirting with 400lbs.

 

[BistroDollarNight]

Thanks for the resume /:

"As a former high school ol coach turned oc now turned head coach the line is the position I pay the most attention to"

 

[CochiseCowbell]

The Denver Broncos won back to back Super Bowls with the lightest line in the league.

https://www.si.com/vault/1998/01/26...enerally-offensivepart-of-the-broncos-success

 

[Chris Mannix]

Just saying that I can not comment on the other positions in depth this just happens to be one thing I watch religiously. Also was trying to say that I understand football like a precious few on this board.

I completely agree it is easier to add weight to a smaller kid than it is to trim weight from a sloppy kid. I also completely agree with the previous staff we got too many sloppy kids. On the other side of that coin it is much harder for that kid to keep the weight on throughout the length of a season. I am sure we have world class strength and conditioning people that will do their best. I guess I should have just said I am not a fan of light linemen, instead of typing so much.

I like Cross, have seen him play, and I also like the kid from East Mississippi. Other than those two this ol line class scares me. Hopefully I will be wrong, it is just a concern.

Of course I am not saying the previous staff recruited world class o lines, just stating a concern for our team moving forward.

 

[Chris Mannix]

Yeah the broncos had Elway and one of the best running backs ever to play, so there’s that.

 

[Shmuley]

They should be able to handle Big 10 defenses well enough.

 

[Chris Mannix]

They should be able to handle Big 10 defenses well enough.

That is hilarious, and also kind of my point.

 

[Msubulldogfan1]

Yeah the whole weight thing is easy to say, much harder to do. Like most things I guess, I am just saying these new “more athletic” line guys scare me. I hope it works out and these guys grow into the dominant players Moorhead envisions. It just a concern of mine as someone that almost exclusively pays attention to states o and d line.

It’s not like we are bringing in guys weighing 250.

Charles is 270, he will put on weight fast with his frame and our strength program. He should be the least of our worries.

The other guys are:

285
305
300
261 (brevyn Jones has work to do, for sure)
290.

We will be ok.

 

[Chris Mannix]

It’s not like we are bringing in guys weighing 250.

Charles is 270, he will put on weight fast with his frame and our strength program. He should be the least of our worries.

The other guys are:

285
305
300
261 (brevyn Jones has work to do, for sure)
290.

We will be ok.

I hope you are right, I am just pointing out a concern and seeing what the thoughts are. I think most likely we will be just fine, just wanting to see if anybody else shared this concern.

 

[ColoradoDawg]

I think Moorehead's scheme calls for tackles with quick feet that can defend against good pass rushers. Our tackles got beat off the edge a lot this year. Besides Nick Fitzgerald's accuracy , one of the main reasons we struggled early was our inability to the defend the pass. Josh Allen absolutely wrecked us. I think that was one of the hardest adjustments for our offense and one of the biggest differences in scheme between Moorehead and Mullen. Mullen was a run first offense and unless we were behind chains he didn't allow defenses to tee up and rush the passer. He also called passes very deliberately. I think that Moorehead's scheme will be more of a pass first offense. The tackles need to be able to play in space and shuffle their feet. This will open running lanes. Mullen was about the beef. Just get a giant human being, make them lift a bunch of weights and then run over the opposition.

Dammit. I brought up the Kentucky game. Still pisses me off. Its pouring rain, run the 17ing ball. Mullen would of won that game easily.

 

[Msubulldogfan1]

I hope you are right, I am just pointing out a concern and seeing what the thoughts are. I think most likely we will be just fine, just wanting to see if anybody else shared this concern.

If all them were 261, and we needed some young guys to play immediately, I would be concerned.

I think these guys have time to RS and put on some mass. Jones got a ways to go tho, that's for sure.

No reason for concern just yet imo.

 

[Chris Mannix]

I think Moorehead's scheme calls for tackles with quick feet that can defend against good pass rushers. Our tackles got beat off the edge a lot this year. Besides Nick Fitzgerald's accuracy , one of the main reasons we struggled early was our inability to the defend the pass. Josh Allen absolutely wrecked us. I think that was one of the hardest adjustments for our offense and one of the biggest differences in scheme between Moorehead and Mullen. Mullen was a run first offense and unless we were behind chains he didn't allow defenses to tee up and rush the passer. He also called passes very deliberately. I think that Moorehead's scheme will be more of a pass first offense. The tackles need to be able to play in space and shuffle their feet. This will open running lanes. Mullen was about the beef. Just get a giant human being, make them lift a bunch of weights and then run over the opposition.

Dammit. I brought up the Kentucky game. Still pisses me off. Its pouring rain, run the 17ing ball. Mullen would of won that game easily.

Well said sir, I think you are completely right on the difference in schemes. I happen to be a fan of the big guys and run them over. I think you are exactly right on the way you control pass rushers with down and distance.

I also agree with you that we got wrecked off the edge, if the idea is to get guys that can move with the pass rushers then I can totally see that. I am just concerned we will lose the ability to oppose our will on people up front, if we are trying to get more athletic on the edge then I think we can all see that as a good thing. There is no doubt we are moving to a passing team, I am not at all saying Moorhead is wrong for building the line to suit his needs.

 

[the dog is on the loose]

I think after one season being in the sec that CJM knows now that this isn't the big ten and we have to have a bigger OL to compete. I wouldn't worry about it at all.

 

[BrunswickDawg]

I'd say one of Mullen's best OL's was 2014 - and you had
Dillon Day - 300
Beckwith - 299
Desper - 300
Malone - 305
Clausell - 315

Give these kids a redshirt, a feed trough, and weight room, and they will be fine.

 

[paindonthurt_]

Good running backs aren’t **** without a good line. You should know this if you’re worth your weight as a coach.

 

[Jeffreauxdawg]

You can automatically add the15 lbs that every girl I knew from high school put on at orientation...

 

[Leeshouldveflanked]

As a former high school ol coach turned oc now turned head coach the line is the position I pay the most attention to. My question for this recruiting class is where is the beef?

I understand Moorhead and Johnson like more athletic lineman. That is coach speak for lighter line guys that can move. I have never seen a team in the sec be successful, and have sustained success without those road graders.

Maybe we will become a passing team with Schrader and the new direction of the offense. Maybe we do need lighter tackles that can move.

I guess as a coach, again only meager high school coach, the thing that scares me the most is seeing these lighter linemen. Hopefully I am wrong and it all works out.

What kind of team are you fielding at Noxapater next year?

 

[Tall Dawg]

I'd say one of Mullen's best OL's was 2014 - and you had
Dillon Day - 300
Beckwith - 299
Desper - 300
Malone - 305
Clausell - 315

Give these kids a redshirt, a feed trough, and weight room, and they will be fine.

No disrespect to coach Chris but he needs to do his homework better
on the weights of our Olineman. We have had 300+\- lb lineman for
awhile at MSU. When we get them we usually add 20-30 lbs to their
frames....unless then need to lose some weight.
We have a good group coming in next year for sure.
Plus, we will have Dollar Bill “blocking the sun” on the right
side of the line! Hail State and Tampa Bay here we come!

 

[shotgunDawg]

A few thoughts here:

- We ain't Bama. Getting 320 lbs ATHLETIC OL on a consistent basis ain't gonna happen. Those guys are high 4 stars and 5 star players.

- Due to the above, MSU has to pick its' poison. Fat dudes that aren't athletic or leaner, athletic guys that could grow into their frame.

- we got Charles across, who will be a 300 lbs prototypical LT and Dolla Bill is a road grater RT.

- Personally, my preference, if I can't have both, is to take athletic OL over big, slower one for 3. primary reasons.

1. You ain't running over Bama no matter what. Most of our league for that matter.
2. Good athletes that can move offer you more versatility and flexibility in what you can ask them to do.
3. You will only beat Bama with big plays in the passing game and those typically require athletes that can move to block long enough to develop. Also gives us greater flexibility in screen game due to linemen being able to get downfield and block.