Offensive Line Thread

[Irish#1]

What is he smoking? We don’t have the best line and it’s not close. Quit saying it.

He said Line coach, not line.

Edit: NM, I see others pointed it out.

 

[Irish du Nord]

I don't give a shit who it is, but Zeke/Lugg combo is less restrictive then the turnstile at Menards (my midwestern friends will understand)

They’re in the Hardware Hank lineup

 

[Irish#1]

Personally, I think moving Patterson to center creates a massive improvement. Put Kristofic at LG and Lugg immediately looks better as Patterson helps him out.

 

[dublinirish]

Personally, I think moving Patterson to center creates a massive improvement. Put Kristofic at LG and Lugg immediately looks better as Patterson helps him out.

Wasn't it rumored HH not high on him?

 

[StPaul_Irish]

They’re in the Hardware Hank lineup

More of a ACE guy lol

 

[Old Man Mike]

Tommy's press conference was largely coachspeak, of course (if one expected differently, one's pretty naive.) But what he said to the OLine questions (there were thankfully several) I found extremely interesting.

He refused to throw anyone under the bus by name, but notice the direction his "general" thoughts immediately took:
A. We shouldn't be throwing crap at the 5 OLinemen, because plays get screwed up because "all eleven" are not together in doing their jobs. [[The recent breakdown videos which were so useful preached exactly that --- Five (even operating correctly), cannot block Eight.]] TEs WRs, AND The QB must be doing their jobs too (he left the RBs out of that comment, though their blitz pick-up was appalling.) ... he didn't let the linemen off the hook, but he made sure that he emphasized that other positions have had a big role in this.
B. Alt and Fisher (named only "our two tackles" so as not to get any more personal than necessary) have played very few games and need to get more used to playing alongside their (guard) teammates. That's reps --- in-game reps. If this is a big deal (and my eye says yes) then THAT SHOULD IMPROVE naturally. Harry apparently believes that too.
C. Tommy said specifically that J-Patt will be able to "Help the center", and that Lugg will be able to "help the center." He's NOT dissing Patterson and Lugg, but without naming names he is focused on a specific line position and player as not holding up. I am assuming that both Tommy and Harry see the center issue as the main OLine-related issue with pass-blocking. When you add tackle-uncoordination with guard reactions, plus RBs and TEs not picking up blitzes all the time, we can see the hurries problem.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

Personally, I think moving Patterson to center creates a massive improvement. Put Kristofic at LG and Lugg immediately looks better as Patterson helps him out.

I think this along w/ other seemingly rational moves make sense to us fans but will not occur…at least not in the interim. As fans, we think it’s like filling out a fantasy roster. For example, give Tyree more touches. Sit Correll/Lugg in favor of the younger guys. Run more TE as WR so they can have receivers that are physical enough to make catches while in press coverage. Play Angeli. The list goes on but at the end of the day, none of those moves will likely occur anytime soon.

They will run the same starting lineup on both sides of the ball that we saw last week unless someone is injured. They will count on these guys having a good week of practice that gives the staff confidence they can execute the way they did in camp/pre-Marshall.

We as fans will be throwing our arms in the air wondering how they couldn’t learn from last week’s mistakes or lack of execution. ND will either win/lose a low scoring game and then they’ll rinse/repeat with the objection of putting Pyne in a position to make more plays that fit what attributes he possesses (not sure what those are but they’re not long runs or long passes nor are they passes over the line in front of him b/c he always overthrows those due to lack of height). It’s gonna be a long season.

 

[PigtownIrish]

Irish Illustrated also mentioned hearing about Carmody making a push here

He looked good at tackle before he got hurt last year. And by good I mean he looked like he actually gave a shit and wanted to initiate contact with people. That has got to be better than what we have now.

 

[IrishLax]

Personally, I think moving Patterson to center creates a massive improvement. Put Kristofic at LG and Lugg immediately looks better as Patterson helps him out.

It instantly makes the line 20% better. Having Correll at Center is killing this team.

 

[dublinirish]

Blake Fisher got a little heat on ISD podcast for being lazy

 

[Dale]

He looked good at tackle before he got hurt last year. And by good I mean he looked like he actually gave a shit and wanted to initiate contact with people. That has got to be better than what we have now.

Carmody I do distinctly remembering him having a little extra nasty to holding down or driving down someone vs FSU. Compare that to guys standing around watching Estime on 4th and 1. One play doesn’t make either player but the OL does need a attitude adjustment IMO. So if that is part of what comes with Carmody I am in favor.

 

[Luckylucci]

Irish Illustrated also mentioned hearing about Carmody making a push here

In what context was this? In the interior?

Reason I ask is because he's listed at 280 lbs. I'm not sure what happened, as I have not seen much clarity on it, but he dropped weight like crazy. Just have a hard time believing he's ready to play that many snaps and move people at 280 lbs.

With that said, if I'm Tommy and I'm stupid bent on running into outnumbered boxes, why is Carmody not playing as a extra TE. Let's get creative. This was a very good basketball player in HS, played TE, I'm sure he could probably catch a pass or two as well.

 

[Old Man Mike]

With our last very good line, Hainsey, Kraemer, Patterson, Banks, Eichenberg, our lineman would sprint after their initial blocks were over to get to where the RB was --- if they arrived too late to blast anybody or rhino the pile, they'd scoop the RB up. I've not noticed this bunch doing that. All of the upperclassmen in that group prided themselves on physicality. ... and ran after people to show it.

 

[T-Boone]

With our last very good line, Hainsey, Kraemer, Patterson, Banks, Eichenberg, our lineman would sprint after their initial blocks were over to get to where the RB was --- if they arrived too late to blast anybody or rhino the pile, they'd scoop the RB up. I've not noticed this bunch doing that. All of the upperclassmen in that group prided themselves on physicality. ... and ran after people to show it.

I can’t remember any good runs where they would do this.

 

[Irish du Nord]

In what context was this? In the interior?

Reason I ask is because he's listed at 280 lbs. I'm not sure what happened, as I have not seen much clarity on it, but he dropped weight like crazy. Just have a hard time believing he's ready to play that many snaps and move people at 280 lbs.

With that said, if I'm Tommy and I'm stupid bent on running into outnumbered boxes, why is Carmody not playing as a extra TE. Let's get creative. This was a very good basketball player in HS, played TE, I'm sure he could probably catch a pass or two as well.

It was on the podcast, not sure if they said which position. I’d definitely be more inclined to put him on the interior too. They mentioned his weight room performances being better than average, but that weight is concerning nonetheless if accurate

 

[Crazy Balki]

I don't give a shit who it is, but Zeke/Lugg combo is less restrictive then the turnstile at Menards (my midwestern friends will understand)

And they don't have a catchy jingle to go with their inept interior integrity.

 

[ulukinatme]

Blake Fisher got a little heat on ISD podcast for being lazy

Really? I haven't seen a lot issues with him, but I've been more focused on the interior OL getting blown up. There was one play during the OSU game where the Edge rusher took him outside then made a quick move inside to hit Buchner. Fisher didn't adjust quick enough and the guy got by pretty easy. That one was pretty obvious, haven't caught a lot of other issues from him so far.

 

[Crazy Balki]

Carmody being the one pushing would make sense if he was able to put on size over the offseason. Instead he LOST weight. We needed him to go up from 290 that he played at last year. Instead he dropped to 280.

However, a lack of size can be overcome if you're athletic and have quality core strength. Correll doesn't possess that. Carmody is a guy who played most of his HS career at TE. So, having a guard who can move extremely well and has great feet is a huge benefit. Lugg is bigger, but that means f*ck all if he can't do anything but take straight up 1v1s.

But you still need to get rid of Correll. That is priority #1 to fixing the OL. Lugg is #2.

 

[stlnd01]

Carmody being the one pushing would make sense if he was able to put on size over the offseason. Instead he LOST weight. We needed him to go up from 290 that he played at last year. Instead he dropped to 280.

However, a lack of size can be overcome if you're athletic and have quality core strength. Correll doesn't possess that. Carmody is a guy who played most of his HS career at TE. So, having a guard who can move extremely well and has great feet is a huge benefit. Lugg is bigger, but that means f*ck all if he can't do anything but take straight up 1v1s.

But you still need to get rid of Correll. That is priority #1 to fixing the OL. Lugg is #2.

I do not understand why we don't have Patterson play center. We have several other options at guard, but Correll seems to be the only center, and our offense does not seem able to function with him playing there.

 

[stpeteirish]

I rewatched yesterday (not a happy thing) and noticed Fisher too. Not in a good way. Got beat more than once in one on one pass blocking and no sign of the dominance we've heard about in these practice reports.

 

[Old Man Mike]

Yep about Fisher --- very much surprised me. Looked slow about everything.

Alt was "robotic-looking", but generally OK. Patterson got confused a little, so those two need more reps.
With all the continued griping about Lugg, he did as well as any of them and better than his "partners" on both sides.

 

[GowerND11]

Carmody I do distinctly remembering him having a little extra nasty to holding down or driving down someone vs FSU. Compare that to guys standing around watching Estime on 4th and 1. One play doesn’t make either player but the OL does need a attitude adjustment IMO. So if that is part of what comes with Carmody I am in favor.

 

[Bluto]

Something to consider as to why the o line might have looked better during spring and fall camp. Based on commentary and watching the games the ND defensive line hasn’t been running a lot of line games. They’ve just been going mano a mano against teams and they’ve been a bit suspect against the run. Anyhow, if that was the case all fall and spring that might explain why the offensive line has sucked so bad when they are now faced with stunts upfront and why the coaching staff may have misevaluated how good they really were.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Zeke Correll has looked really bad. He's gotten absolutely abused in two games more often than not.

 

[SonofOahu]

Blake Fisher got a little heat on ISD podcast for being lazy

He looked terrible against Marshall.

 

[T-Boone]

Zeke Correll has looked really bad. He's gotten absolutely abused in two games more often than not.

Well this is a new take.

 

[Irish4life]

Maybe starting to figure it out? Also, Raridon in on that block!

 

[Sea Turtle]

Maybe starting to figure it out? Also, Raridon in on that block!

Let's hope so.

 

[Dale]

Alt and Patterson dominated at times. Maybe Alt’s best game as a run blocker I’ve seen

 

[Old Man Mike]

I think that Patterson needed a couple of real games to get his reactions back.
Hopefully that's all good now. The big deal this practice week is lighting up Fisher's butt
(unless it's minor injury or excess weight, which is not fixable in a week.)