Sobering O-line statistics

[KerryRhodes]

in the country in "sack yards allowed" (334) for the second straight year. Also, our O-Line was the most penalized O-Line in country with the most penalties and false starts.

This is just unacceptable. I think it is pretty clear there needs to be a change at O-Line coach.

Our O-Line gave up 3 more total sacks (47) and 23 more sack yards than in 2015.

Makes you wonder, if LJ can produce and win a Heisman with complete and utter incompetency and protection on O-Line, what would be possible if he actually got protection and a competent O-Line coach that acually knows that he is doing and an O-Line that is disciplined.

And, the most valuable asset we have as a UofL football is Lamar Jackson. Leaving him completely unprotected and poor coaches in place is akin to using a locked screen door to protect the Hope Diamond.

CBP really has fiduciary responsibility to ensure the protection of LJ next year better than has been done this year. No one is talking about that aspect at all.

From a poster from TOS.

 

[zipp]

The really scary part is you don't know if changing your O-line coach will fix anything...

 

[Cardsfan62]

Disgraceful coaching involving OL. Yes, something needs to be done. We knew the OL recruiting in the last years under Strong were going to hurt us, but to not work to correct the problem is worse. You make a perfect issue that LJ wins the Heisman with an OL that struggled to protect him. You cannot lead the country in those categories and not realize a change is needed.

 

[n4cer2ad]

Well said Kerry!!!!

 

[Rollem Cards]

The really scary part is you don't know if changing your O-line coach will fix anything...

True.

The best Chef in the world can't make Chicken Salad out of chicken chit.

You need the right ingredients.

Hopefully we have some 2016 RS talent in the wings.

 

[beasleythecard]

The really scary part is you don't know if changing your O-line coach will fix anything...

there is no bottom to the level of your inept thinking and inequaled love for the moron in charge of our offensive line.
This is his third season at the helm of our OL and it has severely regressed under his watch.

players falling down
penalties
inability to block the pass
no understanding of the offense
inability to block the run

exactly who is responsible for the hack job our offensive line showcased this season? would it not be the responsibility of the offensive line coach to make sure the offensive line is performing correctly? or at least showing some effort?

please mrs klenakis help me understand how your husband is not responsible for the crap show that is our offensive line.

 

[Cardinal Cash]

The o line is bad but the sack yards and sacks stat can be misleading. I've seen Lamar hold the ball for too long on probably about a third of those sacks and go down for - 10 yards instead of - 5 because of the scramble drill. The lack of a quality o-line is a problem and probably distracts Lamar from focusing downfield, but on a few of the poor plays against LSU he had plenty of time and missed a throw or took a bad sack. Penalties on the other hand are inexcusable.

 

[beasleythecard]

The o line is bad but the sack yards and sacks stat can be misleading. I've seen Lamar hold the ball for too long on probably about a third of those sacks and go down for - 10 yards instead of - 5 because of the scramble drill. The lack of a quality o-line is a problem and probably distracts Lamar from focusing downfield, but on a few of the poor plays against LSU he had plenty of time and missed a throw or took a bad sack. Penalties on the other hand are inexcusable.

so blame lamar for the lack of a running game, blame lamar for all the plays being home runs? blame lamar that when the ball is hiked a linemen is in his face? got it

 

[Cardinal Cash]

so blame lamar for the lack of a running game, blame lamar for all the plays being home runs? blame lamar that when the ball is hiked a linemen is in his face? got it

Where in my post did I say that? Calm down and step back from the ledge. The o-line is bad, but our QB is not perfect.

 

[65bird]

How did John L slip in there somewhere and teach them penalties.

 

[Kratz]

The really scary part is you don't know if changing your O-line coach will fix anything...

But could it make it any worse?

 

[zipp]

But could it make it any worse?

With the preface that I don't know what the problem is... That would then be the "change something" strategy. "The problem may not be Klenakis, but we'll find out one way or the other."

I'd give that scenario more of a chance had Petrino not just promoted Klenakis last year. If the decision is Petrino's to make and he's in any way uncertain--and even then, Petrino may hang onto the guy he just promoted--I don't think Klenakis is going anywhere this year.

Again, that conclusion doesn't make me a Klenakis fan...

 

[Kratz]

There's a difference between "going somewhere" and being re-assigned. He's been OL coach for a few years. The promotion was to co OC.

By all accounts, he's a good recruiter. Based on the 3 year eye test, he's not such a good OL coach. Reassign him, keep him for recruiting and what ever other duties BP desires.

I'm still of the opinion "If you're going to do it, go big or go home". I'd LOVE to see Petrino contact Mario Cristobal after next weeks game and offer him a big amount of money to leave Bama and come here as OL coach. Cristobal may very well say no, but the statement made by contacting him would be huge. It would put everyone on notice that we're serious about improving.

Hey, if you can pull Grantham away from UGA, you can pull Cristobal away from Bama. Nothing to lose and everything to gain by trying.

 

[nccardfan]

Pretty sure Grantham was jettisoned from Georgia after his defense was ranked 45th his last year. Don't think we had to pull too hard.

 

[CardX]

Sobering? The OL play forces me to drink.

 

[BPGhost]

Pretty sure Grantham was jettisoned from Georgia after his defense was ranked 45th his last year. Don't think we had to pull too hard.

That's incorrect. While it's true there was a segment of Georgia fans that were unhappy with TG, most did not blame him for the fall in the defensive rankings because their defense that year was decimated by injuries.

It's more accurate to say that he saw the writing on the wall regarding Richt and the fact that he was hanging on by a thread after years of underachieving, and decided to jump to a more stable (while just as lucrative) position on BP's staff.

 

[zipp]

Grantham has had our defense ranked highly or well enough in his three years here. I wish I could say the same thing about our offense except for the first eight or so games this year.

FORTUNATELY, I have one of the best OCs in the game to keep working on that...

 

[nccardfan]

That's incorrect. While it's true there was a segment of Georgia fans that were unhappy with TG, most did not blame him for the fall in the defensive rankings because their defense that year was decimated by injuries.

It's more accurate to say that he saw the writing on the wall regarding Richt and the fact that he was hanging on by a thread after years of underachieving, and decided to jump to a more stable (while just as lucrative) position on BP's staff.

Nice way to sugar coat it. It was implied that we lured Grantham away from Georgia but your explanation just says he thought he was on a sinking ship and went elsewhere.

 

[BPGhost]

Nice way to sugar coat it. It was implied that we lured Grantham away from Georgia but your explanation just says he thought he was on a sinking ship and went elsewhere.

I'm not sure how the truth is "sugar coating" anything. Coaches move to more desirable jobs all of the time. Clearly stability would factor in heavily to whether a job was attractive to a coach at the D1 level.

Besides, the guy had been - and was offered again while here - a DC in the NFL. UofL wasn't the only good job he could have had and probably wasn't the highest profile or best one he could have gotten either. I'd say that qualifies as "luring" him.

 

[nccardfan]

Who knows. Maybe U of L was the only job that would allow his brother to be on staff.

 

[mattp58]

Not sure how Grantham's name popped up in this discussion of the O line's horrific play down the stretch, but I feel the need to point out that in my humble opinion the job he did against LSU was amazing.... Something like 5 starters down, Fields fighting through it at 50%.... That defense spent most of the game on the field, because the offense couldn't sustain anything.... Not only did they show up... They played with fight! They played with heart! They even looked like they were having some fun out there... And when that final whistle blew... They'd turned in a pretty danged awesome game.... Something that I think was overlooked in the otherwise disaster of a bowl game....

 

[nccardfan]

Our defense just didn't let down against LSU, which is traditionally a defensive minded team. We let down against Houston and UK by not being able to pressure the opposing QB without blitzing and allowing several long pass plays (against primarily a UK running team). The defensive play was overshadowed by the pitiful offensive play. This team has more than just OLine issues.

 

[BPGhost]

Who knows. Maybe U of L was the only job that would allow his brother to be on staff.

You make a strong case with "who knows" - lol.

Given that there's no other instance of him packaging himself with his brother that seems an unlikely scenario but, maybe the hiring of his brother falls under the heading of "luring" him.

 

[Rollem Cards]

Not pressuring the QB is sometimes a physical problem. Just not enough quickness, strength, or speed.

That comes from recruiting. And that is where we are, and most times will be, short.

 

[nccardfan]

You make a strong case with "who knows" - lol.

Given that there's no other instance of him packaging himself with his brother that seems an unlikely scenario but, maybe the hiring of his brother falls under the heading of "luring" him.

Immediately prior to Georgia he was an NFL position coach for 13 years. Besides the offer from the Raiders (NFL position coaches are a dime a dozen), what other big time football programs, i.e. LSU, Texas, Florida, Alabama, did we beat out to retain his services?

 

[zipp]

Louisville's Total Defense ranking the last five years per ncaa.com...

2012 - no. 23
2013 - no. 1
2014 - no. 6
2015 - no. 18
2016 - no. 14

The first two years were under Strong, the last three under Petrino/Grantham. I was willing to wait in 2014 to conclude how much of Charlie's influence carried over from 2013. At this point, you have to give Grantham credit for a nationally ranked defense regardless of what your eyes or one game tell you.

In fact, even if we fall off next year defensively, Grantham has easily banked enough capital with me to get him through a rough patch. That sentiment may not have been true of Georgia fans, but that's their issue...

 

[nccardfan]

Before anyone accuses me of going on a Beas rant, I'm not saying anything about firing the guy, but I don't believe in free passes of what you did a couple of years ago. You are only as relevant as what you did recently and I don't need stats to tell me that our defense laid eggs against Houston and UK. As others have said, every aspect of this team should be under scrutiny, not given a pass. We should have aspirations of improving every facet of our game. Now, if you tell me that we recruited the players we need to put pressure on a QB without blitzing or we are
Going to have better coverage safeties, that's another thing.

 

[BPGhost]

Immediately prior to Georgia he was an NFL position coach for 13 years. Besides the offer from the Raiders (NFL position coaches are a dime a dozen), what other big time football programs, i.e. LSU, Texas, Florida, Alabama, did we beat out to retain his services?

He was actually the DC for the Browns from 2005-07 - so that's two NFL DC jobs that he either had or, could have had.

And if you think about it - even for a second - with roughly 128 D1 teams, there are about the same number of coordinators as there are position coaches in the NFL. So that would make them both "a dime a dozen" before you actually even consider how absurd a statement that is when you're talking about someone who has risen to be one of only 250 or so at your level in a nation of 325 million.

As for who we "beat out" for his services - I guess you'd have to start with which programs were looking and which knew he was / could be available. That doesn't interest me so I'm going to tear a page out of your book and say, "who knows"?

 

[tkdcoach]

so blame lamar for the lack of a running game, blame lamar for all the plays being home runs? blame lamar that when the ball is hiked a linemen is in his face? got it

Your level of anger over a sports team is 100% inappropriate. You may be "right" but your behavior is lame...and wrong.

 

[beasleythecard]

Your level of anger over a sports team is 100% inappropriate. You may be "right" but your behavior is lame...and wrong.

Frustration more than anything. I think we left a lot on the field this season.

 

[ACCCard]

Prettys ure we have two 4 stars coming in OL? And a few more considering?