🏈 O Line questions

[Jseakin]

How would you guys like to see the Oline play out this year? Are you good with Jones moving to LT and AM or Steen playing right guard? Where does Arie play into this equation? I know he redshirted last year but I seem to remember reading that he was really pushing Fluker at RT (or maybe I pulled that out of my a$$).

What keeps Fluker on the right side? I haven't once heard the potential of him moving to LT... Is there a reason for that? I in no way see Cyrus coming in and playing LT right away but if I remember correctly he wasnt even a LT in high school while Arie was there. He played RT and Arie was LT. Does Arie get a shot this year at tackle of is he destined to play guard? If the staff could just figure out a way to piss off Tyler Love and make him play aggressively

Ugh I have so many questions... I feel like a Debbie Downer this year but I really have a bad feeling going in about this season.

 

[psychojoe]

I think it comes down to which of the newcomers and back ups are furthest along.

Everyone is snugg about the four returning starters and B Jones has showwn he can play either spot. It then comes down to a) whether a guard (Arie K or Steen) is further along than a tackle (McCullough or Cyrus K or even T Love) and b) which combination plays best together. Barrettt Jones' versatility gives us extra chances. If he could not play LT we'd have to hope one of the tackle prospects came through. It would be great to have 5 returning starters but I feel good about having four and planty of talent to mix and match with.

 

[TerryP]

How would you guys like to see the Oline play out this year? Are you good with Jones moving to LT and AM or Steen playing right guard? Where does Arie play into this equation? I know he redshirted last year but I seem to remember reading that he was really pushing Fluker at RT (or maybe I pulled that out of my a$$).

What keeps Fluker on the right side? I haven't once heard the potential of him moving to LT... Is there a reason for that? I in no way see Cyrus coming in and playing LT right away but if I remember correctly he wasnt even a LT in high school while Arie was there. He played RT and Arie was LT. Does Arie get a shot this year at tackle of is he destined to play guard? If the staff could just figure out a way to piss off Tyler Love and make him play aggressively

Ugh I have so many questions... I feel like a Debbie Downer this year but I really have a bad feeling going in about this season.

Good lord, there are four or five threads here. :dazed:

I'll go one paragraph at a time.

Coming out of spring camp, Austin Shepard was working with the 2's at the RT spot. Arie has some big days ahead of him, no doubt. But, he hasn't made that "push" yet to get past his spot running with the three's. You've seen people say "the light turned on" for kids when they come to realize what they need to do. Arie's light is on, Austin's is brighter as of this spring.

How does the fall work itself out? Depends on Arie and that's not taking a thing away from Austin. Personally, and this is my opinion not something I've discussed with those who know the situation better than I do, I think we'll see Austin in the middle of the competition for the RG spot next season with McCullough graduating. That competition is going to be interesting to say the least. Heck, no more so than the LG with Steen and Warmack though I believe Warmack holds that spot. You want a curve ball? With a good year, Warmack might consider leaving early. He's pretty darn good.

Last year Fluker didn't have a chance pushing Carpenter out of the LT position. He's only a sophomore and the two guys he'd have to beat would be Barrett and Alfred. Why would Stoutland want to move him to the other side and put someone brand new to that position in? It just doesn't make sense to me and likely doesn't make sense to the staff as well.

You are right in that Cyrus only had one year of experience in high school at LT. And, to add to that, Dematha is a run oriented team. One thing he and his brother shared coming out of high school was the need to work on their lateral speed and footwork.

Arie is up to the 335 - 340 lb mark the last I heard. He seems more suited for a guard right now.

It certainly would be a conversation we'd tire of hearing from the talking heads if we have an OL that has the Kouandjio brothers anchoring the left side of our line.

As to your worries about this year? I don't understand them, at all. I feel better about this year, than last.

 

[planomateo]

well, some sites are giving us the #1 OL in the country...what stands out to me, only one other SEC in the list, LSU (ranked 10 and 14). Kentucky is listed at #20 in athlonsports.

http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1246717

1. ALABAMA BUZZ: This reminds us a lot of the 2009 Alabama offensive line, which had four returning starters but needed a new guy to step in at left tackle as they blocked for a new starting tailback. Well, this season's Alabama line has four returning starters but needs a new guy to step in at left tackle as they block for a new starting tailback. In '09, remember, that new tailback (Mark Ingram) won the Heisman and the Tide on the national title. Junior G Barrett Jones is one of the three or four best players in the nation at his position, and C William Vlachos and T D.J. Fluker will contend for All-SEC honors. This is a big, physical group.

http://www.athlonsports.com/college-football/athlon-awards-offensive-line-units

1. Alabama - This group was criticized for its play at times last year, but the Tide’s offensive line should be a strength this season. Guard Barrett Jones and center William Vlachos are 2011 Athlon Sports preseason All-Americans, while Chance Warmack and D.J. Fluker return as starters. Jones worked at left tackle during the spring after two excellent years at right guard. The question is whether the team feels better with sophomore Anthony Steen at right guard or senior Alfred McCullough at left tackle. The Tide will need a more cohesive performance after a 2010 season that saw them rank 88th nationally in sacks allowed.

 

[Jseakin]

Good lord, there are four or five threads here. :dazed:

Yea I know.... Sorry its one of those things that as soon as I decide to post it all comes flowing out :smile:

Coming out of spring camp, Austin Shepard was working with the 2's at the RT spot. Arie has some big days ahead of him, no doubt. But, he hasn't made that "push" yet to get past his spot running with the three's. You've seen people say "the light turned on" for kids when they come to realize what they need to do. Arie's light is on, Austin's is brighter as of this spring.

Interesting.. I forgot all about him.. I remember thinking he was likely a future guard.. From Texas wasn't he?

You want a curve ball? With a good year, Warmack might consider leaving early. He's pretty darn good.

Its pretty uncommon for guards to come out early isn't it? Better yet for a guard to get drafted very high unless they have the potential to play center (Pouncey the one that came out this year)

Last year Fluker didn't have a chance pushing Carpenter out of the LT position. He's only a sophomore and the two guys he'd have to beat would be Barrett and Alfred. Why would Stoutland want to move him to the other side and put someone brand new to that position in? It just doesn't make sense to me and likely doesn't make sense to the staff as well.

Makes sense.. I guess I always pictured Fluker being a LT and sooner rather than later. I was just thinking that I have never really even seen it mentioned which I thought was odd since he has that prototypical size. If the staff were confident in AM playing LT I would think they wouldn't put Jones there. Aside from the spring, has Jones played much LT or at least anymore than Fluker?

Arie is up to the 335 - 340 lb mark the last I heard. He seems more suited for a guard right now.

Good God that's a big boy.. I say we flip him around and put him at NG :hyper:

It certainly would be a conversation we'd tire of hearing from the talking heads if we have an OL that has the Kouandjio brothers anchoring the left side of our line.

They would have to have nick names

As to your worries about this year? I don't understand them, at all. I feel better about this year, than last.

The obvious for starters: RB depletion, new QB, new LT, potentially a new RG, unproven WRs (at least being #1 options), Menzie's health, and the DL.. But honestly its just a feeling. The expectations just seem so high and for whatever the reason I am not feeling it this year.. Of course that means absolutely nothing other than my feeling.

 

[TerryP]

Yea I know.... Sorry its one of those things that as soon as I decide to post it all comes flowing out :smile:

I think you could have come up with a better way of putting that.

Interesting.. I forgot all about him.. I remember thinking he was likely a future guard.. From Texas wasn't he?

Don't let the name confuse you. He's a Georgia boy. Yeah, he was projected as a guard coming out of HS. He dominated the camps he participated in before he entered college. He's got the one attribute I mentioned the Kouandjio brothers needed the most work with: agility and footwork speed. He's actually lost a little weight since he came out of HS—10lbs or so.

Its pretty uncommon for guards to come out early isn't it? Better yet for a guard to get drafted very high unless they have the potential to play center (Pouncey the one that came out this year)

I don't follow the NFL that closely other than NFL Matchup on Sunday morning—I love the way they break down offenses and defenses—and highlights on Mondays. I couldn't tell you the last time I watched a NFL game from kick to the final whistle. But, off the top of my head, I'd say you're right. Most guards end up in the second and third rounds.

Makes sense.. I guess I always pictured Fluker being a LT and sooner rather than later. I was just thinking that I have never really even seen it mentioned which I thought was odd since he has that prototypical size. If the staff were confident in AM playing LT I would think they wouldn't put Jones there. Aside from the spring, has Jones played much LT or at least anymore than Fluker?

I suspect, but don't know, you listened to a lot of the folks that also had him starting as a true frosh. As far as playing LT, they slid Jones outside when Carpenter couldn't practice; IE: when he was out with the flu last year as one example. I couldn't say if one has practiced more than the other at LT if Barrett had been in the program the same length of time as Fluker. I do believe, wholeheartedly, he's the best player we have on the OL and could easily play any position on the OL. I can't say the same about DJ.

Good God that's a big boy.. I say we flip him around and put him at NG :hyper:
They would have to have nick names

K2? Wait, that isn't a good idea.

The obvious for starters: RB depletion, new QB, new LT, potentially a new RG, unproven WRs (at least being #1 options), Menzie's health, and the DL.. But honestly its just a feeling. The expectations just seem so high and for whatever the reason I am not feeling it this year.. Of course that means absolutely nothing other than my feeling.

OK, there's another paragraph that has five or six threads in it. Maybe one discussion at a time. :whiteflag::whiteflag: