🏈 Pass Blocking, what's the problem?

[Bo]

Okay folks, what's going on up front and why is the pass blocking looking so bad at times so far?
6 Sacks by WKU? I don't get why the run blocking is great, but the pass blocking is suspect.

I played OL in high school. Pass blocking was a little easier to me than run blocking. On pass plays, basically all you have to do is get in your man's way. On a running play, you usually have to drive him away from the play.

Opinions?

 

[bamafan4ever]

Not sure the answer to the problem but to be the "best O-line" on college football this year according to the experts, it seems to be a bad issue!

 

[planomateo]

there was some concern last year too about our OL early in the season... they turned out pretty good iirc

 

[Crimson&WhiteGecko]

I remember last year, the O-line had a problem after playing Kent State's DL. One of their DL's was good enough to play in the SEC & he made several run stops. I wonder how much of this is credited to playing a decent lineman.

My quick thoughts:

• Like CNS said, we may have held on to the ball too long. This is attributed to pass plays developing or our offensive scheme developing.
• Both tackles got beat. They seemed lackluster at times. I think this was what CNS was alluding too w/ playing down the competition.
• Communication. We just aren't there yet & that takes time for them to develop. I think this issue revealed it's ugly head at the right time for the staff to address it. The last thing I wanna see is another 'honk if you sacked....' bumper sticker. Especially as bad as they are this year.
• Inexperience. Cyrus has just got to get the reps.

 

[BAMA JAMMA]

We were getting beat off the edge as well. They'll get it worked out but did not like seeing AJ take those hits. According to his body language and facial expressions neither did he lol. Those Hilltoppers were quality physical players, a few were mid to lower tier SEC caliber. I think they stack up among the top in their conference? They didn't look that small at the game that is for sure.

 

[Joe]

"One asset: through film study, WKU's found a tell on the Alabama offensive line. The Topper coaches believe Fluker is tipping off which plays are run and which are pass by his posture, with an accuracy of over 90 percent.

"It's nothing big. If you're subtly looking at it, you won't see it. But if you go back and look, run-pass, run-pass, run-pass, there is a difference," defensive line coach Eric Mathies says. "When [offensive lines] have big guys, like big, big guys, they change how they get in their stance. So Fluker's 6'6', 320. When it's run, he'll get down in his three point stance because he's coming off. When it's pass, he's got that right foot back."

Because of this, one-word calls will be made at the line to alert pass or run based on Fluker's footwork."- Link

 

[Bo]

I only saw 2 sacks that I'd lay the blame on AJ holding on to the ball to long.

Joe, thanks for the link. That is interesting about Fluker if true.

 

[psychojoe]

I looked at the game again yesterday, and it seemed like they never played run on our play action. There could well have been a tell.

 

[cjaytch]

My favorite was this part about Saban's alleged "bullying" of the media:

"That wasn't for the media," he snickers. "That had nothing to do with the media. That was for his players. He's an old, wise, wily veteran."

After a beat he slaps his hands together and laughs, in on a joke that seemingly not a single member of the national college sports media gets: Saban doesn't give a damn what's written about Alabama, only that the media has some role in influencing his players' mindset. Information absorption is one of the few aspects of their lives he can't control outright, so he's taken to a kind of disinformation campaign to refocus his team, at the press' expense. To Taggart and his staff, the joke is that, with all the obvious responsibilities of reloading a national title winner upon Saban, anyone would believe he has the time or interest to actually get mad at reporters."
"They went from an 'upset alert' to this. He got the media mad, and the media got his team focused! College football, college football ... You gotta love it," he laughs.



Coach Taggart is a smart guy. He gets it.

Gregg Doyle is a candy-azz, self-important, crybaby.