Answers, Part XVI
Here is the 16th set:
What offensive FB players have least lived up to their potential this season?
Receiver Dominique Johnson
What defensive FB players have least lived up to their potential?
Bret Lockett, but there is hope for him after a solid game against Stanford.
What do you think of the strength program so far?
Too early to tell, but guys do not seem much stronger or faster than they were last season.
Is Howland too hard on his players? A lot of people have been saying this lately.
Well, he gets to the Final Four, good players keep coming to UCLA and guys are going to the NBA. So, I say no.
Who's the better Offensive Tackle, Donovan Edwards or Jeff Baca?
I've never seen Edwards play, so I cannot make that assessment.
If Gaddy reopens his recruitment and with Howland pursuing Snaer, how does coach handle the scholarships offers? Does he tell the two guards, "First-come-first-serve" on the scholarship or does he take both commitments and "usher" another player out of the program (assuming both want to play for the Bruins)?
I don't know at this point. This is all new with Lute Olson retiring, so things need to get sorted out a bit. I hope to have an answer on this in the next few days.
Who do you feel is the most talented freshman that is currently redshirting?
When it comes to physical talent, cornerback Aaron Hester is my pick.
Why did we change from black shoes to white shoes? What's the reason for the change?
I don't know. I spend too much of my time trying to figure out why the offense cannot gain two yards running the ball.
Most Improved Offensive player from start of Fall Practice up to now? Same for the Defense?
Offensively, it has to be left tackle Jeff Baca. He went from green as anything to starting on the offensive line. Defensively, Rahim Moore. Ditto as Baca, but he's starting in the secondary.
Can you give an update on Raymond Carter in terms of where he is in the rotation? If he does indeed suit up against Cal and Bell or Coleman gets injured, who gets some carries in the backup role: Dean or Carter?
He is not in the rotation because he is not healthy (groin). And even when he is healthy, I don't know if he will be in the rotation. I don't think he will play against Cal.
"I spend too much of my time trying to figure out why the offense cannot gain two yards running the ball."
The answer is easy:
1. the line splits are very narrow so there are no natural holes
2. At least 2 or 3 OL get stymied (or worse) at the LOS on every run play by the DL and/or LBs filling their run gaps
so 3., there is nowhere for the RB to run and nothing he can do except put his head down and run into the back of his OL.
Result: no gain or so.
That's Football 101...
Tyler it couldn't be that simple an explanation. If it is, then our coaches haven't been doing their job. The offensive scheme has been kept simple, intentionally because of the lack of experience and therefore, the lack of confidence. Therefore, our offense has become all too predictable and the defenses are ready for our running game. Our best runner lately seems to be Craft when he takes off on options. It is time now to open up the offense and get some more variety and schemes into play. We got nothing to lose now and everything to gain. Time to play to win and not to not lose. I think we will see that today against Cal.
I don't know if it's "simple," but when you don't have the horses to get the job done, the job doesn't get done. If you widen the splits, you isolate each OL so when he gets beaten it leaves you wide open for losses every play. Like the special teams, they are doing the best they can with the players they have, where those players are right now. The 2 minute drills are misleading - you have to consider what the defenses are trying to do - if they drop back more knowing we're trying to pull off some home run plays, that gives the offense more time and more spacing on the field into which to throw the ball. It all starts with the OLine and, as Tyler said, we're getting beaten at the LOS nearly every play. So you try to double some of your blocks and close it in for pass protection while running routes that develop more quickly (you hope) than the rush can get to our QB. It's really not a prescription for a great deal of success.