O-line Grades: Week 9 vs. TB

[gftChris]

Can I make a special request for you to grade Oniel Cousins? Just out of curiosity...

[tiamat63]

So..... Bito to Center, Greco to LG, Schwartz to RG and whom to RT?

[gftChris]

@tiamat63 said:

So..... Bito to Center, Greco to LG, Schwartz to RG and whom to RT?

Terrance West.

[jrb12711]

Tour, when you watched the run plays did you notice if we ran ANY counters or against the unbalanced line? I really seemed to notice the whole game the LB's for TB shifted to one side or another on obvious runs plays. It became an our guys against theirs game and it obviously didn't succeed. I feel strongly that running a counter or a draw here or there could help greatly.

[Tour2ma]

@gftchris said:

Can I make a special request for you to grade Oniel Cousins? Just out of curiosity...

Sorry... no time for that.

@jrb12711 said:

Tour, when you watched the run plays did you notice if we ran ANY counters or against the unbalanced line? I really seemed to notice the whole game the LB's for TB shifted to one side or another on obvious runs plays. It became an our guys against theirs game and it obviously didn't succeed. I feel strongly that running a counter or a draw here or there could help greatly.

I don't remember a single counter step by our backs the entire game... or the entire season for that matter. Closest I can think of is the middle zones we run (the plays where there is an odd looking toss straight back to the RB). Very often there's a cut back on these counter to the flow of the entire line. West had a nice run on one such play vs. TB. That may have been the only time we ran it this week.

I want to say that TB's LB alignment mirrored our TEs. While I was not watching for this specifically, I recall TE motions when TB's LBs realigned with the motion. But seems like other times they did not...

I know we ran only one draw. You'd think our PAP bootlegs should help dissuade pursuit.

[jrb12711]

@tour2ma said:

Sorry... no time for that.

I don't remember a single counter step by our backs the entire game... or the entire season for that matter. Closest I can think of is the middle zones we run (the plays where there is an odd looking toss straight back to the RB). Very often there's a cut back on these counter to the flow of the entire line. West had a nice run on one such play vs. TB. That may have been the only time we ran it this week.

I want to say that TB's LB alignment mirrored our TEs. While I was not watching for this specifically, I recall TE motions when TB's LBs realigned with the motion. But seems like other times they did not...

I know we ran only one draw. You'd think our PAP bootlegs should help dissuade pursuit.

Thanks for that. It just seems to me that at least mixing in one or two counters would keep the defense honest. It's clear they need to try something cause what they are doing now is not working well at all.

[Canton Dawg]

@jrb12711 said:

Thanks for that. It just seems to me that at least mixing in one or two counters would keep the defense honest. It's clear they need to try something cause what they are doing now is not working well at all.

I agree, TB seemed to overpursue and was ripe for a counter tray or some type of mis-direction play(s).

[Tour2ma]

@canton-dawg said:

I agree, TB seemed to overpursue and was ripe for a counter tray or some type of mis-direction play(s).

There were a couple times out of the I (classic counter formation) that Small's path and our RB's path diverged, but hard to tell what is design vs. impromptu read.

I do know that once vs. TB two LBs read Small and another, nice, cut-back lane opened up... unfortunately Tate (I think) chose to follow Small.

[The Gipper]

Tour.....is there any indication that Braxston Cave would have been a better choice to fill in at OC than McDonald? Or is there just nothing that can be viewed that would give you the ability to compare? (in which case then you have to rely on the coaches to make the right choice to put in there.....and if that is the case, how poorly must Cave be performing if he can't beat out McDonald in practice?)

[Tour2ma]

@the-gipper said:

Tour.....is there any indication that Braxston Cave would have been a better choice to fill in at OC than McDonald? Or is there just nothing that can be viewed that would give you the ability to compare?

I have nothing on Cave other than Pro Day/ Combine data. Based upon that he looks like a slightly stronger version of McDonald. Based on the numbers athletically both look inferior to Painter.