Have some thoughts about the Offensive Line.

[FeedBreece]

I do feel like this needs to be acknowledged. i know really hyped up this line as a group, and I think a lot of us were surprised to see it struggle today. It got bullied up front by an FCS defensive line.

I think the reality with the line is that it’s clearly really really well coached. This is why it often drastically improves late down the stretch of the season. But it’s just ultimately not a very talented line. I feel like we’re always doing more with less with this group. It’s why there’s always a handful of games every year where it gets overwhelmed.

I understand we really talk up being a school that does more with 3 star recruits, but I always think the O-line is the one spot where our current recruiting always limits us. We haven’t had a lineman drafted to the next level in about a decade now.

Obviously coaching and culture matter first, but sometimes getting those talents does matter. This all being said, I do still expect things will get better as the season goes on, and we’ll get things fixed and get the collective group to play well. But this just seems like the reality: until we get higher level recruits in the trenches, we’ll be susceptible to playing down to competition. And these games will happen.

When you can’t beat the opponent at will up front just with pure talent, it’ll always leave the opposing team with a chance. Power 5, group of 5, FCS. Doesn’t matter what level they are.

 

[RollState58]

Need to re-watch, but I wouldn’t say we necessarily got bullied up front. It obviously wasn’t great, but I don’t think it was that terrible at first glance. Just “meh” like every other aspect of that game.

 

[FeedBreece]

Need to re-watch, but I wouldn’t say we necessarily got bullied up front. It obviously wasn’t great, but I don’t think it was that terrible at first glance. Just “meh” like every other aspect of that game.

I think my “bullied” take was more about what I saw the second half, rather than the first.

It was just really troubling that the coaches didn’t trust ourselves on a 4th and 1 at midfield, despite having the nation’s leading rusher. It felt like we were not able to make the plays that should have been easy against an FCS level school.

 

[RollState58]

I think my “bullied” take was more about what I saw the second half, rather than the first.

It was just really troubling that the coaches didn’t trust ourselves on a 4th and 1 at midfield, despite having the nation’s leading rusher. It felt like we were not able to make the plays that should have been easy against an FCS level school.

Fair point.?FWIW, I think the mediocracy today was a byproduct of the general vanilla-ness of the offense. UNI was selling out entirely to stop the run, and we clearly did not want to deviate from that plan.

This unit was good last year and I expect the things they struggled with today will get cleaned up this week in the film room.

 

[WhoISthis]

I do feel like this needs to be acknowledged. i know really hyped up this line as a group, and I think a lot of us were surprised to see it struggle today. It got bullied up front by an FCS defensive line.

I think the reality with the line is that it’s clearly really really well coached. This is why it often drastically improves late down the stretch of the season. But it’s just ultimately not a very talented line. I feel like we’re always doing more with less with this group. It’s why there’s always a handful of games every year where it gets overwhelmed.

I understand we really talk up being a school that does more with 3 star recruits, but I always think the O-line is the one spot where our current recruiting always limits us. We haven’t had a lineman drafted to the next level in about a decade now.

Obviously coaching and culture matter first, but sometimes getting those talents does matter. This all being said, I do still expect things will get better as the season goes on, and we’ll get things fixed and get the collective group to play well. But this just seems like the reality: until we get higher level recruits in the trenches, we’ll be susceptible to playing down to competition. And these games will happen.

When you can’t beat the opponent at will up front just with pure talent, it’ll always leave the opposing team with a chance. Power 5, group of 5, FCS. Doesn’t matter what level they are.

OL is the position in which stars mean the least.

 

[nrg4isu]

Fair point.?FWIW, I think the mediocracy today was a byproduct of the general vanilla-ness of the offense. UNI was selling out entirely to stop the run, and we clearly did not want to deviate from that plan.

This unit was good last year and I expect the things they struggled with today will get cleaned up this week in the film room.

Agreed.

Early, we were taking what they were giving. But had some first game jitters to get through. Then we had our one good FU drive. After that too vanilla, too cute. I think there was an intentional lack of TE targets. And also a lack of creativity in the run game. Saving something for next week against Iowa?

3rd down was the biggest problem. 5-14 ain't good. The rest of the game was just meh/vanilla/etc.

The line was ok. Not great, but not as bad as what you'd think by reading comments here. Disappointing? Fair enough.

 

[cyclone1209]

I do feel like this needs to be acknowledged. i know really hyped up this line as a group, and I think a lot of us were surprised to see it struggle today. It got bullied up front by an FCS defensive line.

I think the reality with the line is that it’s clearly really really well coached. This is why it often drastically improves late down the stretch of the season. But it’s just ultimately not a very talented line. I feel like we’re always doing more with less with this group. It’s why there’s always a handful of games every year where it gets overwhelmed.

I understand we really talk up being a school that does more with 3 star recruits, but I always think the O-line is the one spot where our current recruiting always limits us. We haven’t had a lineman drafted to the next level in about a decade now.

Obviously coaching and culture matter first, but sometimes getting those talents does matter. This all being said, I do still expect things will get better as the season goes on, and we’ll get things fixed and get the collective group to play well. But this just seems like the reality: until we get higher level recruits in the trenches, we’ll be susceptible to playing down to competition. And these games will happen.

When you can’t beat the opponent at will up front just with pure talent, it’ll always leave the opposing team with a chance. Power 5, group of 5, FCS. Doesn’t matter what level they are.

I think it's more about having our 5 guys play in synch and have a rhythm to them, which they had none of today.

I'm not saying he is the problem but Trevor Downing last played in Louisiana game last year, and then also this game - running game stunk in both. Was it all him? For sure no. But it crossed my mind a bit today.

 

[cyrocksmypants]

Need to re-watch, but I wouldn’t say we necessarily got bullied up front. It obviously wasn’t great, but I don’t think it was that terrible at first glance. Just “meh” like every other aspect of that game.

Yeah, I wouldn’t say bullied. Purdy for the most part stayed pretty clean. Just weren’t opening up any holes for Breece to run through. I’m sure UNI’s big active nose guard had at least a part to do with that. Dude was all over the field.

Overall pass protection seemed fine. Most of the time Purdy was scrambling it was because there wasn’t an open receiver, not because he didn’t have time. But, while Breece is phenomenal, he still needs some kind of a hole to hit.

 

[atlantacyclone]

All of that would make sense except isn’t this more or less the same O line as last season?

 

[Billups06]

Someone mentioned earlier in the week how disciplined UNI’s front seven has been over the years. This year was no different. Their D-line wasn’t aggressive in terms of pressure, but they were almost perfect in terms of gap control and staying in position vs the run. I thought our O-line had decent push, where Breece wasn’t fighting just to get back to the line of scrimmage. Rarely made it to the second level (which is ultimately on the O-line).

 

[FeedBreece]

Yeah, I wouldn’t say bullied. Purdy for the most part stayed pretty clean. Just weren’t opening up any holes for Breece to run through. I’m sure UNI’s big active nose guard had at least a part to do with that. Dude was all over the field.

Overall pass protection seemed fine. Most of the time Purdy was scrambling it was because there wasn’t an open receiver, not because he didn’t have time. But, while Breece is phenomenal, he still needs some kind of a hole to hit.

I do agree it wasn’t exactly pass protection. It was fine enough. Mainly run blocking.

Also I will say the WR’s outside of X did no favors. I’m a little disappointed no one else is really stepping up out of that group.

 

[demoncore1031]

Who ended up being the 5 starters on the line? I missed the game.

 

[harimad]

The line wasn’t great. There was a short stretch early in the game where they were re-establishing the line of scrimmage three yards downfield. But the rest of the game, they were getting stood up immediately and Breece had nowhere to run.

And for Pete’s sake, please stop bringing in extra offensive linemen for a “power” set. That was the least productive set the entire day, and guaranteed that we would get zero yardage on the play. When we had first and goal at the 8 (late in the game leading 13-10), we trotted those guys out there for second and third down from the four. Got absolutely manhandled. But why?? Anyone who was paying attention knew that was going to happen. Why did Manning not know that?

I did see some good inside run plays when we widened out our splits. Wish we would do that more often and just let our big five guys do some work there more often.

 

[awd4cy]

I don’t think the OL looked that bad. UNI was stacking the box and playing the run. We played right into their hands over and over.

 

[bozclone]

When we went with our heavy package we almost always ran to the weak side of the formation. I think we were expecting UNI to react to the formation differently.

It also seemed to me that the UNI line was often slanting right into our run play. I don’t know if that was luck or if they saw a tendency from us. We didn’t really run any counters that may have exposed that.

Finally, I would like to see Remsberg play. I think he is a big physical tackle that was really good last year.

 

[helechopper]

And for Pete’s sake, please stop bringing in extra offensive linemen for a “power” set. That was the least productive set the entire day, and guaranteed that we would get zero yardage on the play. When we had first and goal at the 8 (late in the game leading 13-10), we trotted those guys out there for second and third down from the four. Got absolutely manhandled. But why??

1. I think Campbell likes the situation where it’s big guys playing smash mouth against the other teams line and saying “okay, try to stop us”.

2. We’re possibly setting this up down the road for teams to scout and then run something surprising out of it in the future that’s unexpected and leads to a big chunk of yardage.

 

[MartyFine]

I do feel like this needs to be acknowledged. i know really hyped up this line as a group, and I think a lot of us were surprised to see it struggle today. It got bullied up front by an FCS defensive line.

I think the reality with the line is that it’s clearly really really well coached. This is why it often drastically improves late down the stretch of the season. But it’s just ultimately not a very talented line. I feel like we’re always doing more with less with this group. It’s why there’s always a handful of games every year where it gets overwhelmed.

I understand we really talk up being a school that does more with 3 star recruits, but I always think the O-line is the one spot where our current recruiting always limits us. We haven’t had a lineman drafted to the next level in about a decade now.

Obviously coaching and culture matter first, but sometimes getting those talents does matter. This all being said, I do still expect things will get better as the season goes on, and we’ll get things fixed and get the collective group to play well. But this just seems like the reality: until we get higher level recruits in the trenches, we’ll be susceptible to playing down to competition. And these games will happen.

When you can’t beat the opponent at will up front just with pure talent, it’ll always leave the opposing team with a chance. Power 5, group of 5, FCS. Doesn’t matter what level they are.

I‘m already tired of these O-line takes. Tom Manning is the reason ISU didn’t put up more points if anyone is…

 

[CloneFanInKC]

Who ended up being the 5 starters on the line? I missed the game.

Foster, Downing, Newell, Simmons and Schweiger

 

[Big_Sill]

Dylan Soehner

 

[JM4CY]

Dylan Soehner

He obviously was a bigger loss than many anticipated, including me.