Interesting post re: our OL and Saban's comments on it from BOL

quote:

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Do you really listen when CNS speaks?

viggo214
Posted on 21 hrs, V I P, User Since 146 months ago
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Monday presser when asked about correcting issues with pass and run blocking: "I think we've got to play more physical. I think we've got to be more aggreassive in terms of how we come out of our hips, come out with power, whatever it is. We've got to try to dicate in the run game. We did a better job of that in the second half (against Auburn). We've got to give our players a chance with advantage runs. Pass protection was an issue at times. We've just got to do a better job of staying square, the quarterback has got to do a better job in the pocket so the O-line knows where he is going to be. So there's a lot of things we need to work on when it comes to pressures. We've got to have a good plan for how we block them. There's a lot of things we're capable of improving, and I have a lot of confidence in how the players are trying to get that done this week."

It's right there in front of your face. Let me help those of you who don't translate Sabanese well. The first two sentences are indicative that he is not happy with their technique, in trying to be a little more versatile and adaptable in terms of assigning threats that they have become to upright and passive. Later in the game, with the type of running plays, especially the zone concepts, they became more explosive out of their stances and got much better movement. As an old OL coach and someone who has always had a love and appreciation for blocking concepts and philosophy, watching 300 lb men stand upright and lean on each other is sickening, and I am seeing a rebound from this philosophy and a return to more aggressive, explosive individiual technique where OLs fire from a stance and roll their hips on contact again. I used to tell my kids, "the only thing you can do standing up is stand next to me on the sideline" and I still feel like there is truth there. Coach is calling for more physicality and explosiveness and less lockstep technique, and doing it publicly.

The phrases, "dictate in the run game", and "We've got to give our players a chance with some advantage runs" are critical. This goes to design and play-calling. Much has been made about the audibles at the LOS and the time-pressure they put on the offense in general, and the load they put on BY in particular, and I am in partial agreement with that idea, though many are going overboard and ignoring the advantages they have gained at times, and I too would like to see some tempo and some designed "easy gain" plays given to the offense to "prime the pump" if the offense stalls a bit. Here, we see Saban discussing this in terms of the running game specifically, and the offense in general. You dictate in the running game by creating matchups and by playing to your strengths. Understand your players, understand the weaknesses of the opponent, and create "wins" for your players so that the offense gets a bit of steam to get it going if it is not organically rolling. For all the abuse that Bobo took this year at Auburn, he did a really good job of scripting some of those plays for Finley to keep their offense moving from time to time, and Saban is calling for BOB to design and call plays that give the offense some wins to keep it going. In the passing game, you do this with quick throws and flooding areas, and in the running game its about creating space and advantage matchups.

The discussion about staying square agains goes to technique, but also to design. In trying to be very versatile and mobile in pass blocking, the problem is make sure that you don't get so caught up chasing threats that you get "wrong-footed" and then can't get re-established and have the strong base necessary to stop the rush of a 280+ defender. Go back and watch, and see how often pressure came when the OL was in position to make the necessary block, but was getting moved because he had no base. I agree with Huskypup on the pass blocking of Sanders, and the key was his ability to create a base and absorb the rush. One of the real problems Owens has had all year was his struggle to re-establish a base when dealing with a "chang-of-pace" rusher, or someone who stop and starts. Cohen especially seems to have issues with this, though he did seem to be better with McLaughlin in the game. Additionally, he mentions the QB understanding the pocket. This is one of my long-standing bugaboos. You have to remember that the OL has their backs to the QB, and in protecting him and forming a "pocket" they do so with a mental image of where he is. He should have a normal "drop" depth and then, if the pocket has pressure, climb back towards them. The key is what is "pressure"? Sometimes, fans see a defender within a couple of yards of the QB or rushing by him and assume the OL got beat, but if the OL is still in contact, or if he is pushing the rusher past the QB, that is not pressure. The QB has to understand this, and to react accordingly. For all the calls for BY to run more, I thought one of the big issues I would have had with him Saturday was his abandoning the pocket too quickly. He ran into a couple of sacks, and short-circuited the reads on some others. If you want good protection, you have to help the OL know where you are so that they can manuever around that spot. Most of you will remember Gary Hollingsworth, but I played with his older brother Ryan, who was an exceptional athlete, but as a QB, he drove me crazy because he was so dependent on his on athleticism that he would bail to soon, or drift in the pocket, and you would be blocking your guy and thing you had room to absorb a move or shunt him to a dead area, and you would push him right into the QB. King at Miami, and Houston before that, always had high sack totals for the same reason.

Finally, he finishes with a discussion of the need to have "good plan" for pressures, which is the accumulation of pass rush, blitzes, games, stunts and anything designed to confuse blocking and create penetration. If you follow Saban closely, instead of saying "we are working to have a good plan", or "I expect us to ahve a good plan", he says we need to "have a good plan". This is the equivalent of challenging a player in front of the press, as he has a few times this year. BOB is being told to have a better plan for these situational issues, to "help" BY and the offense with some plays desinged to get wins and prime the pump, and for the OL to be more focused on being physical at the point of contact and eliminate some of the excess clutter.

I have my own conclusions about this in a mega-scale, and you can draw your own, but the statement is, to my mind, clear and unambiguent. The challege has been made, in a very public way, and I am interested to see the response on Saturday.

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