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OL problems under former regime
Posted on 7/19/21 at 11:48 am
Posted on 7/19/21 at 11:48 am
Was it a talent issue like most believe or was it the scheme? Just glanced over something and was surprised to see we have 4 OL from 2018 and 2019 on NFL rosters but when I go back mentally I remember us giving up a lot of pressures and not getting much movement in the run game. I don't know enough to say anything definitive but with 4 of the 5 on NFL rosters it makes you think the problem wasn't the talent after all. This also gives me hope for the 2021 season that this group isn't nearly as bad as they looked
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Posted on 7/19/21 at 11:53 am to marshallcotiger
I have argued injuries and scheme. Pure talent has been on the roster. Just not deep.
Posted on 7/19/21 at 11:56 am to marshallcotiger
I think the root issue was scheme that led to talent issues and the end of their tenure.
Posted on 7/19/21 at 12:12 pm to marshallcotiger
Combination of talent (later in GM's tenure), coaching, scheme.
Coaching and scheme caused the need to switch DL over to OL while our rivals were bringing in top OL talent. Scheme being the more prevalent reason. Auburn became a pass as a destination for top OL talent. That is purely my opinion.
I could spend a lot of space here explaining in more detail why I believe that, but I won't.
Coaching and scheme caused the need to switch DL over to OL while our rivals were bringing in top OL talent. Scheme being the more prevalent reason. Auburn became a pass as a destination for top OL talent. That is purely my opinion.
I could spend a lot of space here explaining in more detail why I believe that, but I won't.
Posted on 7/19/21 at 12:54 pm to RockyMtnTigerWDE
Scheme...Greg Robinson and the NFL stories had to be the first issue in recruiting.
Posted on 7/19/21 at 1:29 pm to Tigerman97
quote:
.Greg Robinson and the NFL stories had to be the first issue in recruiting.
What is your theory. Interesting topic
Posted on 7/19/21 at 1:42 pm to LanierSpots
quote:
What is your theory. Interesting topic
I seem to remember a bunch of stories about him being a poor transition to the NFL largely based on his college experience, etc...I always wondered if that set the tone recruiting wise for OL...we started losing battles pretty prolifically in the years to come at the tackle position. It could just be we sucked at evaluation...we got Ashley and of course it was assumed the position would be his for a few years and it had to hurt others potential gets.
I also feel like another NFL scout or article around a draft questioned the scheme and its ability to transition guys to the next level. I might be wrong about this one.
This post was edited on 7/19/21 at 1:44 pm
Posted on 7/19/21 at 2:10 pm to LanierSpots
quote:Just Saying
LanierSpots
You must really like Gus to follow him to Florida.
Posted on 7/19/21 at 2:17 pm to Tigerman97
quote:
I seem to remember a bunch of stories about him being a poor transition to the NFL
Yea, I think that was the biggest issue with the 2013-2014 offense we ran. Pass blocking was probably the biggest weakness of Robinson.
He may have not been properly trained for the NFL but he was certainly properly trained for that offense. He was a critical piece to that puzzle that made us so good on offense that year. Dude was a total beast and exactly what was needed for that read offense
Hate it that it could not transfer to the NFL. Loved watching him here..
Posted on 7/19/21 at 2:38 pm to LanierSpots
Anyone interested in this topic should listen to the Reese Dismukes & Alex Kozan podcast episode that featured Will Adams who was a backup OL here and just so happened to transfer to Boise State for his final season. Will Adams thought that he'd have an easier time at Boise because he was transferring in from an SEC-power, but he found the complete opposite to be true: Boise's blocking schemes were much more complicated. All three former players agreed that our blocking schemes were extremely simplistic.
It was a scheme problem that turned into a talent problem, because it became incredibly easy for other schools to negatively recruit against us. Why come here and experience HS-caliber blocking utilization if your end-goal is to play in the NFL? Greg Robinson basically cemented that as he was one of the most physically dominant OL prospects in a ~decade, and he flopped completely in the NFL.
It was a scheme problem that turned into a talent problem, because it became incredibly easy for other schools to negatively recruit against us. Why come here and experience HS-caliber blocking utilization if your end-goal is to play in the NFL? Greg Robinson basically cemented that as he was one of the most physically dominant OL prospects in a ~decade, and he flopped completely in the NFL.
Posted on 7/19/21 at 2:56 pm to metafour
quote:
Greg Robinson basically cemented that as he was one of the most physically dominant OL prospects in a ~decade, and he flopped completely in the NFL.
The NFL excels at finding talent and developing that talent. If Greg Robinson truly had the talent, do you not think that the NFL coaches would have been able to develop it? Are we truly saying that 3-4 years of college coaching ruined a talented OL? We may not have prepared him for the NFL, but we didn't hold him back when he got there.
Posted on 7/19/21 at 2:58 pm to metafour
That podcast was eye opening.
I remember some of the laughs they had describing the teachings on the OL.
Didn't Braden Smith, who should have been an first team ALL-SEC and in the hunt for ALL-AMerican, also have issues with his development at Auburn as an OL?
To think he played guard to then become overtime one of the better tackles in the NFL.
But his role in a simple run heavy offense hurt him as it did Shon COlemen and Robinson.
I remember some of the laughs they had describing the teachings on the OL.
Didn't Braden Smith, who should have been an first team ALL-SEC and in the hunt for ALL-AMerican, also have issues with his development at Auburn as an OL?
To think he played guard to then become overtime one of the better tackles in the NFL.
But his role in a simple run heavy offense hurt him as it did Shon COlemen and Robinson.
Posted on 7/19/21 at 3:13 pm to Aubie Spr96
quote:
The NFL excels at finding talent and developing that talent. If Greg Robinson truly had the talent, do you not think that the NFL coaches would have been able to develop it? Are we truly saying that 3-4 years of college coaching ruined a talented OL? We may not have prepared him for the NFL, but we didn't hold him back when he got there.
3-4 at the most pivotal stage of development is incredibly important. The main point is that transitioning to the NFL is a huge learning curve for literally anyone. Now, you're taking a huge learning curve and making it even more exaggerated because the player isn't coming in from "0", he's coming in from say "-3" because the football acumen that they were exposed to in college wasn't even at an acceptable "beginner" level. Even for a Top 5 pick, there simply isn't the patience or time to reteach someone from the ground up. It's sink or swim, and unfortunately Greg Robinson was thrown into quicksand. Sure, his failure or success once he got there is obviously in his hands, but that's true for every player. Inherently there is no difference between coming into the NFL from Troy vs. Auburn, but the "marketing" is that we are to be sending a more developed and versed ball of clay, which should make the transition to the NFL more seamless - which entices NFL execs to draft our players higher. When you purposefully dumb down your schemes and what you are teaching, as was the case with OL blocking (and QB play, and WR play, etc, etc.) then you are sending players that are coming in from a disadvantage. And those guys are obviously more likely to fail. That eventually catches up to you in recruiting elite talent, because why should they go to your school to be handicapped?
Posted on 7/19/21 at 4:25 pm to metafour
Greg Robinson was given seven years of professional coaching. Seven years.
Posted on 7/19/21 at 4:46 pm to marshallcotiger
Let’s be honest…there wasn’t anything good about Gus Malzahn’s offense in terms of preparation for the NFL.
The quarterbacks didn’t develop, and instead typically got worse while on campus. Cam Newton is the only to have success in the league and it was only because of his God given ability.
The running backs were run into the ground. Tre Mason didn’t last. Kerryon Johnson already got released. CAP didn’t really stick around. Corey Grant was a gadget player. Mike Dyer couldn’t cut it. Peyton Barber is still hanging on like a hair in a biscuit.
The wide receiver position is laughable. Darius Slayton is easily the most successful. Duke Williams has had chances on and off. Sammie Coates busted out of the league. We will see with Seth Williams and Anthony Schwartz.
TE. LOL.
OL. Braden Smith. That’s it. There’s your list. We’ve already talked about Greg Robinson and Shon Coleman.
ETA: I guess I should mention CJ Uzomah as TE.
The quarterbacks didn’t develop, and instead typically got worse while on campus. Cam Newton is the only to have success in the league and it was only because of his God given ability.
The running backs were run into the ground. Tre Mason didn’t last. Kerryon Johnson already got released. CAP didn’t really stick around. Corey Grant was a gadget player. Mike Dyer couldn’t cut it. Peyton Barber is still hanging on like a hair in a biscuit.
The wide receiver position is laughable. Darius Slayton is easily the most successful. Duke Williams has had chances on and off. Sammie Coates busted out of the league. We will see with Seth Williams and Anthony Schwartz.
TE. LOL.
OL. Braden Smith. That’s it. There’s your list. We’ve already talked about Greg Robinson and Shon Coleman.
ETA: I guess I should mention CJ Uzomah as TE.
This post was edited on 7/19/21 at 4:51 pm
Posted on 7/19/21 at 4:46 pm to metafour
quote:
Will Adams who was a backup OL here and just so happened to transfer to Boise State for his final season.
I remember that guy. We flipped him from Georgia Tech. he was one of their highest recruits that year and we flipped him on the last day If I remember well.
He basically never played for Auburn.
My buddy who is a GT fan was so pissed Posted on 7/19/21 at 4:47 pm to TTsTowel
And we have people who were satisfied with Gus.
Posted on 7/19/21 at 4:51 pm to AUCE05
Isn't the issue really that the narrative to young recruits was we didn't prepare for the NFL? I agree it was on the guys at some level, but losing the key OL recruiting battles IMO can be traced back to the narrative in some way.
Posted on 7/19/21 at 10:33 pm to TTsTowel
Couldn’t have said it better
It was used in negative recruiting and the bad thing was it was true. That was the downfall of getting real OL with SEC talent. That affected everything else. I mean I love me some Kodi Burns as the player but he sucked as a WR position coach.
It was used in negative recruiting and the bad thing was it was true. That was the downfall of getting real OL with SEC talent. That affected everything else. I mean I love me some Kodi Burns as the player but he sucked as a WR position coach.
Posted on 7/20/21 at 7:26 am to AUCE05
quote:
And we have people who were satisfied with Gus.
It's time to let it go. He's gone, they lost.
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