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Our OL

Our sacks will certainly go up as we were extremely run heavy with GW and he was tough to bring down. But strong OL play will allow our passing stats overall to improve significantly. Successful passing game opens up the run even more. I'm excited.
 
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I want to see what Pierce does this year- the biggest thing we saw with him last year was aggressiveness and bend. He was finishing plays, getting to 2nd level and he was bending at the knees.
Improve on that and then get the confidence he should have built last year- I still played a little like he was a walkon that was getting close to an NFL dream...This year- throw the "walkon" out the f-ing window and he has to play every single play like he is in the NFL already.

As for depth- that is a tough question...Best OL's we ever had barely scratched 7 good players on any given year- but we need a strong starting 5- 2-3 guys at Suttons level and at least one more who can at least hold his own if needed.
 
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found this, but should be taken with a grain of salt
Opening game will be the way to judge just how accurate it is
This is an OL thread but the link is for team's depth chart
Rutgers Scarlet Knights Football Depth Chart 2024-25 | Starters and Backup Players
LTHollin PierceTaj White---
LGBryan FelterDantae Chin---
CGus ZilinskasJohn StoneTerrence Salami--
RGKwabena AsamoahReggie Sutton---
RTTyler NeedhamShedrick Rhodes Jr.Dominic Rivera
 
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The thing is- and you understand- the first 2-3 backups are always going to be guys that can play mult positions or allow the starter who can, move to the other.
 
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Dpgru said:
The OL is the key to getting better QB play. This group needs to show it has grown and improved in the second year of our OL coach. They do that and this can be a very good year.
Click to expand...
Last year they were tied for 11th in sacks given up and produced a 1,200 yd. rusher. It wasn't exactly chuck and duck back there. Better QB play will be determined by having a better QB and receiving threats.
 
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MADHAT1 said:
found this, but should be taken with a grain of salt
Opening game will be the way to judge just how accurate it is
This is an OL thread but the link is for team's depth chart
Rutgers Scarlet Knights Football Depth Chart 2024-25 | Starters and Backup Players
LTHollin PierceTaj White---
LGBryan FelterDantae Chin---
CGus ZilinskasJohn StoneTerrence Salami--
RGKwabena AsamoahReggie Sutton---
RTTyler NeedhamShedrick Rhodes Jr.Dominic Rivera
Click to expand...
Yeah Rhodes will probably start
 
Speaking of OL - people forget that a key to RU season was wearing teams out by 4th Q.
RU was like Army in wearing teams out with the run - OL and Monangai owned the 4th Q.

Army was 14th in nation for time of possession (32:22)
Rutgers was 23rd in nation with 31:47
Lots more passing would have hurt that some
I saw opponents visibly wilting in 4th Q.
With running, even an attempt with few yards isn't meaningless because after defending 40 rushes a game defenders just have empty tanks.

Momma Monangai explains the process at 1:15 in

 
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koleszar said:
Last year they were tied for 11th in sacks given up and produced a 1,200 yd. rusher. It wasn't exactly chuck and duck back there. Better QB play will be determined by having a better QB and receiving threats.
Click to expand...
Exactly, we have a better QBs and better WR’s. So if we expect a better offense we need the OL to be better as well. A better offense means more possessions, more plays, etc and that means more from the OL. If they step up and improve the way many of us here expect them to then this could be better than a lot of pundits predict.
 
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Captain Hogleg said:
Is Taj White anywhere on the radar this season?
Click to expand...
I guess not according to this thread.

Personally, I think he should get a shot at being the first/ second off the bench, if not starting RT. He did a decent job in the same role last season he’s had a good offseason from what I read.
 
tico brown said:
I guess not according to this thread.

Personally, I think he should get a shot at being the first/ second off the bench, if not starting RT. He did a decent job in the same role last season he’s had a good offseason from what I read.
Click to expand...
He has to wait his turn until he is ready . We currently have guys ahead of him.
 
RUbacker said:
He has to wait his turn until he is ready . We currently have guys ahead of him.
Click to expand...
I said that.

But was he not the first/second OL off the bench last year?

So because new guys came in, he automatically drops down the depth chart as if he didn’t work out during the offseason like everyone else? If new guys are better than him, then good.
 
ashokan said:
Speaking of OL - people forget that a key to RU season was wearing teams out by 4th Q.
RU was like Army in wearing teams out with the run - OL and Monangai owned the 4th Q.

Army was 14th in nation for time of possession (32:22)
Rutgers was 23rd in nation with 31:47
Lots more passing would have hurt that some
Click to expand...
Completing more than 47.8% of your passes would have increased time of possession. I don't think the plan this year is to pass more and move away from what has worked. Rather just complete more of the passes you attempt.
 
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koleszar said:
Completing more than 47.8% of your passes would have increased time of possession. I don't think the plan this year is to pass more and move away from what has worked. Rather just complete more of the passes you attempt.
Click to expand...

Incomplete passes stop the clock.
A reason option teams are among best for possession is the clock keeps ticking on runs (stops on incompletions).
I've seen Army play games where opposition was on the field for only a quarter of the game.
That is a great defense.
A great passing team that scores fast and often wears their defense out (see Big 12).
 
ashokan said:
Incomplete passes stop the clock.
A reason option teams are among best for possession is the clock keeps ticking on runs (stops on incompletions).
I've seen Army play games where opposition was on the field for only a quarter of the game.
That is a great defense.
A great passing team that scores fast and often wears their defense out (see Big 12).
Click to expand...
I was at a game at Michie a few years ago, I forget the opponent. They held the ball on a 16 or 18 play drive taking off 13 mins. of the clock.

As to our passing attack it's really not designed to go downfield, we only do that maybe 4 to 5 times a game because we know we suck at it. It's more designed just to move the chains or hit short passes in stride for big gains. We didn't see that because, our QB couldn't complete passes let alone hit someone in stride. That's what they want, hit the easy one's and hit the man in stride. You don't need to win the game but at least help out.
 
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koleszar said:
I was at a game at Michie a few years ago, I forget the opponent. They held the ball on a 16 or 18 play drive taking off 13 mins. of the clock.

As to our passing attack it's really not designed to go downfield, we only do that maybe 4 to 5 times a game because we know we suck at it. It's more designed just to move the chains or hit short passes in stride for big gains. We didn't see that because, our QB couldn't complete passes let alone hit someone in stride. That's what they want, hit the easy one's and hit the man in stride. You don't need to win the game but at least help out.
Click to expand...

GS said RU didn't throw long because the OL couldn't block well enough for long passes. He said Kirk avoided the long passes to help the OL. The problem with no long ball threat is that the defense doesn't get stretched - that makes short passes harder.

RU's passing game is pretty simple for defenses to handle. Most passes go to the safe spots - corners, sidelines and zone coverage weak spots in the middle and flats. There is a vertical zone gap between LBs and DBs. The coverage needed for the flats leaves a gap in the middle . If the WRs can go long the bubble gets looser.

One of RU's fav passes was slot WR zipping across the weak spots in the zone. Weaknesses in the flats were also a target. Dremel was used as a seam exploiter. He wasn't going to mug DBs for balls so the goal was to hit him in stride on the seams.

Alas DCs figured that out by the end of September and Dremel never had another TD after Sept. Its too easy for B1G defenses to cover RUs safe pass routes with an unstretched field. There don't have to be a ton of long passes, but defenses need to not be able to write them off. Even if the receptions aren't there it helps the stretch.

That's why Miller is such a valuable acquisition. Smallish slot WRs are typically not sent long . Now we hope the OL can hold-on
 
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ashokan said:
GS said RU didn't throw long because the OL couldn't block well enough for long passes. He said Kirk avoided the long passes to help the OL. The problem with no long ball threat is that the defense doesn't get stretched - that makes short passes harder.

RU's passing game is pretty simple for defenses to handle. Most passes go to the safe spots - corners, sidelines and zone coverage weak spot in the middle. There is a vertical zone gap between LBs and DBs. The coverage needed for the flats leaves a gap on edges of the gap. If the WRs can go long the bubble gets looser.

One of RU's fav passes was slot WR zipping across the weak spots in the zone. Weaknesses in the flats were also a target. Dremel was used as a seam exploiter. He wasn't going to mug DBs for balls so the goal was to hit him in stride on the seams.

Alas DCs figured that out by the end of September and Dremel never had another TD after Sept. Its too easy for B1G defenses to cover RUs safe pass routes with an unstretched field. There don't have to be a ton of long passes, but defenses need to not be able to write them off. Even if the receptions aren't there it helps the stretch.

That's why Miller is such a valuable acquisition. Smallish slot WRs are typically not sent long . Now we hop the OL can hold-on
Click to expand...
Think about how we needed to have a guy like Sutton(and he deserves credit to get back and play as hard as he did- heroic) but he was playing 60 snaps and barely able to walk back to the line on most plays. And he was the RT. If Reggie was 100% or we had a guy that wasn't injured and was good- the OL would have been all that much better.
What also killed us- the fact they knew he couldn't hit a screen pass. That play keeps a defense more honest than anything else.
 
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yesrutgers01 said:
Think about how we needed to have a guy like Sutton(and he deserves credit to get back and play as hard as he did- heroic) but he was playing 60 snaps and barely able to walk back to the line on most plays. And he was the RT. If Reggie was 100% or we had a guy that wasn't injured and was good- the OL would have been all that much better.
What also killed us- the fact they knew he couldn't hit a screen pass. That play keeps a defense more honest than anything else.
Click to expand...
If NCAA25 on PlayStation is any indication, KJ Duff will be our next Brandon Coleman
 
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ashokan said:
GS said RU didn't throw long because the OL couldn't block well enough for long passes. He said Kirk avoided the long passes to help the OL. The problem with no long ball threat is that the defense doesn't get stretched - that makes short passes harder.

RU's passing game is pretty simple for defenses to handle. Most passes go to the safe spots - corners, sidelines and zone coverage weak spot in the middle. There is a vertical zone gap between LBs and DBs. The coverage needed for the flats leaves a gap on edges of the gap. If the WRs can go long the bubble gets looser.

One of RU's fav passes was slot WR zipping across the weak spots in the zone. Weaknesses in the flats were also a target. Dremel was used as a seam exploiter. He wasn't going to mug DBs for balls so the goal was to hit him in stride on the seams.

Alas DCs figured that out by the end of September and Dremel never had another TD after Sept. Its too easy for B1G defenses to cover RUs safe pass routes with an unstretched field. There don't have to be a ton of long passes, but defenses need to not be able to write them off. Even if the receptions aren't there it helps the stretch.

That's why Miller is such a valuable acquisition. Smallish slot WRs are typically not sent long . Now we hop the OL can hold-on
Click to expand...
Getting in mid season form picking on Dremel again, even in an OL thread. We had a qb who couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, ran more because of this and played tough teams to end the regular season, finishing 0-4. I bet most offensive players stats went down later in the season. Dremel is a very good receiver and I am glad we have him.
 
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Dpgru said:
Exactly, we have a better QBs and better WR’s. So if we expect a better offense we need the OL to be better as well. A better offense means more possessions, more plays, etc and that means more from the OL. If they step up and improve the way many of us here expect them to then this could be better than a lot of pundits predict.
Click to expand...
I'm not sure if you think Rutgers' OL has to improve this year because they were the 11th worst in giving up sacks. Rutgers OL allowed the 11th fewest sacks in the nation out of 130+ teams. If they improve, it's not going to be statistically noticeable.
 
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ashokan said:
GS said RU didn't throw long because the OL couldn't block well enough for long passes. He said Kirk avoided the long passes to help the OL. The problem with no long ball threat is that the defense doesn't get stretched - that makes short passes harder.

RU's passing game is pretty simple for defenses to handle. Most passes go to the safe spots - corners, sidelines and zone coverage weak spots in the middle and flats. There is a vertical zone gap between LBs and DBs. The coverage needed for the flats leaves a gap in the middle . If the WRs can go long the bubble gets looser.

One of RU's fav passes was slot WR zipping across the weak spots in the zone. Weaknesses in the flats were also a target. Dremel was used as a seam exploiter. He wasn't going to mug DBs for balls so the goal was to hit him in stride on the seams.

Alas DCs figured that out by the end of September and Dremel never had another TD after Sept. Its too easy for B1G defenses to cover RUs safe pass routes with an unstretched field. There don't have to be a ton of long passes, but defenses need to not be able to write them off. Even if the receptions aren't there it helps the stretch.

That's why Miller is such a valuable acquisition. Smallish slot WRs are typically not sent long . Now we hope the OL can hold-on
Click to expand...
Great post. Just a quick aside - what is the selection process for your avatars? They tend to be eclectic. 😂
 
Pils86 said:
Getting in mid season form picking on Dremel again, even in an OL thread. We had a qb who couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, ran more because of this and played tough teams to end the regular season, finishing 0-4. I bet most offensive players stats went down later in the season. Dremel is a very good receiver and I am glad we have him.
Click to expand...

Dremel is an OK slot receiver who can make catches when alone.
He's not Tim Brown fast and he loses most contested balls (very important to be able to beat DBs for balls)
DBs treat him like lint and that's not good for a team that sucks in the red zone.
A 5 yr WR with under 500 yds and 3 TDs career isn't really B1G starter material
After Wagner game in 23 there were no more TDs - Oct, Nov, Dec = 0


duIafrV.gif


ntUFogT.gif



This is how a good WR gets contested balls - Sanu was good this way,
RU had better WRs in BE than B1G last year

Kc7K3gO.gif
 
RUPete said:
Great post. Just a quick aside - what is the selection process for your avatars? They tend to be eclectic. 😂
Click to expand...

Thanks - I get tired of looking at the same avatars so I just swap them out when I see something I like.
I'm looking at a Margo Robbie next (her 2nd time lol)
 
ashokan said:
GS said RU didn't throw long because the OL couldn't block well enough for long passes. He said Kirk avoided the long passes to help the OL. The problem with no long ball threat is that the defense doesn't get stretched - that makes short passes harder.

RU's passing game is pretty simple for defenses to handle. Most passes go to the safe spots - corners, sidelines and zone coverage weak spots in the middle and flats. There is a vertical zone gap between LBs and DBs. The coverage needed for the flats leaves a gap in the middle . If the WRs can go long the bubble gets looser.

One of RU's fav passes was slot WR zipping across the weak spots in the zone. Weaknesses in the flats were also a target. Dremel was used as a seam exploiter. He wasn't going to mug DBs for balls so the goal was to hit him in stride on the seams.

Alas DCs figured that out by the end of September and Dremel never had another TD after Sept. Its too easy for B1G defenses to cover RUs safe pass routes with an unstretched field. There don't have to be a ton of long passes, but defenses need to not be able to write them off. Even if the receptions aren't there it helps the stretch.

That's why Miller is such a valuable acquisition. Smallish slot WRs are typically not sent long . Now we hope the OL can hold-on
Click to expand...


I saw a clip illustrating what I posted about the seam bubble in the center of space between LBs and DBs.
At the snap the TE breaks inside and drags a defender out of the dead spot tween seams.
As that happened Dremel moves into the clear space where he can make uncontested catch
LB was blitzing and other WR stayed close to box so no defender upfield
Wimsatt makes perfect pass.
It was a GW's fav pass (slant/dig/drag over middle) and teams clamped down on it after September.

Ov6thxO.gif
 
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