Ranking the SEC offensive line coaches

[FANONTHEHILL]

I always enjoy the OLine threads for several reasons.  I see several topics have been touched on in this one.  I'll offer my two sense in regard to a few of the posts I've read.

Getting push and getting one yard. 
As has been mentioned numerous times, the technique difference between Pittman and Anderson is huge. 

Pittman is a disciple of the two hands under the breastplate, strike and lift.  Your hands stay on the numbers.  Your lift allows you to drive your man back.  This works well when you're bigger and stronger.  If your man is able to keep you from getting your hands into his body. Then it's simply move forward and smash.  It's not fancy, it's just smash football.  So in summary with Pittman it's #1 Try your technique, #2 if technique breaks down, rely on size.  Hence the "ARKANSAS HAS THE BIGGEST LINE IN FOOTBALL" from the broadcasters every week. 

Anderson is much more technical.  First of all, line calls are multiple level and not just based on the Dline formation and where the Mike LB is lined up.  How players progress from the line of scrimmage to the second and third level and the "helps" with gap and shade DLineman are much more complex.  As far as technique, it's no longer two hands on the breastplate.  It's backside hand on the plate and playside hand on the flipper of the shoulder pad. 60% pressure with one hand and 40% with the other.  It's about driving them back if possible, but more about turning the shoulders of the Dline.  Say you're a back side guard (LG) with a 1,2 or 3 technique and we're running play through the B gap on the right side. You would punch and get your left hand into his chest  (40%) and right hand to his shoulder(60%).  Try to turn him and wall him off.  If he starts to cross you, switch hand pressure and turn his back to the playside and drive.  When all five lineman are doing this two things can happen.  Either the DL is walled off and the play goes through the intended hole, or a massive cutback lane forms on the back side.  On rare occasion, a play goes straight downhill through the intended gap.  Normally an RB puts his foot into the  ground and cuts back across the pursuit.  The old slow to the hole and fast through it RBs learn.  If you can find video of LeSean McCoy at Buffallo last year, he thrived is this style and they had the #1 rushing attack I the NFL.  Anderson's technique is not a new concept, but it levels the playing field against teams that you can't simply line up and run over.  Rawleigh, Kody, Devwah, Duwop, or whoever is in the backfield will have big play potential with every carry.

I also know for a fact that Sam Pittman is far from the worst OLine coach in the SEC.  I know a lot of people hate him simply because he left Arkansas.  He has his style and he will be successful at Georgia.  He has always been a nomad.  A few years here or there and the he moves on. He will do the same at Georgia. It's just his way.  He always treated our family well.  My wife and I like him.  My son enjoyed playing for him.  It's a business and he moved on.  The players were hurt for sure, but from the ones I've talked to, none of them have a bad word to say about him.

The future of our OLine is very bright. When Coach Bielema arrived our OLine was built to play 7 on 7, not Bielema style football.  When Skipper and Kirkland came on campus and then Ragnow the following year, they were immediately forced into service.  No redshirt, no development time.  As a result, four years into it, we have an inexperienced line.  They've had to learn on the fly.  Fortunately, we have some quality transfer juniors to help bridge the gap. There are currently 17 players working as Olineman.
1 Senior (Skipper)
1 Junior who's been in the program from Day 1 (Ragnow)
3 Juniors that have transferred in (Raulerson, Malone & Ramirez)
6 Soph and RsSoph
6 Fr and RFr

The future of the OLine is solid.  It's finally beginning to look like a program that develops talent and may find a diamond in the rough from time to time.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

I always enjoy the OLine threads for several reasons.  I see several topics have been touched on in this one.  I'll offer my two sense in regard to a few of the posts I've read.

Getting push and getting one yard. 
As has been mentioned numerous times, the technique difference between Pittman and Anderson is huge. 

Pittman is a disciple of the two hands under the breastplate, strike and lift.  Your hands stay on the numbers.  Your lift allows you to drive your man back.  This works well when you're bigger and stronger.  If your man is able to keep you from getting your hands into his body. Then it's simply move forward and smash.  It's not fancy, it's just smash football.  So in summary with Pittman it's #1 Try your technique, #2 if technique breaks down, rely on size.  Hence the "ARKANSAS HAS THE BIGGEST LINE IN FOOTBALL" from the broadcasters every week. 

Anderson is much more technical.  First of all, line calls are multiple level and not just based on the Dline formation and where the Mike LB is lined up.  How players progress from the line of scrimmage to the second and third level and the "helps" with gap and shade DLineman are much more complex.  As far as technique, it's no longer two hands on the breastplate.  It's backside hand on the plate and playside hand on the flipper of the shoulder pad. 60% pressure with one hand and 40% with the other.  It's about driving them back if possible, but more about turning the shoulders of the Dline.  Say you're a back side guard (LG) with a 1,2 or 3 technique and we're running play through the B gap on the right side. You would punch and get your left hand into his chest  (40%) and right hand to his shoulder(60%).  Try to turn him and wall him off.  If he starts to cross you, switch hand pressure and turn his back to the playside and drive.  When all five lineman are doing this two things can happen.  Either the DL is walled off and the play goes through the intended hole, or a massive cutback lane forms on the back side.  On rare occasion, a play goes straight downhill through the intended gap.  Normally an RB puts his foot into the  ground and cuts back across the pursuit.  The old slow to the hole and fast through it RBs learn.  If you can find video of LeSean McCoy at Buffallo last year, he thrived is this style and they had the #1 rushing attack I the NFL.  Anderson's technique is not a new concept, but it levels the playing field against teams that you can't simply line up and run over.  Rawleigh, Kody, Devwah, Duwop, or whoever is in the backfield will have big play potential with every carry.

I also know for a fact that Sam Pittman is far from the worst OLine coach in the SEC.  I know a lot of people hate him simply because he left Arkansas.  He has his style and he will be successful at Georgia.  He has always been a nomad.  A few years here or there and the he moves on. He will do the same at Georgia. It's just his way.  He always treated our family well.  My wife and I like him.  My son enjoyed playing for him.  It's a business and he moved on.  The players were hurt for sure, but from the ones I've talked to, none of them have a bad word to say about him.

The future of our OLine is very bright. When Coach Bielema arrived our OLine was built to play 7 on 7, not Bielema style football.  When Skipper and Kirkland came on campus and then Ragnow the following year, they were immediately forced into service.  No redshirt, no development time.  As a result, four years into it, we have an inexperienced line.  They've had to learn on the fly.  Fortunately, we have some quality transfer juniors to help bridge the gap. There are currently 17 players working as Olineman.
1 Senior (Skipper)
1 Junior who's been in the program from Day 1 (Ragnow)
3 Juniors that have transferred in (Raulerson, Malone & Ramirez)
6 Soph and RsSoph
6 Fr and RFr

The future of the OLine is solid.  It's finally beginning to look like a program that develops talent and may find a diamond in the rough from time to time.

Thanks Fan, I appreciate hearing about the changes in technique that Anderson is implementing. Good stuff.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

This is a decent primer on the differences between "man-blocking" and "zone blocking" during these dog days of summer as we wait for camp to open. It includes their parameters for personnel decisions for placement at each position.

An excerpt from O-Line position traits:

With an increasing number of pass plays occurring in each game, the positions have gotten closer and closer in terms of what is required, but as a general rule, you put your best pass-protector on the left side, and your best run-blocker on the right. This is a rough starting point for building an offensive line, and yes there are nuances that go into the decision, but it's a good rule.

An excerpt from blocking schemes:

There are two main forms of blocking that NFL teams run. Every team runs a combination of both during pretty much every game, but some skew heavily towards one way or the other, and some player types work better in one than the other. Most teams run a strong bias towards one style with their running game, and mixes things up in pass protection. Regardless of what team you're playing or who you play for, every lineman needs to understand both.

http://www.bigblueview.com/2016/6/17/11958904/summer-school-offensive-line-blocking-schemes-protections-zone-man

[bennyl08]

I always enjoy the OLine threads for several reasons.  I see several topics have been touched on in this one.  I'll offer my two sense in regard to a few of the posts I've read.

Getting push and getting one yard. 
As has been mentioned numerous times, the technique difference between Pittman and Anderson is huge. 

Pittman is a disciple of the two hands under the breastplate, strike and lift.  Your hands stay on the numbers.  Your lift allows you to drive your man back.  This works well when you're bigger and stronger.  If your man is able to keep you from getting your hands into his body. Then it's simply move forward and smash.  It's not fancy, it's just smash football.  So in summary with Pittman it's #1 Try your technique, #2 if technique breaks down, rely on size.  Hence the "ARKANSAS HAS THE BIGGEST LINE IN FOOTBALL" from the broadcasters every week. 

Anderson is much more technical.  First of all, line calls are multiple level and not just based on the Dline formation and where the Mike LB is lined up.  How players progress from the line of scrimmage to the second and third level and the "helps" with gap and shade DLineman are much more complex.  As far as technique, it's no longer two hands on the breastplate.  It's backside hand on the plate and playside hand on the flipper of the shoulder pad. 60% pressure with one hand and 40% with the other.  It's about driving them back if possible, but more about turning the shoulders of the Dline.  Say you're a back side guard (LG) with a 1,2 or 3 technique and we're running play through the B gap on the right side. You would punch and get your left hand into his chest  (40%) and right hand to his shoulder(60%).  Try to turn him and wall him off.  If he starts to cross you, switch hand pressure and turn his back to the playside and drive.  When all five lineman are doing this two things can happen.  Either the DL is walled off and the play goes through the intended hole, or a massive cutback lane forms on the back side.  On rare occasion, a play goes straight downhill through the intended gap.  Normally an RB puts his foot into the  ground and cuts back across the pursuit.  The old slow to the hole and fast through it RBs learn.  If you can find video of LeSean McCoy at Buffallo last year, he thrived is this style and they had the #1 rushing attack I the NFL.  Anderson's technique is not a new concept, but it levels the playing field against teams that you can't simply line up and run over.  Rawleigh, Kody, Devwah, Duwop, or whoever is in the backfield will have big play potential with every carry.

I also know for a fact that Sam Pittman is far from the worst OLine coach in the SEC.  I know a lot of people hate him simply because he left Arkansas.  He has his style and he will be successful at Georgia.  He has always been a nomad.  A few years here or there and the he moves on. He will do the same at Georgia. It's just his way.  He always treated our family well.  My wife and I like him.  My son enjoyed playing for him.  It's a business and he moved on.  The players were hurt for sure, but from the ones I've talked to, none of them have a bad word to say about him.

The future of our OLine is very bright. When Coach Bielema arrived our OLine was built to play 7 on 7, not Bielema style football.  When Skipper and Kirkland came on campus and then Ragnow the following year, they were immediately forced into service.  No redshirt, no development time.  As a result, four years into it, we have an inexperienced line.  They've had to learn on the fly.  Fortunately, we have some quality transfer juniors to help bridge the gap. There are currently 17 players working as Olineman.
1 Senior (Skipper)
1 Junior who's been in the program from Day 1 (Ragnow)
3 Juniors that have transferred in (Raulerson, Malone & Ramirez)
6 Soph and RsSoph
6 Fr and RFr

The future of the OLine is solid.  It's finally beginning to look like a program that develops talent and may find a diamond in the rough from time to time.

Great post, very informative.

[Hogwild]

I think Turner is bring up the rear

Aggies coach Kevin Sumlin suspended offensive line coach Jim Turner and special-teams coordinator/tight ends coach Jeff Banks for "degrading comments towards women" that were part of a slideshow that was shown to about 700 attendees in the program's annual "Chalk Talk for Women."

Turner was the Miami Dolphins' offensive line coach during the Jonathan Martin hazing scandal. He was fired by Miami in February 2014 for "poor judgment."

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/Carvell_AJC/status/760113391721648128

[jackflash]

I am going to wait a little while before rating Anderson. want to see how his line does in a game

[The Kig]

Can't rank Anderson until we see the product.

Yeah, I got that this isn't a remotely serious attempt at a thread, just the "still mad bruh" crowd sounding off on Pittman. 

Anderson acts like a coach destined for great things...but sorta hard to rank someone in the SEC who hasn't even coached a down in an SEC game.

[HogMantheIntruder]

I always enjoy the OLine threads for several reasons.  I see several topics have been touched on in this one.  I'll offer my two sense in regard to a few of the posts I've read.

Getting push and getting one yard. 
As has been mentioned numerous times, the technique difference between Pittman and Anderson is huge. 

Pittman is a disciple of the two hands under the breastplate, strike and lift.  Your hands stay on the numbers.  Your lift allows you to drive your man back.  This works well when you're bigger and stronger.  If your man is able to keep you from getting your hands into his body. Then it's simply move forward and smash.  It's not fancy, it's just smash football.  So in summary with Pittman it's #1 Try your technique, #2 if technique breaks down, rely on size.  Hence the "ARKANSAS HAS THE BIGGEST LINE IN FOOTBALL" from the broadcasters every week. 

Anderson is much more technical.  First of all, line calls are multiple level and not just based on the Dline formation and where the Mike LB is lined up.  How players progress from the line of scrimmage to the second and third level and the "helps" with gap and shade DLineman are much more complex.  As far as technique, it's no longer two hands on the breastplate.  It's backside hand on the plate and playside hand on the flipper of the shoulder pad. 60% pressure with one hand and 40% with the other.  It's about driving them back if possible, but more about turning the shoulders of the Dline.  Say you're a back side guard (LG) with a 1,2 or 3 technique and we're running play through the B gap on the right side. You would punch and get your left hand into his chest  (40%) and right hand to his shoulder(60%).  Try to turn him and wall him off.  If he starts to cross you, switch hand pressure and turn his back to the playside and drive.  When all five lineman are doing this two things can happen.  Either the DL is walled off and the play goes through the intended hole, or a massive cutback lane forms on the back side.  On rare occasion, a play goes straight downhill through the intended gap.  Normally an RB puts his foot into the  ground and cuts back across the pursuit.  The old slow to the hole and fast through it RBs learn.  If you can find video of LeSean McCoy at Buffallo last year, he thrived is this style and they had the #1 rushing attack I the NFL.  Anderson's technique is not a new concept, but it levels the playing field against teams that you can't simply line up and run over.  Rawleigh, Kody, Devwah, Duwop, or whoever is in the backfield will have big play potential with every carry.

I also know for a fact that Sam Pittman is far from the worst OLine coach in the SEC.  I know a lot of people hate him simply because he left Arkansas.  He has his style and he will be successful at Georgia.  He has always been a nomad.  A few years here or there and the he moves on. He will do the same at Georgia. It's just his way.  He always treated our family well.  My wife and I like him.  My son enjoyed playing for him.  It's a business and he moved on.  The players were hurt for sure, but from the ones I've talked to, none of them have a bad word to say about him.

The future of our OLine is very bright. When Coach Bielema arrived our OLine was built to play 7 on 7, not Bielema style football.  When Skipper and Kirkland came on campus and then Ragnow the following year, they were immediately forced into service.  No redshirt, no development time.  As a result, four years into it, we have an inexperienced line.  They've had to learn on the fly.  Fortunately, we have some quality transfer juniors to help bridge the gap. There are currently 17 players working as Olineman.
1 Senior (Skipper)
1 Junior who's been in the program from Day 1 (Ragnow)
3 Juniors that have transferred in (Raulerson, Malone & Ramirez)
6 Soph and RsSoph
6 Fr and RFr

The future of the OLine is solid.  It's finally beginning to look like a program that develops talent and may find a diamond in the rough from time to time.

Wow. Where is karma when we need it? Fantastic post. Thank you.