Rebuilding an Offensive Line From Scractch

[trashcan maN]

Here is a really good article from Grantland contributor, Matt Hinton, detailing the process of building a college offensive line from scratch. I found it especially interesting because we're right in the middle of this process and just beginning to see the fruits of our coaches' efforts.

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/2015-college-football-five-step-offensive-line-rebuilding-guide/

The article mainly focuses on Boston College HC, Steve Addazio, who quickly turned around his program by totally changing the culture and pounding the rock.

Here is a bit from the article:

Ideally, Addazio hopes to carry a minimum of 16 offensive linemen on scholarship, enough to field a full two-deep while leaving a handful of redshirts, scout-teamers, and injured bystanders to spare. When BC opened spring drills in February, though, Addazio counted just nine — more like seven and a half, really, with senior Harris Williams sitting out contact drills because of a lingering ankle injury and sophomore Jon Baker relegated to part-time duty by a bum knee. The few healthy bodies up front included fresh converts from both the defensive line and tight end position, plus a true freshman who weighed just 236 pounds when he enrolled early for the spring semester.

"That's how unbelievably scary that whole thing was," says Addazio, a longtime offensive line coach who, entering his third year as Boston College's head coach, faces the onerous task of replacing all five of last year's O-line starters.1 "You should never graduate one big unit like that. When you manage your recruiting classes, what you're hoping is you never get stuck with this type of void. And voids happen because of bad recruiting decisions and mistakes. So we have to now fix it."


STEPS:
RECRUITING
EVALUATION
IDENTIFY BEST 5
DEVELOP CHEMISTRY
PATIENCE


THE FOUR B'S:
BASE
BEND
BALANCE
BURST


Side Note: I recommend frequenting Grantland and/or following them on Twitter - especially if you're an NBA fan. They put out a ton of great content. They also do quite a bit of movie/TV show stuff.

[WaltonCollege]

Nice read. We may be in the same boat next year we could lose as many as 4 starters after 2015. Need our second string who are mostly freshman to grow up quick. Woo Pig

[JackJohnson]

our numbers on the OL are almost identical to that of BC.  With at minimum 4 OL graduating after the 2015 season and most likely Kirkland leaving, even if we sign 5 OL we are still right back to where we are now- about 3 short.     

Scholarship OL for 2015 season

Sr- Danenhour, Beck, Smothers, Tretola
Jr- Kirkland, Skipper
So- Ragnow, Koehler
Fr- Jackson, Allen, Wallace, Merrick, Rodgers

We hopefully have "gained" a scholarship caliber OL in RS Fr Walk On Johnny Gibson, and lots of people are very high on incoming true fr walk on OT from Corning Klint Harvey.  That helps bc as of right now it appears Koehler isn't likely to be a contributer any time soon- though he does still have 3 more full seasons to turn it around so hopefully he does.  With the numbers we have signed the past 3 years, we are an injury, unexpected departure or another recruiting bust/miss away from being in dire straights in the 2016 season.  Need to sign no less than 5 this year and next just to account for any negative possibilities the future may hold.

[JackTNHogfan]

our numbers on the OL are almost identical to that of BC.  With at minimum 4 OL graduating after the 2015 season and most likely Kirkland leaving, even if we sign 5 OL we are still right back to where we are now- about 3 short.     

Scholarship OL for 2015 season

Sr- Danenhour, Beck, Smothers, Tretola
Jr- Kirkland, Skipper
So- Ragnow, Koehler
Fr- Jackson, Allen, Wallace, Merrick, Rodgers

We hopefully have "gained" a scholarship caliber OL in RS Fr Walk On Johnny Gibson, and lots of people are very high on incoming true fr walk on OT from Corning Klint Harvey.  That helps bc as of right now it appears Koehler isn't likely to be a contributer any time soon- though he does still have 3 more full seasons to turn it around so hopefully he does.  With the numbers we have signed the past 3 years, we are an injury, unexpected departure or another recruiting bust/miss away from being in dire straights in the 2016 season.  Need to sign no less than 5 this year and next just to account for any negative possibilities the future may hold.

Need some hogs to be hogs.  Get after it Coach Pittman...

[Theolesnort]

The oline is the one thing in football that defines the old adage, "The whole is greater than the sum of it's parts".

[secneahog]

I see why Pittman seemed bummed when we lost Weathersby last minute. 

Needed another stud to go with that terrific class..

Kellen Diesch looks like another stud that could hop on board.

[ZERO]

I'm honestly terrified for the '16 season. I don't see how our offense doesn't take a huge step back, unless this recruiting class turns out to go above and beyond. In addition to the OL JackJohnson mentioned, we're going to be losing Brandon Allen, Jonathan Williams, possibly Alex Collins, possibly Hunter Henry, and Keon Hatcher.

But I guess there's good news, also. Our defense should be unbelievable next year, unless something major and unexpected happens, and all of our traditionally toughest games are at home, with the exception of @TCU.

[OneTuskOverTheLine™]

our numbers on the OL are almost identical to that of BC.  With at minimum 4 OL graduating after the 2015 season and most likely Kirkland leaving, even if we sign 5 OL we are still right back to where we are now- about 3 short.     

Scholarship OL for 2015 season

Sr- Danenhour, Beck, Smothers, Tretola
Jr- Kirkland, Skipper
So- Ragnow, Koehler
Fr- Jackson, Allen, Wallace, Merrick, Rodgers

We hopefully have "gained" a scholarship caliber OL in RS Fr Walk On Johnny Gibson, and lots of people are very high on incoming true fr walk on OT from Corning Klint Harvey.  That helps bc as of right now it appears Koehler isn't likely to be a contributer any time soon- though he does still have 3 more full seasons to turn it around so hopefully he does.  With the numbers we have signed the past 3 years, we are an injury, unexpected departure or another recruiting bust/miss away from being in dire straights in the 2016 season.  Need to sign no less than 5 this year and next just to account for any negative possibilities the future may hold.

Watch out for two if not 3 Juco AA's recruited this year...

[Rison Razor Hog]

I'm honestly terrified for the '16 season. I don't see how our offense doesn't take a huge step back, unless this recruiting class turns out to go above and beyond. In addition to the OL JackJohnson mentioned, we're going to be losing Brandon Allen, Jonathan Williams, possibly Alex Collins, possibly Hunter Henry, and Keon Hatcher.

But I guess there's good news, also. Our defense should be unbelievable next year, unless something major and unexpected happens, and all of our traditionally toughest games are at home, with the exception of @TCU.

Well, I hope we can enjoy 2015 then worry about 2016 later. Hopefully, the coaching staff knows what they need and are taking steps to go and get the best bodies. Woo Pig!

[MuskogeeHogFan]

Well, I hope we can enjoy 2015 then worry about 2016 later. Hopefully, the coaching staff knows what they need and are taking steps to go and get the best bodies. Woo Pig!

We need the 2nd team kids playing a lot this year and even the guys that are #3 whenever we have the opportunity and then have another strong O-Line class for 2016.

[Pigsknuckles]

I'm honestly terrified for the '16 season. I don't see how our offense doesn't take a huge step back, unless this recruiting class turns out to go above and beyond. In addition to the OL JackJohnson mentioned, we're going to be losing Brandon Allen, Jonathan Williams, possibly Alex Collins, possibly Hunter Henry, and Keon Hatcher.

But I guess there's good news, also. Our defense should be unbelievable next year, unless something major and unexpected happens, and all of our traditionally toughest games are at home, with the exception of @TCU.

Don't forget Kody Walker. Though not particularly terrified, I share your 2016 concerns. 2015 is the year to get it done. We will likely be taking a step back in 2016. Will be an interesting year on Hogville.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

Don't forget Kody Walker. Though not particularly terrified, I share your 2016 concerns. 2015 is the year to get it done. We will likely be taking a step back in 2016. Will be an interesting year on Hogville.

I am hoping that Bielema has learned how to do what he did at Wisconsin in most years, not rebuild, but re-load. That certainly needs to be our mantra if that isn't the plan already. We need repetitive depth that gains more experience every year at every position, though that is a difficult task to emulate every single year at every single position.

[DeltaBoy]

Yep OSU did that the year after Barry Sanders got out.  They had 6 5th year SR Oline and not much backing them up.  Gonna be Tough Sledding for Boston College this fall.