Fixing the Oline

[CrashDavisSports]

LT Boling
LG Westerman
C Price

Maybe draft or sign a RG & RT.

Perhaps Glenn is okay at LT.

LT Glenn
LG Boling
C Price
RG Westerman

Draft or sign a RT.

I don't think we are that far off on our oline other than a solid RT and getting Westerman in there instead of Hopkins or Redmond.

I have been extremely impressed with the games that Boling has played at LT between last year and this year. He looks more like a natural LT than he does LG.

We need a QB like Haskins running our offense. We need another TE that is not injury prone. We need a good RT and maybe 1 more quality WR to pressure others in that room. Not sure Core or Tate are good enough to write them in as roster automatics.

If we are not going to draft a WR or TE to help more, and we are committed to keeping Bernard with Mixon, we need to start running a 2 back set with Mixon and Bernard in the backfield using both as receiving threats or possible blockers. This makes the defense play a more base defense instead of nickle and both Mixon and Bernard are mismatches for most LB's in space.

 

[DanBengalfan]

having 2 speed backs in the backfield doesn't really work that well unless your OL is good at holding off the blitz and setting up option plays. We need a genuine Full Back, if one even exists in the draft or FA. Tailbacks get so much wear and tear, it's ok to only use one of them at a time.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

having 2 speed backs in the backfield doesn't really work that well unless your OL is good at holding off the blitz and setting up option plays. We need a genuine Full Back, if one even exists in the draft or FA. Tailbacks get so much wear and tear, it's ok to only use one of them at a time.

I think Mixon and Bernard are both good quality blockers, and neither one prefers to have a FB leading the way as they both like to find the seam and hit it. They are not looking to have a big body that is slower than them clog a possible hole they could have sped through. Mixon is a lot like Bell in the sense he will sit back behind the line when there is time, wait for things to start to shift and open up a hole for him. Of course that is if there is time to be patient.

Bernard on the other hand, he is small, lost in traffic and loves to hit a hole fast. He absolutely does not like someone in front of him like a FB. Now of course there is time for it like 3rd or 4th and very short, but I have not been that displeased with Hubbard doing a quick job there helping to eliminate the need for a specialty player.

Both Mixon and Bernard can block, they have speed, they can break tackles, and they can both catch a ball out of the backfield. That becomes a duel threat in the backfield and something the defense now has to account for every play.

 

[cincygrad]

They definitely need Ross to step up or a draft pick to step in. And they need to add at least one quality lineman.... I agree that RT is probably the most obvious place to help. Then again, we'll likely have a top 10 pick and it might be a chance to add one of the best LTs in the draft. That has to be tempting.

Not sure what to do with Dalton... You can get rid of him, but you better hope you have someone ready to develop a qb. Driskel could hold down the fort until the rookie is ready, but he's not a longterm solution.

 

[cincygrad]

BTW....What do you guys think of the qbs? I know all the OSU love for Haskins but what about Herbert from Oregon or Lock from Mizzou?

 

[CrashDavisSports]

They definitely need Ross to step up or a draft pick to step in. And they need to add at least one quality lineman.... I agree that RT is probably the most obvious place to help. Then again, we'll likely have a top 10 pick and it might be a chance to add one of the best LTs in the draft. That has to be tempting.

Not sure what to do with Dalton... You can get rid of him, but you better hope you have someone ready to develop a qb. Driskel could hold down the fort until the rookie is ready, but he's not a long term solution.

I say if we are lucky enough to get our hands on Haskins, I say trial by fire. Just throw him in there. That kid is a winner and a very smart young man on the football field.

It is tempting with the LT, and as I said, Jawaan Taylor is the logical choice. However, this OT class is very very weak in my opinion, outside Taylor, Little and Williams, I am not impressed with the OT class upcoming. You either grab one of those guys, or you kind of wait until the 4th or 5th round. Problem is, a 4th or 5th rounder is probably not an upgrade to an already shitty oline.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

BTW....What do you guys think of the qbs? I know all the OSU love for Haskins but what about Herbert from Oregon or Lock from Mizzou?

I like Herbert, but he is the only other QB I think can be a franchise QB in this league besides Haskins.

 

[CrashDavisSports]

BTW....What do you guys think of the qbs? I know all the OSU love for Haskins but what about Herbert from Oregon or Lock from Mizzou?

I will admit I am a bit of an OSU homer. However, with Urban Meyer and the way Tressell developed QB's, I have not known an OSU QB in my lifetime I thought was a true NFL QB. They are mostly gadget guys, runners first, Option QB's or just not that good in general.

Haskins is none of those things. He is everything you want in an NFL QB. Big, strong, somewhat mobile, can make things happen when under pressure, good on the rollout, can throw on the run, smart with the football, willing to take a risk once in a while when warranted, but not out of control to where you are worried he is going to give the game away. He can diagnose a defense at the line of scrimmage and he is a good leader. His only weakness is he will have to learn how to take a snap from under center better as he has only really played in a spread offense.

 

[DanBengalfan]

I think Mixon and Bernard are both good quality blockers, and neither one prefers to have a FB leading the way as they both like to find the seam and hit it. They are not looking to have a big body that is slower than them clog a possible hole they could have sped through. Mixon is a lot like Bell in the sense he will sit back behind the line when there is time, wait for things to start to shift and open up a hole for him. Of course that is if there is time to be patient.

Bernard on the other hand, he is small, lost in traffic and loves to hit a hole fast. He absolutely does not like someone in front of him like a FB. Now of course there is time for it like 3rd or 4th and very short, but I have not been that displeased with Hubbard doing a quick job there helping to eliminate the need for a specialty player.

Both Mixon and Bernard can block, they have speed, they can break tackles, and they can both catch a ball out of the backfield. That becomes a duel threat in the backfield and something the defense now has to account for every play.

I anticipate a few 3rd down or 2nd down where one of them goes in motion to the slot

 

[BKBroiler9000]

BTW....What do you guys think of the qbs? I know all the OSU love for Haskins but what about Herbert from Oregon or Lock from Mizzou?

Taking off the Buckeye homer googles...Haskins appears to be a good prospect. Obviously his starting experience is a concern. Not many QBs have made it in the league as one year starters.

I like everything else. He’s got the size, arm strength and pocket presence you want. I think he needs to sit for a year before being thrown to the wolves.

As for the others, I’m intrigued by Herbert. He could be big time, but he didn’t have as good of a year as expected. May return to Oregon for another year.

I’ll pass on Lock from Mizzou. I think he’s another Blaine Gabbert.