• The KillerFrogs

Conversation in Morgantown with Current WVU player

Limey Frog

Full Member
remember you have guys that until two years ago weren't being coached for the most part on the finer points of the position.

it takes time to develop some of these things as well as cohesion and communication in the unit.

Yeah, and the improvement the unit made last year is good cause to give coach T some time. I'm very alarmed at how its gone this year, but there's a strong case for giving him at least another year.
 

cheese83

Full Member
OL is the position where experience is the most important from a group perspective. Especially when you’re combo blocking and trying to get to the next level. Also when the DLs shift completely changing blocking assignments.

But when we have tiny slot WRs they’re not going to be blocking you’d need in an Air Raid. Go watch how the WRs block in other spread Os.
 

Wexahu

Full Member
Very rarely is "straight ahead" run blocking truly "straight ahead." It's a term that is commonly used but defenses don't make it quite that easy. Most running plays will have a few truly straight ahead engagements with d-linemen but there are always going to be people on the DL who are trying to get an angle that you're going to have to get in front of.

I think where the assessment of the OL being slow really shows up is their inability to cut off LBs. Since the OSU game, we've done an absolutely terrible job of getting up to the second level. LBs consistently get a free run at our ball carriers and its almost impossible to run the ball if you can't get any blocks at that second level.

I agree. And narrowing the gaps, or splits, between the o-lineman would seem to be one way to not rely so much on quickness if that indeed is a major issue. We put a lot of space between our guards and center, I would think that invites a lot of jumping through gaps by D-lineman.
 
Last edited:

ShadowFrog

Moderators
The mistakes in the special teams deflated the team.

I liked Morgantown and for the most part people where very nice. Most were shocked we came from Texas. One thing I will not get over each time I've been there is the amount of RV's and the narrow roads. Also, lots of dead deer along the roads.

I highly recommend people go, enjoy the scenery, the good fans and the beer sold in the stadium.

My daughter wants to know....
Any burning couch reports?
Or better yet, out of control dumpster fires rolling down a residential street hill & no one paying attention to it before OR after?
 

YA

Active Member
My daughter wants to know....
Any burning couch reports?
Or better yet, out of control dumpster fires rolling down a residential street hill & no one paying attention to it before OR after?
No burning coaches that I saw--just shirts that Pitt sucks

They have the aggie syndrome on teams they don't play anymore
 

H0RNEDFR0G

Full Member
No burning coaches that I saw--just shirts that Pitt sucks

They have the aggie syndrome on teams they don't play anymore

To WVU's credit Pitt is 76 miles away, in a different state, and there is serious culture clash: North vs. South, Steel vs. Coal. Urban vs. Rural.

But the hate as we know it today stems from 2007, when WVU was ranked #2 in the BCS poll (#1 in Coaches Poll) playing the last game of the regular season. All WVU had to do was win the 100th "Backyard Brawl" in Morgantown over 4-7 Pitt (a 28.5 underdog), and they're in their first BCS National Championship game. WVU, at the time, was averaging 42 points per game. At home they score a season low 9 points, losing 13-9. This team was led by Steve Slaton and Pat White.

When interviewed in 2017 for an SB Nation 10-year retrospective on the 2007 college football season as a whole, Owen Schmitt, fullback for the 2007 WVU team, apparently still had problems coming to grips with the result, telling the reporter, "And then you get to the last game of the season and blow it against the [ Finebaum ] tiest team in the world."

Pitt earned a lifetime of WVU hatred that day. 15 days after that loss Coach Rich Rodriguez announced he was leaving WVU to become head coach at Michigan. According to legend, Rich Rod never called the plays, but took over for that week against Pitt. One week earlier they scored 66 points on 20th ranked UConn. At best his head was not in the game. At worst, he tanked it on purpose.
 

6Frog6

Active Member
No burning coaches that I saw--just shirts that Pitt sucks

They have the aggie syndrome on teams they don't play anymore
There is no love lost between WVU and Virginia Tech. Apparently, the proximity to Blacksburg may create the rivalry.
 

Purple Hearted

Active Member
If his thoughts on the O-Line are true then we are screwed...You can improve strength, footwork, and technique but slow is slow and it can’t be fixed...

Almost all o-Lineman are considered slow. That's not the main issue, quickness is and that can be improved upon and fixed. I remember going to Laramie, Wyoming and watching Marcus Cannon (you can name many young OL here) struggle all day. He was repeatedly beat that day due to a lack of quickness. Fast forward a few years and he was much quicker.

I imagine that he did a lot of jump rope, dot drills and mat-grass drills to improve his quickness and it showed. These guys will improve as well.

Some are so defeatist.
 

Moose Stuff

Active Member
Almost all o-Lineman are considered slow. That's not the main issue, quickness is and that can be improved upon and fixed. I remember going to Laramie, Wyoming and watching Marcus Cannon (you can name many young OL here) struggle all day. He was repeatedly beat that day due to a lack of quickness. Fast forward a few years and he was much quicker.

I imagine that he did a lot of jump rope, dot drills and mat-grass drills to improve his quickness and it showed. These guys will improve as well.

Some are so defeatist.

Agree. Quickness can be improved. Having quickness and being fast aren’t the same thing.
 

VA Froggie

Active Member
The one I would love to hear from and that will not happen would be Anderson. the kid is a wonderful tailback and he has to be very frustrated with the offensive plan. He is the real deal.
 

Eight

Member
Almost all o-Lineman are considered slow. That's not the main issue, quickness is and that can be improved upon and fixed. I remember going to Laramie, Wyoming and watching Marcus Cannon (you can name many young OL here) struggle all day. He was repeatedly beat that day due to a lack of quickness. Fast forward a few years and he was much quicker.

I imagine that he did a lot of jump rope, dot drills and mat-grass drills to improve his quickness and it showed. These guys will improve as well.

Some are so defeatist.

i agree with you that young players can improve and we have seen them improve.

2012's line featured big v, hunt, and collins and while they struggled early we saw them improve and each ended up with a chance with an nfl team which was something that looked farfetched when they started at tcu.

my concern is not the development of the young players as i think we have seen good progress in niang who is headed to the nfl and i think meyers was solid at left tackle, but the lack of bodies inside.

cordel should be back and then it is a group of unknowns at the guard which is worrisome.
 

PO Frog

Active Member
i agree with you that young players can improve and we have seen them improve.

2012's line featured big v, hunt, and collins and while they struggled early we saw them improve and each ended up with a chance with an nfl team which was something that looked farfetched when they started at tcu.

my concern is not the development of the young players as i think we have seen good progress in niang who is headed to the nfl and i think meyers was solid at left tackle, but the lack of bodies inside.

cordel should be back and then it is a group of unknowns at the guard which is worrisome.
Is McD-Vai still hurt? Hard to believe he can't even get a few snaps considering what we've been running out there. No future considering his class but seems like it's worth a shot just to be able to run a play without getting blown up immediately.
 

Eight

Member
Is McD-Vai still hurt? Hard to believe he can't even get a few snaps considering what we've been running out there. No future considering his class but seems like it's worth a shot just to be able to run a play without getting blown up immediately.

i have no idea on he or trey at this time.

heck, i have no idea on wes harris or if a decision was made to sit cordel the rest of the year.

meyers is struggling to make the adjustment inside and the right guard position has not been good for weeks so i am not sure and it is one reason why i keep asking when and if we will see burnette at some point this year.

if he gets blown up or turns someone loose it isn't like that isn't happening now and at least it would be a teaching moment for a young kid.

same thought i have at linebacker, but we keep getting the same thing again and again
 

TCURiggs

Active Member
Is McD-Vai still hurt? Hard to believe he can't even get a few snaps considering what we've been running out there. No future considering his class but seems like it's worth a shot just to be able to run a play without getting blown up immediately.

Yeah, can't believe he never really did anything on the field here. He's big, strong and had one of the more impressive HS films I've seen... just destroyed people.
 

FrogLifeYo

Active Member
Again...The craziest thing about the OL is just that they don’t seem to have improved at all....That doesn’t give me the warm and fuzzies about next year...I do have hope that Cordell will be back, healthy, and nasty. Really need Hollis, Meyers, and Wes H to improve immensely or we are toast
 
Top