Fall Camp Updates - Offensive Line

No worries - I don't take debate personally. I try to approach most conversations here as if I'm discussing it over a beer.

I agree with some of the points you're making. I should be clear, too: I think it's OK to have some general concerns about these kinds of things. Your language simply suggested you were substantially worried and I was trying to bring your blood pressure back down.  :lol:

One other thing to consider here is playing time in relation to the position. IIRC, Decker played last year but almost exclusively on special teams. Conrad was a back up and then played on the line for essentially the last month of the season. So, if you're someone like me who puts a lot of emphasis on experience on the line, then it's fairly easy to rationalize why Decker may be a step behind. That's how I rationalize it, at least.

 
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This is completely anecdotal.  But I think it's illustrative of the "offensive linemen have to develop more" line of thinking being a bit overblown.  To some extent it's true, of course.  But by the end of year two or for sure by the start of year three, you're either going to be pushing hard for a starting spot or chances are you're not going to make it.

Wisconsin has a much younger line but has twice the number of starts.  And their line has been pretty decent.  And it's not like their line a year or two ago was struggling so they just started playing younger guys.


 
Mavric said:
This is completely anecdotal.  But I think it's illustrative of the "offensive linemen have to develop more" line of thinking being a bit overblown.  To some extent it's true, of course.  But by the end of year two or for sure by the start of year three, you're either going to be pushing hard for a starting spot or chances are you're not going to make it.

Wisconsin has a much younger line but has twice the number of starts.  And their line has been pretty decent.  And it's not like their line a year or two ago was struggling so they just started playing younger guys.
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A healthy Jerald Foster would have bridged the gap a little more but the point still remains. 

 
alwayshusking said:
Wisconsin has been 95th and 85th in yards per play the last two seasons.  71st and 104th in ypc. Their OL hasn't been very good the past couple of years.

They've been winning games on defense lately.
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A lot of their offense's struggles have been because they've had inconsistant QB play and not much for play-making WRs.  Their best RB was hurt a lot of last year.

Last year they had a first-team All-B1G OT and a second-team All-B1G OG.  They've definitely had more problems with their offense than the line.

 
Enhance89 said:
It's a certainly a question worth discussing.

As I mentioned, from my perspective, experience/seniority tends to matter more on the offensive line than in just about any other position group. Knevel is that senior and has played in about 23 games. That's a tough guy to beat if you're younger and less experienced, especially if the majority of your experience was on ST (which is the case for Decker).

I just think we should be careful with this narrative suggesting Decker is somehow behind in his development or failing to reach expectations. He's a redshirt sophomore who could potentially play three more full seasons at Nebraska. I think worrying right now, two weeks out from game one, is premature.
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when are you going to start worrying?It is basically the same group that got the sheet kicked out of them last yr. and it wasn't just the injury excuse

 
marko polo said:
when are you going to start worrying?It is basically the same group that got the sheet kicked out of them last yr. and it wasn't just the injury excuse
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Not during fall camp two weeks out from the season opener.

If anybody on this board has been a vocal critic of the offensive lines at Nebraska the last two decades, and Cav's lines in particular, it's been me. I think they've been entirely too average for entirely too long. However, I'm not going to get discombobulated this early. Riley and Co. have decided to give this unit another season, for better or worse. I'd rather reserve my worries/praise for the actual season.

 
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Enhance89 said:
Not during fall camp two weeks out from the season opener.

If anybody on this board has been a vocal critic of the offensive lines at Nebraska the last two decades, and Cav's lines in particular, it's been me. I think they've been entirely too average for entirely too long. However, I'm not going to get discombobulated this early. Riley and Co. have decided to give this unit another season, for better or worse. I'd rather reserve my worries/praise for the actual season.
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I was a bit disheartened yesterday, but Sipple had some interesting info this am on Sip and Jake that made me feel a bit better. He mentioned that Cav mentioned that he felt O-Line has had a really good camp, yesterday was tough, but overall he is really optimistic about his line. Going further Sip said he talked to several people who have been able to watch a lot more of practice this Fall than he has due to the new limits on press access this Fall and Sip said that the feedback he got backed up Cav's sentiments. Interestingly, his sources also mentioned that Knevel has taken a step forward this Fall, he didn't say how much of a step though. Sip is a notorious sunshine pumper, so I usually take everything with a HUGE grain of salt, however, he wasn't giving his own personal opinion view on the line and he was giving the info as from a view of being initially skeptical himself so I am willing to put a bit more stock into what he was relaying this am. 

 
From Sam's latest roster takes published this morning.

» Offensive line: Not the best day on Thursday — the coaches acknowledged as much — but some of the pressure combinations were tough to decipher, and third-and-long is never a fun down to practice for the offense, especially when the defense knows all the plays and the players and the tendencies. So, knowing that, the line had its struggles, but what I’ve heard (and seen a little) is Nebraska can run the ball pretty well.

 
Context matters substantially in these conversations, so I'm glad you shared that Red Five. A week or so ago, a snippet got out from practice that the offense 'didn't perform very well that day.' The context, however, was they had been practicing a lot of 3rd and Long situations, and those are tough for an offense in general.

 
Some further context from the OWH on Thursday's practice and the offensive line.

Nebraska’s offensive line on Thursday saw some exotic pressure packages from NU’s defense. Several overwhelmed the line, including one that led to a touch sack and safety of quarterback Tanner Lee. Langsdorf conceded they were “tough” looks from the defense, but line coach Mike Cavanaugh wanted more “frickin’ intensity” from his unit.

“There’s going to be moments where something new comes up,” Cavanaugh said. “I’m not a guy who’s going to tell everybody what’s going on. We’re going to have to figure it out and then work and then straighten it out.”

Cavanaugh spoke to three different sets of reporters over 15 minutes. Generally, Cavanaugh said, Nebraska’s offensive line has had a strong camp. He likes the chemistry of the group.

It appears NU’s No. 1 line is set for the season. Junior Tanner Farmer is the starting right guard — staving off any lingering challenge from redshirt freshman Boe Wilson — while junior Cole Conrad has “locked down” the starting center job over sophomore Michael Decker. A swing lineman last season who started at right tackle, Conrad moved to center halfway through spring camp.
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More Thursday notes.

 
Red Five said:
From Sam's latest roster takes published this morning.

» Offensive line: Not the best day on Thursday — the coaches acknowledged as much — but some of the pressure combinations were tough to decipher, and third-and-long is never a fun down to practice for the offense, especially when the defense knows all the plays and the players and the tendencies. So, knowing that, the line had its struggles, but what I’ve heard (and seen a little) is Nebraska can run the ball pretty well.
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Thanks for sharing Red Five, Sam's comments echo what Sipple said this morning so that makes me feel better. I am slowly but surely starting to drink the kook aid on having a really good year.

 
caveman99 said:
Going further Sip said he talked to several people who have been able to watch a lot more of practice this Fall than he has due to the new limits on press access this Fall
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As an aside, Thursday's practice was apparently the last one that the press will be able to watch during camp, so we probably won't be hearing a lot more first-hand accounts.

 
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