As Bad as the OL Was Made Out to Be ....

[Since71ASooner4Life]

I just looked and saw we gave up 14 sacks this year - one more than last year. Not saying the line was nearly as good as last year, but 14 is only 14 any way you slice it

[TheUnnamedSooner]

I don't think our offense was on the field as many plays as last years.

[Crucifax Autumn]

Check the stats on knockdowns and hurries and get back to me.

[mehip]

As Bad as the OL Was Made Out to Be ....

I don't think they were made out to be bad, they just were. Look at our running game this year; a real drop off this year. If you look at last year's squad we ran the ball better as the season progressed; this year's squad due to inexperience and injury just was not able to get better as the season went on.

[Since71ASooner4Life]

I don't think our offense was on the field as many plays as last years.

Valid point - 468 passes this year, 513 last year. The line was bad compared to what we've been used to, but not as bad as it felt when losing those close games. I was shocked to see Colt McCoy was sacked 30 times this year, and Tebow 25 times.

[VA Sooner]

Started making a few steps towards the last few games though. Mensik as a guard instead of tight end and shifting Simmons to the left made a world of difference.

[rawlingsHOH]

2009, 15 sacks in 12 games
2008, 13 sacks in 14 games

A lot of two receiver reads helped keep that total low. Also, less down the field passing, and less passing plays total.

[htownsooner7]

Against Miami, 3 sacks, 4 qb hurries. Against UT, 2 sacks, NINE qb hurries. Against Nebraska, 2 sacks, EIGHT qb hurries. Against Tech, 3 sacks, 3 qb hurries.

The o-line performed horribly this year. It cannot be debated.

[Eielson]

Not to mention that we brought the same runningbacks back and did significantly worse in the running game.

[the_edge]

Statistics from Big XII conference games:


2008

RUSHING OFFENSE G Att Yds Avg TD Yds/G
--------------------------------------------------------
1. Oklahoma............ 8 344 1751 5.1 28 218.9
2. Oklahoma State...... 8 334 1711 5.1 17 213.9
3. Nebraska............ 8 321 1460 4.5 19 182.5
4. Baylor.............. 8 323 1453 4.5 18 181.6
5. Texas............... 8 308 1302 4.2 22 162.8
6. Missouri............ 8 228 1217 5.3 17 152.1
7. Kansas.............. 8 278 1071 3.9 17 133.9
8. Iowa State.......... 8 254 1048 4.1 10 131.0
9. Kansas State........ 8 272 1020 3.8 16 127.5
10.Colorado............ 8 289 940 3.3 7 117.5
11.Texas Tech.......... 8 204 841 4.1 16 105.1
12.Texas A&M........... 8 226 617 2.7 12 77.1


2009

RUSHING OFFENSE G Att Yds Avg TD Yds/G
--------------------------------------------------------
1. Oklahoma State...... 8 361 1490 4.1 11 186.2
2. Texas A&M........... 8 334 1440 4.3 15 180.0
3. Kansas State........ 8 313 1373 4.4 14 171.6
4. Iowa State.......... 8 312 1297 4.2 8 162.1
5. Texas............... 8 295 1206 4.1 13 150.8
6. Nebraska............ 8 299 1034 3.5 8 129.2
7. Missouri............ 8 267 1014 3.8 11 126.8
8. Oklahoma............ 8 285 949 3.3 11 118.6
9. Texas Tech.......... 8 200 684 3.4 12 85.5
10.Colorado............ 8 260 680 2.6 8 85.0
11.Kansas.............. 8 214 508 2.4 8 63.5
12.Baylor.............. 8 210 422 2.0 4 52.8


2008

SACKS AGAINST G Sacks Yards
---------------------------------------
1. Oklahoma............ 8 6 35
2. Texas Tech.......... 8 10 93
Missouri............ 8 10 69
4. Oklahoma State...... 8 12 68
5. Iowa State.......... 8 15 79
6. Kansas State........ 8 16 134
Nebraska............ 8 16 100
8. Baylor.............. 8 19 153
Texas............... 8 19 113
10.Colorado............ 8 21 153
11.Kansas.............. 8 23 179
12.Texas A&M........... 8 28 210


2009

SACKS AGAINST G Sacks Yards
---------------------------------------
1. Oklahoma State...... 8 8 39
2. Oklahoma............ 8 10 99
3. Missouri............ 8 11 108
4. Iowa State.......... 8 13 79
5. Nebraska............ 8 15 91
6. Texas............... 8 17 91
7. Kansas State........ 8 18 125
8. Texas A&M........... 8 21 168
9. Texas Tech.......... 8 22 208
10.Baylor.............. 8 24 151
11.Kansas.............. 8 25 206
12.Colorado............ 8 34 283


The pass blocking wasn't completely horrible this year, but the run blocking was atrocious.

[spatton713]

the thing ill remember most is all american trent williams totally blowing the assignment against byu that ended sams career

[PLaw]

I just looked and saw we gave up 14 sacks this year - one more than last year. Not saying the line was nearly as good as last year, but 14 is only 14 any way you slice it

Just goes to show data can be trimmed to paint any message you want to deliver.

Let's look at some other data:

2008 vs 2009
PPG: 51.1 / 31.1
Rush Yds / game: 198.5 /140.9
yds / rush: 4.7 / 3.8
penalties / game: 64.6 / 79.9

So with the same running backs, the rushing yards per game dropped by 50 yards and there was a 21% dropped per rushing attempt.

And, how many drive killing stupid penatlies did we have?

Yeah, the O-line was not near as good as the 08 group, or other O-lines in the Stoops' era, despite having 3 returners with 4 or more years of experience. Sunshine pumpers will point to injuries and chicken littles will say they stunk up the house.

Boomer

[soonerboy]

okay lets be honest, if we had the same offensive line all year then thats one thing but if you ever played football in your life you would know that football is based on chemistry and experience with each other. If you're constantly bringing in new people it gives the guys no time to get used to each other, and the way each other plays.

[King Barry's Back]

Look, the o line was bad. Do you remember punching it end the end zone with power against Idaho State?

No? You don't? Yeah, that's cuz we had trouble on fourth and goal with IDAHO ST.

No way to slice it. That line was awful and did not improve noticeably until, what, game 10?

On another note: Remember when we used to go into the season and everybody would say "Oline is a big question mark. Scary scary. Could really cost the team," and then the oline would come out and play lights out from game one, we'd pick up an All-American or two from our o line, and the linemen would be credited as a strength by the first few games of the year?

Do you remember who coached the oline back then? You don't? His name was Mark Mangino.

[Crucifax Autumn]

Mangino could play the entire line by himself and cover more field than a mere five 300 pound guys!

[VA Sooner]

I hear that Mangino may be available again.... :-)

[PLaw]

On another note: Remember when we used to go into the season and everybody would say "Oline is a big question mark. Scary scary. Could really cost the team," and then the oline would come out and play lights out from game one, we'd pick up an All-American or two from our o line, and the linemen would be credited as a strength by the first few games of the year?

Do you remember who coached the oline back then? You don't? His name was Mark Mangino.

We've had our fair share of AA and NFL level o-lineman post-Mangino. Lack of chemistry driven by injuries plus poor work ethic and leadership by entitled, experienced players sank this unit. You can also point to recruiting busts and mishaps that left this group very thin - look no further than starting fall practices with only one "true" center on the two deep chart.

BOOMER

[Breadburner]

A couple of those sacks were devastaing....

[the_sooners_abide]

This line was terrible. See above rushing stats with same RBs that both had 1000 yds in 2008. I thought the worst part of this line was the penalties. How did the 2009 penalties compare to 2008?

[StoopTroup]

And yet....+exas wasn't much better and they are playing for all the marbles.

That's kinda weird huh?

I wonder if Sam and Gresh could have made a difference?

Naw.....couldn't be that.....lol

[rawlingsHOH]

On another note: Remember when we used to go into the season and everybody would say "Oline is a big question mark. Scary scary. Could really cost the team," and then the oline would come out and play lights out from game one, we'd pick up an All-American or two from our o line, and the linemen would be credited as a strength by the first few games of the year?

Do you remember who coached the oline back then? You don't? His name was Mark Mangino.

Uh, I think you are the one who needs a history lesson/refresher.

Mangino's last OL here was in 2001, and was the WORST of the Stoops Era. Even worse than this seasons.

And, in fact, it wasn't until Kevin Wilson took over, in 2002, we actually had any sort of consistent ground game. Griffin went from an 800-yard rusher to an 1800-yard rusher.

[rawlingsHOH]

And you want to talk All-Americans?

Mangino (99-01)
-none

Kevin Wilson (02-05)
-Jammal Brown, 2003-2004
-Vince Carter, 2004

James Patton (06-09)
-Duke Robinson, 2007-2008
-Trent Williams, 2009

[SoonerAtKU]

I think people tend to overrate Mangino's performance while he was running the show here. He's the only OC we've had that wasn't responsible for record-breaking success. Leach in 99, Wilson in 2008. Even Chuck Long was here for 2003/4.

[budbarrybob]

I just looked and saw we gave up 14 sacks this year - one more than last year. Not saying the line was nearly as good as last year, but 14 is only 14 any way you slice it

You sound like an Al Eschbach acolyte. Face it the OL was the suck. Abysmal rush blocking and very poor pass blocking. What may we may actually find is that LJ is an awesome QB for not taking sacks. How many times did we see a bootleg/roll out pass where LJ was being pursued from the back field before he got out of the tackle box??!! Not saying LJ is great but for him to take only 14 sacks is a credit to him NOT the OL.

[FaninAma]

Inexperience at qb is why OU's offense struggled.

Watch what happens with Florida and Texas next
year.

And even if Landey returns as the starter he needs
to make better reads.

[rawlingsHOH]

Inexperience at qb is why OU's offense struggled.

Watch what happens with Florida and Texas next
year.

And even if Landey returns as the starter he needs
to make better reads.

I'd say that was maybe 1/3rd of the problem.

Our offense wouldn't have touched the 2008 version, even with Sam, this year. Semi-evident in the first half against BYU, and the red zone meltdowns against Baylor.