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UTEP will have a massive offensive line
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stanman505 Offline
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Post: #1
UTEP will have a massive offensive line
UTEP has 17 offensive linemen on the roster and 12 of them are 300 lbs. or more. The lightest player is 285 lbs. I think this is a good strategy for UTEP. There are not many smash mouth football teams in college football now so UTEP's offense is not something defenses face on a regular basis. Add to this a great running back like Aaron Jones and two excellent TE and UTEP might pose a problem for a lot of teams. This smash mouth ball control offense will also serve to keep the spread, high flying/scoring offenses off of the field. Here is a link to a story on the offensive line from todays El Paso Times.

http://www.elpasotimes.com/story/sports/.../88408788/
08-09-2016 11:08 AM
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ericsaid Offline
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RE: UTEP will have a massive offensive line
(08-09-2016 11:08 AM)stanman505 Wrote:  UTEP has 17 offensive linemen on the roster and 12 of them are 300 lbs. or more. The lightest player is 285 lbs. I think this is a good strategy for UTEP. There are not many smash mouth football teams in college football now so UTEP's offense is not something defenses face on a regular basis. Add to this a great running back like Aaron Jones and two excellent TE and UTEP might pose a problem for a lot of teams. This smash mouth ball control offense will also serve to keep the spread, high flying/scoring offenses off of the field. Here is a link to a story on the offensive line from todays El Paso Times.

http://www.elpasotimes.com/story/sports/.../88408788/

I believe that it has been shown that athleticism beats size in regards to the trenches. If they are big guys that can move well, people may have issues. However, if their athleticism is lacking, it wouldn't take much for a savvy line to exploit their size.
08-09-2016 11:11 AM
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MinerInWisconsin Offline
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RE: UTEP will have a massive offensive line
(08-09-2016 11:08 AM)stanman505 Wrote:  UTEP has 17 offensive linemen on the roster and 12 of them are 300 lbs. or more. The lightest player is 285 lbs. I think this is a good strategy for UTEP. There are not many smash mouth football teams in college football now so UTEP's offense is not something defenses face on a regular basis. Add to this a great running back like Aaron Jones and two excellent TE and UTEP might pose a problem for a lot of teams. This smash mouth ball control offense will also serve to keep the spread, high flying/scoring offenses off of the field. Here is a link to a story on the offensive line from todays El Paso Times.

http://www.elpasotimes.com/story/sports/.../88408788/

As big as any O-line in the country. Big, experienced and deep. I like it.
08-09-2016 11:13 AM
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olliebaba Offline
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RE: UTEP will have a massive offensive line
Big and slow is better than small and slow. I'll take what we've got coming.

It used to be our biggest lineman were in the 285 lb. range that didn't help us any. I like our size and depth.
08-09-2016 11:18 AM
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HerdZoned Offline
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Post: #5
RE: UTEP will have a massive offensive line
Give me an OLine that's 275-280 that can move side to side and backwards and can tackle than a bunch of immobile 300-325 pound linemen that gets beat at the line time after time.
08-09-2016 11:46 AM
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MTPiKapp Offline
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RE: UTEP will have a massive offensive line
(08-09-2016 11:46 AM)HerdZoned Wrote:  Give me an OLine that's 275-280 that can move side to side and backwards and can tackle than a bunch of immobile 300-325 pound linemen that gets beat at the line time after time.

I'm a little confused, what is it about that 20-50 lbs of difference in the two groups that means the heavier linemen can't move ss well?

You can be agile at 280, but not 300?
08-09-2016 12:04 PM
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ODU AGGIE Offline
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Post: #7
RE: UTEP will have a massive offensive line
(08-09-2016 11:46 AM)HerdZoned Wrote:  Give me an OLine that's 275-280 that can move side to side and backwards and can tackle than a bunch of immobile 300-325 pound linemen that gets beat at the line time after time.

And why is it that you want O-linemen that can tackle? Are you expecting your QB to throw a lot of interceptions, or is it downfield fumbles causing your concern?
08-09-2016 04:22 PM
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CameramanJ Offline
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RE: UTEP will have a massive offensive line
Our O-line had some size last year, but size means nothing if almost every play features cement cleats and slow handwork
08-09-2016 06:54 PM
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Eagle9 Offline
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Post: #9
RE: UTEP will have a massive offensive line
I don't even look at the weight of offensive linemen that much anymore. Everybody has big linemen. I'm sure every D-1 team's O-Line averages at least 275. The vast majority probably fall in the 285-305 average range. Point being, everybody has big linemen now. I don't think 10-15 pounds here or there makes much difference. The difference between the good and bad ones is strength, athleticism, and an understanding of what they need to do. And maybe the biggest factor is whether or not they like to play. Even at the D-1 level, there are a lot of linemen that don't really like football. They just got started playing and they were good so they stayed with it. It pays for their school. This isn't breaking news, but most 300+ pound men don't enjoy running around in the heat and being knocked around for 2-3 hours a day, 6 days a week. They just don't. But the special ones do. If you can find 5 linemen with decent physical tools, that love what they do, you will be hard to handle.
(This post was last modified: 08-09-2016 10:55 PM by Eagle9.)
08-09-2016 10:53 PM
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banker Offline
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Post: #10
RE: UTEP will have a massive offensive line
Proud to give you your first rep points with that post, Eagle9. Spot on.

Doc Hollidays favorite saying during recruiting is that he wants kids that football is important to them, that love playing. If you don't love football it's dang hard to be an offensive lineman. I have a buddy who was a 4 year starter at tackle for Marshall. Heck of a player, all conference player, all academic also. Played back in the 1-AA days and played at 6'6" 285. He had, and still has, bad asthma. Played with his inhaler in his sock and would have to hit that thing 12-15 times a game. You couldn't drag him off the field if you tried, he wanted to be out there every play.

Everybody loves the skill guys, but the O line are my favorite players. Love watching the trenches during the game.
08-09-2016 11:41 PM
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MinerInWisconsin Offline
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Post: #11
RE: UTEP will have a massive offensive line
The point of the EP Times article about the size of the UTEP O-line is to point out that as coach Kugler, a former UTEP O-lineman, is entering his 4th year as the head man and making good on building his team to be a big, strong, physical one. His first year he had to weed out a bunch of players that did not have the work ethic on the field or in the classroom and the undermanned team went 2-10. Second year saw a big improvement in the classroom and a 7-5 record with a bowl appearance. A loss unfortunately. Third year saw an unreasonable level of injuries with starting qb missing several games and star rb lost for the year among them and barely missed qualifying for a 2nd straight bowl. Now the fourth year, big and deep O-line, deep at rb, a few faster receivers and more depth at qb. Looking for his rebuild to be near completion this season with another bowl appearance and hopefully a win there too.
(This post was last modified: 08-10-2016 07:45 AM by MinerInWisconsin.)
08-10-2016 07:43 AM
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stanman505 Offline
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RE: UTEP will have a massive offensive line
Many here have mentioned that size doesn't matter much when it comes to offensive linemen. That is true when running a spread type of offense as linemen have to move a lot and make difficult blocks. What some might not know is that UTEP runs a pro set smash mouth type of offense. Defenses aren't used to going up against this type of offense and add to that the size that UTEP has and it could be a problem for opposing teams. Another thing that should be mentioned is that UTEP has an all conference tight end in Hayden Plinke and will also have Kent Taylor who was the #1 rated tight end in the class of 2012.
08-10-2016 08:00 AM
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banker Offline
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RE: UTEP will have a massive offensive line
Marshall runs a spread type offense with inside zone concepts in the run game. We have 20 OL on the roster and also have 12 over 300 pounds. The real point is that everybody has linemen over 300 pounds nowadays. We have a few guys play in the 290s because that is the right weight for them to be at. Clint VanHorn, arguably the best tackle in the conference, plays at 305, in the NFL he will probably play at 330 or so. Most of the DEs in this conference are in the 245-260 range. You don't need a 70 pound weight advantage to be competitive. Better to have a 40 pound advantage and be lighter on your feet against faster DEs.
08-10-2016 09:29 AM
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Eagle9 Offline
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Post: #14
RE: UTEP will have a massive offensive line
Actually, in most spread systems, inside zone is the number one running play. There is no pulling or trapping involved, so you actually don't need linemen to be all that quick. It's the systems that run a lot of counter and trap plays that you need quicker guys.

I'd say 80% of college and pro teams run inside zone as their #1 running play. Personally I think it gets old, I like to see some pulling, kicking, trapping or cross blocking.
(This post was last modified: 08-10-2016 12:27 PM by Eagle9.)
08-10-2016 12:25 PM
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Fitbud Offline
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RE: UTEP will have a massive offensive line
I like the big line but we have to have a good defense or spread teams will score easy and the offense will have to be on the field again and again.
08-10-2016 12:30 PM
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MinerInWisconsin Offline
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RE: UTEP will have a massive offensive line
(08-10-2016 12:30 PM)Fitbud Wrote:  I like the big line but we have to have a good defense or spread teams will score easy and the offense will have to be on the field again and again.

Yes, the defense needs to improve. It actually did towards the end of last season. Also, the defense plans to use more zone this year instead of all man to man like the recent past which resulted in too many big plays against the Miners. We shall see.
08-10-2016 01:41 PM
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Fitbud Offline
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RE: UTEP will have a massive offensive line
(08-10-2016 01:41 PM)MinerInWisconsin Wrote:  
(08-10-2016 12:30 PM)Fitbud Wrote:  I like the big line but we have to have a good defense or spread teams will score easy and the offense will have to be on the field again and again.

Yes, the defense needs to improve. It actually did towards the end of last season. Also, the defense plans to use more zone this year instead of all man to man like the recent past which resulted in too many big plays against the Miners. We shall see.

Absolutely, eliminate the big plays and make the other team sustain drives. That's all they have to do. They don't need to shut anyone out, they just need to keep it close so that in the third quarter, our O-line can overpower their defense and seal the victory.
08-11-2016 03:06 PM
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ericsaid Offline
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RE: UTEP will have a massive offensive line
(08-09-2016 12:04 PM)MTPiKapp Wrote:  
(08-09-2016 11:46 AM)HerdZoned Wrote:  Give me an OLine that's 275-280 that can move side to side and backwards and can tackle than a bunch of immobile 300-325 pound linemen that gets beat at the line time after time.

I'm a little confused, what is it about that 20-50 lbs of difference in the two groups that means the heavier linemen can't move ss well?

You can be agile at 280, but not 300?

The question was CAN they move. A lot of times G5 schools that have offensive lineman that big aren't as athletic as the smaller lines, thus leaving them open to being beaten consistently. They may not get pushed back but they don't get up the field or pull quick enough in run blocking.
08-11-2016 04:39 PM
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ericsaid Offline
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RE: UTEP will have a massive offensive line
(08-10-2016 12:25 PM)Eagle9 Wrote:  Actually, in most spread systems, inside zone is the number one running play. There is no pulling or trapping involved, so you actually don't need linemen to be all that quick. It's the systems that run a lot of counter and trap plays that you need quicker guys.

I'd say 80% of college and pro teams run inside zone as their #1 running play. Personally I think it gets old, I like to see some pulling, kicking, trapping or cross blocking.

The inside zone is set-up by the ability to be able to break it outside. If your counter runs aren't effective, all the defense needs to do is stack the box as they will beat the lineman on a counter play and it's simply a numbers game on the inside draw. That is the benefit of having a more athletic line in a spread system.

Otherwise, why would teams like Georgia Southern and Navy not have 6'5 310 lineman all the way across?
(This post was last modified: 08-11-2016 04:42 PM by ericsaid.)
08-11-2016 04:41 PM
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Post: #20
RE: UTEP will have a massive offensive line
(08-11-2016 04:41 PM)ericsaid Wrote:  Otherwise, why would teams like Georgia Southern and Navy not have 6'5 310 lineman all the way across?

Because they are not that easy to find and sign.
08-12-2016 10:49 AM
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