Grading the new OL

[Lincoln Locomotive]

Too early....but I don't think they're as good on the run game which was their bread and butter the last 3-4 seasons.   Give them a few more games before we assess them.

[TecnoGenius]

There are quite a few people in the two forums who are quick to dump on the team, players, coach.....some of them seem to enjoy a loss, since it proves (to them at least) that O'Shea is not a good coach.

Well, I'm certainly not one of those!  I love MOS and think he's one of our best coaches ever, and strongly believe he'll get us another couple of cups.

But bringing up questions and points, and offering and looking for constructive criticism is not "dumping on the team".

In fact, I think the results of the poll here show that for the most part we are pretty happy with the OL unit and it will likely improve.  When I made the poll I would have guessed half would pick "a lot worse".  And the comments here have been generally upbeat.  With the massive OL changes the results could have been muuuuuch worse.

Hey, even MOS said the coaches (and thus the team) let us down.  Is that dumping?

[TecnoGenius]

I thought the O line did OK...the difference in the game was Collaros missing Lawler in the end zone and then the pass thrown behind schoen in the end zone that let gave the DB a chance to knock it down. If those 2 passes were thrown correctly, we win that ball game. Its Collaros that has to pickup his game, not the O line.

I'd also say all those 2 and outs, especially early.  Did Zach even complete half his throws?  Ugh...

Oh ya, also that untimely horrendous turnover to start off MTL's scoring...

[markf]

it's worth mentioning, the O line has lost all stars in previous years, and overcame it.

it seems likely that our O line coach is very good, and will have the line playing well, soon enough.

[TecnoGenius]

it's worth mentioning, the O line has lost all stars in previous years, and overcame it.

it seems likely that our O line coach is very good, and will have the line playing well, soon enough.

It may just have been luck, but in all those previous years the new OL, the new piece/pieces, were stout and capable in week 1.  I remember clearly how scared we were of Goosen leaving, and in week 1 Couture was just as good.

In all those cases the new guy would step in and by week 2 we were all thinking "Goosen who?", "Speller who?", or "Chungh who?".

That's not the case this season.  In fact, I don't think it's been the case since Desjar left.  After that, no one said "Desjar who".  It was a major loss and we've never been as good.  Good, but not as good.

If our weaker OL guys are able to dev & improve, they need to do it pronto.  They are costing us games and laying waste to all the SMS$ spent on the league best R corps.  It's like Mike Reilly in BC redux.  We didn't learn from that?

[kkc60]

It may just have been luck, but in all those previous years the new OL, the new piece/pieces, were stout and capable in week 1.  I remember clearly how scared we were of Goosen leaving, and in week 1 Couture was just as good.

In all those cases the new guy would step in and by week 2 we were all thinking "Goosen who?", "Speller who?", or "Chungh who?".

That's not the case this season.  In fact, I don't think it's been the case since Desjar left.  After that, no one said "Desjar who".  It was a major loss and we've never been as good.  Good, but not as good.

If our weaker OL guys are able to dev & improve, they need to do it pronto.  They are costing us games and laying waste to all the SMS$ spent on the league best R corps.  It's like Mike Reilly in BC redux.  We didn't learn from that?

Speller, now that's a throwback. Completely forgot about him.

But I agree, somewhere along the way it seems either the coaching or the scouting of the OL fell off. Guys like Jamar McGloster, Jarrell Broxton and Dino Boyd also got their first chances here. Obviously at some point this team could scout OL. Guys like Gray and Dobson were viewed as solid prospects, both getting NFL shots and viewed as coups when drafted. Yet neither seemed to really take a leap although Dobson is still young and I think could be a great player (but in a contract year it's tough to know what they have there yet). Hopefully Wallace hits on his potential, or this current group doesn't get Collaros destroyed this season.

Center definitely needs to be addressed next offseason, Kolankowski is a 6th or 7th OL ideally.

[TecnoGenius]

But I agree, somewhere along the way it seems either the coaching or the scouting of the OL fell off. Guys like Jamar McGloster, Jarrell Broxton and Dino Boyd also got their first chances here.

We had Broxton?!  I saw him playing the other night and thought "Holy bleep, this guy is a monster", he was like twice the size of the other hoggies!  I'm not sure I've ever seen anything like it!

McGloster is currently injured for MTL, but he'll likely be starting again when he's back.  How did we let that Yoshi replacement slip through our fingers while we kept trying to develop the dead ends like Ivey, and that other IMP OT that was here a few seasons that I've already forgotten?  That said, Lofton has been way better than expected so far!  So I'm not panicking about OT.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

We had Broxton?!  I saw him playing the other night and thought "Holy bleep, this guy is a monster", he was like twice the size of the other hoggies!  I'm not sure I've ever seen anything like it!

McGloster is currently injured for MTL, but he'll likely be starting again when he's back.  How did we let that Yoshi replacement slip through our fingers while we kept trying to develop the dead ends like Ivey, and that other IMP OT that was here a few seasons that I've already forgotten?  That said, Lofton has been way better than expected so far!  So I'm not panicking about OT.

Yes, but misleading.

We signed him in 2020 and when the season cancelled he was amongst a group of players who was able to void his contract. He never played here, never made it to Winnipeg. He wouldn't made it with the group we had in 2020 or 2021 (if you want to play the 'what if' game) and he's been in BC since 2021 (really becoming a player last year).

[kkc60]

Yes, but misleading.

We signed him in 2020 and when the season cancelled he was amongst a group of players who was able to void his contract. He never played here, never made it to Winnipeg. He wouldn't made it with the group we had in 2020 or 2021 (if you want to play the 'what if' game) and he's been in BC since 2021 (really becoming a player last year).

My point is moreso starting OL have at different times passed through here (or at least been signed here) and yet at RT we have Lofton (who has played fine in pass pro, but is an older journeyman) and our interior line stinks.

Obviously there is also a difference between canadian and american OL and what positions they tend to play, it's just interesting that we have obviously found OL, just why not for ourselves?