Given the choice of youth along the line of scrimmage or at the skill positions, which would you take?
I'll take the 'big uglies" every time. Ball and clock control depend upon winning the battle up front. Football games are won up front.
On offense, every thing gets easier when you have time and space. The running backs can run, the quarterbacks can see the field. The receivers have time to get open.
These are well know, tried and true, axioms of football.
The offensive linemen don't make the paper that often. Their stats are not available to the pollsters and prognosticators. But their worth and contribution is invaluable to the potential success of any offense success. Defensive lineman may have more opportunities to stuff stats with tackles, sacks, and forced fumbles, but their real value is occupying space and keeping the lineman off of the linebackers.
Our strengths simply do not translate into statistical recognition and national hype. They do translate into winning football games.
Sure, we have cause to be concerned. The schedule is once again brutal. Our defensive backs need to prove they can make tackles and play assignment football against some gimmicky offenses. The coaches can't do anything about the schedule, but they can, and are, coach up these young DBs and improve on the tackling situation.
In basball they say pitching and defense win championships. In football, you have to be able to run the ball and stop the run.
Does anybody think we are not capable? Is our personnel going to be outmanned? Are we going to be outcoached? I believe, after careful consideration, your answer will be no. Unless, ofcourse, you are a J-School alum working for ESPN and have been ordered to write a hype Florida piece.
Go Dawgs!
1 comment:
I said it before...even Jabari Davis could find yards behind this offensive line.
I pray every night for healthy behemoths 'tween the hedges. And whirled peas of course.
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