I'm searching for a more indepth analysis of the O. Line, player specific. Who are the dogs that are hurting the running game? who are potential next level players? I think that Will Arnold is potential next level. From Dandy's website: I know C Brett Helms, 6'4", 300, SO* Ryan Miller, 6'6", 318, SO Doug Planchard, 6'3", 290, SR* Max Holmes, 6'4", 290, RSFR RG Brian Johnson, 6'4", 297, SR** Herman Johnson, 6'7", 351, SO* Andrew Decker, 6’4”, 284, SO Matt Allen, 6'3", 285, FR Robert Smith, 6'2", 269, JR LG Will Arnold, 6'4", 322, JR** Garrett Wibel, 6'3", 295, SR Cole Louviere, 6'2", 310, SO Steven Singleton 6'3", 291, FR LT Ciron Black, 6'5", 315, RSFR Carnall Stewart, 6'4", 295, SR Zhamal Thomas, 6'4", 315, FR RT Peter Dyakowski, 6'4", 294, SR Paris Hodges, 6’5”, 320SR Mark Snyder,6’7”, 295, FR.
The thing is I have been looking for the weak link all season, and all I can come up with is that they are all subpar at best. Arnold is the best, but still wasn't great before he got hurt. They do not play as a unit. Therefore they all are hurting us.
Beyond this season--pending experience does lead to better play for those returning--we look mighty weak at the RT position for the next few seasons. Hopefully, early playing time for Black, Helms, Holmes and Big Herm mean that they will gel in the future. My early prediction for the RT position could possibly be Zhamal Thomas--and a starting unit of: LT: Ciron Black, RS-soph. LG: Hermon Johnson, Jr. C: Brett Helms, Jr. RG: Will Arnold, Sr. RT: Zhamal Thomas, RS-Fresh. O-line is possibly one of the few positions (the other would be QB) in which it's not nec. a good thing to have a true freshman start at. IMO, O-line is a lot about technique--and most of these young kids don't have it yet--they're mostly "big soft-bodied players" when they arrive on campus after high school and need a year to tone up and work on schemes. So, having said that, I don't expect very many true freshman linemen with the talent to start right away. And not just at LSU--but at almost every school. But even in saying that, if a true freshman IS your best option, you need to play him....but I just don't forsee that being the case next year. Just look at Z. Thomas as an example to support my view.
Our Oline isn't that bad. They aren't great, but they are about average. Our hesitant, scared RBs (JV & Broussard) make them look worse than they really are.
Pass blocking--they're above average (from my perspective). Run blocking, they aren't consistant--but they (our O-line) is a group that needs a decisive RB in order to be effective and produce. But, you're right, I do think they're a little better than people give them credit far...
Seems like we had more than our share of misses on the O-Line, like we have a lot of young guys stepping up for rejects who couldn't cut it.
