re: How much can the o-line really improve?

The days of banking on potential pro players staying for 4 years are over.

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our oline was atrocious last year, even if its 2x as good this year it would still be bad for the sec... what's y'alls thoughts?

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This is short-sighted, IMHO, although it is not completely unfair. The OL played poorly for significant stretches. LSU has not been a good pass blocking team in a very, very long time (at least not consistently). This crew, in particular, show flashes of greatness in that area, again, not consistently.

My bigger problem with the OL is 2018 was that they weren't particularly good run blockers, either. Again, some flashes, but if you can't rely on either side of your offensive game then you have the dreaded "inconsistent" problem, are constantly at 3rd and long and expecting your QB and WR to bail you out.

Now, having said all of that, the OL was plagued from the start with transfers and injuries. The injury bug remained throughout the season and we rarely started the same 5 in the same spots 2 games in a row. Even if we did, usually there was some shuffling after a 1st or 2nd quarter injury.

The experience the young players got was valuable as was the cross-training. Assume we can avoid significant transfer attrition in 2019 AND start the season healthy, I expect significant improvement in OL play for 2019, regardless of scheme. Just the addition of Kardell Thomas will likely make the team better at run blocking, although I'm not sure he starts early. Dare Rosenthal is going to be a star as well.

I'm optimistic. (I almost always am).

This was an entirely new lineup basically with first year starters on it and changed all year until the end where we got a little better so yes we can get better. How much better will depend on them and what the coaches get out of them. It also depends on how the young talent is progressing.

Is Wire ready to play at a high level or is Traore ready? How about Rosenthal? I think Charles is better suited to play RT and one of the other 3 are LTs when fully developed. I think Traore could be at the very least be a good RT or OG. We'll have to see how they develop and what the best five are. We should have a 2 deep this year if we can get another talented OT to sign. Parker was always at least a year or two away from starting at OT anyways.

One thing is certain. This OL learned on the fly last year and is much more equipped to learn details and about each other's strengths and weakness. I think they can be much better. Their problems wasn't talent. It was more of were they ready to take on the roles they were thrust into. Some of them also need to work their tails off in the S&C program this year. If they do all those things, I think it could be a hellava OL next year.

Burrow will be leading the charge so they have a leader to work for also. That makes a ton of difference for motivation to be the best. They also have a great backfield coming back with some athletic blocking/catching TEs. If the WRs work their butts off in the offseason I think they will make a huge jump as well. This team will be really good if they work extremly hard this offseason. 10-2 floor IMO and then seeing the chink in the bama armor has to motivate them also.

LSU will finally be more overall veteran than bama will be on Offense and Defense. That hasn't happened in a very long time. Watch out. "We comin"

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How much can the o-line really improve?

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Depends on whether the play calling changes. The exact same OL could improve vastly with plays designed to get the call out of the qbs hands quickly.

I'm not argueing or bitching hardly ever

i never really read the names of the posters, so I'm gonna need someone to define "hardly ever"

I think this unit has a great chance of significant improvement. anyone and everyone should notice other teams with veteran lines are much better than those with newbies. the OL position requires experience to be a cohesive unit.

no suspensions and minimal injuries would also be a big help. i'm not sure what can be done with the tackle positions but I have hope there also. no line is perfect but we have to greatly reduce our "maximum protect" mode if we are going to greatly improve our offense.

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ositions but I have hope there also

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I believe that the tackles will improve bigly. If LSU had better tackle play they don't lose that Florida game. Rosenthal is athletic I'm hoping that he fixes his issues and shows that athleticism.

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Rosenthal is athletic I'm hoping that he fixes his issues and shows that athleticism.

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he fixes his issues

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This is where we disagree, Ben

You lay blame on the players and say they are not talented or for us, who lay blame on the coaching, to name the talented players along the line...which I named them all as talented.

Players don't just become TALENTED, either they are or aren't.

The difference is coaching, are they getting coached up to show off their Talent.

A player can have all the talent in the world, but if he is not being shown proper technique etc, that talent will not be on display.

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How much can the o-line really improve?

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Quick hitting pass plays will improve the O-Line 100% immediately.