re: Seriously though, what’s the OL consensus

Which is a huge positive considering the depth of our D-Line

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1) Both projected tackles didn’t play
2) 1st and 2nd string were mixed
3) Spring games are usually sloppy
4) James Cregg is a pretty darn good coach
5) Does any O-Line ever look good against Aranda?

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This. We lack depth at tackle but if we can avoid injuries the O line should be good. The battle at center will be interesting as well IMO

It's either going to be this (tlsu15):

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We need to solidify the center position and are a little light at tackle. It seems like Charles and Decalus will be our best two, and neither of them played this spring.

We are loaded at guard. I think if one of them could slide over and play Center, we'd be really strong up the middle. If not, it's going to be Cushenberry starting there.

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or this (semjase)...

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, but until we get 5 starting OL's that are consistently good at "Quick Information Processing" and can physically dominate who they're supposed to be blocking, the LSU Offense will not be as good as everybody wants. And who's the fricking starting Center that will make all the OL calls? Lloyd "Nobody in the SEC recruited Me" Cushenberry, Damiem "I've never played Center" Lewis or Cole "True freshman that's not big or strong enough Yet" Smith.

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I'm thinking Cushenberry is going to be solid. I'm also thinking both Traore and Deculus will be at least "adequate", providing depth. Not as much as we want, but not catastrophe either. If I'm wrong on either, we will have issues.

And yes, the spring game is not a good measure of the offensive line as a squad, for several reasons. However, it is good to look at individual performance. For Traore it was disappointing. For Cush it needed to be better. Charles didn't play, Lewis met and exceeded the hype, Ingram was very good, Savage wasn't half bad (he just doesn't have all the tools to be a regular starter).

On Traore... this is the one to watch. Not because we/I want him over Deculus. Because it will tell us something about Cregg and his abilities. Eh, maybe about Traore. Let me explain...

watch the first HUDL video, best example is at 1:22 mark
Traore HUDL

He does it everytime, but it's most visible at that mark. Watch the hands. He drops them, he winds up, sometimes he pumps them vertically. No, hell no, and frick no. You can't do that. Not to mention he gets them up late to make matters worse. That's, as stated, a big no-no. You lose first punch, you lose adaptability, you lose space. He's got this huge wingspan that isn't being utilized. His biggest advantage he gives away on pass protection.

So here's the question, using this horrible technique failure as an overall statement on Traore:

Question 1: was he just not coached well (before LSU)?

If so, Cregg has his work cut out for him and if he can get Traore "viable" or better, we can have faith in Cregg's abilities. This is my position. You don't see it hardly any in the spring game and I've said since early in his recruitment he had a lot of work to do.

Question 2: if he had good coaching, is this an indicator Traore just isn't that "coachable"?

If so, and I don't think so, he's not a lost cause but now we are reliant on Deculus getting ready, fully. The potential for having a bad year on the OL just went up (Semjase's post).

I know I'm taking this one quirk and extrapolating it into this much broader thing, but it's all we have for now. And this is definitely horrible technique. It's hard not to miss. First time I watched this back in Dec I think I wanted to scream at the screen.

So for now: watch Traore's hands. If they're good, Cregg's doing ok and we have a better chance of this going more to tlsu15's way. Cregg has enough to work with, to me it's all about him right now.

Oh:
- quotes on Cole Smith were motivation for Cush, he's not ready to start. Will play though, probably at OG for reps; you don't necessarily want to rotate C's because of snaps.
- Cush was having trouble with snaps (I didn't see a damn one of them). Was told it was with Narcisse only (primarily?). That's part of that shoring up.
- Watch for news that Ingram, Brumfield, or Lewis practicing at C more than normal (you always practice a G some, just not that much). If they are doing 'tryouts', I was wrong about Cushenberry and while might shore up C by moving one, we would be doing a little bit of addition by subtraction; not the end of the world, but it's an indicator personnel development is not as good as it needs to be.

Semjase is right about one thing for sure, you can't put just the 5 best OL out there, you have to field the best squad. Strengths and weaknesses of the individual need to be complimented along with the usual "gel".

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I’m not gonna sit here and tell you we’ll have the best O-Line in the SEC, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we finished top 3.

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I’m not down on the OL, but it will NOT be top 3 in the SEC.

Whatever offense Ensminger is installing- the quarterback better be able to get rid of the ball quickly.

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Also the first team got split up in spring game so no one really knows how good the starting 5 will be.

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??? We were missing 2 starters due to injury/rehab.

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Whatever offense Ensminger is installing- the quarterback better be able to get rid of the ball quickly.

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From what I've seen, not necessarily the case. Some misdirection and yes some Canadian motion. CSE does love bootlegs and roll outs.

I'll take this opportunity to point out something: With a RPO option offense and OL run blocking on relatively quick pass plays (relates to your comment) it masks some OL pass protection deficiencies. That's why, for example, a MSST OL grades out on PP with 'lesser star talent' than LSU.

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Semjase is right about one thing for sure, you can't put just the 5 best OL out there

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Good OL analysis, BTW, baw - and you and Semjase are right about the unit thing - especially the middle 3. Those guys really play as a unit on pass blocking and this is often ignored by casual fans who only pay attention to pancake blocks or road grading by guards and centers.

Now, I am of a mind that you have to get your 2 best options at OT on the outside. LSU has tried for way too many damned years to force great guards to be serviceable tackles, or worse, mediocre tackles to just try to get better.

I think we have 3 or 4 legit OTs now - for the first time in a long time. Traore needs coaching, but my goodness he has all the uncoachable stuff, right? I don't think his listed 6'8" is puffed up all that much - he's a man among men, and not overly thick - I think he's about 320 or 325 right now - extremely long arms. Technique improvement as you suggested make him an All-SEC candidate immediately.

Deculus is still probably a year away - I wish we could have redshirted him last year, but hopefully the experience will jump start him for this year. Charles has been a pleasant surprise, as I figured him to be all guard when he first arrived.