O line

[boomdaddy]

I thought the O line played like crap in the bowl game. The whole center situation, that didn't get ironed out until mid season is just one example of how far the O line is from being SEC caliber.. Yes, they had an injury of a starter, before the season, but the team shouldn't have to have a RB that can get 3 to 5 yards, after he is hit at the line of scrimmage to gain yards. They O line should try opening holes on occasion.

I watched the last quarter of the Miami bowl game, and their O line was pitiful. The QB was running for his life. Kinda reminded me of the Music City Bowl. The staff is going into year 6, When are they going to get their O line straightened out.

And, as good as the O line was touted, last season, they couldn't sustain it, and did not look good in the bowl. They didn't have the depth to get through the season.

[Spiritof96]

You get that NW had a great run defense right? I didn’t think any position group played “great” for us in that game.

This year we had injury, graduation, and a kid playing center a year early. They need to get better, but so does everyone else.

[Blue Heaven]

Northwestern had a top 10 run defense. Solid achievement considering the Big 10 is all about running the ball.

Still, I feel our O Line underperformed all season. Sure losing Toth and Mosier hurt, but we should've been better than we were. The line was touted as our strength even after losing Mosier.

[40bill]

We may have overestimated how strong the O line was going to be and way underestimated the losses we had.
lines have to click as a unit, not just individuals. Throw the chemistry off and it doesn't meld.
Should be...SHOULD be a bit more stable.
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and I agree that Northwestern had a run defense that had a superior rating.
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[SCBlu]

Just wish Bennie could have truly tested that defensive line.

[Uncle Dave]

I'm amped about our Oline and run game going into next year. We're just now getting quality depth at OT(Young, Price, Watkins, Kinnard,, etc). We've been struggling there since Swindle started. Jackson did OK for his first year. He'll be much better next year IMO. Seems to be many interchangeable pieces.

[SBCatMan]

No running back, no matter how good he is, runs for 1,300 plus yards without a serviceable OL. Sure, our OL was not perfect -- and pass protection, at times, was sorely missing. But watch tapes of games like the UT game, and you will see that they opened up some massive holes for Snell to run through. Heck, even I could have hobbled through some of the holes they opened up vs UT. And, as usual, I agree with Uncle Dave -- they will only get better.