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Guard and Tackle Experiments - We need help, fast

LuCane

LuCane

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From Spring to the "first reactions" podcast, I've consistently mentioned my biggest offensive concerns (outside of the obvious Rosier accuracy issues) would be around the RT and Guard situations. We have 3 games to heavily experiment. Let's talk through some scenarios, which frankly would have been better served seen against our 1s in Spring and Fall camps, but here we are:

LT St. Louis
LG Boulware/Reed
C Gauthier
RG Donaldson
RT Scaife

LT St. Louis
LG Gaynor
C Gauthier
RG Mahoney/Boulware/Reed battle
RT Donaldson

LT St. Louis
LG Gauthier
C Gaynor
RG Donaldson
RT Scaife

LT St. Louis
LG Scaife
C Gauthier
RG Reed/Boulware
RT Donaldson

Some of these are more unrealistic than others, obviously. I don't really think they'll slide over a senior Center supposedly responsible for all the calls, for example. The point is we should pretty clearly see extreme vulnerability NOT resolved by "experience" (being older, basically). And, we have to try something different. Rosier and Richt have their own set of problems, for sure. But, the OL has to move and communicate better on blitzers running free.

More than anything, I once again am strongly advocating for Donaldson to get stronger consideration to play his more likely $ position at Guard. Been saying that one since he was billed as the "next Trent Williams" on here based on mostly hype. While I understand we have a big problem at RT and he's a band-aid there, it's going to be a relative hole either way. Why create two holes to try to plug one? Hopefully, we try different things and some of the young guys show out in games that "they can be trusted."
 
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I'd really like to see Scaife at RT and Donaldson at RG. I'm all for Gaynor/Reed/Boulware at LG. Mahoney and Jones to bench. Basically your first suggestion
 
I think it should be st.louis, gaynor/reed/bouleware, gauthier, donaldson, scaife.

I get they want to train gaynor exclusively at center but its a clown move if hes one of our best lineman. If hes one of the 5 best get him on the field.

I also dont think our line was that bad yesterday. They struggled, but they played an elite front. If we had a Qb who can read a defense and make proper adjustments at the line, it probably would have seemed like they played okay.
 
LuCane said:
From Spring to the "first reactions" podcast, I've consistently mentioned my biggest offensive concerns (outside of the obvious Rosier accuracy issues) would be around the RT and Guard situations. We have 3 games to heavily experiment. Let's talk through some scenarios, which frankly would have been better served seen against our 1s in Spring and Fall camps, but here we are:

LT St. Louis
LG Boulware/Reed
C Gauthier
RG Donaldson
RT Scaife

LT St. Louis
LG Gaynor
C Gauthier
RG Mahoney/Boulware/Reed battle
RT Donaldson

LT St. Louis
LG Gauthier
C Gaynor
RG Donaldson
RT Scaife

LT St. Louis
LG Scaife
C Gauthier
RG Reed/Boulware
RT Donaldson

Some of these are more unrealistic than others, obviously. I don't really think they'll slide over a senior Center supposedly responsible for all the calls, for example. The point is we should pretty clearly see extreme vulnerability NOT resolved by "experience" (being older, basically). And, we have to try something different. Rosier and Richt have their own set of problems, for sure. But, the OL has to move and communicate better on blitzers running free.

More than anything, I once again am strongly advocating for Donaldson to get stronger consideration to play his more likely $ position at Guard. Been saying that one since he was billed as the "next Trent Williams" on here based on mostly hype. While I understand we have a big problem at RT and he's a band-aid there, it's going to be a relative hole either way. Why create two holes to try to plug one? Hopefully, we try different things and some of the young guys show out in games that "they can be trusted."
Click to expand...

Not that it matters but IMO this one would work best. I think Gauthier was better at guard.

LT St. Louis
LG Gauthier
C Gaynor
RG Donaldson
RT Scaife
 
Searles and Richt should be getting the best 5 on the field, and IMO that’s

St. Louis
Boulware
Gauthier
Donaldson
Scaife

With Reed breathing down Boulwares neck and Campbell as the swing.
 
I remember when we had Henderson and Washington on the right sight and they would just maul thru everybody in run protection.
 
I mentioned in another thread...I would go back to some of what we did last year...

LT - Scaife or pick a tackle.
LG - Boulware/Reed
C - Gauthier
RG - Donaldson/Mahoney
RT - St. Louis

Donaldson and St. Louis at RT and LT is getting 75 cents on the dollar, IMO.

I'd take a risk having a weakness or youth at LT while accentuating a potentially strong right side of the line.

Poor OL recruiting and missing on players like Bar Milo really starting to show itself. Our options are just incredibly limited. Outside of our current starters, we are relying on true freshmen and a true sophomore to provide heavy snaps. With that said, I'd take my lumps with a true freshman LT while going back to last year's grouping at the C-RG-RT spot versus what we have now.
 
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Pretty simple. Jahair Jones is exactly as bad as we though. Hayden Mahoney gets no push ever, and didn't last year, so why is it a surprise when he can't this yr?

The Fact is we NEED St Louis at LT and Donaldson at RT at this point in time and Gauthier is still better than Gaynor was last yr (who imo wasn't very good at Guard). So That means we need to change our Guards. Boulware and Scaife should be our starters. With Mahoney and Reed subbing in occasionally. only other scenario I can even imagine liking is:
LT: Scaife
LG: Boulware
C: Gauthier
RG: Donaldson
RT: St Louis

I put scaife at LT because no way he's gunna be better at RT than St Louis. So its better to have St Louis move back to rt cause at least he has experience there, even if LT is technically the slightly more important position.
 
My best OL moving forward is

LT St Louis
LG Boulware til Reed is ready and get him resdy
C Gauthier
RG DONALDSON
RT Scaife or Campbell
 
Donaldson at RT and Jones at guard were concerning, I say Scaife to RT and Donaldson to Guard. Bring Reid in as the next man up!
 
And next year must land Neal must

LT Neal Herbert
LG Reed Boulware
C Gaynor Mahoney
RG Donaldson Hillary
RT Scaife Campbell
 
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