Whitt already worried about our o-block

[chinngiskhaan]

Still haven’t found 5 guys that work together. Absolutely wonderful news, and TOTALLY shocking as well as unprecedented.

[chinngiskhaan]

I don’t understand how this wasn’t ironed out in spring ball at the latest. The excuse two years ago was new guys, then they were supposed to get better last year, but we had a new set of new guys… they have the same damned guys that they had last year! How the hell do they not know who the best 5 are yet?  They should have at least had a very good idea LAST YEAR.

[MauchDawgUte]

I feel like the o-line is like Groundhog Day…each year I hear all sorts of positive spin but it never seems to translate when the season starts. It will always be wait and see for me…it’s the one position group I feel we can hardly ever rely on.

[Ute Dub]

When some starters are still working their way back from injury, like Kump, then you don’t have the same guys as last year quite yet.

[mfaulk80]

Did you listen to the actual interview?  They basically know the 5 guys, but those 5 haven’t been able to get a lot of work together due to being dinged up here and there. 

[chinngiskhaan]

Basically doesn’t sound promising. I’m just tired of the excuses. Every year the other position groups have their poop in a group by halfway through fall camp… every year the offensive line has some excuse regarding why they aren’t quite ready yet. If they already knew who the 5 are, he wouldn’t be making excuses to the media.

I’d buy the excuses if they weren’t consistently one of the two worst units on the team nearly every year.

Don’t be surprised when this group is the weakest on the team again.

[mfaulk80]

I used the word “basically”, not Whitt. 

He wasn’t making excuses.  He was talking about where the team is after the scrimmage.  The OL is a different beast than other positions because the importance of working as a unified unit is so much more important.  Sure, you need a bit of that everywhere, but the cohesiveness of those front 5 is so much more critical.  

 

Whitt:  “…really, that O-line.  We’ve had a lot of guys banged up. That’s probably the most concerning thing right now is the continuity of the O-line because they haven’t, it’s been like a revolving door with guys getting dinged.  And so, that needs to change.  We’ve got to get those guys playing together as a unit, and we’re running out of time so that’s the most concernning thing for me right now.”

Then in response as to whether we have 5 that they like up front: “Yeah, we’ll always be able to put the 5 out there because we got like 10 or 11 that we really like.  But to get the top 5 out there, we haven’t been able to do that because guys have been missing practice.”

 

In other words, they know who the 5 are….but those 5 haven’t been able to practice together as a unit as often as they want due to injuries.  I have to assume that’s excluding Kump since it’s been know that he’ll be out until part way through the season.  His concern doesn’t seem to be finding the 5.  It’s getting those 5 plenty of time working together…and little injuries have curtailed that. 

[SOWhat]

Come on, get a grip. Injuries are always there. We are deep enough to work around them, just like last year, and the year before.
Take a deep breath, snuggle in your woogie, and see what happens.

[chinngiskhaan]

If you call what we saw in pass pro “working around” injuries… and make it seem like we did a good job of that, I don’t know what to tell you. Our pass blocking has been an aberration for a few years now.

[Anonymous]

Few years? hmmm. When can you remember Utah ever having a reliable pass blocking OL?

for the past 10-15 years its been road graders first and formost.

[SOWhat]

Ch.
All I’m saying is that injuries are always there, from little league to the pros. I agree with OnlyU and others, I don’t think we will even need him until USC, don’t play him until he’s ready, next man up.
Don’t have a coronary over this.

[Onlyu]

Frustration is not worry. We’ve had some guys banged up in camp so they haven’t been able to practice a day here or a day there. Because of that the last week has had some moving pieces which presents challenges but nothing major. O-line will still be a strong position group this year.

[EagleMountainUte]

Utah has a forgiving opening schedule so we shall see by USC.

[gandalf]

When do you expect Kump back?

[Onlyu]

I’ve heard weeks 2-4 for Jaren so it’s kinda up in the air still. The goal is to be able to take reps prior to league play but not sure when they’ll give him the green light.

[Utah5410]

ONLYU. Are you able to give specifics. Who would you say will be rolled out against Weber ? In your opinion.

[Onlyu]

Today the only one I don’t expect is Kump. Everyone else I expect be healthy by then. Jaren is making good progress though. If anything lingers they might err on the side of caution but it obviously depends on how they respond the next few days.

[Charlie]

It would seem we will get a chance to see Bam.

[Johnny]

Both QBs seem to get the ball out quick against one of the best defenses in the country. After last week, did you think the Defense was going to be the headlines in a negative matter? This defense might be 2019 elite. We’ll see.

[2008 National Champ]

I think you’re a year early on the D. Tafua and Lloyd are still the only guys with starting experience prior to the 5 2020 games. Not to mention that the secondary, while talented, is mainly made up of freshmen/RS freshmen.

The 2019 D had not only upperclassmen, but proven vets, at every position except for Lloyd.

Tafua / Leki / Penisini / Anae v. Tafua / Moala / Pututau / Filinger = advantage 2019
Bernard / Lloyd v. Lloyd / Sewell = advantage 2019 but I really like the flexibility of Sewell if Utah can free him up with one of the Calvert’s like they did in 2020 with Fotu.
Johnson / Burgess / Blackmon / Guidry / Lewis (Nurse) v. Phillips / Davis / McKinney / Mataele / Broughton = advantage 2019

[Author]

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