OL Report: Nebraska Full Game - Updated

[GFBfan]

Was a very efficient and dominating first half by our OL. It also helped that we mixed in passing plays much more than we had in previous games, especially on early downs. It resulted in us having 19 first half pass plays to 18 running plays (I didn't count the two kneel downs before the half). Having Curtis not part of the OL rotation didn't really impact anything as we still ran our 5, 6, or 7 OL out there and mixed up the positions quite often, although the line-up up stayed Sam, Connor, John, Blaise, Daniel when only 5 were on the field and that group of 5 played the most snaps.
Of note, Daniel didn't start. His first play was the 10th play of the opening drive when we were in the red zone. Nathan Boe got some action at RG and JJ Guedet was even in for a play.

The Running game:
Andries: 94% on 18 plays
Olson: 78% on 18 plays: On the last series he looked like he was playing on one leg as he wasn't moving very well.
JMS: 100% on 18 plays.
Faalele: 87% on 15 plays
Schlueter: 72% on 18 plays
Ruschmeyer: 78% on 9 plays
Kieft: 85% on 13 plays.
Boe: 83% on 6 plays
BSF: 100% on 1 play
Guedet: 100% on 1 play

The Passing game
Andries: 95% on 19 plays
Olson: 95% on 19 plays
JMS: 79% on 19 plays
Faalele: 92% on 13 plays Was much more active in this half.
Schlueter: 100% on 19 plays Best half of pass blocking for him this year. Did a nice job of moving his feet
Ruschmeyer: 100% on 10 plays
Kieft: 83% on 12 plays The reverse pass flea flicker put him in a tough spot when the Nebbie corner blitzed and he was stepping inside and had no chance at getting out to him. Like the play call, but Nebbie had a better call on that one.

The RB's did a nice job for the most part. There were a few times where they were looking for a hole and hesitated or stopped momentum to try to cut back, which didn't work out and they ended not gaining any yards or losing some. I would guess that will improve with all three as they get more live reps in the rest of the year.

 

[MGGopher]

Thanks as always! I wondered about Faalele because I saw him running on the field around that 10 play mark and asked why he wasn't already out there. Now we know. Perhaps he found the doghouse for some reason during the bye week?

 

[Pete smith]

Thanks for doing this. I am sure it takes a great deal of time. The question I have, are you related to Ko Kieft? On the flea flicker he simply whiffed. I tired to watch his blocks during the game. Didn’t see many. Certainly not 83%.

 

[walleyeking]

Thanks for doing this. I am sure it takes a great deal of time. The question I have, are you related to Ko Kieft? On the flea flicker he simply whiffed. I tired to watch his blocks during the game. Didn’t see many. Certainly not 83%.

Better watch again. Look at his blocking on the Williams TD run. NFL blocking TE. However you are correct he missed the block on the CB on the flea flicker

 

[GFBfan]

Thanks for doing this. I am sure it takes a great deal of time. The question I have, are you related to Ko Kieft? On the flea flicker he simply whiffed. I tired to watch his blocks during the game. Didn’t see many. Certainly not 83%.

Not related. Although, the reason I decided to start doing it was someone made a comment that he did not block very well vs tOSU and I wanted to see if that was true. After a couple plays I thought why not look at the entire OL.

 

[Dakota2]

Not related. Although, the reason I decided to start doing it was someone made a comment that he did not block very well vs tOSU and I wanted to see if that was true. After a couple plays I thought why not look at the entire OL.

Hope you keep doing it. Really valuable.

 

[Full Speed Ahead]

Bryce Benhart's grade-out numbers must be lower than the bottom deck on the Titanic.

 

[GFBfan]

Second half numbers:
The Running game:
Andries: 89% on 19 plays
Olson: 84% on 19 plays: He was visibly hobbled the whole half. Surprised Nebbie didn't try to attack him more as he wasn't moving well. Also, surprised that someone didn't replace him. He was more of a shield blocker than his normal drive them off the LOS type blocker.
JMS: 100% on 19 plays.
Faalele: 79% on 19 plays
Schlueter: 84% on 19 plays
Ruschmeyer: 107% on 14 plays He played well as the "TE" and had an excellent pancake block on the long Bryce TD run.
Kieft: 82% on 17 plays. Had two plays in a row that were not good. One he missed the guy in the hole which would have resulted in a long run, the very next play he made contact but the defender slide of to the inside to make the play. He was not happy with himself after that one. He made up for it on the long Bryce run with one of his signature drive the guy down field and then bury him into the turf

The Passing game
Andries: 100% on 10 plays
Olson: 90% on 10 plays
JMS: 90% on 10 plays
Faalele: 70% on 10 plays His low grade is due to having three plays where he had nobody to block, not because he was missing blocks.
Schlueter: 80% on 19 plays Same as Daniel
Ruschmeyer: 100% on 5 plays
Kieft: 83% on 6 plays

Three big takeaways from the second half were:
1. The 5 OL didn't change at all for the entire second half. Sam, Connor, John, Blaise and Daniel. Axel and Ko played quite a bit as well as the "TE" or "wing". They moved well together all half.
2. Our mix of run pass was headed for a similar split as the first half, but the two Int's altered that approach after the second one.
3. Bucky had only one carry the entire second half. Ky had a couple (he needs a little work in reading blocks but is going to be a really good back with more time)

 

[hungan1]

Are the Gophers having the opposite depth issues? Too many OLs with NFL aspirations like the supply chain backlog on the Port of Long Beach. Is this partially why Dunlop decided to go on the Transfer Portal?

 

[Gophers7NatTitlesBadgers0]

Too many lineman with NFL aspirations? When was the last time we had that problem? *Nice problem to have btw!*

 

[hungan1]

....
The Passing game (2nd Half)
Andries: 100% on 10 plays
Olson: 90% on 10 plays
JMS: 90% on 10 plays
Faalele: 70% on 10 plays His low grade is due to having three plays where he had nobody to block, not because he was missing blocks.
...

Three big takeaways from the second half were:
1. The 5 OL didn't change at all for the entire second half. Sam, Connor, John, Blaise and Daniel. Axel and Ko played quite a bit as well as the "TE" or "wing". They moved well together all half.
2. Our mix of run pass was headed for a similar split as the first half, but the two Int's altered that approach after the second one.
...

Thanks, GFBfan for the excellent analysis.

Is Fa'alele's low pass-blocking grade in the second half due in part to the Gophers' offensive line formation involving more than five OLs and the development of the plays away from him?

It is better not to have anyone to block than to get a holding call. In Bryce Benhart's case with the Huskers, Esezi Otomewo owns him. He should have kicked EO in the n@ts if he couldn't block him. That could have prevented the safety call against Martinez, LOL.

 

[WAGopher]

Regarding Faalele, and others that don’t have contact on a play.

Instead of giving a zero, how about not scoring the play at all for an offensive lineman that doesn’t get a block in. Now a whiff is different, but sometimes a lineman holding their space without contact is what they’re taught. An example would be the defense stunts away to try and suck the lineman over to open a hole for a blitz. They might not blitz on that stunt, but be assured the opposing coaches will see the lineman leave his space and they’ll dial up the blitz the next time. Not getting a block in can happen on run plays too, most likely when the lineman pulls or goes downfield, and when they get their there isn’t anyone to block. More rare, but it does happen.

Just and idea, and you might not want to change scoring this year to keep it all the same.

Thank you for doing this each game. It’s something I look forward to reading.

 

[GFBfan]

It would be hard to change it at this point in the year as I don't really want to go back and check all the plays again for those 0 grades.
On passing plays, I'm a little more lenient with the grading. If they get a finger on someone for a tenth of a second, I will count it as a 1. For the tackles when we run playing action using a stretch play with Tanner rolling out the opposite direction, the tackle on the roll out side usually is the one who has no blocking assignment Daniel being the RT is the one it happens to the most. The guards and center have it happen once in awhile on straight drop backs if only 4 rush.