Okay, so this is something I do after some games. I have never shared it completely, but I thought after this game it might be insightful. Or you can think I'm full of shit, which is quite possible, as well. I use the grading rubric that we use at my high school, and is used by many programs from middle school to the pros.
Rubric:
Each play is graded for each player and average computed
0 = MA/totally blew assignment
1 = Didn't blow up the play, but sub par technique/results
2 = Goal on each play - did your job to an acceptable level
3 = Rare - exceptional play or superior effort
< 1.45 - Unacceptable/Failing
1.60 - Adequate/Fair/Needs to Improve
1.75 - Passing Grade/We can win with this play
1.90 - Superior Grade/We should win with this play
Brenden Mahon
Run - 2.0
Pass - 1.65
Overall - 1.78
I like Mahon best when he has a defender in his face. He is physical and strong, and he finishes blocks as well as anyone we have on the line. He rarely has a MA. Mahon's challenge will be to better his foot quickness and edge-rush protection to better deal with the speed rushers he will continue to face. It is worth noting that many teams will put their best pass rusher over LT, so Mahon will often be facing a high-quality athlete.
Ryan Bates
Run - 1.13
Pass - 1.65
Overall - 1.45
As should be expected, there is a learning curve for a redshirt freshman in the trenches. I love the combination of quickness and power Bates has shown. Every time I see him play, he seems to get better, and I fully believe that will continue. He had a few MAs in the both the passing, and in particular, the running game. Experience will fix most of his problems, including blitz pick-up and trading players on stunts.
Brian Gaia
Run - 1.83
Pass - 1.85
Overall 1.85
The first thing to note - that goes mostly unnoticed - is that Gaia's snaps have been excellent. The one errant snap on Saturday was due to the illegal clapping of Pitt's defense - something that should have been called after the first complaint. Brian is very strong, but a little underweight, and both of those attributes show in his play. On some plays, he uses his quickness and strength to eliminate the defender. On others, he can be pushed around a bit. He is also doing a good job of making the OL calls, though this week Dowrey helped in that because Gaia didn't have a voice.
Derek Dowrey
Run - 1.62
Pass - 1.95
Overall - 1.84
#8 was 6'4", 360 lbs, and played with a low pad level. He could be blocked, but it's not realistic to expect much movement. Still, Dowrey was the best option we have to be matched up with him, and overall did a good job against him in both the run and the pass. There are two obvious challenges for Dowrey, and only one he can do anything about. He needs to continue to work on keeping his feet moving through the block as he often powers-up and stops his feet, leading to losing his man too early. Secondly, he needs to continue to overcome his length issues, which require him to get his head/shoulders too involved in his pass blocking.
Andrew Nelson
Run - 2.0
Pass - 1.61
Overall - 1.75
I admit to being a bit confused by Nelson's play. He looks so good, and then he looks sluggish. I don't know if the chronic knee issues have slowed him, but he, like Mahon, needs to improve on his pass pro against the speed rush. But if you ever need an example of experience paying off, Nelson is your man. He rarely has a MA, and teamed next to Dowrey, they are at least usually blocking the right people. Nelson is particularly good at blitz recognition and dealing with the games up front.
Connor McGovern
I didn't think it was fair to grade McGovern this week as he was only in for four plays. He got his name mentioned on his first play, as a victim of Pitt's clapping defense. He then had two good plays, followed by a MA. Not enough of a sample size to evaluate, but McGovern displays all the physical attributes of a top OL. Hopefully, he will get more opportunity to play this coming week.
~
I do try to be fair and unbiased when grading, though I'm sure some will believe otherwise. And I don't claim to know everything about OL play, but I do have some experience and insight here. A great example would be the 3rd down play in Q2 when it appeared Gaia was beaten badly for a sack. I'm sure most people watching, including the color analysist, blame the center for that sack. But if you understand the slide protection we are using, you will come to a different conclusion. Gaia has a man lined up in the A-gap to his right. At the snap, he shows some pretty amazing athleticism to cut that gap off and get his body to the right side of the DL. Gaia is expecting Bates to help him to his left. Unfortunately, both Bates and McGovern (I mentioned his one MA) are not sliding right. Gaia is left chasing his man to the inside, as is Nelson, who was expecting help from McGovern. So, what looked like a horrible play by Gaia and poor blocking by Nelson, was actually two freshmen linemen not understanding the pass pro. I'm not trying to call out the young guys, but I am pointing out that what sometimes looks like one player's mistake, is occasionally not what it seems.
So, if this was my team and I was officially grading, I would give the OL a passing grade overall. I would certainly want more, and continue to challenge them to reach that superior grade. And I would be patient with the young OL, who show great potential.
Feel free to comment. Agree with me or call me a dumb-ass, it's all good. But it is this type of film critique that has led me to believe that our OL is on the right track. But we do have to have a plan to deal with the total run-sellout that defenses have shown us for two weeks. I didn't count, but go back and see how many times a safety made a stop for no or little gain. The OL cannot account for the safety. We need to continue to throw downfield, like we did unsuccessfully against Kent State, and like we did in the second half of the Pitt game. Until we show that we can hurt a defense with our vertical passing game, we will continue to struggle putting together a consistent running game.
JMO.
Rubric:
Each play is graded for each player and average computed
0 = MA/totally blew assignment
1 = Didn't blow up the play, but sub par technique/results
2 = Goal on each play - did your job to an acceptable level
3 = Rare - exceptional play or superior effort
< 1.45 - Unacceptable/Failing
1.60 - Adequate/Fair/Needs to Improve
1.75 - Passing Grade/We can win with this play
1.90 - Superior Grade/We should win with this play
Brenden Mahon
Run - 2.0
Pass - 1.65
Overall - 1.78
I like Mahon best when he has a defender in his face. He is physical and strong, and he finishes blocks as well as anyone we have on the line. He rarely has a MA. Mahon's challenge will be to better his foot quickness and edge-rush protection to better deal with the speed rushers he will continue to face. It is worth noting that many teams will put their best pass rusher over LT, so Mahon will often be facing a high-quality athlete.
Ryan Bates
Run - 1.13
Pass - 1.65
Overall - 1.45
As should be expected, there is a learning curve for a redshirt freshman in the trenches. I love the combination of quickness and power Bates has shown. Every time I see him play, he seems to get better, and I fully believe that will continue. He had a few MAs in the both the passing, and in particular, the running game. Experience will fix most of his problems, including blitz pick-up and trading players on stunts.
Brian Gaia
Run - 1.83
Pass - 1.85
Overall 1.85
The first thing to note - that goes mostly unnoticed - is that Gaia's snaps have been excellent. The one errant snap on Saturday was due to the illegal clapping of Pitt's defense - something that should have been called after the first complaint. Brian is very strong, but a little underweight, and both of those attributes show in his play. On some plays, he uses his quickness and strength to eliminate the defender. On others, he can be pushed around a bit. He is also doing a good job of making the OL calls, though this week Dowrey helped in that because Gaia didn't have a voice.
Derek Dowrey
Run - 1.62
Pass - 1.95
Overall - 1.84
#8 was 6'4", 360 lbs, and played with a low pad level. He could be blocked, but it's not realistic to expect much movement. Still, Dowrey was the best option we have to be matched up with him, and overall did a good job against him in both the run and the pass. There are two obvious challenges for Dowrey, and only one he can do anything about. He needs to continue to work on keeping his feet moving through the block as he often powers-up and stops his feet, leading to losing his man too early. Secondly, he needs to continue to overcome his length issues, which require him to get his head/shoulders too involved in his pass blocking.
Andrew Nelson
Run - 2.0
Pass - 1.61
Overall - 1.75
I admit to being a bit confused by Nelson's play. He looks so good, and then he looks sluggish. I don't know if the chronic knee issues have slowed him, but he, like Mahon, needs to improve on his pass pro against the speed rush. But if you ever need an example of experience paying off, Nelson is your man. He rarely has a MA, and teamed next to Dowrey, they are at least usually blocking the right people. Nelson is particularly good at blitz recognition and dealing with the games up front.
Connor McGovern
I didn't think it was fair to grade McGovern this week as he was only in for four plays. He got his name mentioned on his first play, as a victim of Pitt's clapping defense. He then had two good plays, followed by a MA. Not enough of a sample size to evaluate, but McGovern displays all the physical attributes of a top OL. Hopefully, he will get more opportunity to play this coming week.
~
I do try to be fair and unbiased when grading, though I'm sure some will believe otherwise. And I don't claim to know everything about OL play, but I do have some experience and insight here. A great example would be the 3rd down play in Q2 when it appeared Gaia was beaten badly for a sack. I'm sure most people watching, including the color analysist, blame the center for that sack. But if you understand the slide protection we are using, you will come to a different conclusion. Gaia has a man lined up in the A-gap to his right. At the snap, he shows some pretty amazing athleticism to cut that gap off and get his body to the right side of the DL. Gaia is expecting Bates to help him to his left. Unfortunately, both Bates and McGovern (I mentioned his one MA) are not sliding right. Gaia is left chasing his man to the inside, as is Nelson, who was expecting help from McGovern. So, what looked like a horrible play by Gaia and poor blocking by Nelson, was actually two freshmen linemen not understanding the pass pro. I'm not trying to call out the young guys, but I am pointing out that what sometimes looks like one player's mistake, is occasionally not what it seems.
So, if this was my team and I was officially grading, I would give the OL a passing grade overall. I would certainly want more, and continue to challenge them to reach that superior grade. And I would be patient with the young OL, who show great potential.
Feel free to comment. Agree with me or call me a dumb-ass, it's all good. But it is this type of film critique that has led me to believe that our OL is on the right track. But we do have to have a plan to deal with the total run-sellout that defenses have shown us for two weeks. I didn't count, but go back and see how many times a safety made a stop for no or little gain. The OL cannot account for the safety. We need to continue to throw downfield, like we did unsuccessfully against Kent State, and like we did in the second half of the Pitt game. Until we show that we can hurt a defense with our vertical passing game, we will continue to struggle putting together a consistent running game.
JMO.
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