How worried should we be about the OL?

[Johannes de Silentio]

Austin reporting that Corcoran isn't even a sure-thing for Illinois. And he confirmed what we already knew, namely, that he's missed or been limited for a bunch of camp. So we're potentially rolling with:

Banks-Piper-Jurgens-Sichterman-Benhart

We've been told repeatedly that Piper hasn't been terribly impressive. Even if we have Corcoran, he has one start that likely over-represented just how good he is at this moment, and he's still injured.

I really, really want this unit to take the next step this season. What do you guys think?

 

[lee_carvallo_12]

I think it's an average at best OL with or without Corcoran. FWIW, average at best is an improvement over the last 2-3 years.

 

[BIG TONE SOPRANO]

They will suck yet again. I mean how impossibly bad is our coaching that you can’t motivate a bunch of 330 pound stick-armed tubs of lard to hold a block for 3-4 seconds???

 

[Kaladin]

I think it's an average at best OL with or without Corcoran. FWIW, average at best is an improvement over the last 2-3 years.

I concur. If we struggle this season the OL will be the primary reason why. Way too inexperienced. I wish we had gotten someone from the portal, specifically a guard

 

[...TrueColors...]

I think we’ll be just fine there, at least for the first 3 weeks. They’re going up a pretty solid DL every day. That’s gotta be making them better.

 

[Ext. 55]

How many of our opponents will have a better DL than we have?

 

[lee_carvallo_12]

I concur. If we struggle this season the OL will be the primary reason why. Way too inexperienced. I wish we had gotten someone from the portal, specifically a guard

I've been a little disappointed that the german boy from csu and the Cockeye transfer haven't stepped up and grabbed a starting spot. on the other hand, maybe it is a good indicator on piper and sichterman's progress 🤷‍♂️

 

[...TrueColors...]

I've been a little disappointed that the german boy from csu and the Cockeyes transfer haven't stepped up and grabbed a starting spot. on the other hand, maybe it is a good indicator on piper and sichterman's progress 🤷‍♂️

For what it’s worth, all last spring, summer, and into what we had as a fall I heard how Stille wasn’t progressing then he went out and put together a pretty good year. The things I’ve heard and we know on Piper sound eerily similar to what I was told about Stille last year.

 

[dsbigred1]

I am worried about it with or without Corcoran. The OL play outside of tOSU last year has been poor to start the season. It typically has gotten better as the year progresses, but it seems worthy of concern. Literally every player needs to have made significant jumps for there to not be at least a little concern.

 

[cwessel76]

Am I the only one here who is actually excited about our OL? We have a lot of young but promising pieces.

 

[Kaladin]

Am I the only one here who is actually excited about our OL? We have a lot of young but promising pieces.

An inexperienced OL in the Big 10 is generally a negative.

It sucks that Corcoran might be out because he could use a few games to get his feet wet prior to Oklahoma. If he is out, hopefully it's just a one game thing.

 

[Pipe Line]

I'll be honest I'm not worried. Isn't that the point of the Pipeline? Plug the next guy in if a guy is out?

 

[lee_carvallo_12]

I'll be honest I'm not worried. Isn't that the point of the Pipeline? Plug the next guy in if a guy is out?

sounds like something somebody called @Pipe Line would say...

 

[Daddy]

Right now my worry level is: meh

 

[Alcaus]

Are we snapping the ball properly?

If it's a yes then we've already won, gang.

 

[Jim14510]

If I had expectations of 10-2 I'd be worried that Corchoran is out.

 

[DrinkItIn]

IDK man. You really hope Corcoran is ready...but even if he is...are we still committing the same stupid penalties we have for the last 3 years? I guess I would say I am pretty nervous about this group.

 

[Toe]

I think it's an average at best OL with or without Corcoran. FWIW, average at best is an improvement over the last 2-3 years.

'Average' is pretty much my overall expectation as well. It definitely sucks, it's definitely a setback, but I don't think Cocoran alone is going to make or break our season. Now if another guy goes down too (especially Jurgens), I'll start to get a lot more worried...

 

[BIG TONE SOPRANO]

Am I the only one here who is actually excited about our OL? We have a lot of young but promising pieces.

Yes you are

 

[Jim14510]

Am I the only one here who is actually excited about our OL? We have a lot of young but promising pieces.

You're not the only one. I think there's just question marks about depth and I think they're a year away from being good. The line as a whole is light years from when Frost took over imo.