I hope the new line coach knows how to develop that depth. Stud played his starters the whole game, often even in won games. The twos barely saw the field. The threes dozed off on the bench. Talented reserves need to be rotated into the game from time to time instead of standing on the sidelines for three years. It sure works for Chief.
I've always wondered why almost all coaches go with their starters the entire game on the ol but rotate dline constantly. Then they expect the oline to wear down the dline even though the oline has played more. Confusing....
I always felt that O-Line is much different than the D-Line in that the best lines work as a unit. Each position is more dependent upon the man next to him to be successful, so rotating people there is not something that's desired. It's why you will hear the talking heads talk about continuity along the O-Line as desirable while on the defensive side of the ball keeping legs fresh is more important. On the defensive side of the ball it's much less important to work as a unit.
I hear what you are saying and was actually thinking of that while I posted my last post. However It just seems like they could sub one guy every now and then to keep guys fresh, but the coaches do know a lot more than me.
Well-trained, effective offensive lines do not break down just because someone is substituted from time to time. It is important to get playing time for the backups. If Pocic have been inserted in the 4th quarter in won games earlier in the season, he might have made his mistakes when it really didn't matter. Instead he came in cold after an injury late in the season when it did matter and his rookie mistake cost Mettenberger his bowl game.
FIFY Totally understand what you're saying but that's just not the way O-Lines work. When the starters are resting late in games that rarely includes the O-line. And if it does it's the entire unit, not a player here and a player there.
Sure, I understand why it is done. Especially in the NFL. I just think that the practice does have some consequences in the NCAA, like under-developed reserves and when we take an OL injury it is more problematic. How many times do we see reshuffling along the line after an injury instead of allowing a steady and experienced reserve to step up and play. The NFL can count on having such a player. Colleges must develop them out of youngsters and they have to find them some PT when they can. Why risk injury to starters in won games up by three or four scores? Why not develop that youth?
