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James Irwin and Shead?

  • Now that it appears that both are the starters with Habren retiring and Evans injury (depth is gone now) do you think it may make OU a better run blocking team? I know that Shead is a better run blocker than Ikard is at least from the guard position you can see that from the games last year, but is Irwin considered a better run blocker than Evans? I mean Evans has only been average as a run blocker in his 3 seasons, but has been an exceptional pass blocker. So would it be fair to say that with Ikard and Evans at guard you have a better pass blocking line, but with Irwin and Shead at guard you have a better run blocking line?

    signature image signature image signature image

    "With Nebraska trying to leave, we felt like we needed to send them out with a loss, and we did." -Ryan Broyles-

    SoonerManChild ●

  • Sad to say but if your looking for the silver lining to losing two starters off the offensive line there isn't one. It completely sucks and there is no way to sugar coat the fact the it is a fairly big blow to the offense. I'd be looking at moving a DT over to the line or guy like Geno Grissam. Looks like it may be another year with an offensive line that has guys who are transplants from other positions. OU will be forced to have Millard pick up alot of the slack on blocking deficiences too.

    This post has been edited 2 times, most recently by tatertot on 8/6/2012 at 1:59 PM

    tatertot

  • Scary to think that just a month ago there was talk of Irwin redshirting and now he might be starting. Crazy offseason lol

    SoonerSeif

  • SoonerSeif said...

    Scary to think that just a month ago there was talk of Irwin redshirting and now he might be starting. Crazy offseason lol

    At the same time there was talk about him winning the starting job as well, the RS thing was more of a backup plan for if he didnt. Habren himself also said he was only going to play about 20-30 snaps a game and Merv Johnson said after spring Ikard was the best center on the team. Are Evans and Habren big loses absolutely we just lost experience and depth, but are we all the sudden lacking in talent? Not at all the issue now becomes keeping everyone else healthy which is no easy task.

    signature image signature image signature image

    "With Nebraska trying to leave, we felt like we needed to send them out with a loss, and we did." -Ryan Broyles-

    SoonerManChild ●

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    Alan H

  • What we're really gonna be missing out on, it seems, is having a nice, seamless rotation, of interior lineman to spell each other. So now with less bodies with experience it might be difficult to play at that hurry-up pace more often. We'll see. I hope I'm wrong.

    That's who I am... a Sooner.

    burbanksooner1 ●

  • SoonerManChild said.... Are Evans and Habren big loses? Absolutely -- we just lost experience and depth, but are we all the sudden lacking in talent? Not at all the issue now becomes keeping everyone else healthy which is no easy task.

    SMC - You're correct. We've lost experience - not talent.

    Merv loves Habern, but has said for almost a year that Gabe may be the best choice at center.

    As for the guards, Merv is probably highest on Shead and Irwin, acknowledging that Nila is a special talent. So yeah, this may not be a drop in talent at all, but it will make any other OL injury more critical.

    I realize Tyrus Thompson pushed ahead of Lane Johnson by at nose at the close of spring, but
    I personally would not be shocked to see him moved to guard, or at least get some practice there -- just in case.

    AH OUInsider

    Alan H

  • SoonerManChild said...

    At the same time there was talk about him winning the starting job as well, the RS thing was more of a backup plan for if he didnt. Habren himself also said he was only going to play about 20-30 snaps a game and Merv Johnson said after spring Ikard was the best center on the team. Are Evans and Habren big loses absolutely we just lost experience and depth, but are we all the sudden lacking in talent? Not at all the issue now becomes keeping everyone else healthy which is no easy task.

    My point wasn't there being a lack of talent. Just pointing out the craziness of the last two months. I fully believe Shead and Ikard (at center) are our two best O linemen, including Habern and Evans.

    SoonerSeif

  • I'm about to sacrifice a live chicken just to get the injury bug off OU's football team. I realize that every team has injuries, but this crap is just crazy. These injuries to all of these starters are costing OU a bunch of wins and they've been going on for a number of years now.

    Whoever put the injury curse on the OU football team, please take it back. I didn't know it was your sister that night.

    JetDoc ●

  • We have to successfully get a top Juco OL or two.

    Deep Red

  • OU wants to use three guys at OT because of our fast-paced offense. There is no way they will move Thompson inside unless the newbies are a disaster. And I don't think that will be the case. My guess is that Kasitati, Irwin and Shead will fight it out for the guard spots. The third guy will probably rotate if he can play. Before anyone panics, think back to 2000. I think this OL compares talent-wise very favorably with that group.

    HTown

  • It's too bad there wasn't an OG that wanted to come with Brown from PSU. I wouldn't recruit someone from their team, but with the injuries of late if someone was looking for a home we could use the help.

    SSOONERR

  • tatertot said...

    Sad to say but if your looking for the silver lining to losing two starters off the offensive line there isn't one. It completely sucks and there is no way to sugar coat the fact the it is a fairly big blow to the offense. I'd be looking at moving a DT over to the line or guy like Geno Grissam. Looks like it may be another year with an offensive line that has guys who are transplants from other positions. OU will be forced to have Millard pick up alot of the slack on blocking deficiences too.

    I agree not much positive about this. for the ultimately optimists in the world, I would say two things. Having Evans and Habern go down early means OU will reps for their replacement in practice and early games where OU is a pretty big favorite. Additionally it will mean more returning experience for next season. Regardless, I would prefer to have Habern and Evans this season.

    DenverSooner

  • HTown said...OU wants to use three guys at OT because of our fast-paced offense. There is no way they will move Thompson inside unless the newbies are a disaster.

    HT - What I meant was making Tyrus Thompson a 'swing' player, capable of playing OG or OT as opposed to a permanent move.

    Of course that may not happen, I was just saying that I would not be surprised to see it happen as Patton has used that strategy before to add depth. The same objective could be used with ANY of the top 6 or 8 OL's, I'm only speculation that TT would be the guy that could play either one, as far as I know anyway.

    But I agree with you that he's not going to be a permanent guard, at least I don't see it happening with what we know now.

    AH OUInsider

    Alan H

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