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Whats the consensus on OL play?

If Dejong is playing we are in trouble. Should’ve said no thx on coming back for his 6ty yr. Rather take a chance with one of the younger guys with higher ceiling or transfer than him. Seen enough to know. Point and case bowl game. Comes in whiffs on a run block 2 plays later gets beaten by guy forces sack fumble inside the 5.
Just another example of this staff taking the easy way out in bringing back this guy that’s not good instead of try and find a better one in the portal. KF is going through the motions and cashing a $7 mil paycheck. Hang it up and let someone younger with energy take it over.
 
Yeah I mentioned before but
Richman HS DE
Dejong Walkon
Plumb HS TE
Jones HS DT
The fact that this is an OL at a top 1/2 BIG and Top 25 program is astounding.
Bizarre post.

Robert Gallery - HS TE
Eric Steinbach - HS TE
Bruce Nelson - Walkon
Brandon Scherff - HS QB
Riley Reiff - HS DE and TE
Tyler Linderbaum - Came to Iowa as a DT
 
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Bizarre post.

Robert Gallery - HS TE
Eric Steinbach - HS TE
Bruce Nelson - Walkon
Brandon Scherff - HS QB
Riley Reiff - HS DE and TE
Tyler Linderbaum - Came to Iowa as a DT
Yeah in '02 and you can argue that unit was an anomaly considering how average this OL is.
Besides the fact he played OL his Senior year of HS Scherff, Reiff, Linderbaum never played together.
At one point last year our starting 5 was the 4 players I mentioned. That means 80% of the unit never played OL till getting to Iowa. That is my point.
 
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Yeah in '02 and you can argue its an anomaly considering how average this OL is.
Also Scherff, Reiff, Linderbaum never played together
What does playing together have to do with anything? You’re trying to argue that players are less qualified to be OL at Iowa because they played a different position in high school or were a walk-on. I’m showing you that yours is a nonsensical argument given how many successful OL at Iowa fit into at least one of those two categories.
 
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What does playing together have to do with anything? You’re trying to argue that players are less qualified to be OL at Iowa because they played a different position in high school or were a walk-on. I’m showing you that yours is a nonsensical argument given how many successful OL at Iowa fit into at least one of those two categories.
I am saying when at one point in time 60-80% of your starting Oline didnt play Oline initially that probably isn't ideal.
 
I was wondering what everyones views on the OL is and OL play in recent years. As it stands now we return 5 starters for next year. The starting 5 as of now is a combo of

Richman
Dejong
Jones
Elsbury
Colby
Dunker
MAYBE Stephens

I lean towards this OL is probably average talent wise but predictability makes them look way worse. I also think we just have a bunch of guards and no tackles. What say you guys?

Lack of talent?
Lack of development?
Predictability?
Coaching?
Injuries?
Attrition issues?
They have no nasty in them, which is terribly disappointing. They take on blocks rather than deliver them. Collectively, they rarely finish,.

From a broad perspective, it looks like they are overthinking rather than just playing (other than Rusty Feth, who came on strong during the back half of the season).,

JMO
 
I am saying when at one point in time 60-80% of your starting Oline didnt play Oline initially that probably isn't ideal.
And again I’m telling you that that doesn’t make any sense, given how many successful OL at Iowa didn’t play that position in high school.

Would you take this OL:

Daijon Parker
Beau Stephens
Tyler Elsbury
Connor Colby
Gennings Dunker

….over this one:

Robert Gallery
Eric Steinbach
Bruce Nelson
Adam Gettis
Riley Reiff

The first group all played OL in high school. No one in the second group did.
 
And again I’m telling you that that doesn’t make any sense, given how many successful OL at Iowa didn’t play that position in high school.

Would you take this OL:

Daijon Parker
Beau Stephens
Tyler Elsbury
Connor Colby
Gennings Dunker

….over this one:

Robert Gallery
Eric Steinbach
Bruce Nelson
Adam Gettis
Riley Reiff

The first group all played OL in high school. No one in the second group did.
Lolol you had to go back over 20 years to put that list together! You are proving his point!

If you are recruiting 3 or 4 OL every year, but the majority of your starters still have to be switched from other positions, you are crappy at evaluating, recruiting, and developing OL players!
 
My hawk buddy and I decided that they should change the name on the back of DeJongs jersey to either “Matador”, or “ Olé “.
 
Lolol you had to go back over 20 years to put that list together! You are proving his point!

If you are recruiting 3 or 4 OL every year, but the majority of your starters still have to be switched from other positions, you are crappy at evaluating, recruiting, and developing OL players!
Yeah, I’d hate to have a line full of players like former DT Tyler Linderbaum. That would really suck!
 
There are some success stories of the staff making guys into great o-lineman. Probably just enough to make them think they have a secret special sauce, but they don't. For every Gallery there are 3 Plumbs.
 
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Yeah, I’d hate to have a line full of players like former DT Tyler Linderbaum. That would really suck!
The reality is that you had 1 Tyler Linderbaum and a bunch of other guys that resulted in a pretty bad offensive line and they're all still here for the most part. You can't build an entire offensive line by converting players. At some point you need to be able to recruit offensive linemen to be offensive linemen.
 
The reality is that you had 1 Tyler Linderbaum and a bunch of other guys that resulted in a pretty bad offensive line and they're all still here for the most part. You can't build an entire offensive line by converting players. At some point you need to be able to recruit offensive linemen to be offensive linemen.
Thats really my point, obviously being Iowa I expect 1 or maybe 2 converted OLineman or Walkons but not over half the starting line
 
I always get a good laugh out of the “trust me, bro” arguments that aren’t in any way supported by facts. Sure they’re easy to understand; no real thought has been put into them.

Looking at the recruiting classes from 2018-2021, Iowa brought in 18 recruits who ended up playing OL at Iowa. 13 of those players were listed as OL coming out of high school by Rivals and 5 were listed at another position.

Of the 13 who were listed as OL, 3 became regular starters at Iowa. That’s 23%. Of the 5 who were listed at another position, 4 became regular starters. That’s 80%. Outside of Linderbaum, those converted players haven’t exactly been amazing, but each was playing in front of multiple guys who strictly played OL in high school.

Iowa needs better talent on the OL, to be sure. But thinking the problem is with not recruiting enough players who were strictly OL in high school is off-base. If anything, Iowa should be doing it more. Imagine an OL with Yahya Black and Aaron Graves as bookend tackles.
 
And again I’m telling you that that doesn’t make any sense, given how many successful OL at Iowa didn’t play that position in high school.

Would you take this OL:

Daijon Parker
Beau Stephens
Tyler Elsbury
Connor Colby
Gennings Dunker

….over this one:

Robert Gallery
Eric Steinbach
Bruce Nelson
Adam Gettis
Riley Reiff

The first group all played OL in high school. No one in the second group did.
Chris Doyle coached the early line and ever since he's left we have gone downhill on the OL, and everywhere. Period.
 
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OLine recruiting has been dogshit for several years, and the one recruiting group that was highly touted(Davidkov/Myslinski/Stephens) never materialized.

Add that to crappy coaches and you end up with this staff thinking bringing back DeJong for a 6th year is a positive.
 
I agree wholeheartedly that the OL has been bad for far too long. As usual with these types of things, there are several causes.

It’s laughable to think that not recruiting enough players who were OL in high school is a main reason for the lack of success on the line when there is so much evidence to the contrary.

It reminds me of how periodically posters on this board who clearly don’t follow recruiting or player development at Iowa insist that “WE NEED TO GET MORE WIDE RECEIVERS WHO WERE WIDE RECEIVERS IN HIGH SCHOOL!!!” These casual fans are then informed that 4 of the top 6 receivers at Iowa all-time weren’t wide receivers in high school. It’s just people who don’t understand what’s actually going on randomly grasping for some simplistic explanation.
 
The highest rated position group of Kirk's tenure BY FAR, WITHOUT A DOUBT, is the defensive backfield.

Thanks, Phil!
2021 class has three 4* OL. That was the most of any position. Those are the guys I’m referring to that are playing right now.
 
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