Colledge put on notice

[Bretsky]

This is a case in point as to why it can be in some respects difficult to criticize Thompson too much on the offensive line. As a couple posters noted, last year Colledge played really well in the second half and seemed poised to become the Packers' best offensive lineman. Couple that with Sitton and an improving Spitz, and there was reason to be optimistic. Clifton, too, was supposedly healthier than he'd been in a long time.

At the beginning of the season it appeared that four of the five line spots were solid and Barbre was the question mark. Clifton's slippage and Colledge's msytifying free fall into mediocrity and worse were not predicted in many, if any, places.

If Colledge was good last year, clearly he has talent. I knew Will Whitticker, and he's no Will Whitticker.

The mystery of Colledge is probably the biggest factor in this season's offensive line woes. That, and the consistent push DE's get on whoever is playing offensive tackle for the Pack.

So the same coach that coaches DC to all that massive improvement gets ingnored for last year and takes the bullets this year ? I don't buy it.

I'm not making excuses for TT and this OL

[gbgary]

it's clear that ink has a higher priority than anything else.

[Smidgeon]

I'm not making excuses for TT and this OL

How do you know it is TT and not the coaches?

[Scott Campbell]

I'm not making excuses for TT and this OL

How do you know it is TT and not the coaches?

Does it matter? The buck stops with the GM.

[Smidgeon]

I'm not making excuses for TT and this OL

How do you know it is TT and not the coaches?

Does it matter? The buck stops with the GM.

To the extent that it's his job to find the right HC. It's the HC's job to find the right assistant coaches, and if the right assistant coaches aren't found or can't get the job done, either the HC needs to start changing things, or the GM needs to put pressure on the HC.

[Waldo]

Things have changed a little.

Colledge is clearly ~10 pounds heavier this year than previous years. He used to be hands down the most mobile lineman on the field. What made Colledge good was not his work on the LOS. He was an acceptable pass blocker, and could get some push, and had top notch tech to seal off big hogs in the run game, but he was not a pile driver. When he got off a combo block into the 2nd level, he planted LB's on their ass. He was quick and agile in space, they had no chance against him. His bulking up has sapped some of his speed and balance, he's no longer the 2nd level demon that he was, and his pass blocking has declined with the weight gain as well.

[Maxie the Taxi]

It all may be academic. Colledge may be playing CENTER before the season is through.

From Stubby's 11/20 presser...

(Is Wells OK to go?)
Yes, I thought Scott practiced well today. Unless something changes when we go back inside, into the training room, I fully anticipate that he'll go and start.

(Did Dietrich-Smith hurt himself yesterday?)
Dietrich, yeah, he had a tough time yesterday. He fought through practice, and I'm hopeful that he'll be ready to go for Sunday. He's pretty banged up.

(You don't have Jason, so who's your fourth-string center if it comes to that?)
Daryn Colledge. Daryn worked some there yesterday and has always worked through our quarterback-center exchange drills. Daryn has been prepared for that for some time.

[Bretsky]

I'm not making excuses for TT and this OL

How do you know it is TT and not the coaches?

Same question back at ya
Nobody knows for sure
But TT has had five years now; the results on the trenches are not good
And the OL that once showed a bit or promise was coached by the same guy

[Smidgeon]

I'm not making excuses for TT and this OL

How do you know it is TT and not the coaches?

Same question back at ya
Nobody knows for sure
But TT has had five years now; the results on the trenches are not good
And the OL that once showed a bit or promise was coached by the same guy

The only people I'm not making excuses for is the O-line and the O-line coach. Everyone else, there just isn't enough data to point at.

[Bretsky]

I'm not making excuses for TT and this OL

How do you know it is TT and not the coaches?

Same question back at ya
Nobody knows for sure
But TT has had five years now; the results on the trenches are not good
And the OL that once showed a bit or promise was coached by the same guy

The only people I'm not making excuses for is the O-line and the O-line coach. Everyone else, there just isn't enough data to point at.

I just add the GM to the list because IMO the the cup is not full enough with talent

[Smidgeon]

I'm not making excuses for TT and this OL

How do you know it is TT and not the coaches?

Same question back at ya
Nobody knows for sure
But TT has had five years now; the results on the trenches are not good
And the OL that once showed a bit or promise was coached by the same guy

The only people I'm not making excuses for is the O-line and the O-line coach. Everyone else, there just isn't enough data to point at.

I just add the GM to the list because IMO the the cup is not full enough with talent

You and I have this knack of seeing each issue just similarly, yet slightly differently.

Personally, I think the talent is there. I think that because there have been flashes of brilliance. If there's flashes, there can be consistency, and I think the consistency needs to come from the coaches. You see it happening in the backup running backs with Bennett. When Jackson and Wynn first came, they were a liability in blitz pickups. Now? Now they're great. That's coaching. There have been quite a few O-line picks in the draft from TT. I would think that there is no way that they're all devoid of talent. I just think the coaches can't pull it out consistently...

[Fritz]

This is a case in point as to why it can be in some respects difficult to criticize Thompson too much on the offensive line. As a couple posters noted, last year Colledge played really well in the second half and seemed poised to become the Packers' best offensive lineman. Couple that with Sitton and an improving Spitz, and there was reason to be optimistic. Clifton, too, was supposedly healthier than he'd been in a long time.

At the beginning of the season it appeared that four of the five line spots were solid and Barbre was the question mark. Clifton's slippage and Colledge's msytifying free fall into mediocrity and worse were not predicted in many, if any, places.

If Colledge was good last year, clearly he has talent. I knew Will Whitticker, and he's no Will Whitticker.

The mystery of Colledge is probably the biggest factor in this season's offensive line woes. That, and the consistent push DE's get on whoever is playing offensive tackle for the Pack.

So the same coach that coaches DC to all that massive improvement gets ingnored for last year and takes the bullets this year ? I don't buy it.

I'm not making excuses for TT and this OL

I'm not blaming the coach here. What I'm saying is that it's the GM's job to find and procure talent, and based on Colledge's last season, particularly the last half, it's clear the guy has enough talent.

I did say his free fall has been mystifying. That means it's unclear what the hell happened or why.

[retailguy]

I put colledge on notice 3 freaking years ago. Nice that the rest of you and the Packer staff have finally caught up with me.

[mraynrand]

Things have changed a little.

Colledge is clearly ~10 pounds heavier this year than previous years. He used to be hands down the most mobile lineman on the field. What made Colledge good was not his work on the LOS. He was an acceptable pass blocker, and could get some push, and had top notch tech to seal off big hogs in the run game, but he was not a pile driver. When he got off a combo block into the 2nd level, he planted LB's on their ass. He was quick and agile in space, they had no chance against him. His bulking up has sapped some of his speed and balance, he's no longer the 2nd level demon that he was, and his pass blocking has declined with the weight gain as well.

10 pounds is responsible for all that in a 300 pound guy? I don't buy it - I get a good workout, a nights' sleep, drop a coil and I lose five pounds and I hover around 215 to start. Plus, shouldn't most of that extra 10 pounds be muscle? What gives?

[Partial]

Things have changed a little.

Colledge is clearly ~10 pounds heavier this year than previous years. He used to be hands down the most mobile lineman on the field. What made Colledge good was not his work on the LOS. He was an acceptable pass blocker, and could get some push, and had top notch tech to seal off big hogs in the run game, but he was not a pile driver. When he got off a combo block into the 2nd level, he planted LB's on their ass. He was quick and agile in space, they had no chance against him. His bulking up has sapped some of his speed and balance, he's no longer the 2nd level demon that he was, and his pass blocking has declined with the weight gain as well.

10 pounds is responsible for all that in a 300 pound guy? I don't buy it - I get a good workout, a nights' sleep, drop a coil and I lose five pounds and I hover around 215 to start. Plus, shouldn't most of that extra 10 pounds be muscle? What gives?

I tend to agree with this. a 3% increase in body weight, especially considering probably half is lean mass (otherwise why bother, honestly), would have minimal effect on athletic performance imo.