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Post by wilkyisdashiznit on Jan 15, 2024 14:04:49 GMT -8
If Gray and Brewer are indeed coming back for next season, this is by far the biggest bit of info from this story. This would be an astronomically huge change from what pretty much all of us thought was going to be the situation of rebuilding the OL. Obviously, getting Gray back at LT is amazing but we all know that and I don't want to overlook the potential impact of getting Brewer back as well. First, he's 6-4, 323. He has 10 starts between 2021 and 22 (five in 2022 before injury) and was on the Outland Trophy watch list. He is considered to be a very strong run blocker. OSU was fortunate to have Heneli Bloomfield last season. You add Starck and Wells from Colorado and you have what looks to be a very good interior. The only thing left is to figure out who steps in for Fuaga at RT and his shoes were always going to be the biggest to fill (maybe they think about moving Brewer there?). But this is a game changer for the Beavers. Really, really great news if it holds true. RT is probably the CU giant guy, Starck or Strand right? Gerad Christian-Lichtenhan? 6'10" and 315 lbs.
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Post by jimbeav on Jan 15, 2024 14:14:37 GMT -8
Best part was this:
“We need to be more explosive,” Bray says. “We have to be able to throw the ball. In those big games that kept us out of conference championships, we couldn’t throw the ball when the defense loaded the box. We have to get more creative in the passing game.”
100% this.
The last several years I've been programmed to think that 200yds passing was a good passing day. DJ should have had multiple 300yd passing games, but I think he only had 1 or 2? Our passing game was never much of a threat under Smith, even after we upgraded the personnel.
Hopefully that changes...
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Post by wilkyisdashiznit on Jan 15, 2024 15:02:52 GMT -8
Best part was this: “We need to be more explosive,” Bray says. “We have to be able to throw the ball. In those big games that kept us out of conference championships, we couldn’t throw the ball when the defense loaded the box. We have to get more creative in the passing game.” 100% this. The last several years I've been programmed to think that 200yds passing was a good passing day. DJ should have had multiple 300yd passing games, but I think he only had 1 or 2? Our passing game was never much of a threat under Smith, even after we upgraded the personnel. Hopefully that changes... Zero. DJU threw for 284 against San Diego State, which was a season high.
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Post by bvrbred on Jan 15, 2024 15:56:13 GMT -8
Best part was this: “We need to be more explosive,” Bray says. “We have to be able to throw the ball. In those big games that kept us out of conference championships, we couldn’t throw the ball when the defense loaded the box. We have to get more creative in the passing game.” 100% this. The last several years I've been programmed to think that 200yds passing was a good passing day. DJ should have had multiple 300yd passing games, but I think he only had 1 or 2? Our passing game was never much of a threat under Smith, even after we upgraded the personnel. Hopefully that changes... My opinion of Lindgren deteriorated over time, particularly after DJU got here. If Lindgren is going to be in lock step with Smith, and especially as ambitious as Smith apparently is, this could prove to be a problem eventually.
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Post by wilkyisdashiznit on Jan 15, 2024 16:12:40 GMT -8
Best part was this: “We need to be more explosive,” Bray says. “We have to be able to throw the ball. In those big games that kept us out of conference championships, we couldn’t throw the ball when the defense loaded the box. We have to get more creative in the passing game.” 100% this. The last several years I've been programmed to think that 200yds passing was a good passing day. DJ should have had multiple 300yd passing games, but I think he only had 1 or 2? Our passing game was never much of a threat under Smith, even after we upgraded the personnel. Hopefully that changes... My opinion of Lindgren deteriorated over time, particularly after DJU got here. If Lindgren is going to be in lock step with Smith, and especially as ambitious as Smith apparently is, this could prove to be a problem eventually.
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Post by bleedorange21 on Jan 15, 2024 17:08:04 GMT -8
Best part was this: “We need to be more explosive,” Bray says. “We have to be able to throw the ball. In those big games that kept us out of conference championships, we couldn’t throw the ball when the defense loaded the box. We have to get more creative in the passing game.” 100% this. The last several years I've been programmed to think that 200yds passing was a good passing day. DJ should have had multiple 300yd passing games, but I think he only had 1 or 2? Our passing game was never much of a threat under Smith, even after we upgraded the personnel. Hopefully that changes... My opinion of Lindgren deteriorated over time, particularly after DJU got here. If Lindgren is going to be in lock step with Smith, and especially as ambitious as Smith apparently is, this could prove to be a problem eventually. Lindgren wouldn’t have had any success without coach M and his exceptional offensive lines. Honestly he wasted those lines by not putting together a better offense around it.
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Angus
Freshman
Posts: 187
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Post by Angus on Jan 15, 2024 18:10:46 GMT -8
My opinion of Lindgren deteriorated over time, particularly after DJU got here. If Lindgren is going to be in lock step with Smith, and especially as ambitious as Smith apparently is, this could prove to be a problem eventually. Lindgren wouldn’t have had any success without coach M and his exceptional offensive lines. Honestly he wasted those lines by not putting together a better offense around it. I personally was never a big fan of Lindgren's offense, due to basically what you mention. Will be real curious to see how much success he has vs the best big10 defenses ... and, there is no guarantee that Michalczek is going to give him the running game that he had here.
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Post by atownbeaver on Jan 15, 2024 18:19:51 GMT -8
Lindgren wouldn’t have had any success without coach M and his exceptional offensive lines. Honestly he wasted those lines by not putting together a better offense around it. I personally was never a big fan of Lindgren's offense, due to basically what you mention. Will be real curious to see how much success he has vs the best big10 defenses ... and, there is no guarantee that Michalczek is going to give him the running game that he had here. I agree with this. Coach M is the single biggest orchestrator of our success. We won the game we won the last two years on the strength of really solid running game and offensive line play. Not necessarily exceptional QB and skill position play. Good RBs, a Jack Hammer last year... and an OL that consistently made a lane. Bray's statement is accurate. We couldn't pass the ball when we needed to last year. The last two year's success were much more on the shoulders of Bray than anything Lindgren was doing.
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Post by sonoma beav on Jan 15, 2024 21:15:38 GMT -8
I think better play calling and pass targets selection could have led to wins at Arizona and UW.
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Post by jimbeav on Jan 15, 2024 21:51:44 GMT -8
I think better play calling and pass targets selection could have led to wins at Arizona and UW. I'll bet that UW game still eats at Bray's craw. To completely shut down that QB and that offense for a half, and still come up empty? His expertise and focus might be on the defensive side of the ball, but in a weird way, I'm thinking that might actually motivate him to make sure his offense performs at top efficiency, cuz that kind of defensive performance deserves to get rewarded with wins. I'll bet he holds Gundy way more accountable than JS ever did with Lindgren.
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Post by rgeorge on Jan 15, 2024 21:56:09 GMT -8
I think better play calling and pass targets selection could have led to wins at Arizona and UW. I'll bet that UW game still eats at Bray's craw. To completely shut down that QB and that offense for a half, and still come up empty? His expertise and focus might be on the defensive side of the ball, but in a weird way, I'm thinking that might actually motivate him to make sure his offense performs at top efficiency, cuz that kind of defensive performance deserves to get rewarded with wins. I'll bet he holds Gundy way more accountable than JS ever did with Lindgren. Yeah it may. But, the weather had a lot to do with poor play in that game. On both sides. OSU played very well. But, on a dry night I'm not sure the result would have been as close. The guy was effing good.
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Post by beavadelic on Jan 16, 2024 9:01:23 GMT -8
My opinion of Lindgren deteriorated over time, particularly after DJU got here. If Lindgren is going to be in lock step with Smith, and especially as ambitious as Smith apparently is, this could prove to be a problem eventually. Lindgren wouldn’t have had any success without coach M and his exceptional offensive lines. Honestly he wasted those lines by not putting together a better offense around it. As a former QB and OC, I know that Smith had his hand in whatever Lindgren called. Not defending Lindgren, but just reflecting on some of the bonehead that I observed. We forgave JS for some head-scratching stinker calls that we excused as being edgy and willing to roll the dice. While it’s true that a certain degree of riverboat gambler is good, and across the board coaches are taking more chances on 4th down, I was beginning to really question the propensity to gamble and fall flat. I believe that we won some games because of the risk-taking, but I feel like we lost several along the way after really questionable gambles sucked the momentum out of us. Those decisions weren’t dumb last play of the game things, just poorly-conceived and costly. This past season, it absolutely deflated us in the tough loss in Tucson that cost us a legit chance to avoid loss #2 on the road to what turned out to be a very good Arizona team. Loss #3 (Huskies) was maddening, because we were on track to complete a drive that started inside our 10 and had us at midfield with 2:00+ left. Lindgren’s play selection was pathetic, particularly the horrible fade attempt to Silas, a play that worked…NEVER against big DBs all year. Silas’ lack of size and separation and DJs inaccurate throws made that a throwaway play almost every time we tried it this past season. We had mixed runs with the pass to match down the field and were at most 2 first downs from field goal range. I’m not saying that Lindgren was a horrible OC, but I never trusted him to adjust in-game to give us a chance to get something going. With the exception of the 2022 Civil War win, in which he just let them run the ball down Oregon’s throat the entire second half, it just felt like the first series defined the game for us offensively. I will be happy to see something different next year. I would expect more like a 60/40 run:pass ratio, with hopefully play-calling that utilizes our personnel more effectively. We willl see…but I am hopeful.
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Post by beavadelic on Jan 16, 2024 9:03:01 GMT -8
Lindgren wouldn’t have had any success without coach M and his exceptional offensive lines. Honestly he wasted those lines by not putting together a better offense around it. As a former QB and OC, I know that Smith had his hand in whatever Lindgren called. Not defending Lindgren, but just reflecting on some of the bonehead that I observed. We forgave JS for some head-scratching stinker calls that we excused as being edgy and willing to roll the dice. While it’s true that a certain degree of riverboat gambler is good, and across the board coaches are taking more chances on 4th down, I was beginning to really question the propensity to gamble and fall flat. I believe that we won some games because of the risk-taking, but I feel like we lost several along the way after really questionable gambles sucked the momentum out of us. Those decisions weren’t dumb last play of the game things, just poorly-conceived and costly. This past season, it absolutely deflated us in the tough loss in Tucson that cost us a legit chance to avoid loss #2 on the road to what turned out to be a very good Arizona team. Loss #3 (Huskies) was maddening, because we were on track to complete a drive that started inside our 10 and had us at midfield with 2:00+ left. Lindgren’s play selection was pathetic, particularly the horrible fade attempt to Silas, a play that worked…NEVER against big DBs all year. Silas’ lack of size and separation and DJs inaccurate throws made that a throwaway play almost every time we tried it this past season. We had mixed runs with the pass to march down the field and were at most 2 first downs from field goal range. I’m not saying that Lindgren was a horrible OC, but I never trusted him to adjust in-game to give us a chance to get something going. With the exception of the 2022 Civil War win, in which he just let them run the ball down Oregon’s throat the entire second half, it just felt like the first series defined the game for us offensively. I will be happy to see something different next year. I would expect more like a 60/40 run:pass ratio, with hopefully play-calling that utilizes our personnel more effectively. We willl see…but I am hopeful.
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Post by kosherbeaver on Jan 16, 2024 15:42:31 GMT -8
Not sure I am taking away that Gray is back from this. Unless he has gotten feedback that he won’t get drafted/bad daft prospects and needs another year, what reason does he have to stay? Especially after sitting out CW and ND?
Gray was the definition of hard work and growth if you followed his time here. Seems like a high character guy and loyal. That to me would be the only other reason he’d return. Whatever ends up happening this season, OSU should be super proud of who he became while he was here.
On a separate note, loved the comments about the Trojan Traitors. Those two departures felt like Bray took it personal. Especially when you watch his announcement video as HC to the team, E M-A and AA were some of the loudest and biggest celebrators on those videos. Wild to be that over the top and dip out within a week or so.
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Post by treasurevalleybeav on Jan 16, 2024 16:32:11 GMT -8
Not sure I am taking away that Gray is back from this. Unless he has gotten feedback that he won’t get drafted/bad daft prospects and needs another year, what reason does he have to stay? Especially after sitting out CW and ND? Gray was the definition of hard work and growth if you followed his time here. Seems like a high character guy and loyal. That to me would be the only other reason he’d return. Whatever ends up happening this season, OSU should be super proud of who he became while he was here. On a separate note, loved the comments about the Trojan Traitors. Those two departures felt like Bray took it personal. Especially when you watch his announcement video as HC to the team, E M-A and AA were some of the loudest and biggest celebrators on those videos. Wild to be that over the top and dip out within a week or so. Kerry clarified on Facebook that Brewer does have one year left if he wants it. But can't confirm nor deny want he wants to do yet. But he did say Gray was participating in spring drills. So that points in a positive direction regarding him playing next season.
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