Quote Originally Posted by WalterTibbs:
LSU - The Tigers enter their first full season under Ed Orgeron with high expectations in the SEC West. Orgeron has embraced the expectations knowing he has a very talented team. Running back Derrius Guice is a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate and LSU will open in the top 15 in the AP Poll. Danny Etling, who took over the starting quarterback job in 2016, will try to improve under new offensive coordinator Matt Canada. Etling closed strong in the victories against Texas A&M and Louisville, but he averaged just 138 passing yards with a 52.6 completion percentage in losses to Auburn, Alabama and Florida. It's no secret better quarterback play is needed if the Tigers have any hope of winning the West. It will be interesting to see how Canada influences Etling's game. By the way, Canada is being paid $1.5 million this season to improve LSU's passing game.
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In those 3 games you mention, Etling was sacked 10 times (9 times against Auburn & Alabama alone). LSU allowed only 19 sacks all year, so they had more trouble with strong pass rushing teams and the overall passing game could not take off.
I am interested to see if OC Matt Canada has changed his pass protection philosophy from an Xs and Os stand point. I know he used to man block with his 3 interior linemen rather than zone block (build a wall with those 3 interior guys). I watched film with an OC that replaced him a few years ago and this pass blocking philosophy was noted. As a sidenote, the Canada run game concepts were strong in his opinion. The #s over the years mostly back this up. The two most recent season that sacks weren't a problem for Canada's offense there were mobile QBs on the field. Correct me if I'm wrong SEC guys, but Etling is not the most mobile QB out there. ....
Back to Canada's #s:
Pitt 2016: Only 10 sacks *this seems to be an exception, which makes me also wonder if he's changed his pass protection. Peterman at QB was pretty mobile, but then again Peterman was sacked much more in 2015 under the previous OC.
NC State: 2015: 39 sacks, 2014: 29 sacks, 2013: 36 sacks. For comparison, last year only 17 sacks with a new OC. Sacks were a problem during his time at NC State.
2012: Wisconsin: 28 sacks. That is the highest sack total for any Wisconsin team since 2009 (I didn't go back any further, could be more years than that).
2011: NIU: only 12 sacks. QB Chandler Harnish ran for almost 1,400 yards so not a huge surprise there that sacks were down.
If he still employs his philosophy that I saw more closely a few years back, then that can put a tremendous amount of pressure on the Center to move laterally and pick up his blocking assignment. Pocic is gone at Center. As is Boutte, but Clapp is back at guard.
Anyway, something to keep an eye on is if Canada's offense looks susceptible to the pass rush directly up the middle. Especially against DCs that like to bring pressure on passing downs.