Intelligence Vs. Consistency
May 18th, 2018
Bucs OL coach George Warhop.
The old saying that an offensive line needs to grow together in order to blossom as a cohesive unit doesn’t appear to hold much water for the folks at One Buc Palace.
The offensive line — terribly maligned by the knee-jerk reactionary parrots that lurk among us — has been far more fluid than consistent, in terms of who is lining up where the past three seasons. And the guy who has gotten the short end of the stick more than anyone? Ali Marpet.
In his first two seasons, the former Division-III freak from Hobart College looked to be on the cusp of being a special right guard when the Bucs moved him to center, a position the team projected Marpet to play from the day he was drafted by Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager and former Nebraska offensive lineman Jason Licht.
Now, apparently with their hairs singed from the Marpet-at-center experiment, the Bucs have decided to move Marpet back to guard.
Left guard that is.
So with just about everyone in the NFL claiming an offensive line needs consistency to build, why have Marpet learn a third new position entering his fourth NFL season?
Joe asked Bucs offensive line coach George Warhop this question yesterday. It seems, Marpet may be too smart for his own good.
Warhop insisted there should be no issue with Marpet playing left guard.
“No, because when you play center, you’ve got to play both right and left guard,” Warhop explained. “If I’m a center and I have to shift on my right, I’m a right guard. If I have to shift on my left, I’m a left guard. So, really the transition for him to go from center to left guard is really easy versus flipping from right guard to left guard.
“And Ali is smart. It’s really important for him and he takes it personally to do well. Of all the guys, no matter where I’m moving them from, he would be the one I’d have the least concerns about.”
Throw rocks at Joe if you wish, but this is good enough for Joe. Not the best scenario, but good enough for Joe. In a perfect world, yeah, Marpet would just glide back into the right guard position, especially since oft-injured J.R. Sweezy has yet to be cleared medically for full football activities. Sweezy is anything but a sure thing to play again.
But Joe trusts Warhop. Joe never bought into the hollering points by so many that the Bucs offensive line was wretched. Joe has seen wretched, even from the Bucs (Hello, Anthony Collins! Hello, Garrett Gilkey! Hello, Josh Allen! Hello, Oniel Cousins! How you boys doing?).
The offensive line was not wretched last year. Not great, but certainly not terrible as so many would have you believe.
Joe still wouldn’t be shocked to see Licht pick up a veteran offensive lineman between now and the first preseason game, if for no other reason than as a backup.
Again, it bears repeating: In the past three seasons, right tackle Demar Dotson and Sweezy have missed a combined 37 games.
May 18th, 2018 at 1:22 pm
Benenoch will have a huge impact on how this O line is shaped.
If he proves he can start at G, Cappa will redshirt behind Dotson until he’s hurt. If Benenoch struggles and Cappa shows any potential at all at guard Cappa will probably get the start at G.. fun stuff
Also this is all assuming Sweezy never sees the field, but who wouldn’t assume that?
May 18th, 2018 at 1:23 pm
I believe the money freed up post June 1st on Sweezy will be $6.5 mil…..we will take a cap hit of $1,875m
I suspect there may be some sort of injury settlement….
Nevertheless, there should be at least $5m for a replacement Olineman and that is where the money needs to go….Many would say CB….and it would be great to do both but probably not possible.
May 18th, 2018 at 1:24 pm
The only logic I can think of behind this is that they place more value on LG than RG
May 18th, 2018 at 1:33 pm
Lord:
Good insight. Left side = Jameis ‘ blind side.
May 18th, 2018 at 2:16 pm
So if half the time at center he was playing RG, does that mean that he had issues transitioning to his block after snapping the ball? Or could that also mean that he was having issues playing LG after the snap?
May 18th, 2018 at 2:16 pm
@lord of corn
Word on the street is that they want Ali next to DS76 to keep him focuses and in the game!!!!! The thinking is that Ali can help keep him at the high consistent level that they are looking for at LT!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!!
May 18th, 2018 at 2:21 pm
Stubbornness vs Peter Principle
May 18th, 2018 at 2:36 pm
I’m not a fan of this move to left guard as opposed to right guard, BUT knowing Marpet played Left Tackle in college assuages my fears of him playing on the left side somewhat.
May 18th, 2018 at 2:39 pm
There has never been a more awful offensive lineman than Oniel’s Cousin. What a slugosaurus that guy was.
May 18th, 2018 at 2:45 pm
I think Cousin may have been a relative of Warhol. Still a good OL coach.
I agree with Joe that they may pick up a veteran OL for depth.
May 18th, 2018 at 3:01 pm
But yet:
I’m gonna say the coach is probably right on this one. They sucked at run blocking last year. Simple as that. Not sure why you’re so adamant they were good, when they clearly were not.
May 18th, 2018 at 3:37 pm
Dotson will come back and last longer than Easy (Momey) Sweezy. Sweez will..flash in trng camp, play a few games and back to IR he goes. The man should have been dumped..like a bad habit..yesteryear!! You can talk about martin, Swaggy and Dotson all you like. Sweezy is the GOAT…The greatest Spinmaster of all time!! Money for nothin and his chicks..for free.
May 18th, 2018 at 4:07 pm
Both starting Guards sucked out loud in 2017. Especially at run blocking. Which is why Pamphile was not re-signed and why Sweezy either gets relegated to the bench or (hopefully) released.
May 18th, 2018 at 4:33 pm
Hmmm, I listen to the whole press conference, and I waited for the “if Barber had been in the whole season that this would have been a top 10 Oline” !!! It never came!!!!!!!!!!!!
Also just heard a good 30 minute segment on Moving the Chains on sirius nfl radio that slammed Hard Knocks, and what a distraction it is and why no coach likes it!!!!!!!! I wonder if joe and the sheep would still argue that as well!!!!!!!!!!
GO Bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 18th, 2018 at 4:39 pm
@Lord C … “The only logic I can think of behind this is that they place more value on LG than RG.”
Might be 2 more possibilities Lord C. Donovan & Ali are apparently pretty close from some of the stuff I’ve read, and perhaps the powers-that-be feel that chemistry will make a difference on the field. It is Jameis’ blind side as Joe mentioned, and maybe they also feel that running left is better than not being able to run at all (left becomes our strong side?). We’ll see in the not-too-distant future.
May 18th, 2018 at 4:44 pm
For the sake of optimism, Sweezy may still work out. I know, I know. But, if it’s his leg that’s hurt, and not so severe, why not let him sit as long as possible. This gives his back that much more time to strengthen, and completely heal the limb. I hope that’s the case, as this guy is supposed to be a mauler in the run game. If Cappa, Sweezy and Dotson form a strong right side along with the Jensen, Marpet and Smith trio, Rojo may light it up. I’m just riffin’ but could see this happening.
May 18th, 2018 at 5:32 pm
Honestly, LG is more important considering it’s the QBs blindside and where the dominant DT (3 technique) lines up, better to put our best lineman there makes sense
May 18th, 2018 at 7:44 pm
Whenever Joe trusts someone we’re doomed.
May 18th, 2018 at 9:41 pm
Right guard/Right tackle are typically on the “strong side”.
Thats the side where O.J. Howard( the blocking TE) lines up.
Most teams are” right handed”, meaning they run to the right.
You want your most physical tackle and Guard on the right side.
That is also why the Left tackle is so much more valuable. He has to block the opponents best DE, without the help of a TE beside him.
Joe posted here, in a previous article, a statement from a member of Buc management, who said they thought Ali Marpet was” very overrated as a right guard”. Everyone here ignores that quote- but I think its a big concern.
If so, the switch to Center was because the Bucs thought Marpet couldnt play RG. After last years debacle- it was obvious that he cant play center. He was definitely the lines weak link.
So now hes at Left Guard. Possibbly because he struggled at his previous two positions.
Everyone here is convinced that Marpet is the second coming of Alan Faneca.
He has such a great story, you cant help but want to see him succeed.
But the truth no one is listening to- Is that the Bucs may be trying to find a position he can play.
And that would suck. Both for Marpet, and the Bucs still not having their Line together.
May 18th, 2018 at 10:26 pm
Tim, you’re kidding about marley at RG right??
He was a beast at RG!!!
May 18th, 2018 at 11:51 pm
Wow Capt Tim we can always count on you to spread the sunshine.
There is absolutely NO reason to accept your negative take on Marpet. Nobody has toasted his play including critical types like Ian Beckles.
This OL has the chance to be very good and they wouldn’t be the first team to be “left handed”. Take your points about the “strong side” of the formation but that also means we can trust OJ to hold that edge. I also suspect we’ll see our fair share of double TE sets. Brate needs to get his touches as well.
I think we’re going to be far more running oriented this year…more like Koetter’s offense with MJD in Jax. ROJO gives him the explosion and I believe while Barber is a bit of a plodder he doesn’t shy from contact and has the size to do a poor man’s “beast mode”. Our backs are very complementary. Our OL will be improved. Koetter will wish to ease #3’s task…running the ball helps keep our defense off the field…many reasons that make me believe DK is going to work far harder on our run game this year.
May 19th, 2018 at 3:51 am
Mike and St.Pete
Always makes me sad, to see how badly the schools are failing some of you Dumba**es
Try reading my post again- s l o w l y, meybe a couple times, until it sinks in.
Meybe have somebody read it to you- because, honestly, I dont think you’ll ever get it.
Both of you totally missed it, as badly as possible.
“Joe posted here, in a previous article, a statement from a member of Buc management, who said they thought Ali Marpet was” very overrated as a right guard”. Everyone here ignores that quote- but I think its a big concern.”
Try to get it.
I didnt say it- although believe me, If I said it- its true!!
Joe said ,that a Member of Buc Management, told him that they felt Marpet was overrated at Right guard.
Do you understand? A member of Buc Management said that they( Buc Management) felt Marpet was overrated.
Someone who works for the Bucs, said Marpet was being overrated at Right guard.
NOW DO YOU GET IT?? Not me, not you, not Joe. One of the people paid to track Marpet, felt he was being overrated.
Translation- Marpet isnt as good as everyone is saying.
I realize some of you having blinding man crushes on Marpet.
But, despite his great story and your love for him- someone employed at OneBuc didnt think Marpet was a good Right Guard.
He was a terrible center.
So, now that you hopefully understand- neybe you can run downnto OneBuc, and tell whoever said- that he doesnt know what hes talking about!!
Marpet is wonderful, and you both love him!!
Me? I think its at least something to be concerned about.
May 19th, 2018 at 12:35 pm
Sorry guys- that came across much more snide than I meant it to.
It was meant with a smile. Didnt read that way
May 19th, 2018 at 10:15 pm
I think RG maybe a easier transition cus you can get in and just maul people…maybe RG will be easier for (E.Smith/Benenoch/Cappa) to adjust to hence the move
Thoughts???
May 20th, 2018 at 12:10 am
Marpet played RG like an All Pro and PFF rated him high as a Center too. Sweezy’s back surgery killed his flexibility and kept him from getting low and he sucked all year. When his leg heals he will still suck. If WarFLOP had any sense (and remember he insisted on us hiring his Two Brownie Buddies when he was hired and that was how we suffered with Gilkey and Cousins who were the worst busts ever—so much for WarFLOP’s inept football judgment!) he would have put Marpet back at RG and tried Benenoch at LG along with Cappa, since he refuses to put D. Smith at LG where he belongs. However, after the Bucs only beat Chicago by their break week and we lose because either Turnstyle Smith gets beat time and time again or our Offense gets hurt by Smith holding the DEs who beat him and the holding penalties kill us, perhaps Licht and Koetter will worry about being fired and will fire WarFLOP instead and have his replacement move D. Smith to LG and start Cappa at LT. That would turn our season around!
May 20th, 2018 at 12:20 am
Hey, and then hire Pamphile back at a low one year show me contract and have the new OLC train Pamphile as a backup RT in case Dotson goes down this year and in practice Dot would probably help Pamphile to follow in his foot steps for the day he retires. And if the Bucs can’t find a good OLC how about giving Logan Mankins the job?