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Ronald Martinez

After right tackle Troy Baker was lost for the season in Morgantown just a game after losing right guard Desmine Hilliard, there was much concern for the state of the right side of our offensive line.  Luckily we had a bye week and a homecoming matchup with Big 12 cellar dwellar Kansas Jayhawks.  Baylor trounced KU 60-14 and the retooled offensive line played no small part in it.

As a reminder, this is how I score the players:

When run blocking, did the player (1) block someone (2) create solid initial contact and push the defender back and (3) did they sustain their block?  When pass blocking, did the player (1) block someone (2) create solid initial contact and maintain the pocket and (3) sustain their block?  If they did all three then the player was awarded a score of "1".  If they blocked effectively enough to keep the defender away from the play but not well enough to earn a full point, then they were given a half point.  If they missed a block or got beat by the defender, they were given a "0" (zero).

Live ball penalties are assessed against the offending player reducing their initial score by minus one (i.e. an initial score of "1" will be reduced to "0" (zero).  Dead ball penalties were assessed to the offending player on the following play.

Here are the grades:

PLAY DRANGO MUIR FULLER BROXTON COLBERT TE GAIN
RUN 0 0.5 0.5 1 1 5
RUN 1 1 1 1 1 3
PASS 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 End of 1st Series (Punt)
PASS 1 1 1 1 1 1 72 End of 2nd (TD)
RUN 1 1 1 1 1 1 8
RUN 1 0.5 1 1 1 1 1
RUN 1 1 0.5 1 0.5 1 8
RUN 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 End of 3rd (TD)
RUN 1 1 0.5 1 1 0.5 12
PASS 1 1 1 1 1 1 INC
RUN 1 0.5 1 1 1 0.5 4
RUN 1 1 1 1 1 39
RUN 1 1 1 0.5 1 3
PASS 1 1 1 1 1 1 INC
PASS 1 1 1 1 1 7
RUN 0 0.5 1 1 1 1 2
RUN 1 1 1 0.5 0.5 0 0
RUN 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 End of 4th (TD)
PASS 1 1 1 1 1 1 INC
RUN 1 1 1 1 0.5 0.5 14
PASS 1 1 1 1 1 1 INC
RUN 0.5 0 0.5 1 1 1 10
PASS 1 1 1 0.5 0.5 1 3
RUN 1 0.5 1 1 0.5 1 5
RUN 1 0.5 0.5 0.5 1 1 3
PASS 1 1 1 1 1 1 46
RUN 0.5 1 1 0.5 0.5 0.5 3
RUN 1 1 1 0.5 0.5 1 2
RUN 1 1 1 1 0.5 1 1 End of 5th (FG)
RUN 1 1 0.5 1 0.5 1 3
PASS 0 1 1 1 0.5 3
PASS 1 1 1 1 1 1 INC End of 6th (FG)
PASS 1 1 0.5 1 1 1 2
PASS 0.5 1 1 1 1 0.5 INC
PASS 1 1 1 1 1 1 INC End of 7th (FG)
PASS 1 0.5 0.5 1 0.5 6
RUN 1 0.5 0 0 0.5 3
RUN 1 1 0.5 1 1 1 14
PASS 1 1 1 1 1 1 INC
RUN 1 1 1 1 0.5 8
RUN 1 1 1 1 1 24
PASS 1 1 1 1 1 1 31
RUN 1 1 1 0 1 0.5 1
RUN 1 1 0 0.5 1 0.5 2
RUN 0.5 1 1 1 0 0 0
RUN 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 End of 8th (TD)
PASS 1 1 1 1 1 INC
RUN 1 1 0.5 1 1 9
PASS 1 1 1 1 1 5
PASS 1 0.5 1 1 1 INC DPI
PASS 1 1 1 1 1 INC
PASS 0.5 1 1 1 0.5 4
PASS 1 1 1 1 1 0 End of 9th (FG)
RUN 1 0.5 0.5 1 1 1 16
PASS 1 1 1 1 1 1 49 End of 10th (TD)
PASS 1 1 1 1 1 13
RUN 0.5 1 0.5 0.5 1 3
PASS 1 1 1 1 1 7
PASS 1 1 1 1 1 INC
PASS 1 1 1 1 1 19
PASS 1 1 1 1 1 15
RUN 0.5 0.5 1 0.5 1 3
RUN -9 Petty Fumble
PASS 1 1 1 1 1 10 End of 11th (TD)

Here are the results:

VERSUS KU
DRANGO MUIR FULLER BROXTON COLBERT TE TOTAL
Grade 89.7% 89.7% 87.3% 89.7% 87.3% 85.5% 88.4%
RB Score 86.4% 83.3% 78.8% 81.8% 81.8% 78.3% 81.9%
PB Score 93.3% 96.7% 96.7% 98.3% 93.3% 96.7% 95.8%
Run Block Errors 2 1 2 2 1 2 10
Pass Block Errors 1 0 0 0 0 0 1
Penalties 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
RUN BLOCK SCORE
GAME DRANGO MUIR FULLER HILLIARD BAKER TE's BROXTON EDWARDS COLBERT TOTAL
SMU 67.6% 75.7% 66.2% 71.6% 64.9% 60.0% 67.7%
NWSU 86.8% 65.8% 71.1% 65.8% 71.1% 73.5% 72.3%
BUFFALO 82.7% 75.0% 77.1% 83.3% 66.7% 60.5% 74.2%
ISU 91.9% 95.3% 81.3% 88.0% 95.3% 70.5% 87.0%
TEXAS 84.4% 78.1% 79.2% 82.0% 75.0% 78.9% 73.9% 78.8%
TCU 86.4% 78.4% 80.7% 83.3% 78.4% 75.0% 70.0% 78.9%
WVU 81.4% 77.1% 80.0% 80.0% 62.5% 82.4% 66.7% 66.7% 75.6%
KU 86.4% 83.3% 78.8% 78.3% 81.8% 81.8% 81.9%
TOTAL 83.4% 78.6% 76.8% 79.0% 75.9% 69.9% 77.0% 66.7% 74.3% 77.1%
PASS BLOCK SCORE
GAME DRANGO MUIR FULLER HILLIARD BAKER TE's BROXTON EDWARDS COLBERT TOTAL
SMU 90.2% 85.4% 90.2% 89.0% 91.5% 88.9% 89.2%
NWSU 80.0% 85.0% 90.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 92.5%
BUFFALO 100.0% 100.0% 93.5% 98.4% 98.1% 100.0% 98.4%
ISU 94.3% 95.7% 93.5% 94.7% 93.5% 78.6% 91.7%
TEXAS 90.4% 98.1% 96.2% 100.0% 100.0% 72.2% 100.0% 93.8%
TCU 90.9% 96.6% 93.9% 94.0% 89.4% 91.7% 87.5% 92.0%
WVU 97.9% 90.6% 95.8% 84.4% 90.4% 89.6% 95.8% 81.3% 91.9%
KU 93.3% 96.7% 96.7% 96.7% 98.3% 93.3% 95.8%
TOTAL 92.1% 93.5% 93.7% 96.0% 93.8% 89.8% 93.9% 95.8% 87.3% 93.2%
GAME TOTALS
GAME DRANGO MUIR FULLER HILLIARD BAKER TE's BROXTON EDWARDS COLBERT TOTAL
SMU 79.5% 80.8% 78.8% 80.8% 78.8% 73.7% 78.7%
NWSU 87.9% 72.4% 77.6% 77.6% 81.0% 82.0% 79.8%
BUFFALO 91.4% 87.9% 84.8% 91.7% 80.8% 81.3% 86.3%
ISU 93.3% 95.5% 88.5% 92.1% 94.2% 74.4% 89.7%
TEXAS 86.5% 85.1% 85.1% 89.8% 83.8% 77.7% 80.0% 84.0%
TCU 89.1% 89.5% 88.6% 89.5% 85.0% 83.8% 80.8% 86.6%
WVU 91.0% 84.9% 89.2% 82.7% 77.0% 86.6% 83.3% 74.2% 84.9%
KU 89.7% 89.7% 87.3% 85.5% 89.7% 87.3% 88.4%
TOTAL 88.5% 85.7% 85.0% 86.9% 83.8% 79.4% 84.3% 83.3% 80.7% 84.8%

This was easily the most complete game that the unit has played this year (so far).  With an aggregate grade of 88.4% it is currently the second highest grade of the season behind the ISU game (89.7%).  I call this the most complete game because all of the positions graded out at 85.5% or better which is the first time that has happened all season.  This is an encouraging sight considering we have backups starting at RG and RT.

It usually takes time for a unit to gel and get used to playing next to each other and it looks as if they already have.  I didn't see any mental errors that would show me that Jarell Broxton or Pat Colbert were confused or didn't block the correct defender; a glimmer of hope that they'll be ready for OU this weekend.

Speaking of Broxton, he was rather impressive in the run game against KU.  Broxton  channeled his inner Cyril Richardson and showed the strength to power defenders off the LOS.  On Shock Linwood's big 39 yard run, Broxton hit the nose guard so hard that he knocked him sideways nearly three yards.  The NG was literally knocked into the air and didn't touch turf again until he was seven or eight feet to his right.  Rediculous.

Broxton also improved his downfield blocking and was much better at getting to secondary defenders.  Baylor's third drive (that ended with a Davin Chafin 1 yard TD run), on the second to last play, Broxton doubled teamed the DT then broke off for the linebacker and pancaked him as Chafin ran past for an eight yard run.  That LB happened to be Ben Heeney.  Awesome.

Colbert, though, is the player I was really interested in.  Last year he proved to be a liability in pass protection and was so again against WVU.  Despite an improvement in his score from WVU, I am still not confident that he is our best option at RT.  Rarely did he have to pass block without the aid of a TE or RB.  To me this shows the coaches know he needs the help which begs the question, "why start him in the first place?".

When he did have to block an edge defender solo, he did get the job done.  But considering the opponent, it's not enough for me to think that he's ready to take on the top flight edge rushers we'll see in the coming games.  His performance against the Sooners should tell us whether he can be trusted to protect Petty.

Thanks for reading!

Sic Em Bears! Sic OU!