Offensive line seeks to adjust quicker
MADISON – The breakdowns were obvious and ominous in Wisconsin’s first offensive series of the season.
On UW’s second play from scrimmage against Utah State, two players went the wrong way on a running play and Bradrick Shaw was held to a 2yard gain.
On the fourth play of the series, UW had no one to pick up a welltimed cornerback blitz and quarterback Alex Hornibrook was drilled for a 6yard loss.
Two plays later, the Aggies faked a double blitz through the center gap, eventually rushed five and a free defender sacked Hornibrook for an 11-yard loss.
“They came out and they threw a lot of pressures at us,” said redshirt junior Michael Deiter, who made his first start at left tackle. “There were some looks that were new. So obviously there is always going to be pain with that at first.”
Expect Florida Atlantic (0-1) to try to follow that plan
when the Owls meet No. 11 UW (1-0) at 11 a.m. Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium.
Florida Atlantic played six men at the line of scrimmage and on many plays had all 11 defenders within 7 yards of the line of scrimmage last week against Navy’s triple-option offense.
Offensive coordinator Joe Rudolph expects to see a completely different look this week because UW runs a pro-style offense.
“You go in a little bit like the first game," he said. "You’ve got to be ready for everything. We’re ready for that.”
UW wasn’t ready in the opener.
Line calls weren’t always communicated properly or expeditiously. Linemen missed blocks. Deiter acknowledged his technique slipped at times. Right tackle David Edwards moved before the snap when a defensive back showed a blitz from the slot.
Such mistakes contributed to UW failing to cross the 50-yard line until its fifth series midway through the second quarter.
“We knew they would do a good job of trying to create some confusion with alignments and setups,” said Joe Rudolph, UW’s offensive coordinator/line coach. “But it really was (not) doing the basics, the backs seeing what the identifications were (and) then reacting off of that. It was the same way with the linemen.
“It was just trusting your technique, trusting your communication and then playing. Not trying to do something more because you’re seeing things that maybe you don’t need to be worried about. I think once they settled down from that they were fine.”
Beginning with a 15play, 79-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter, UW scored on five consecutive possessions to turn a 10-0 deficit into a 31-10 lead.
Deiter believes the line took too long to settle in.
“We, throughout the season, have to do a better job of adjusting faster,” he said. “In my opinion, it took a little longer than it needed to. That is something that’s got to be a point of emphasis.
“Because it was working for them I think other teams will try to junk stuff up, try to make it confusing. The only way we’re going to be successful is if we can adjust to it.
“We’ve got to see that, get to the sideline and talk about it and be able to adjust faster.”
Three factors likely contributed to the early struggles.
Redshirt freshman center Tyler Biadasz made his college debut. Deiter made his first start at left tackle after starting 16 games at center and 11 at left guard. Rudolph used Micah Kapoi and Jon Dietzen at left guard, in part because Dietzen missed time with an apparent ankle problem.
Asked about Biadasz’s ability to communicate the line calls, Deiter noted the task is a shared responsibility.
“It is all five guys,” he said. “The center is the main guy who talks, who makes the last communication. He has the final say but it is on all (others) to help him with that.
“When I was at center I relied on everyone else to get me information. It is all five guys communicating.
“We were able to get our confidence back, just start cutting it loose and playing fast and the results came with it. We know that if we can cut it loose and play fast we should be able to run the football against anything.
“That is what we want to be able to do and I think that’s what we saw when we got everything figured out.”
Just not as quickly as Deiter and others wanted.