Week One thoughts: Now, about those offensive lines...

Center Tim Walter is one of the most experienced offensive lines in the nation. (Icon SMI)

By Brock Murphy, Lindyssports.com blogger

Thoughts from Week One of the college football season:

The Critical Importance of Offensive Line Experience: Oregon, Oklahoma and Maryland dove into 2009 with critical season-opening match-ups with four new starters on their offensive line. Not surprisingly, each team’s offense posted gravely disappointing results from an inability to control the line of scrimmage.

With -5 yards off his eight carries, Oregon’s LeGarrette Blount’s performance last week would have been noteworthy even without his post-game nuclear meltdown. Thirty-one yards off of seventeen total carries was not what Chip Kelly expected from his offense in his head-coaching debut. His line’s consistent failure to control the line of scrimmage lends clarity to the origin of the disaster. With a high-octane Purdue offense traveling to Eugene this weekend, the line must grow up in a hurry.

Oklahoma’s four new offensive line starters included a center, Brody Eldridge, who took a fraction of this fall’s snaps due in part to the fact that he started fall camp in his natural position as a tight end. At 265 pounds and inexperienced, Eldridge’s first start against a relatively veteran BYU front-seven was an ambitious project. One year removed from the offense which scored more points than any other unit in college history, 118 yards and no scores on the ground was disappointing but, given the patch-work state of the unit’s line, not unexpected. Critics may argue that Sam Bradford’s injury was the critical reason for the offensive struggle, but that very sack begs the question whether inexperience was its cause.

Maryland topped the century-mark on the ground in its 52-13 debacle against Cal and that included a 90-yard effort by tailback Da’Rel Scott. However, Maryland’s inexperience was revealed in its surrender of six sacks and twelve tackles for a loss. Cal’s talented front-seven spent much of the game behind the Terps’ line of scrimmage.

Need further evidence of the importance of line experience? Consider the Colorado State Rams. No team returned more career starts to their offensive line, including every starter from last year’s unit. Against a Colorado defensive line that included three new starters, the difference was glaring. Virtual unknowns prior to last weekend, the Rams’ veteran group of hogs splashed into 2009 in such a manner as to leave Dan Hawkins’ head-coaching seat in Boulder mighty toasty.

Charlie Weis Can Coach: A common preseason question has been some version of, “is this the year that Charlie Weis shows he can coach?” The question was preposterous even before last weekend.

When Weis landed in South Bend, he and then-starting quarterback Brady Quinn were a match made in heaven and offensive numbers soared. While Quinn posted 7,345 yards and 69 touchdown passes over the next two seasons, nobody questioned whether Weis could coach.

However, when Quinn graduated, he took with him nine offensive starters. Stuck with a true freshman (Jimmy Clausen) at quarterback, the Fighting Irish had an understandably frustrating time developing experience and productivity.

Last year, the offense produced over 4,600 yards and 36 scores; hardly, disappointing numbers.

This year, the offensive personnel are seasoned with experience, which should reduce criticism of Weis’ “ability to coach.” While Nevada was not the most challenging season-opening test for the Irish offense, they were certainly not the least challenging unit faced by some of this year’s top offensive units. While the Irish defense pitched a shutout, all Clausen did was post the nation’s most efficient passing numbers: 15 of 18 for 315 yards (21 yards per completion), four touchdowns and no interceptions.

Greg Paulus – Team Leader: Those who watched the debut of former Duke point guard, Greg Paulus, as the starting quarterback for Syracuse in its season-opener at Minnesota saw the eleventh-hour emergence of a team-leader. Paulus did not even enroll at Syracuse until July, but was very quickly named the starter. Aside from his field capabilities, it became immediately compelling what effect the injection of Paulus’ experience with a Duke basketball program that rarely tasted defeat would be on a Syracuse football program that has rarely tasted victory.

Paulus’ sideline leadership against Minnesota was clear and while his numbers were not earth-shattering (19-31, 167 yards; one interception and touchdown), they were good enough to give the Orange sufficient balance to nearly pull off an impressive road-win against a Big Ten school. Yes, he threw an interception in overtime that sealed the loss; but his prior production created the very offensive balance that got the Orange into the fifth period in the first place.

In a Big East conference that has no clear leader in the race for the 2009 championship, it is worthwhile to keep Syracuse in your peripheral vision. At the least, the Orange may affect the outcome of the conference race.