The problem is that college coaches use the spread systems to "simplify" their teaching. They simply do not coach OL on the fundamental skills the way the NFL needs them too. So, while college pass rusher, QB and Receivers all benefit from the spread system, the OL doesn't.
Most college teams prefer "vertical set technique" while NFL teams prefer "kick stepping".
Vertical Set - backpedal fast, get as much depth, then hope that you can play lower than the DL who is now upright. It kinda resembles running for your life.
http://brophyfootball.blogspot.com/2...tical-set.html
Kick Step - play the angles and engage the DL early. Then when you have thwarted the move, he is stalemated.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKTWMa8UfPQ
Jim McNally, one of the early technician type OL coaches in football.
In the NFL, if the D plays press coverage, then the QB has to wait for the WR to get open, NFL caliber pass rushers have the OL back in the QB face or the QB is running for their life. Penetration kills offensive football, and the vertical set is ALLOWING the D to penetrate. A lot of staple college plays simply don't work well in the NFL because guys are too big and too fast, and college rely a LOT on just putting super athletic and fast guys in space. Which of course is the point of spreading everyone out in the first place, so that you wouldn't have to block them.
College coaches will counter that running backwards is a lot easier to teach and anyone can do it. If that sounds suspicious, then you are probably right. It works well enough in college, because for the most part most college players aren't very good athletes.
None of this it to minimize the problems the Chargers have on the OL. I put this thread together because so many people seem to minimize the issues with just going out and trying to draft the fixes, but that may not work. So many college teams play spread that you are basically being forced to teach your OL from scratch.
Seattle even went so far as to stop drafting OL. They would draft former college DL who were not going to be able to make the step up to being pro DL, and were good athletes, and then Tom Cable would simply train them to be OL instead. He felt like he was basically starting from scratch anyway, although he wasn't particularly successful at developing either.
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