Orlosky: Botched communication foiled West Virginia’s O-line in 2016

West Virginia center Tyler Orlosky enters the 2017 season with 29 career starts and a sense communication will be much sharper on the offensive line.

 

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — For an offense jonesing to challenge secondaries downfield, West Virginia encountered a crucial obstacle during 2015.

Not enough time to throw downfield.

The Mountaineers allowed 32 sacks, about one per every 13.4 pass attempts, thwarting opportunities to throw deep and contributing to skittish footwork by Skyler Howard. With trust in the pocket lacking, Dana Holgorsen changed tactics and produced the heaviest run-reliance numbers of his coaching career.

Yes, West Virginia was breaking in redshirt freshman Yodny Cajuste at left tackle, and by midseason injuries forced Marcell Lazard into action at right tackle. Plus transfer guard Kyle Bosch was rushed into the lineup after the NCAA surprisingly granted him immediate eligibility ups his arrival from Michigan.

The anchor of that line, center Tyler Orlosky, didn’t attribute the protection problems to being physically overmatched.

“Where we got in trouble was half the line doing one thing and half the line doing another thing,” he said. “That’s a lack of communication that can’t happen.

“Plus the (blocking) back plays a big part. If he doesn’t tell us where he’s going, it might screw up the whole scheme and we might let a defender loose.”

Enter Joe Wickline, the former Texas and Oklahoma State line coach whose top priority became developing edge blockers and giving Howard the time to improve upon his barely 50-percent passing in league games.

“That pocket’s going to be better,” Holgorsen vowed.

“Where we got in trouble was half the line doing one thing and half the line doing another thing. That’s a lack of communication that can’t happen.” — Tyler Orlosky

Orlosky, regarded as one of the nation’s premier centers, noticed throughout spring how Bosch became more sound at picking up blitzers. At left guard, Adam Pankey is a senior with 25 starts on his resume and home to stay after a short-lived and unsuccessful shift to tackle last season.

”They’re better now. It’s not even close,” Hoglorsen said. “The inside four or five guys are going to be really good, dominating. I look forward to watching some tackles improve.”

That’s where Cajuste must emerge. Raves about his athleticism are tempered by the fact Cajuste needs to grow stronger and heavier. On the opposite side, a competition looms between Lazard and Colton McKivitz now that junior college All-American Craig Smith failed to qualify.

“Consistency is accomplished by a number of things,” Orlosky said. “We haven’t done that since I’ve been here, and that’s why we’ve only won eight games at the most.”

With three full-time starters returning inside and two part-timers at tackles, Holgorsen is touting the offensive line as one of the nation’s best. The reunion with Wickline plays a huge roll in that optimism as Holgorsen aims to recreate the prosperity they produced in Stillwater in 2010.

At the heart of it all is Orlosky, who has appeared in 37 career games, and Howard, the quarterback who has started the past 15.

“These guys communicate and I don’t even know what they’re talking about,” Holgorsen said. “It speeds up the process. It reduces negative plays. It reduces missed assignments.

“There’s a lot of experience, a lot of practice, a lot of snaps, and that puts me in a much better place.”





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