The Offensive Line group is one of the most important groups in the game of football. They help create the running lanes for the Running Backs and protect the Quarterback so he can drop back and throw the ball with a clean pocket. The Offensive Line group battles in what is called the “trenches” in football. Their main job is battling against massive, aggressive and athletic defensive line every snap.
Importance of Offensive Line
They are the first line of protection that allows other positions to do their jobs at a high level. If the Offensive Line is unable to block and protect it can create challenges for the offense to be effective. They are one of the most underlooked groups to football fans because they are not the ones making the throws, running the ball or scoring touchdowns. They are the unsung heroes of the game, everyone praises the Quarterbacks, Running Backs and Wide Receivers, but without the Offensive Line none of it would be possible. The positions of Offensive Line are Center, Guards and Tackles. The Center snaps the ball from the middle to the Quarterback, then there are Left and Right Guards followed by Left and Right Tackles. The Center is the only other player besides the Quarterback who touches the ball, the Center is the Quarterback of the Offensive Line he must manage and control the line of scrimmage while communicating with his teammates and help put the offense in the best position possible to have a successful play. Overall, the Offensive Line group is vital to the success of an offense and is the core of a great offense.
Mentality of Offensive Line
The mentality of an Offensive Linemen is one that only few can understand. You must play fast, but under control, be aggressive, but not too aggressive, have a mean guy attitude, but also be smart and technical and be selfless, but win your battle. It takes a lot of hard work and many repetitions to become a great Offensive Linemen just like anything in life you want to be great at. The Offensive Linemen must have very good football smarts and awareness with fast reactions and strength. A lot is required to be successful, but the physical aspect of offensive linemen play requires a tough, relentless attitude and willingness to put your body on the line for your teammates. The Offensive Line is the most physically demanding position in football. They compete against the biggest guys on the field, they use their head, shoulders and hands to stop the defenders. Every play is equivalent to getting into a car crash, and when you do that for months at a time the physical toll it takes on offensive linemen is unlike any other position in football. With a great mentality and being able to control all these attributes the sky's the limit for an individual offensive lineman.
Keys to having a successful Offensive Line Unit:
1. Feet Work/Handwork:
The importance of the Offensive Line having great footwork allows them to put themselves in better positions to do their job. They are moving backwards while the defender is running full speed at them already creating a disadvantage. An offensive line must be able to be light and quick on their feet so that they can kick and slide to cut off the defender. For them to do this they must keep a great base and distance between each other, move swiftly on their feet while maintaining balance and strength. After getting into position using their footwork, they then need to throw hands. A Linemen must get good hand placement on the defender depending on a run or pass play. Hand placement is important as it allows the offensive player to gain control of the defender and be able to move him out of the way of the runner or passer. The defenders also use their hands to gain an advantage so you must be able to move and react fast to always give yourself a chance to win your individual battle. Footwork and handwork counter each other, you must be able to do both to be a successful offensive lineman.
2. Awareness/Communication:
Having high sense for awareness and communication is key to any Offensive Line group. The defense is constantly moving and lining up in different positions and moving players around to try and confuse the Offense into a mistake. Offensive Linemen must be aware where players are lined up and understand their blocking or pass scheme to help the play be most effective. Awareness and communication help the Offensive Line identify the possible threat and allow them to sort out the situation by talking and communicating who is blocking which defender. If the offensive line has great awareness and communication, it makes it that much harder for the defense to be able to do what they want and will keep the advantage for the offense at the line of scrimmage.
3. Brotherhood:
As teams only have 1 Quarterback or 2 Running Backs, every team plays with 5 offensive linemen. It is important that this group must be very close and have a great bond between one another. They communicate every play and must always have each other’s back. If there is a misunderstanding or someone makes a mistake, they must figure out the issue and continue to play together not as an individual. They are the core of any team and if they are not all on the same page with one another not only would it hurt the offense, but it would hurt the team. They must get through adversity together and they must work together to be successful and help the Offense score Touchdowns. The better the comradery and bond the Offensive Line has with one another will allow them to play more for their brother next to them and do it together have success as a unit.
Top Offensive Lines in IFL
Therefore, given all these characteristics, what makes an Offensive Line worth its price? Definitely, an important parameter of evaluation is its ability to create opportunities for the offense, and to pave the way for relevant plays by Running Bakcs and Wide Receivers. By also going through some statistics updated to Week 9, let’s go deeper into some Offensive Lines performances in IFL. We decided to pick the most interesting ones, and we are pretty sure our choices will surprise somebody!
Panthers Parma: even though their offensive potential looks somehow still unexpressed, there’s no question the reigning champs have a very supportive Offensive Line. Panthers are first in the league for total points (233), average points per game (38.8), and, most importantly for our purpose, rushing offense (212 average yards per game). This proficiency is ensured by an excellent run and pass protection: only 3 sacks allowed and the highest time of possession (27:26 average minutes per game) certify a considerable solidity and, conversely, a high difficulty to force turnovers and to put pressure right after the snap by opponents.
Skorpions Varese: Quarter Back Ryan Griffin really turned the tide for the red-and-white team, with his experience and almost unmatched football IQ. No surprise he is in an optimal condition to perform at such a high level: thanks to his Offensive Line, he has been almost untouched (3 sacks allowed) and tremendously efficient (1487 yards,16 td, 8.4 average passing yards per game). Varese is a clear example of how an effective Offensive Line is not exclusively functional to an explosive running game but also precious for a mid-long passing game.
Guelfi Firenze: opposite to Varese, Guelfi are a running-based team (1043 rushing yards, 920 passing yards), with a proper double threat Quarter Back like Andrea Fimiani and a rapid Running Back like Cosimo Casati. The Offensive Line allowed 6 sacks, but did an excellent job in protecting the running game, since Guelfi are the second team in the league for average rushing yards per game (173.8). Another curiosity: Guelfi Firenze are third in rank, after Panthers and Skorpions, for third down conversions, proving a great ability to gain yards under pressure. An impossible achievement, without a rocklike Offensive Line.
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