Ollison All-ACC Preseason Selection

[VAPITTALUM]

Thoughts? http://www.espn.com/blog/acc/post/_/id/99573/2017-preseason-espn-com-all-acc-team

Ollison can be a weapon on offense if he is able to block better than what we saw last year. If he's still a major liability, then Narduzzi will likely elect to use Moss, Hall (I know...), or one of the AA freshmen.

 

[steel_curtain]

Thoughts? http://www.espn.com/blog/acc/post/_/id/99573/2017-preseason-espn-com-all-acc-team

Ollison can be a weapon on offense if he is able to block better than what we saw last year. If he's still a major liability, then Narduzzi will likely elect to use Moss, Hall (I know...), or one of the AA freshmen.

-Id like to see it, but I dont see it. I think we are loaded at rb, meaning stacked, and the carries will be spread around. When you have multiple rbs with multiple run styles you use them all. I'm still not a Hall fan.

 

[President Stache]

He is definitely the kind of runner like Conner is, that wears down a defense, so giving him 5 carries a game isnt him. Of course lots of RBs would say that

 

[Swervin27]

I go back and forth with what I expect to see from the RB position. I'd love a nice 1-2 punch with someone getting 60%, the 2nd RB getting 35% and get a 3rd in there for the miscellaneous. throw in some end-arounds and that should do it. But I don't think that the Duzzer plays that way, I think he wants one man to get the bulk, even if we have yet to identify that one man. I think, I fear that we will have a different starting RB from game to game..

 

[Revenge Of The Noise]

I go back and forth with what I expect to see from the RB position. I'd love a nice 1-2 punch with someone getting 60%, the 2nd RB getting 35% and get a 3rd in there for the miscellaneous. throw in some end-arounds and that should do it. But I don't think that the Duzzer plays that way, I think he wants one man to get the bulk, even if we have yet to identify that one man. I think, I fear that we will have a different starting RB from game to game..

I expect we're going to see a bunch of guys and not particularly excited by any of em. Unless the whole cloak of secrecy thing the staff likes to play actually will have a happy ending to it, namely that one of these frosh guys are actually the next Shady or Dion and they've successful kept it hidden

 

[Swervin27]

I expect we're going to see a bunch of guys and not particularly excited by any of em. Unless the whole cloak of secrecy thing the staff likes to play actually will have a happy ending to it, namely that one of these frosh guys are actually the next Shady or Dion and they've successful kept it hidden

I think Ollison could be good with a complimentary back to add a new element. There is no shady or JC on this roster, maybe one of the freshmen if we are lucky.

 

[#99HUGHgreen]

Don't know if we will ever see another Shady: An amazing runner without great blocking or a capable supporting QB. Shady was basically the only option-the defense knew it and he still was amazing!

Ollison is by far the closest to JC... a tad less power and a tad more finess in his step. I think he will prove to be very good if given enough opportunities and if the playcalling keeps the defense guessing as to what play is coming next (like last year).

I heard Q Henderson say in an interview that they are not using him much in the run game. hope they don't abandon the sweeps with him to try to get more of these backs playing time- That could be a big mistake. Though, it should be exciting to see the two freshmen RBs play on game day.

 

[VAPITTALUM]

Ollison is by far the closest to JC... a tad less power and a tad more finess in his step. I think he will prove to be very good if given enough opportunities and if the playcalling keeps the defense guessing as to what play is coming next (like last year).

That's certainly a fair comparison. To add, and this may get me tarred and feathered, Ollison appears to have better top end speed once he's in the open field.

We'll likely get a good glimpse at the future with Davis if PITT can pull out to a sizeable lead Saturday. Him and Sibley both look like great backs who could really compliment each other.

 

[SatelliteTailGate]

His complete disappearance last year baffled me, however, my expectation for this year is a complete return to form! H2P!!

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

Don't know if we will ever see another Shady: An amazing runner without great blocking or a capable supporting QB. Shady was basically the only option-the defense knew it and he still was amazing!.

This comment is partially right. I very much disagree with your assessment of the quality of blocking he received. Those were very solid offensive lines with good blocking TEs. Shady had good block and not much else.

 

[Revenge Of The Noise]

He's solid, consistent, seems to stay north and south and low to the ground.

He's a good starting back for a team with aspirations for 6-6.

 

[SatelliteTailGate]

He's solid, consistent, seems to stay north and south and low to the ground.

He's a good starting back for a team with aspirations for 6-6.

He started on a team that went 8 - 4.

 

[VAPITTALUM]

He's solid, consistent, seems to stay north and south and low to the ground.

He's a good starting back for a team with aspirations for 6-6.

So, are you saying he's not good enough to be a starter at PITT or is PITT aspiring to go .500 this season?

 

[#99HUGHgreen]

Ollison appears to have better top end speed once he's in the open field.

Absolutely. I think even Conner would admit to it.

 

[#99HUGHgreen]

This comment is partially right. Those were very solid offensive lines with good blocking TEs. Shady had good block and not much else.

You know, you're probably right that I am not giving that line at the time enough credit. I just remember the QB situation was so bad that the coaches decided to just go with the wildcat formation- snapping it directly to McCoy play after play. My point was that it was like a game of "Kill the man with the ball" where the opponent knew Shady was always going to be the man with the ball... and they still had trouble catching him and bringing him down.

 

[Swervin27]

I'm a big Ollison fan But I give credibility to the coaching staff's critique on him getting brought down very easily after he gets past the line of scrimmage. shoestring tackle sounds like an overuse cliché but it's very accurate with him in that 2015 season.

James Connor would have had 1900 yards in the 2015 season. Ollison is great at getting the tough yards but really needs to make things happen when he gets past that first wave of defenders. he needs to make that safety miss on occasion.

With all this said I think he's easily our best option

 

[VAPITTALUM]

I'm a big Ollison fan But I give credibility to the coaching staff's critique on him getting brought down very easily after he gets past the line of scrimmage. shoestring tackle sounds like an overuse cliché but it's very accurate with him in that 2015 season.

James Connor would have had 1900 yards in the 2015 season. Ollison is great at getting the tough yards but really needs to make things happen when he gets past that first wave of defenders. he needs to make that safety miss on occasion.

With all this said I think he's easily our best option

Ollison has struggled with taking and shedding contact, which is kind of odd given his size. Hopefully he has worked through that aspect of his game a bit.
The one area that truly concerns me is his ability to block in passing and jet-sweep situations. Without Aston and Conner, who were both excellent at sealing the edge and allowing Henderson, Tipton, Whitehead, etc. to take off for long gains; the onus will be on Ollison and potentially Flanagan to step up and make those blocks.