Ickey To The Bench

[WUnderhill]

Probably should start wrapping our heads around this possibility. Hunt is the instant starter at RG. Lewis at LG has been the definition of a league average starter over his career ranking 32nd in pass block win rate among guards. I would not be surprised at all of Christensen beats out Ickey for the starting LT spot in Canales’ wide zone scheme, and I think Lewis would beat him out at LG. And we may still add more OL depth. It wouldn’t take much to beat out the Ickey we saw last year.

Especially if he sits on his ass all off-season like last year and doesn’t improve.

[Khyber53]

Almost every starting LT had a rough second season. It's the learning curve, not just of the player but of the opposing players who now have enough tape and sometimes head-to-head experience to know the player's tendencies and weaknesses. 

That sophomore slump is where the learning curve is at its steepest and the odds are in favor of the defense. Let's see how he comes back in the third season as a starter. Sometimes they don't make it and head to the bench and the second string. And most times, for the great ones, this is where they start feeling their place in the game and take ownership not just of their gameplay but of that patch of field they are standing on. 

I have faith that Icky will live up to his potential. Just give him someone steady beside him and have someone who can make the right play and protection calls. 

[PNW_PantherMan]

I'm wondering if Icky is as bad of a fit for the scheme as Bozeman was.  There's no room for him to start at guard, and it sounds like BC is moving to the left tackle spot.

[LinvilleGorge]

I think they believe he's still salvageable at LT. I hope they're right because Lord knows this roster already has plenty of holes.

[jamos14]

1 minute ago, PNW_PantherMan said:

I'm wondering if Icky is as bad of a fit for the scheme as Bozeman was.  There's no room for him to start at guard, and it sounds like BC is moving to the left tackle spot.

No, I don't think so.   He looked bad because he had a rotating door at LG all season long and he was still trying to develop stability himself.

 

Even Moton looked bad at times because he had the same thing happening at RG. 

[UNCrules2187]

They're not going to bench the 6th overall pick going into his 3rd year. They're putting Icky next to a strong interior and are going to see if last season's stinker of a season was due to a bad scheme and a revolving door interior. If he sinks this season, they'll replace him as a starter. But he's going into the 2024 season as the starter at LT.

[Tr3ach]

I wonder if he was secretly shopped behind the scenes some because he definitely doesnt fit the new blocking scheme either. 

[Panthero]

Icky is on the Bryce plan, perform now that you have help or hit the bricks in 2025. 

[Khaki Lackey]

I would like to see Ickey play in the same scheme for two consecutive seasons without a dumpster fire next to him before calling him a bust. I know that's not knee-jerk enough for the huddle, but still.

[Waldo]

Lol so much for moving him to OG lol

[Hoenheim]

I like how you click bated the title like the staff removed him from starting officially lol

[MHS831]

Folks, I do not know a lot, but I was an OL coach and i look for technique improvement when I watch videos or film.  Ickey was not coached.  Campen was absolutely horrible.  Ickey has the tools, he just needs to work on his feet, hands, and balance.  The light will come on, I am 90% sure.

[WhoKnows]

56 minutes ago, jamos14 said:

No, I don't think so.   He looked bad because he had a rotating door at LG all season long and he was still trying to develop stability himself.

 

Even Moton looked bad at times because he had the same thing happening at RG. 

Iky looked bad because he was awful on the edge when he had 1 well known guy to block. Anyone with speed just ran right by him. The LG had nothing to do with that. I don’t recall seeing Moton looking bad like that all the time. Also, I recall seeing times where the LG picked up the stunt coming from Iky’s guy and Iky never got off the double to pick up the inside DL stunting to the outside. He was really bad at any stunts and reading the right guy to pick up. Our interior OL was wretched but Iky looked just as bad all on his own.

[WhoKnows]

5 minutes ago, MHS831 said:

Folks, I do not know a lot, but I was an OL coach and i look for technique improvement when I watch videos or film.  Ickey was not coached.  Campen was absolutely horrible.  Ickey has the tools, he just needs to work on his feet, hands, and balance.  The light will come on, I am 90% sure.

I really hope so because, damn he had a really bad year. The speed rush still scares me but hopefully it really was awful preparation and work. I’m holding out some hope that Young might turn the corner as well. 2025 isn’t a good QB class so maybe we can end up with a stud DL like Garrett instead.