How good is our O Line?

[Ruler 79]

Has anyone been to practice or a scrimmage and got a good look? They have some very big Frosh coming in but our starters and backups look to be a little smaller and more athletic then in years past.

[Dane96]

No clue-- havent heard any reports, but I have never heard Fordie sound optimistic about a few practices/scrimmages until this season. So...maybe that is a good thing.

 

That said, saw your post on the GSU board. FYI, Justin Tougas does not play football for the Great Danes anymore.

[danefan]

I'm not sure, but I know they will be smaller than in the past. I don't think they'll be able to just line and pound it down the throats of UMass, Maine or GSU like we've done in the past. The offense will need to be more balanced than it has ever been and this is a great year to do it. Espo showed some great poise in the games we needed him (UNH, etc.). They didn't use him against Delaware like I think they should have and that might have been the difference in the second half.

 

Add in Andrew Smith on some reads/options and they should be able to spread the defense and take some pressure off of McCarty and the young o-linemen.

[Ruler 79]

They have 3 Frosh who are all over 300lbs. They need to get this 6'7 300+ kid from NJ some reps as well as some others. They did that with Nguti and started playing him young.

 

We need all the O lineman we can get down there. We need to make changes like in hockey and change lines every quater to keep McCarty upright and their legs fresh. I don't mind if we are a little smaller but bigger has proven to be successful. With a stud like #3 we need to be good upfront. We are fine to line up a pound it in the NEC but that will be difficult to do in OOC play.

 

I also heard about Tougas as well, but heard @ the golf outing he was back.

[danefan]

They have 3 Frosh who are all over 300lbs. They need to get this 6'7 300+ kid from NJ some reps as well as some others. They did that with Nguti and started playing him young.

 

We need all the O lineman we can get down there. We need to make changes like in hockey and change lines every quater to keep McCarty upright and their legs fresh. I don't mind if we are a little smaller but bigger has proven to be successful. With a stud like #3 we need to be good upfront. We are fine to line up a pound it in the NEC but that will be difficult to do in OOC play.

 

I also heard about Tougas as well, but heard @ the golf outing he was back.

 

 

I heard the same rumblings of Tougas as well, but I forgot to ask Coach McCarthy when I had the chance.

 

Fordie has had some history of taking players back. Recent memory includes another really good O-lineman - Jacob Hobbs.\

 

BTW, Kadeem Williams (the big OL from NJ) must be pretty athletic. The bios have been updated on the roster and they say that he was a starter on his high school basketball team and had a game with 10 blocks and 11 rebounds. No way Nguti had that kind of athleticism when he came in - kid couldn't even walk without tripping over his feet.

[uafootballLI]

I wasn't able to get to the scrimmage Saturday, but Tougas is not back..he left the team for personal reasons last year..and he only had 1 year of eligibility left, so on my understanding I don't believe he would even be able too. The line won't be as big upfront as usual, but the guys are pretty athletic. At the left tackle spot you'll probably have Vince Gonzalez, who is probally the strongest of the bunch and pretty darn athletic followed by Okeefe, Richards, Sparano, and Peifer. Sparano split a good amount of time with Richards this past season, so he has plently of game experience. Sparano and Peifer were also used in that jumbo formation where they brought in two extra olineman as tight ends. Whats suprising is how O'Keefe beating out Stevens who started the entire year @ Left guard the previous year. I don't know if O'Keefe got that much better over spring ball or if Stevens thought he had the spot on lock and digressed. Stevens also has experience at the tackle spot so I wouldn't be suprised him being the #3 tackle if someone should go down, knock on wood.

 

No knock on Kadeem "Baby Nguti" Williams..but The last true freshman to play on the OL was Sam Pagano, who had amazing technique and was good sized too..plus you gotta also figure that he was playing next to Brandon Shaw and Geir Gundmendsen which helped a lot too...but if guys have the capability to play they will definitely substitute upfront..in 07 they had a three tackle rotation with Tougas, Nguti and Leible..Wentzell and Schultz split reps @ guard..Richards and Sparano split much of the season last year..etc etc

[UAalum72]

Offensive Coordinator Ryan McCarthy, with Dave McCarty, on Wyland at 11:15 :

 

McCarty is the centerpiece. O-line may not be as dominant, McC makes them better, we've got some depth. Dave gets the football as much as we can, considering the heat expected in Georgia. Gannon provides depth.

 

Espo is "locked in" right now throwing the ball, McCarthy wishes we could play today

 

re the pros, they'll question McCarty's speed, but he's a player. He still expects to go into the Marines.

 

McCarty not a vocal leader, that's not his personality.

 

OC hopes to open up the offense more, be more balanced, passing more esp. on 1st & 2nd down, some trick plays, but doesn't want to overwhelm the kids. Wouldn't tell Rodger if there was a trick play for the first snap.

 

WR corps has been the most consistent group, 5 or 6 kids who can play.

 

The mentality in the locker room is that we can play with anybody, we're never an underdog. After UMass, Hofstra and UNH last year the kids were tired of hearing how good the other teams were. We're going right at GSU, we're past the point of just trying to hang around. Maybe they'll take us lightly.

[danefan]

Offensive Coordinator Ryan McCarthy, with Dave McCarty, on Wyland at 11:15 :

 

McCarty is the centerpiece. O-line may not be as dominant, McC makes them better, we've got some depth. Dave gets the football as much as we can, considering the heat expected in Georgia. Gannon provides depth.

 

Espo is "locked in" right now throwing the ball, McCarthy wishes we could play today

 

re the pros, they'll question McCarty's speed, but he's a player. He still expects to go into the Marines.

 

McCarty not a vocal leader, that's not his personality.

 

OC hopes to open up the offense more, be more balanced, passing more esp. on 1st & 2nd down, some trick plays, but doesn't want to overwhelm the kids. Wouldn't tell Rodger if there was a trick play for the first snap.

 

WR corps has been the most consistent group, 5 or 6 kids who can play.

 

The mentality in the locker room is that we can play with anybody, we're never an underdog. After UMass, Hofstra and UNH last year the kids were tired of hearing how good the other teams were. We're going right at GSU, we're past the point of just trying to hang around. Maybe they'll take us lightly.

 

Thanks again UAalumn72. I love hearing these updates.

 

McCarthy is a good guy and I think a major key which may have been overlooked this year is that he'll have one year under his belt calling plays. Remember he was a 1st year OC last year and is very young (31 now). The other thing I like is that McCarthy was a throwing QB in college himself.

 

Opening up the playbook will take the pressure off of those new guys up front.

 

Plus I love that mentality. That has certainly changed since I was there when we started really playing up. When we went to Montana in 2002 we knew we weren't on the same level as those guys. That's not nearly as true anymore and its good to hear the players believe that. Can't win a game if you don't think you have a shot.

[Clickclack]

Great update alum72, can't wait to get under way!