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O-Line question

XIIfan

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This maybe better suited for the recruiting board, but I didn't want to muddy up the profile pages. Anyway, we seem to be interested in a lot of OT players this year, but fewer OG and OC. Is this just a fluke of the high school systems/recruiting services? How well do OT perform when moved to the interior line positions? Do the taller players (6'4"+) loose leverage and get pushed around?
 
You're right: this is better suited for the recuriting forum, so I'll move it there. That forum isn't just meant for profile threads; it's also meant for questions like these.
 
This maybe better suited for the recruiting board, but I didn't want to muddy up the profile pages. Anyway, we seem to be interested in a lot of OT players this year, but fewer OG and OC. Is this just a fluke of the high school systems/recruiting services? How well do OT perform when moved to the interior line positions? Do the taller players (6'4"+) loose leverage and get pushed around?

Good O-lineman are interchangable between guard and tackle. Obviously, they end up eventually gravitate toward a position. As for heigth and leverage, it really depends more on how flexible they are in their hips. Taller guys who are flexible and play low actually have better leverage. Think about it in simple terms, a taller guy has a longer lever (seriously and I'm not saying this as a joke because I'm 6'6) and if he plays low will have an advantage over a short stocky guy. Center may be an small exception to the interchangability of the positions because it requires some unique skills both functionally and mentally.

In high school the most athletic lineman are usually put at tackle so they can be used most effectively in protecting the passer and leading outside plays. Embree will be recruiting athletes on both sides of the line and will place a premium on flexible athletic and tall lineman. I would also not be surprised to see a couple of D-line recruits make the transiton to O-line over the next few years as well.

To sum it up, look for athletic, flexible and tall lineman who have better upsides when it comes to performing physically once they learn the footwork necessary to maximize their leverage.
 
We like these types of questions, XIIfan, good thread.:thumbsup:

Something to keep in mind as far as interior OL recruiting is concerned, we have or will have several centers on the team. Handler is only a sophomore, Munyer is a RS freshman, Cotner is a RS freshman, and Alex Kelley will join the team in January. Look for some of those guys to get a shot at OG.
 
In high school the most athletic lineman are usually put at tackle so they can be used most effectively in protecting the passer and leading outside plays. Embree will be recruiting athletes on both sides of the line and will place a premium on flexible athletic and tall lineman. I would also not be surprised to see a couple of D-line recruits make the transiton to O-line over the next few years as well.
I guess this makes sense. OT is a key position and high schools tend to put their best players at key positions (QB's are likely the best athlete, not the best passer). What is different about technique that will limit them from starting immediately with a line-position shift other than size and experience?
 
Pretty sure his year at the JUCO counted as his redshirt year.

I'm with Slider, I thought Cotner fell into some weird loophole in that he went 1 year JUCO, but never played (just worked out) and he still has 5 years to play 4. Could be wrong, though. My memory ain't what it used to be.
 
I think this is what Slider and I are remembering. Quoted from Buffaholic...

It is not so unusual to redshirt at a Juco, we just don't hear of it so often because the kids that we tend to hear about are the kids who are D1 kids who go the Juco route because they didn't qualify for a 4 year school. Those kids go there and play the 2 years they need to and get the credits they need to (AA degree now required) to move back into the 4-year recruiting picture.

A lot of kids who have some work to do on their bodies redshirt to buy time. A better idea is to grayshirt (take less than 12 hours) and that keeps the NCAA 5 year clock from starting at all. That is what this kid evidently did so he will have 5 to play 4.

My question here is he mentioned practicing with the team, and grayshirts can't do that I don't think.
 
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He is supposed to be a true freshman as he did not attend school full time. Still don't understand how he could have practiced with his team though.

Josh Ford did this same thing at the KS juco.

This is actually done quite often in golf. Go to the Leadbetter academy, attend less than full time college, while playing in amateur tournaments. Get yourself recruited and then you have 5 to play 4.
 
My understanding is that Cotner is a true freshman (it's like he grayshirted last year) and that with Kelley grayshirting we have the Center position well covered for a while.

2012:

RS-Junior... Handler
RS-Sophomore... Munyer
RS-Freshman... Cotner
Freshman... Kelley

I don't think we need another C in this year's class. I do like taking 1 a year, though. Centers tend to make good Guards if they need to make a switch.
 
I guess this makes sense. OT is a key position and high schools tend to put their best players at key positions (QB's are likely the best athlete, not the best passer). What is different about technique that will limit them from starting immediately with a line-position shift other than size and experience?

Not a lot from Tackle to Guard. Pass sets are more likely to be shorter and more sudden for obvious reasons at guard and it can take some time to get accustomed to outside speed rushers at tackle if you have been playing guard for a while. That said, in the League where they only keep 7-8 O-linemen, most are accustomed to playing multiple line positions and should be proficient if they have to make a quick substitution even during the game. There are very, very few 18-19 year old kids that can step onto a D-1 o-line and play well. It takes some seasoning and growth both physically and mentally to be able to do that.
 
Not a lot from Tackle to Guard. Pass sets are more likely to be shorter and more sudden for obvious reasons at guard and it can take some time to get accustomed to outside speed rushers at tackle if you have been playing guard for a while. That said, in the League where they only keep 7-8 O-linemen, most are accustomed to playing multiple line positions and should be proficient if they have to make a quick substitution even during the game. There are very, very few 18-19 year old kids that can step onto a D-1 o-line and play well. It takes some seasoning and growth both physically and mentally to be able to do that.

Tackles often end up blocking against guys who are lighter but substantially faster or quicker, guards more often get the interior guys who don't move as well but have more size and strength. Guards also are often called on to fire directly out and get to an inside LB. Guards do much more blocking in a tight zone with their man while tackles will try, especially against the pass, to block more at arms length not letting the man get into their body where he can get leverage on them to go inside or outside. Guards usually need to be a bit more physically strong while tackles need to be better in space with lateral movement.
 
Spring outlookRT- Harris, Daniewitz, MustoeROG- Crabb, CotnerC- Munyer, HandlerLOG- Asiata, DanietwitzLOT- Bakthiari, Lewis
 
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