Lets talk OL for this year

#2
#2
We lost some key players in Wright and Carvin but the position group returns a good amount of experience with guys like Mays, Spraggins, Mincey, Lane, and Crawford. I like the depth Heupel has built and portal acquisitions. I have seen enough evidence from the OL in two years under JH that makes me feel confident that the unit will be solid by SEC standards. Some defensive linemen are going to get knocked around this year. GBO!!!
 
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#4
#4
This is the position group that worries me the most going into the year, even more than the secondary - mainly because it is a developmental position. I am not a negavol but this position group does concern me. I do think we have some young big-body linemen who could develop into solid starters down the road but not this year (i.e. Sham, Lang, Grant, etc.).

There is no need to detail the loss of Wright, we all know he was elite and there will be some drop-off. However the loss of Jerome Carvin will hurt more than most expect. Not only was he an experienced vet but he was the backup center. Cooper is a perfect C for this offense but all it take is a rolled ankle and now the entire OL becomes a major liability.

From left to right:
LT - John Campbell had an average career at Miami before transferring and gave up quite a few sacks. He looks the part physically. Understandably so, he was learning the offense during spring and the tempo got the best of him as he looked gassed during the game. But has the offseason to get ready for the tempo. Mincey and Crawford gained valuable experience last year and were average LTs.
LG - Hopefully Nichols takes a big step during training camp and wins the job. He has the body and potential, just not the experience. Ollie is best served at being a backup swing G. Karic was very underwhelming this spring and I dont think it was not knowing the offense. He just doesnt look to be an SEC caliber player. Hopefully he proves me wrong.
C - Cooper is great at C and hopefully he stays healthy all year. Nichols just doesnt look natural at C and Lang is just a freshman. One bad snap can directly lead to a loss.
RG - Spraggins is my favorite OL on the team based on his play. He has that mentality and dog you want in a G. He is still really inconsistent and gets beat a little more that I would like but I think he makes a big jump this season. Right now he is good but when he is on, he is a great G. Not a lot of depth.
RT - There will be a drop in production but Mincey and Crawford got a year of SEC experience at LT last year and hopefully they continue that growth while moving to the RT.

QB play has a big part to play with the OL. Hooker and Miltons playing styles are night and day from each other. Hookers escapability and ability to make something out of nothing helped the team and OL time-and-time again last year. People mistake Miltons size and athleticism with the ability to run but they arent the same. Milton really is more of pocket passer where Hooker was a dual threat. I think we will give up more sacks just because of this, even if the OL was the same as last year.
 
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#6
#6
O-line...WHAT O-Line...?
tenor.gif
 
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#7
#7
GritNGrind1906 said:
This is the position group that worries me the most going into the year, even more than the secondary - mainly because it is a developmental position. I am not a negavol but this position group does concern me. I do think we have some young big-body linemen who could develop into solid starters down the road but not this year (i.e. Sham, Lang, Grant, etc.).

There is no need to detail the loss of Wright, we all know he was elite and there will be some drop-off. However the loss of Jerome Carvin will hurt more than most expect. Not only was he an experienced vet but he was the backup center. Cooper is a perfect C for this offense but all it take is a rolled ankle and now the entire OL becomes a major liability.

From left to right:
LT - John Campbell had an average career at Miami before transferring and gave up quite a few sacks. He looks the part physically. Understandably so, he was learning the offense during spring and the tempo got the best of him as he looked gassed during the game. But has the offseason to get ready for the tempo. Mincey and Crawford gained valuable experience last year and were average LTs.
LG - Hopefully Nichols takes a big step during training camp and wins the job. He has the body and potential, just not the experience. Ollie is best served at being a backup swing G. Karic was very underwhelming this spring and I dont think it was not knowing the offense. He just doesnt look to be an SEC caliber player. Hopefully he proves me wrong.
C - Cooper is great at C and hopefully he stays healthy all year. Nichols just doesnt look natural at C and Lang is just a freshman. One bad snap can directly lead to a loss.
RG - Spraggins is my favorite OL on the team based on his play. He has that mentality and dog you want in a G. He is still really inconsistent and gets beat a little more that I would like but I think he makes a big jump this season. Right now he is good but when he is on, he is a great G. Not a lot of depth.
RT - There will be a drop in production but Mincey and Crawford got a year of SEC experience at LT last year and hopefully they continue that growth while moving to the RT.

QB play has a big part to play with the OL. Hooker and Miltons playing styles are night and day from each other. Hookers escapability and ability to make something out of nothing helped the team and OL time-and-time again last year. People mistake Miltons size and athleticism with the ability to run but they arent the same. Milton really is more of pocket passer where Hooker was a dual threat. I think we will give up more sacks just because of this, even if the OL was the same as last year.
Click to expand...

Campbell had an average career at Miami? His pass pro grade was tops in the ACC last year.
 
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#8
#8
I’m concerned I think it will take time to jell early on that probaly won’t make a difference against Virginia but def will against Florida and South Carolina. We lost two great players on that line that won’t be easy to plug and play and not miss a beat.
 
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#11
#11
Mincey and Crawford are set to have solid seasons. They both improved dramatically last season from the beginning to end. Hopefully they can hold down the RT spot and fill in for the LT spot as needed. Of course they aren’t Darnell, but they can still be solid contributors.

I think there’s a good chance Lane and Nichols split reps for the first few games before Nichols actually takes over the LG spot. But we will need both to stay healthy and ready. Lane is a 6th year senior I think? Maybe he takes over since he’s 3-4 years older and more mature?

Dayne Davis has a lot of experience and will be a contributor/ solid backup. He has experience on both sides at tackle too. Will be interesting to see where he is by September.

There is a ton of youth that might need to play in a pinch so it will interesting to see how they develop before September.

My biggest questions are:

Lampley? He was contributing some last season. Can he take the next step and contribute in a backup role? Is he physical enough or was he actually getting hurt on every extra point and fg attempt or was it the ol Lame Kitten buying time act?

Parker Ball and Vysen Lang…. do they push anywhere or just get backup center reps. Both played a lot in spring.

Does Karic push anywhere or does he need a year to get his feet and body right for this offense?

Does Larry Johnson III step up? Juco is very different from the SEC. He also had some bad weight when he got here so how does he work this offseason? Is he driven?

Do any of the true or redshirt freshman make any waves like Mo Clipper, Umarov, or Grant?
 
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#14
#14
Every year the OL gets better…regardless of the working parts. This time last year we didn’t have a replacement for Cade Mays, who played out of position and dinged up. Moved Wright back to his natural position and two years under Ellarbee made him into a top 10 pick. Expect more and better. I think Campbell will be an upgrade over Mincey/Crawford at LT while Umarov gets his toes wet, and he’ll be our next great OL the next season. This unit hasn’t done growing pains since our inaugural season in Heupel’s system. This is what Ellarbee does…dating back to Mizzou. Names change…RESULTS get better.
 
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#17
#17
I think Mincie plays himself into a top 10 draft pick at RT. I think it's a natural position for him. I could see Milton and Mincey both go in the top 10.
GBO!!!!!!
 
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#18
#18
GritNGrind1906 said:
This is the position group that worries me the most going into the year, even more than the secondary - mainly because it is a developmental position. I am not a negavol but this position group does concern me. I do think we have some young big-body linemen who could develop into solid starters down the road but not this year (i.e. Sham, Lang, Grant, etc.).

There is no need to detail the loss of Wright, we all know he was elite and there will be some drop-off. However the loss of Jerome Carvin will hurt more than most expect. Not only was he an experienced vet but he was the backup center. Cooper is a perfect C for this offense but all it take is a rolled ankle and now the entire OL becomes a major liability.

From left to right:
LT - John Campbell had an average career at Miami before transferring and gave up quite a few sacks. He looks the part physically. Understandably so, he was learning the offense during spring and the tempo got the best of him as he looked gassed during the game. But has the offseason to get ready for the tempo. Mincey and Crawford gained valuable experience last year and were average LTs.
LG - Hopefully Nichols takes a big step during training camp and wins the job. He has the body and potential, just not the experience. Ollie is best served at being a backup swing G. Karic was very underwhelming this spring and I dont think it was not knowing the offense. He just doesnt look to be an SEC caliber player. Hopefully he proves me wrong.
C - Cooper is great at C and hopefully he stays healthy all year. Nichols just doesnt look natural at C and Lang is just a freshman. One bad snap can directly lead to a loss.
RG - Spraggins is my favorite OL on the team based on his play. He has that mentality and dog you want in a G. He is still really inconsistent and gets beat a little more that I would like but I think he makes a big jump this season. Right now he is good but when he is on, he is a great G. Not a lot of depth.
RT - There will be a drop in production but Mincey and Crawford got a year of SEC experience at LT last year and hopefully they continue that growth while moving to the RT.

QB play has a big part to play with the OL. Hooker and Miltons playing styles are night and day from each other. Hookers escapability and ability to make something out of nothing helped the team and OL time-and-time again last year. People mistake Miltons size and athleticism with the ability to run but they arent the same. Milton really is more of pocket passer where Hooker was a dual threat. I think we will give up more sacks just because of this, even if the OL was the same as last year.
Click to expand...
Outstanding stuff here. I especially agree with your comparison of Hooker and Milton. I'm hoping we can really get the ground game rolling to help with pass protection. In my opinion that will be crucial.
 
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#19
#19
GritNGrind1906 said:
This is the position group that worries me the most going into the year, even more than the secondary - mainly because it is a developmental position. I am not a negavol but this position group does concern me. I do think we have some young big-body linemen who could develop into solid starters down the road but not this year (i.e. Sham, Lang, Grant, etc.).

There is no need to detail the loss of Wright, we all know he was elite and there will be some drop-off. However the loss of Jerome Carvin will hurt more than most expect. Not only was he an experienced vet but he was the backup center. Cooper is a perfect C for this offense but all it take is a rolled ankle and now the entire OL becomes a major liability.

From left to right:
LT - John Campbell had an average career at Miami before transferring and gave up quite a few sacks. He looks the part physically. Understandably so, he was learning the offense during spring and the tempo got the best of him as he looked gassed during the game. But has the offseason to get ready for the tempo. Mincey and Crawford gained valuable experience last year and were average LTs.
LG - Hopefully Nichols takes a big step during training camp and wins the job. He has the body and potential, just not the experience. Ollie is best served at being a backup swing G. Karic was very underwhelming this spring and I dont think it was not knowing the offense. He just doesnt look to be an SEC caliber player. Hopefully he proves me wrong.
C - Cooper is great at C and hopefully he stays healthy all year. Nichols just doesnt look natural at C and Lang is just a freshman. One bad snap can directly lead to a loss.
RG - Spraggins is my favorite OL on the team based on his play. He has that mentality and dog you want in a G. He is still really inconsistent and gets beat a little more that I would like but I think he makes a big jump this season. Right now he is good but when he is on, he is a great G. Not a lot of depth.
RT - There will be a drop in production but Mincey and Crawford got a year of SEC experience at LT last year and hopefully they continue that growth while moving to the RT.

QB play has a big part to play with the OL. Hooker and Miltons playing styles are night and day from each other. Hookers escapability and ability to make something out of nothing helped the team and OL time-and-time again last year. People mistake Miltons size and athleticism with the ability to run but they arent the same. Milton really is more of pocket passer where Hooker was a dual threat. I think we will give up more sacks just because of this, even if the OL was the same as last year.
Click to expand...

I agree with all of this except the QB part. Yes, there were a few plays where Hooker should have been sacked and ended up escaping, but on the flip side, if Hooker had one weakness it was that he wasn't great at standing strong in the pocket when it was collapsing. When the pocket started to collapse, he would go into a pump-fake, try to escape mode.

Milton stands in the pocket exceptionally well, even when it's breaking down. I think that will actually be really beneficial in this offense.
 
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#21
#21
Mose Phillip's Watch said:
We sure lost some talent upfront.
How do you feel going into 2023 ?
Click to expand...

I’m confident about the interior. Mays and Spraggins are pre-season mid round draft picks. Spraggins graded out really well the last two seasons. Nichols could come in and play some valuable minutes at C if needed, he could also slide over and play Guard. Tackle is where I have the most concern. Who’s still in the rotation at OT? Mincey and Davis are the top 2 guys right now?
 
#22
#22
I think Dane Davis will have an impact somewhere. Can he play that LG position? He has come in and done a serviceable job at RT. I feel like he doesn’t have the length or the feet at Tackle. Why not try him at guard?
 
#24
#24
VolinMichigan said:
I’m confident about the interior. Mays and Spraggins are pre-season mid round draft picks. Spraggins graded out really well the last two seasons. Nichols could come in and play some valuable minutes at C if needed, he could also slide over and play Guard. Tackle is where I have the most concern. Who’s still in the rotation at OT? Mincey and Davis are the top 2 guys right now?
Click to expand...
No. Mincey and CRAWFORD are the top 2 guys at RT. Davis is swing tackle depth. John Campbell is the projected starter at LT with Umarov as his backup. I think we have more options than last season. Luckily Wright was an iron man and didn’t test the depth.
 
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