Class of 2025 OL Kahlil Stewart (PA) COMMITTED / SIGNED NLI TO SYRACUSE (12/4/24)

[bnoro]

I know there’s a ton of hesitation and people who are absolutely against Freshman starting- Khalil is definitely a rare example which I firmly believe is ready. He’s coming into camp to compete for the job of replacing Reed!

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True freshmen starting on the OL at any P4 school would be a complete shock. Lifting heavy weights doesn't mean he can pick up the scheme right away. I sincerely hope he's not the best option, because going from HS is a huge adjustment.

Especially when the first game is against a team that was in the CFB Playoff.

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

True freshmen starting on the OL at any P4 school would be a complete shock. Lifting heavy weights doesn't mean he can pick up the scheme right away. I sincerely hope he's not the best option, because going from HS is a huge adjustment.

Especially when the first game is against a team that was in the CFB Playoff.

We’re a long way from a 230 pound Mackey McPherson coming in to do a shotgun snap.

 

[Cusefan69]

True freshmen starting on the OL at any P4 school would be a complete shock. Lifting heavy weights doesn't mean he can pick up the scheme right away. I sincerely hope he's not the best option, because going from HS is a huge adjustment.

Especially when the first game is against a team that was in the CFB Playoff.

A bit of hyperbole there. Programs started freshman all over including oline. A simple search showed South Carolina, Colorado, North Carolina, Utah, etc. Stewart is 6'3, 310. Big legs. Certainly within the boundaries of possibility he can start and perform.

 

[sutomcat]

Will he be on campus for spring ball?

It would not appear so.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

It would not appear so.

Then I'd have to think of he's the starting center it's likely something blew the plan off the rails.

 

[Sdot]

Someone mentioned this before but, if we don’t have a guy stepping up too start this year, then don’t be suprised too see us go for a older guy in spring portal.

 

[Libero2]

A bit of hyperbole there. Programs started freshman all over including oline. A simple search showed South Carolina, Colorado, North Carolina, Utah, etc. Stewart is 6'3, 310. Big legs. Certainly within the boundaries of possibility he can start and perform.

It also is crazy to have a true freshman starter at the majority of the positions including QB. Dungey wasn't all that long ago either...

 

[vegasnick]

Someone mentioned this before but, if we don’t have a guy stepping up too start this year, then don’t be suprised too see us go for an older guy in spring portal.

From what it seems now it’s a competition between Codie Hornsby and Stewart. But anything can happen between now and August. There was talk about the C from UNLV possibly visiting but I haven’t heard anything more about that.

 

[vegasnick]

A bit of hyperbole there. Programs started freshman all over including oline. A simple search showed South Carolina, Colorado, North Carolina, Utah, etc. Stewart is 6'3, 310. Big legs. Certainly within the boundaries of possibility he can start and perform.

I agree….also according to 247 sports and his twitter profile he’s actually 6’4 325! Which makes your case even more so !

 

[Sdot]

From what it seems now it’s a competition between Codie Hornsby and Stewart. But anything can happen between now and August. There was talk about the C from UNLV possibly visiting but I haven’t heard anything more about that.

Yea I think Hornsby,miller or wohlabough. But I can see us going for a transfer veteran. Don’t want to take a tackle like wohlabough away from his position and make him a center.

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

Yea I think Hornsby,miller or wohlabough. But I can see us going for a transfer veteran. Don’t want to take a tackle like wohlabough away from his position and make him a center.

Spring isn't the time when transfer veterans of value show up in the portal.

 

[orangetrain]

Spring isn't the time when transfer veterans of value show up in the portal.

Didn’t 2 starters arrive after spring ball? Washington on O and Lewis on D?

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

Didn’t 2 starters arrive after spring ball? Washington on O and Lewis on D?

Sure, but CB is easier to plug and play and Washington was in a toxic situation at Colorado.

 

[Sdot]

Spring isn't the time when transfer veterans of value show up in the portal.

Spring is too see if Fran’s plan of one of the guys we already got on the roster start at center. I still think we should be looking now for depth either way but doesn’t mean he won’t look in spring.

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

Spring is too see if Fran’s plan of one of the guys we already got on the roster start at center. I still think we should be looking now for depth either way but doesn’t mean he won’t look in spring.

I mean, sure, but in general, pickings are slimmer in the spring portal.

 

[bnoro]

From what it seems now it’s a competition between Codie Hornsby and Stewart. But anything can happen between now and August. There was talk about the C from UNLV possibly visiting but I haven’t heard anything more about that.

Well right now it's not a competition since Stewart won't be on campus until the fall. Hornsby should be able to lock down the position in the spring (or we're in trouble).

 

[bnoro]

A bit of hyperbole there. Programs started freshman all over including oline. A simple search showed South Carolina, Colorado, North Carolina, Utah, etc. Stewart is 6'3, 310. Big legs. Certainly within the boundaries of possibility he can start and perform.

It's not his size/strength that makes him ready to play day one. It's understanding college blocking concepts and speed.

 

[Cusefan69]

It's not his size/strength that makes him ready to play day one. It's understanding college blocking concepts and speed.

The first gate to get through is size and strength. That puts him in the realm of eligible. Second gate is can he mentally learn what he needs to play and be ready. There is no "complete shock" element here. Stewart per Money is a center and therefore is "experienced" at the position. His physical attributes at 6'3 325 per update above reflects a size that puts him "in the discussion ". If he learns the offense and schemes well enough he can play.

 

[Libero2]

The first gate to get through is size and strength. That puts him in the realm of eligible. Second gate is can he mentally learn what he needs to play and be ready. There is no "complete shock" element here. Stewart per Money is a center and therefore is "experienced" at the position. His physical attributes at 6'3 325 per update above reflects a size that puts him "in the discussion ". If he learns the offense and schemes well enough he can play.

I’d also add that I’m confident if Fran wants/needs Stewart to be the guy, they will do virtual film sessions and give him a playbook to study at home while he’s finishing HS. Some plan for at least getting him up to speed on the offense.

 

[Dcuse]

The first gate to get through is size and strength. That puts him in the realm of eligible. Second gate is can he mentally learn what he needs to play and be ready. There is no "complete shock" element here. Stewart per Money is a center and therefore is "experienced" at the position. His physical attributes at 6'3 325 per update above reflects a size that puts him "in the discussion ". If he learns the offense and schemes well enough he can play.

You are so underestimating the jump in complexity between high school and college ball. He is not “ experienced.” It will be like learning a new position.

 

[vegasnick]

All players in the class of 2025 already are on an off season training schedule provide by Syracuse. They will send reports to the S&C staff. They also have playbooks. They don’t just show up in August completely “green” opposed to those who are returning. Yes, there is a big jump from high school to college. Keep in mind many of these high schools are ran like college programs. I will use Bishop Gorman here in Vegas as an example. It is more organized and ran better than most D3 schools in the north east. I played section 3 football and can attest most local high schools are like a night and day comparison. St Joes in Philadelphia is very similar. That is where Stewart is coming from. These high schools are national power houses, not local schools.

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

All players in the class of 2025 already are on an off season training schedule provide by Syracuse. They will send reports to the S&C staff. They also have playbooks. They don’t just show up in August completely “green” opposed to those who are returning. Yes, there is a big jump from high school to college. Keep in mind many of these high schools are ran like college programs. I will use Bishop Gorman here in Vegas as an example. It is more organized and ran better than most D3 schools in the north east. I played section 3 football and can attest most local high schools are like a night and day comparison. St Joes in Philadelphia is very similar. That is where Stewart is coming from. These high schools are national power houses, not local schools.

Speed of the players and complexity of the scheme. Khalil Stewart didn’t see a full SEC front 7 in the Philly Catholic league this season.

 

[Cusefan69]

You are so underestimating the jump in complexity between high school and college ball. He is not “ experienced.” It will be like learning a new position.

No I am not. I was making a distinction that Stewart is not just an “interior lineman” but actually played and is a top center in PA. So he absolutely brings experience to that position and has some knowledge of the concepts. You are the one underestimating his ability. You act like he needs to learn Sanskrit FFS. If he early enrolls, gets position coach time in the Spring, gets exposure to tape and starts getting reps in, then the coaches can get a feel if he is legit able to play coming in or not. It’s absolutely possible he can play and possibly start. Now will he be a finished product? no. Could he step up though and with experienced Guards on his left and right provide adequate play, hell yeah he can.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

No I am not. I was making a distinction that Stewart is not just an “interior lineman” but actually played and is a top center in PA. So he absolutely brings experience to that position and has some knowledge of the concepts. You are the one underestimating his ability. You act like he needs to learn Sanskrit FFS. If he early enrolls, gets position coach time in the Spring, gets exposure to tape and starts getting reps in, then the coaches can get a feel if he is legit able to play coming in or not. It’s absolutely possible he can play and possibly start. Now will he be a finished product? no. Could he step up though and with experienced Guards on his left and right provide adequate play, hell yeah he can.

He's not enrolling early it sounds like.

To me it's simple - a true freshman has a much better chance of starting if they play spring ball. That doesn't just give them football practice time to settle into the depth chart, but helps them adjust to college life and their classes well ahead of weekly game prep, which I imagine is a difficult thing to balance. With summer workouts (and the proper dedication to S&C that entails) and then fall camp they can be ready to start with far more confidence than if the only practice they have is fall camp. If all they have is fall camp, they basically have to immediately show themselves as the best option. That's a big ask of a player.

 

[upperdeck]

The question to ask is what level of play does he need to be at to be a center at SU.

Its not like we were getting top notch center play. We didnt dominate at that spot. We snapped better than some years so that helped. We struggled on the physical side of things. Most of us have no clue how well the mental side was being done. Perhaps both kids did well in getting line calls done

We still got blown up and missed blocks and struggled to get push.

We could get better play out of him in some areas and much worse in others. Who knows.