Remaining Needs

[HRE Otto IV]

On the OL we lost Spoon, Ferguson, Collins and Josh Miller. So we likely need a Center and I think we really need an OT. After losing Spoon i think we are thin on talent at OT. Yes we had signed some OL talent last year and we have some young guys maturing but they still doesn't seem ready enough to count on. We have Mack being OK at one OT spot but who is playing the other? They like Hawn but he's been injured and hasn't played. Is OT his best spot and is he really someone you can count on to start as a redshirt freshman? I'd say the answer is no. Pringle...maybe? Cruz I think is C right now but maybe he could play OT if we bring in a C? But I think i'd rather him compete for time at all the spots as he is very versatile. Injuries happen and i think he could play at whatever hole opens up. Betrand starting sounds questionable. The situation of all of those guys being ready to start seems iffy. Maybe someone proves in camp they are ready for PT but maybe not. I feel like its wiser to see all of them as second stringers at this point. And who knows what happens with injuries. We need more players that are ready to contribute. I feel like we need to bring in a starting OT which will obviously also help with depth. Last season there was a portal in mid to late April. Not having a second portal makes things very tricky on the injury front.

I think not having a 2nd portal really hurts our program. You can weed kids out in the Spring that you don’t want to keep and identify needs to be filled.

 

[Chip]

I think not having a 2nd portal really hurts our program. You can weed kids out in the Spring that you don’t want to keep and identify needs to be filled.

It's a give and take. Other teams are doing the same. Texas realized they wanted more depth at DT, Penn State realized they were still terrible at WR.

In our case, we knew we desperately needed a starting QB and thankfully ND named their starter after spring practice. If they hadn't, we would have been looking at a 1-11 season.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

It's a give and take. Other teams are doing the same. Texas realized they wanted more depth at DT, Penn State realized they were still terrible at WR.

In our case, we knew we desperately needed a starting QB and thankfully ND named their starter after spring practice. If they hadn't, we would have been looking at a 1-11 season.

I think it is a net positive for us. We also brought in a bunch of OL last year.

Right now a kid might be thinking they will start at a major program but after Spring they are 2nd team and looking to move. I think there are more of those types than Pena types.

 

[RF2044]

I think it is a net positive for us. We also brought in a bunch of OL last year.

Right now a kid might be thinking they will start at a major program but after Spring they are 2nd team and looking to move. I think there are more of those types than Pena types.

OL improvement is probably going to be more predicated upon what the new OL coach brings to the table than a turnover in personnel.

Would like to see us land a natural Center, though.

But it will be interesting to see whether Castillo coaxes more productivity out of the returning components. Cupboard isn't bare.

 

[CbusCuse]

I think it is a net positive for us. We also brought in a bunch of OL last year.

Right now a kid might be thinking they will start at a major program but after Spring they are 2nd team and looking to move. I think there are more of those types than Pena types.

Agreed. That second portal was better for a school like us in comparison to the Big boys. The big boys bring in a bunch of players that want to start after hearing the sales pitch. But after spring, if its looking less likely that are starters, they could have moved to a team like SU. Big boys were more likely losing some depth pieces, but I guess they could theoretically also fill a hole with a player from at a school like SU if an injury happened. But they bring in so many talented kids they probably have a hole filler on their roster and if that player at SU is already a stud in line to start that is a risky gamble for them to leave at that time.

Where as SU was able to pull from the non projected starters at those big boy programs in the spring window. Losing the spring window definitely hurts us more in the big picture. The big boys didn't like that situation, so of course its gone.

 

[shu 49]

If I had one choice stud dline. Spend the money. No one gets in playoffs without at least one stud. We have service guys but I’m talking someone u gotta gameplan for

 

[RICuse44]

If I had one choice stud dline. Spend the money. No one gets in playoffs without at least one stud. We have service guys but I’m talking someone u gotta gameplan for

Agree. Need a war daddy.

 

[orangemass]

If I had one choice stud dline. Spend the money. No one gets in playoffs without at least one stud. We have service guys but I’m talking someone u gotta gameplan for

Service academy guys

 

[Eric15]

i am amazed more kids dont learn how to long snap.. best way to add value

I had a teacher who told me that in high school. "If you want to go to college for free, learn how to long snap." It's a very unique skill that is essential to a football team, but very few people can do.

 

[CuseMan4]

I had a teacher who told me that in high school. "If you want to go to college for free, learn how to long snap." It's a very unique skill that is essential to a football team, but very few people can do.

Long snap, kick, punt. They aren’t the sexy, big paying jobs. But they still get you paid handsomely in the NFL. And those positions typically have the longest careers and least amount of health issues after your career

 

[Archbold44]

I had a teacher who told me that in high school. "If you want to go to college for free, learn how to long snap." It's a very unique skill that is essential to a football team, but very few people can do.

Did you heed the advice?

 

[Eric15]

Did you heed the advice?

Haha unfortunately not. Had to settle for intramural flag football while hungover.

 

[Archbold44]

Haha unfortunately not. Had to settle for intramural flag football while hungover.

Maybe it is me, but being a long snapper is not exactly a contact-free position. And that is not counting when Schiano might have his NT go for your knees...