Spring Game Thoughts

[kingottoiii]

There is no reason why SU can't and shouldn't have a competent, functional offensive line.

None whatsoever.

To be fair we are playing guys earlier then they should be ideally playing.

Pugh is a guy who shouldn't have started until is RS Soph year. He started as a RS Frosh.
Chibane should not have started until is RS JR year. He started as a Soph.
Mackey should not have started until his RS JR year. He started as a Soph.
Foy/Trudo should not be playing this year as RS Frosh but one will likely start (although it is possible Alexander could end here).
Alexander or Hickey will start this year. Which is just about right for both.

Our guys have had to start earlier than they really should have. That is part of the issue. Also it takes longer for an OL to turn over. IMO the O we have been running needs a functional OL. Knowing that, was/is it a good idea his first 4 years to run an O like this? Would it have been better to go with a college O and then move toward this O once the OL was turned over (2013) and able to handle it? Also in college you only get players for 4 years. Does running this system make sense when you have an OL that is constantly changing from one year to the next? And knowing that SU has historically struggled to get OL here?

 

[kingottoiii]

It's a mystery since BC, with whom we share a very similar institutional profile and recruiting region, typically puts good OLs on the field.

Most of the good HS FB programs in the NE are Catholic schools. Those kids want to go to ND and have BC as their safety school.

 

[SWC75]

I certainly don't disagree.

I've just seen little evidence in 20 years to expect it.

At our best during the heyday of DeLeone we had good run blocking and occassionally adequate pass blocking. I'm sure some of that was by design since we liked to let Graves and McNabb run.

Since McNabb left the OL has largely been lousy.

It's a mystery since BC, with whom we share a very similar institutional profile and recruiting region, typically puts good OLs on the field.

The last time the O-line was a "strenght of the team" was the Cherry Bowl group that Mac and the staff brought in after that game- Flannery, Sims, Bednarz, McCummings, Bernard. We've been mediocre since, at best.