Tell me about the O-line

[CIL]

Bnoro, I agree with Cali on this one. I have watched most syracuse games multiple times and i have focused on Mac. He is in my opinion average at best. He has good feet and it is obvious he knows his assignments but he is too small. Before your time we had a center on the bball team named Bob Dooms. Bob was a good center and played his arse off but he was too small. You cant teach size and strength and Mac is missing in both catagories. Watch the games again and tell me that you dont see him as anything but average.

Because basketball and football positions are so similar. What about all the small, lithe guards we have had on the bball team? Can you imagine the horror of them playing guard for us?

 

[PhatOrange]

Hey dont get me wrong im pulling for him but he is just too darn small. Do you think that Trudo has a chance to play center while Mac is around ? Just looking at the two and based on the rating services you would think that Trudo would be given a shot. There is a big difference between a 265 pound center and a 310 pound guy. It takes a heck of a lot of leverage to make up for 40-50 pounds of muscle.

Did you seriously just say, "based on the rating services" ...

 

[RF2044]

Pre-injury it was thought Hickey has just as much, if not more talent than Pugh. I really hope he can be ready to go this year, because he is an all BE caliber player.

That's why his multiple knee injuries were such a shame. Really hope he can make it back--won't be easy.

 

[xc84]

Let's not ignore that Macky was only a sophomore last year. Sure, he was undersized but he is getting bigger and stronger each year. That's sort of the MO of many SU recruits . Because we can't get the kids who can flat out start immediately, we are getting those who have potential to grow into solid players. Don't write Macky off simply because when he was a sophomore, he had size and strength deficiencies.

 

[anglerman]

You guys are over estimating Curtis and under estimating Robinson. I think people get too caught up in offers and where players are from. Im also hearing that Trudo will likely take over for Mackey at some point. Also Alexander and Hickey start at Tackle.

 

[Rocco]

That's why his multiple knee injuries were such a shame. Really hope he can make it back--won't be easy.

Well the good news is that he's in high spirits, knows he could be great and has been fully cleared by the medical staff. Pretty good first steps towards recovery.

 

[MattyL]

Good stuff in this thread guys! I'll go out on a limb and say with the future of Trudo, Hickey, Foy, Curtis, Robinson, Knapp, Palmer, and Emerich, we are about 2 years away from having a very good o-line. These guys have a lot of potential!

 

[CaliCuse]

I

Cali, we know you hate Macky with every bone in your body but there's no way Trudo starts over him. Macky will be the #1 until he leaves barring injury because he is much better than you think he is.

don't "hate Mackey" I just think he can be replaced with someone better soon. Mackey doesn't seem to have enough strength and quickness to keep the defense away from his QB. Lets watch the games and replays to see his ability close this year. He has had another year in S and C to get himself ready. Maybe its enough to achieve success.couchburn

 

[ImperialOrange]

But time spent bulking up and getting reps in practice can only help a younger O-Lineman. Right? Right? Some one reassure me here.

Right. That and the fact that they'll be practicing against bigger and better interior defensive players in practice everyday and have a wide range of DE's giving them different looks.

 

[RF2044]

Good stuff in this thread guys! I'll go out on a limb and say with the future of Trudo, Hickey, Foy, Curtis, Robinson, Knapp, Palmer, and Emerich, we are about 2 years away from having a very good o-line. These guys have a lot of potential!

I agree with this concept. Obviously, it hasn't manifested yet with all of those young players you listed, but I have a feeling we're trending very much in the right direction.

When Marrone got hired, one of the things I hoped he'd bring to the table was superior coaching to the offensive line [especially since we were coming off a stretch of literally the worst O-Line play in program history]. Now, the results so far haven't lived up to what I'd hoped for -- nor was our depth at O-Line where it needed to be -- but like you, I feel like we're on the cusp of the O-Line going from a perennial weakness to a position of relative strength, just like what we've seen happen at some other positional units.

Fingers crossed that the O-Line finally turns the corner this season.

 

[NovaOrange]

Cali, we know you hate Macky with every bone in your body but there's no way Trudo starts over him. Macky will be the #1 until he leaves barring injury because he is much better than you think he is.

In fairness it's most likely 50/50 meaning half the reason he is starting is beause he is solid but we could use an upgrade and the other half has to do with his last name.

 

[xc84]

In fairness it's most likely 50/50 meaning half the reason he is starting is beause he is solid but we could use an upgrade and the other half has to do with his last name.

There is no way Marrone is starting the kid just because of his last name.

 

[NovaOrange]

There is no way Marrone is starting the kid just because of his last name.

He is a back up center at the D 1 level in a best case scenario IMO

 

[DeepThrowIt]

He is a back up center at the D 1 level in a best case scenario IMO

Don't disagree, but will say that your Center is usually the lineman with the best/quickest feet. Mackey, being undersized, has this advantage and is probably playing because he moves a heck of a lot better than any of the other options.

 

[xc84]

He is a back up center at the D 1 level in a best case scenario IMO

Could be...but he's starting at D1...and it's not do to his name. So, if he does not start this year or next... will it still be just his name that resulted in him starting? Marrone is smart enough to know that winning is much more important than making his former coach (3 coaches ago) happy. Marrone will play the best center on the team.

 

[RF2044]

Could be...but he's starting at D1...and it's not do to his name. So, if he does not start this year or next... will it still be just his name that resulted in him starting? Marrone is smart enough to know that winning is much more important than making his former coach (3 coaches ago) happy. Marrone will play the best center on the team.

Pretty much agree. Macky conjures up memories of another recent starting center who was similar--Justin Outten. Coaches loved Outten's intelligence, technique, work ethic, etc. and he was the best center on our team. The problem was, he was the best center on our team--because he was a tad physically overmatched.

Macky seems cut from the same cloth.

I also agree that he was far from the biggest problem on the O-line, despite the fact that he gets singled out the most. Ultimately, I think it would be great if someone like Trudo [or whoever] eventually beats him out.

 

[kcsu]

Because basketball and football positions are so similar. What about all the small, lithe guards we have had on the bball team? Can you imagine the horror of them playing guard for us?

CIL i expect better from you. Give me a break my point is that Mac is undersized and not strong enough to make up for the positives that he has. Pretty simple if you dont agree and think that Mac is a great center than fine. I dont i think that he is average at best.

 

[kcsu]

Let's not ignore that Macky was only a sophomore last year. Sure, he was undersized but he is getting bigger and stronger each year. That's sort of the MO of many SU recruits . Because we can't get the kids who can flat out start immediately, we are getting those who have potential to grow into solid players. Don't write Macky off simply because when he was a sophomore, he had size and strength deficiencies.

Mac doesnt have the frame to add much more size. You cant turn a deer into a moose

 

[kcsu]

Did you seriously just say, "based on the rating services" ...

I seriously just said that based on rating services Trudo deserves a fair shake. Chill Phat i think that Mac is average and you think that anything Doug does is better than average. We simply and seriously disagree.

 

[orangeintheacc]

Its interesting that in an earlier article DM says that he loves his oline guys to have a wrestling background. Palmer, Knapp and Emerich were each all sta
te ranked wrestlers. Not sure it will help them on the field, but controlling the keg at campus parties should be pretty easy.

 

[ImperialOrange]

CIL i expect better from you. Give me a break my point is that Mac is undersized and not strong enough to make up for the positives that he has. Pretty simple if you dont agree and think that Mac is a great center than fine. I dont i think that he is average at best.

I think he's been average but I think he can get stronger and better being he's just coming into his Junior season.

 

[Hoov50]

I don't think Macky is a very good Division I center, however he is the best on our team. Let us not forget that we went through a time a few years back when we didn't have a center who could shotgun snap! Nobody is going to confuse us as being "Center U!"

 

[bnoro]

I seriously just said that based on rating services Trudo deserves a fair shake. Chill Phat i think that Mac is average and you think that anything Doug does is better than average. We simply and seriously disagree.

Based on the recruiting services Beaulieu deserves a fair shake but he won't get one because he is terrible.

*Not saying anything about Trudo, commenting on the services.

 

[bnoro]

If Macky's last name was Smith he wouldn't get anywhere close to the hate he gets on this board from all the peanut gallery who thinks that Marrone would start him over a better player because he liked his dad.

The guy's good enough to be a starting C. At Alabama, probably not. But Syracuse and smaller BCS schools? Absolutely. For those who tell me to watch the games, I did. And I watched games solely focused on the O-Line. He's not the problem. Get over it.

 

[kcsu]

If Macky's last name was Smith he wouldn't get anywhere close to the hate he gets on this board from all the peanut gallery who thinks that Marrone would start him over a better player because he liked his dad.

The guy's good enough to be a starting C. At Alabama, probably not. But Syracuse and smaller BCS schools? Absolutely. For those who tell me to watch the games, I did. And I watched games solely focused on the O-Line. He's not the problem. Get over it.

As to Mac if his Grandfather wasnt involved to you believe he would have been offered a full ride? Im also not sure what games you watched but if you dont think that Mac is average at best we must not be watching the same games. Im not saying he is terrible but it is a major stretch if you think he is a solid D1 center. I hope he plays lights out this year as i realize we dont have much choice. Lets just agree to disagree on this one.