Offensive Line

[appstatemike]

A lot of change will be coming to this offensive line next fall. Losing Baer and Cooper Hodges will be tough to replace. Anyone have any ideas of who could be replacing them?

[AppSt94]

A lot of change will be coming to this offensive line next fall. Losing Baer and Cooper Hodges will be tough to replace. Anyone have any ideas of who could be replacing them?

Pretty sure that Hodges will be back. We will see how it shakes out after Spring Ball but if I had to guess on what it looks like coming out of spring is left to right. Hardy, Helms, Smith, Daly, Hodges. 2 deep could be Ramsey, Smith, Everett, Williams, McFarland.

[AppStFan1]

A lot of change will be coming to this offensive line next fall. Losing Baer and Cooper Hodges will be tough to replace. Anyone have any ideas of who could be replacing them?

Pretty sure that Hodges will be back. We will see how it shakes out after Spring Ball but if I had to guess on what it looks like coming out of spring is left to right. Hardy, Helms, Smith, Daly, Hodges. 2 deep could be Ramsey, Smith, Everett, Williams, McFarland.

If PFF knows what they are doing at all then you would think Ramsey and Hardy start at tackle. They graded Ramsey super high for his reps that he played. We could then move Hodges to guard and slide Helms inside to center like he played at WCU. Hodges needs to move to guard for his development to play at next level. I would like to see Luke Smith improve a lot before he becomes full-time starter. I also have to think we see more than 1 of the redshirts from this year get into rotation a lot this coming fall.

[AppSt94]

So you want to move a two year starter over to insert a Freshman into the lineup? I get what your saying, but is he the backup at RT and if so, he would have to get some run out there during a game so now you are really messing with chemistry. Helms played both Center and Guard at WCU. My issue with moving him to center is that you push Everett and Smith down the depth chart. Smith is a better fit at center but was pushed into playing guard this year. Like I said, we will see how it shakes out after the spring. We will see how these young guys develop. I have some reservations about long term contributions from a couple of them.

[Rekdiver]

I have a tough time moving a seasoned tackle to a guard

[AppSt94]

I have a tough time moving a seasoned tackle to a guard

Agreed. Unless it is out of necessity. Which in this case, it is not.

[Rekdiver]

Unless the NFL is indicating his best bet is guard and this is the only way to keep him…..

[AppSt94]

Unless the NFL is indicating his best bet is guard and this is the only way to keep him…..

True. And you have to help your guys develop for the next level. But you also have to win games at your level. So if you move him, and I’m not against it, who are your two RTs going to be? Ramsey and ?.

[hapapp]

I wouldn't be shocked to see some shuffling along the line, if nothing else the emergence of some of the young guys. As was stated Spring will have a lot to say about that. Moving folks to new positions if they are settled in one place is not always a good idea. I'm appreciative of what Baer Hunter provided to this unit in his time at App, he has been a part of some pretty good lines. However, I don't think his finest moments were at center.

[BUTCH1991]

I think Everett will be the guy at center

[AppSt94]

I think Everett will be the guy at center

Could be. Remember though that Smith was moved over from DL to play center.

[AppSt91]

Not seeing any mention of Colston Powers. Any info on how he is progressing?

[Appst86]

Not seeing any mention of Colston Powers. Any info on how he is progressing?

And Jaden Lindsay?? He and Powers are the two highest rated offensive linemen we have ever signed.

[AppSt94]

Not seeing any mention of Colston Powers. Any info on how he is progressing?

And Jaden Lindsay?? He and Powers are the two highest rated offensive linemen we have ever signed.

I wouldn’t read too much into the guys that you haven’t heard from. Sometimes with lineman, it about developing the body by shifting some weight and building a frame that can handle the game. I’m not suggesting that is the case with either of these guys, just saying that it probably isn’t something to be concerned with.

[appstate5]

I wouldn't be shocked to see some shuffling along the line, if nothing else the emergence of some of the young guys. As was stated Spring will have a lot to say about that. Moving folks to new positions if they are settled in one place is not always a good idea. I'm appreciative of what Baer Hunter provided to this unit in his time at App, he has been a part of some pretty good lines. However, I don't think his finest moments were at center.

Sadly I agree with that. Seems like a lot of holding penalties.

[Stonewall]

Anyone have a take on our S & C staff?Critical across the board but even moreso in the trenches.

[Yosef84]

I have zero inside knowledge about our S&C currently but based on general observation, I would say it should be an area to target for improvement. It's not a weakness (thinking 2013) but it's not a strength either and in our system we need our S&C to be a strength. Just my two cents.

[AppSt94]

I have zero inside knowledge about our S&C currently but based on general observation, I would say it should be an area to target for improvement. It's not a weakness (thinking 2013) but it's not a strength either and in our system we need our S&C to be a strength. Just my two cents.

Interesting. What do you feel are our opportunities for improvement?

[Yosef84]

I have zero inside knowledge about our S&C currently but based on general observation, I would say it should be an area to target for improvement. It's not a weakness (thinking 2013) but it's not a strength either and in our system we need our S&C to be a strength. Just my two cents.

Interesting. What do you feel are our opportunities for improvement?

I really don't have the information or background to get too specific. It's more of a general feel that injuries and our lack of success against bigger/physical teams indicates that we aren't maximizing the skills of a talented squad like we have in the past. I would be interested in hearing the opinions of someone more informed / knowledgeable than I am.

I'll add this....I do understand that our schemes were different because we were playing with a pocket passer, so the OL wasn't moving / pulling the same way they once did. That was one of the ways we used to compensate for the size differential. I don't know how that breaks out this past year, which is why I am offering the disclaimer.

We have recruited some outstanding potential for the OL recently, but it is still young. I'd like to see our S&C program really beefing those young men up so that we truly see their potential unleashed.

[AppSt94]

I have zero inside knowledge about our S&C currently but based on general observation, I would say it should be an area to target for improvement. It's not a weakness (thinking 2013) but it's not a strength either and in our system we need our S&C to be a strength. Just my two cents.

Interesting. What do you feel are our opportunities for improvement?

I really don't have the information or background to get too specific. It's more of a general feel that injuries and our lack of success against bigger/physical teams indicates that we aren't maximizing the skills of a talented squad like we have in the past. I would be interested in hearing the opinions of someone more informed / knowledgeable than I am.

I'll add this....I do understand that our schemes were different because we were playing with a pocket passer, so the OL wasn't moving / pulling the same way they once did. That was one of the ways we used to compensate for the size differential. I don't know how that breaks out this past year, which is why I am offering the disclaimer.

We have recruited some outstanding potential for the OL recently, but it is still young. I'd like to see our S&C program really beefing those young men up so that we truly see their potential unleashed.

That’s fair. Just a disclaimer to temper expectations. I’m not sure what you are looking to see when you say beef them up, but I don’t think that you can expect to see a lot of 300 lb + guys across the line. We recruit guys within a certain frame and twitch in their hips. We need strong guys that can move laterally and maintain blocks as a way to move the opposition in the direction that we need them to go. As you often see we get guys around the 245-265 range that we can build the strength the way we need it to be successful. We need guys to play with leverage and lower body strength moreso than upper body, overwhelm the opposition strength. Sometimes, you get a guy like Helms who is bigger and can move. Sometimes you get a guy like Parker Collins who is a bit smaller, but straight up nasty in the trenches. It’s a balance. But in talking to some former players, they don’t see a problem with the line. As one told me. Somethings, like sacks, look to be a bigger problem than they are because we have come accustomed to not seeing them very often.