i'm attempting to spin an old convo into a new thread
Hatton was mostly offensive tackle his senior yr, but had played all over the line:
http://archive.northjersey.com/spor...l/tackle-is-the-center-of-attention-1.1063973
His coach said he'd be either a guard or center:
http://highschoolsports.nj.com/news...ll-at-north-carolina-on-national-signing-day/
Several possible reasons:
a) To win now rather than accepting mediocrity in hopes of a good 2018. If we only care about 2018, why take Dillard at all... might as well bench the seniors while you're at it. One awful season will hurt recruiting.
b) Other guys on the team might look like they could be just as good at center in the future (isn't JJ McCargo taking reps at center?). In which case getting Hatton reps isn't so dire.
c) Center is an extremely important position and Hatton might not be that great despite his body-shape. But we know what his strengths/weaknesses are as a guard. Remember the fall camp when they wanted to try Jonathon Cooper at center? They thought it would work until he saw live snaps and it lasted a few possessions.
d) Play guys to their strengths. Hatton is familiar with the left guard position but never taken a snap at center, why give him something new when he struggled so badly at guard? Despite how bad he was, at the present he might be a better guard than center. Cam Dillard has mostly played center and done well there, why ask him to do something new when he might be a really darn good center?
Like Brian Anderson, people probably just projected him to center because he isn't tall/long-armed enough to play tackle, not explosive enough to play guard.
Hatton was mostly offensive tackle his senior yr, but had played all over the line:
http://archive.northjersey.com/spor...l/tackle-is-the-center-of-attention-1.1063973
His coach said he'd be either a guard or center:
http://highschoolsports.nj.com/news...ll-at-north-carolina-on-national-signing-day/
Several possible reasons:
a) To win now rather than accepting mediocrity in hopes of a good 2018. If we only care about 2018, why take Dillard at all... might as well bench the seniors while you're at it. One awful season will hurt recruiting.
b) Other guys on the team might look like they could be just as good at center in the future (isn't JJ McCargo taking reps at center?). In which case getting Hatton reps isn't so dire.
c) Center is an extremely important position and Hatton might not be that great despite his body-shape. But we know what his strengths/weaknesses are as a guard. Remember the fall camp when they wanted to try Jonathon Cooper at center? They thought it would work until he saw live snaps and it lasted a few possessions.
d) Play guys to their strengths. Hatton is familiar with the left guard position but never taken a snap at center, why give him something new when he struggled so badly at guard? Despite how bad he was, at the present he might be a better guard than center. Cam Dillard has mostly played center and done well there, why ask him to do something new when he might be a really darn good center?
