Guard and Center next yr

[blazers]

Our guard play has not been so good this yr outside of Peterson and he graduates. Crowley graduates. The whole Oline hasn't been stellar and Crowley/Peterson are probably playing the best of anyone on the line.

Hatton was highly ranked as a center in HS, but I don't know if he looks fleet enough to play center. It feels harsh to judge Hatton and Polino since they are so young and Hatton/Prince since they didn't practice this position til late fall, but i'm already eyeballing the frosh and redshirt frosh on next yrs squad, looking for saviors.

I feel good about Bentley Spain and William Sweet as tackles, but who is going to be the starting guards and center in 2017?

 

[reggaeheel]

According to some tidbits across the inter webs:
Nick Polino, Mason Veal & Tyler Pritchett are being penciled in at LG.

Jay Jay McCargo is slated to work at C with a back-up TBD.

Brad Henson, Tommy Hatton, & R J Prince seem to be staying at RG.

Perhaps just speculation at this point...

 

[blazers]

Henson was at center in the 4th quarter of the VaTech disaster. But hard to tell if he's good enough to replace Crowley. I think Hatton can probably be an okay guard, maybe he can add a little more speed to get to the right spots on pulls and stuff.

 

[matt 1976]

If he sticks around, the center job will be Hatton's to lose next year. There is no reason to think that Prince will not be the RG next year, after learning the position this year. Nick Polino, Mason Veal, Brad Henson & Tyler Pritchett will battle it out for LG. A big question that I have it what will the OT positions look like next year. Spain has been entrenched at the LT spot for the past 2 years, but Sweet is a natural LT. So, I will be interested to see if the coaches move Spain to RT for his senior year or if they have Sweet start out over there.

 

[blazers]

Hatton and Polino are both RS Frosh, and Polino probably practiced LG all spring right? Coach Kap cross-trains a bunch, but it is telling that Hatton has supplanted Polino.

And clearly they like Prince as RG more than they like Polino as LG, i guess this isn't surprising.

Seems like Hatton is the most consistent of the three.

 

[matt 1976]

If healthy, Jonah Melton can play a factor next year at one of the guard spots.

 

[lerario]

I think Hatton will move to center next year. Spain will stay at LT and Sweet will play RT. Prince will probably go into the Spring penciled in as the starter at RG and everyone else will battle it out at LG. There is talent and potential there, but again not a lot of depth.

 

[WoadBlue]

I think Hatton will move to center next year. Spain will stay at LT and Sweet will play RT. Prince will probably go into the Spring penciled in as the starter at RG and everyone else will battle it out at LG. There is talent and potential there, but again not a lot of depth.

The reserves are getting game action now. WE may mot like it, but it should help for next year.

 

[lerario]

The reserves are getting game action now. WE may mot like it, but it should help for next year.

I think next year's OL will be very similar to this one. Capable starting 5, limited depth with very little experience behind them.

 

[blazers]

One worry about moving Hatton to center is whether he's committed (versus whatever caused he's 'leave of absense' post uga). Is his head on straight? If not, i say leave him at guard

 

[randman1]

I think next year's OL will be very similar to this one. Capable starting 5, limited depth with very little experience behind them.

I don't know. Depth-wise we could be better than your post suggests. JayJayMcCargo, for example, was a big time recruit. Everyone here right now will be a year older. Lots of guys are getting game-time experience. I would expect all the true freshmen to redshirt but perhaps Melton won't if need be and he's that good, which is a distinct possibility.

Tyler Pritchett was said to be a fast learner and looked promising preseason. Charlie Heck will likely be on the 2-deep.

Big question is who plays center. If it's not Hatton, then we have more depth at guard than otherwise obviously.

 

[lerario]

I don't know. Depth-wise we could be better than your post suggests. JayJayMcCargo, for example, was a big time recruit. Everyone here right now will be a year older. Lots of guys are getting game-time experience. I would expect all the true freshmen to redshirt but perhaps Melton won't if need be and he's that good, which is a distinct possibility.

Tyler Pritchett was said to be a fast learner and looked promising preseason. Charlie Heck will likely be on the 2-deep.

Big question is who plays center. If it's not Hatton, then we have more depth at guard than otherwise obviously.

There will be plenty of bodies, but my point was that like this year the depth will mostly be all underclassmen with very little game experience. There will be talent, but offensive line tends to have the longest learning curve of any position. Just look at this season. We lose Ferranto, Peterson and Heck and replace them with freshman (Hatton, Paulino, Sweet) and a guy with very limited game experience (Prince) and the results have been pretty mixed. Some good plays, lots of mistakes, and an overall lack of consistency.