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Mckethan to try DT

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There is lots of chatter about the 6'6" 340 switching from ol to noseguard behind Aaron Crawford. Insiders say there could be plenty of interesting off-season position moves.

What are y'alls thoughts on him on interior DL in a 3-4?

I was thinking he was supposed to be one of the best 8 ol on the team last yr, and could potentially be the starting RG, or even tackle now that Sweet is leaving early. So this is a curious rumor.
 
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There is lots of chatter about the 6'6" 330 switching from ol to noseguard behind Aaron Crawford. Insiders say there could be plenty of interesting off-season position moves.

What are y'alls thoughts on him on interior DL in a 3-4?

I was thinking he was supposed to be one of the best 8 ol on the team last yr, and could potentially be the starting RG, or even tackle now that Sweet is leaving early. So this is a curious rumor.

They've got plenty of depth on the O-line, so it makes sense.
 
When he committed, there was an article that said something about his skills that had me wondering if he could play DT. I posted my wonder, stressing that UNC needs a HUGE DT/NG.
 
4 returning starters plus Avery Jones, Montilus, Ezeudu, Tunall, Miller, Richards, Ross, Veal, Pritchett, Tucker, Melton etc. Looking forward to watching those guys get better under the new staff.
Still o tackle isn't deep. You have Heck, Tucker who played vs ncsu and western car, and the only other pt ever was for ezeudu vs western car.
 
Plenty of bodies there.
I count just three that have ever received a snap. That isn't plenty or deep. That is a single injury away from starting a rookie or a low-star guy rs-frosh with few snaps. Jahlil Taylor has probably gotten more meaningful PT than at DT than Josh Ezeudu at OT.

McKethan hasn't been playing DT, so Brant Lawless and Jahlil Taylor might actually be a leg-up skills-wise.

We rotate much more at DT than OT, so we need bodies there, but OT is pretty darned important too. If he is only third-string NT behind Crawford and Jahlil, it makes sense to let him be the starting or #2 OT. If they feel he could be better than Jahlil, and be the starting NT after Crawford graduates next yr, then I guess it makes sense to move him now.

I guess the question is whether Jordan Tucker is as good or better than McKethan at OT since we are having to replace Sweet.
 
I count just three that have ever received a snap. That isn't plenty or deep. That is a single injury away from starting a rookie or a low-star guy rs-frosh with few snaps. Jahlil Taylor has probably gotten more meaningful PT than at DT than Josh Ezeudu at OT.

McKethan hasn't been playing DT, so Brant Lawless and Jahlil Taylor might actually be a leg-up skills-wise.

We rotate much more at DT than OT, so we need bodies there, but OT is pretty darned important too. If he is only third-string NT behind Crawford and Jahlil, it makes sense to let him be the starting or #2 OT. If they feel he could be better than Jahlil, and be the starting NT after Crawford graduates next yr, then I guess it makes sense to move him now.

I guess the question is whether Jordan Tucker is as good or better than McKethan at OT since we are having to replace Sweet.

I'm not worried about the young guys that haven't taken snaps. They've got plenty of bodies to choose from.
 
I'm not worried about the young guys that haven't taken snaps. They've got plenty of bodies to choose from.
You keep using the word "plenty", but i only named three who've have had snaps, and you do NOT want to have to play low-star true frosh on your OL.

NT - Crawford, Jahlil
DT- Strowbridge, Brant Lawless (high star early enrollee, same hs yr as rs-fr), Xach Gill, Gavin Lewis

RT - Jordan Tucker, <true frosh>
LT - Charlie Heck, Ezeudu

Unless William Barnes is shifting to tackle, or unless they were really impressed with Ezeudu the talent/depth of OT might be worse off than interior DL or about similar, so you'd be robbing peter to pay paul.
 
You keep using the word "plenty", but i only named three who've have had snaps, and you do NOT want to have to play low-star true frosh on your OL.

NT - Crawford, Jahlil
DT- Strowbridge, Brant Lawless (high star early enrollee, same hs yr as rs-fr), Xach Gill, Gavin Lewis

RT - Jordan Tucker, <true frosh>
LT - Charlie Heck, Ezeudu

Unless William Barnes is shifting to tackle, or unless they were really impressed with Ezeudu the talent/depth of OT might be worse off than interior DL or about similar, so you'd be robbing peter to pay paul.

Because they have plenty of bodies; 3/4 star guys that can play the position. What low star guys are you referring to? Mack will add some DT depth in the next month. It's January, relax.
 
Because they have plenty of bodies; 3/4 star guys that can play the position. What low star guys are you referring to? Mack will add some DT depth in the next month. It's January, relax.
We have 6 OT on the team:

Sr - Heck - veteran starter
Soph - Tucker - 1 start
Rs-Frosh Ezeudu - 0 starts

Triston Miller - enrolls in summer
Asim Richards - enrolls in summer
Wyatt Tunnal - early enrollee

The low star are Wyatt, Ezeudu, maybe Asim/Tucker ball into that bucket since they weren't high 3*.

Again you have just 3 non true frosh and on of those is a rs-frosh who only played half a game vs WCar. You probably know this, but it is extremely rare for a true frosh to be worth a damn as an OL. Not deep, one injury to Heck and you're extremely young on the edges.
 
We have 6 OT on the team:

Sr - Heck - veteran starter
Soph - Tucker - 1 start
Rs-Frosh Ezeudu - 0 starts

Triston Miller - enrolls in summer
Asim Richards - enrolls in summer
Wyatt Tunnal - early enrollee

The low star are Wyatt, Ezeudu, maybe Asim/Tucker ball into that bucket since they weren't high 3*.

Again you have just 3 non true frosh and on of those is a rs-frosh who only played half a game vs WCar. You probably know this, but it is extremely rare for a true frosh to be worth a damn as an OL. Not deep, one injury to Heck and you're extremely young on the edges.

Don't leave out 4 Star Avery Jones and Billy Ross (who was recruited as a T). McCargo can also play T. Not worried about the position.
 
Don't leave out 4 Star Avery Jones and Billy Ross (who was recruited as a T). McCargo can also play T. Not worried about the position.
McCargo's our starting center. Trull graduated, so he's pretty much the only Center to ever take a snap.

Ross is the starting RG.

Avery will probably be fighting for second string Center which is a huge spot considering McCargo is hurt every other game each of the last two seasons.

The plan only makes sense if Barnes can play OT well.
 
Surprised Mack hasn't hired you as obviously you know more about our players and positions they should play to make this team better than he and his coaches do. Yeah I am sure his plans are to screw up the Oline to help solidify the Dline.
 
Surprised Mack hasn't hired you as obviously you know more about our players and positions they should play to make this team better than he and his coaches do. Yeah I am sure his plans are to screw up the Oline to help solidify the Dline.
Relax. I am seeking thoughts, then stated my disagreement on another poster's opinion that we are plenty deep at OT.
 
You keep using the word "plenty", but i only named three who've have had snaps, and you do NOT want to have to play low-star true frosh on your OL.

NT - Crawford, Jahlil
DT- Strowbridge, Brant Lawless (high star early enrollee, same hs yr as rs-fr), Xach Gill, Gavin Lewis

RT - Jordan Tucker, <true frosh>
LT - Charlie Heck, Ezeudu

Unless William Barnes is shifting to tackle, or unless they were really impressed with Ezeudu the talent/depth of OT might be worse off than interior DL or about similar, so you'd be robbing peter to pay paul.

Barnes is probably moving to tackle and Avery Jones as well. Based on Mack's comments and Polino preparing to work out at center, I think Jones isn't seen as working out as well at center, and the other guy, Brian Anderson perhaps doesn't look like he's ready either.

We're recruiting a freshman center that will be able to compete for PT next season. More likely RS, but apparently we feel we have a big need there.

Crowley some years ago won the center spot mid-season as a freshman when we had an injury and started all 4 years at center.
 
Barnes is probably moving to tackle and Avery Jones as well. Based on Mack's comments and Polino preparing to work out at center, I think Jones isn't seen as working out as well at center, and the other guy, Brian Anderson perhaps doesn't look like he's ready either.

We're recruiting a freshman center that will be able to compete for PT next season. More likely RS, but apparently we feel we have a big need there.

Crowley some years ago won the center spot mid-season as a freshman when we had an injury and started all 4 years at center.

Avery was recruited as a tackle, so no worries there. Anderson played both G and T in HS, he's better suited at those positions. I think they can get Murray to flip from L-Ville to UNC. After that ass whopping we got today; I'd like to see it even more.
 
Barnes is probably moving to tackle and Avery Jones as well. Based on Mack's comments and Polino preparing to work out at center, I think Jones isn't seen as working out as well at center, and the other guy, Brian Anderson perhaps doesn't look like he's ready either.

We're recruiting a freshman center that will be able to compete for PT next season. More likely RS, but apparently we feel we have a big need there.

Crowley some years ago won the center spot mid-season as a freshman when we had an injury and started all 4 years at center.
Barnes to tackle makes sense. But if Polino vacates LG so he can start at Center, then maybe Barnes to LG makes some sense too.
 
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Barnes to tackle makes sense. But if Polino vacates LG so he can start at Center, then maybe Barnes to LG makes some sense too.
On the one hand, it is confusing, and disconcerting because so much is up in the air. On the other hand, that all means that this Spring we should see guys being given opportunities at different positions, and we could discover strengths that have yet to be seen.
 
Barnes to tackle makes sense. But if Polino vacates LG so he can start at Center, then maybe Barnes to LG makes some sense too.

Sounds like we think the true freshman center recruit may well start for us. Not sure why. Maybe McCargo is too injured to be ready in time? Or he is switching positions? He may be better at guard or tackle anyway. Or maybe he's transferring?

Could be Polino is just preparing to be a back-up center if necessary but will remain at LG.
 
Don't leave out 4 Star Avery Jones and Billy Ross (who was recruited as a T). McCargo can also play T. Not worried about the position.
Not surprising, McKethan moved back to tackle where he is in the 2-deep. Walk-on OG Quiron Johnson moved to DT though.
 
There is lots of chatter about the 6'6" 340 switching from ol to noseguard behind Aaron Crawford. Insiders say there could be plenty of interesting off-season position moves.

What are y'alls thoughts on him on interior DL in a 3-4?

I was thinking he was supposed to be one of the best 8 ol on the team last yr, and could potentially be the starting RG, or even tackle now that Sweet is leaving early. So this is a curious rumor.
In a 3-4, I would love to have a pair of top talents who each weigh at least 330 alternating at NG.
 
In a 3-4, I would love to have a pair of top talents who each weigh at least 330 alternating at NG.
I'm worried about size inside too. If Strowbridge is one of the starting interior guys, and Fox is the other 4i, that's not much beef compared to the D Iowa State runs, and compared to the 3-4 you see at other programs across the nation.
 
I'm worried about size inside too. If Strowbridge is one of the starting interior guys, and Fox is the other 4i, that's not much beef compared to the D Iowa State runs, and compared to the 3-4 you see at other programs across the nation.
That comes from failure to sign enough DT and larger DE talent over the course of the Fedora years.

When the staff fails to get enough quality players on the DL and OL, you always are open to disaster and may have to live with mediocrity.

This staff seems focused on correcting problem. But for 2019, we really need the DL to remain healthy.
 
That comes from failure to sign enough DT and larger DE talent over the course of the Fedora years.

When the staff fails to get enough quality players on the DL and OL, you always are open to disaster and may have to live with mediocrity.

This staff seems focused on correcting problem. But for 2019, we really need the DL to remain healthy.
absolutely right.
 
How are we thin on the offensive line? Defense sure but our Oline looks in great shape
If McKethan stayed on D, we'd be thin on the outside at OT since the only guys who'd practiced OT were Heck, McKethan, Ezeudu and Tucker. Tucker nor McKethan has had many game reps, but at least they've been in the program a few yrs.

Ezeudu is now getting lots of reps at guard, though he could probably do OT. So behind Heck and Tucker you are otherwise looking at a true frosh who doesn't arrive til summer to be your second stringers on both sides. That is thin.

2-deep at guard looks good - Polino, Ross, Montilus, Ezuedu, Barnes, though a little young if Polino winds up being Center if McCargo can't go.
 
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