Stephen Gosnell a Tar Heel

[WoadBlue]

I think that makes sense, as it would have a better chance at building a pipeline to a local area than an out-of-state kid would.

I'd only have an issue if they started prioritizing NC kids ahead of more talented out-of-state kids. That'd be dumb.

I expand that thought from just NC to border states, and all ACC states, perhaps especially VA.

Virginian Pagorelc is that rare 3* on the OL that schools in 2 other regions like Michigan and Stanford are big on. Both schools reload on the OL, turning out a number of players who make the NFL. If both want a VA guy, then my assumption is that the VA guy is definitely worth having.

Stanford especially has signed a number of 3*s on the OL who have yet to fill out their frames and then do so and become better than a host of 4*s on the OL.

Floridian Baker played TE until recently. He almost certainly has better footwork and quickness than Pagorelc and Adorno, but lacks experience at OT or OG. Bulking up and adding that experience could mean that Baker becomes a star on the OL. Footwork and quickness on the OL are always more than welcome, always in short supply. Michigan has offered Baker. So has Mike Leach, who focuses on guys on the OL who are smart and can work as part of a unit, which requires good footwork.

I don't recall Adorno having push from any P5 schools other than a few ACC schools. In fact, he may not have received a P5 offer from any school not in NC or VA.

That may not mean much, if anything. Adorno could turn out to be the best of that trio. Or he could turn out to be the least of the three. As Adorno is from Wake County, his heading to UNC would have no impact on how his HS coaches or other nearby coaches view UNC football vis a vis Moo.

 

[Archer2]

Baker will be a Tar Heel. So let it be written, so let it be done.

 

[matt 1976]

Baker seems to be a LT and Adorno a G or maybe even a C. As always, we are going to have some expected and unexpected attrition along the OL in the offseason. Maybe a few of those interior OL will decide to transfer or just quit football. The coaches always need to try to stay one step ahead.

 

[Archer2]

The good thing is our OL is very young, all underclassmen when Heck is not playing, and their backups are mostly young guys too. They are getting invaluable experience this year. Next year and the year after, we should have one of the better OL's in the conference.

Of course, as you stated, we need to continue to bring in fresh talent every year for continuity purposes. But this was the perfect year to concentrate on rebuilding the defense and the staff has done just that. I still think we add Simpson(drooling over that kid) and Baker to round out this class.

 

[lerario]

The good thing is our OL is very young, all underclassmen when Heck is not playing, and their backups are mostly young guys too. They are getting invaluable experience this year. Next year and the year after, we should have one of the better OL's in the conference.

Of course, as you stated, we need to continue to bring in fresh talent every year for continuity purposes. But this was the perfect year to concentrate on rebuilding the defense and the staff has done just that. I still think we add Simpson(drooling over that kid) and Baker to round out this class.

Hopefully that is how it works out, but just because guys will be a year older doesn't mean they'll be much better. Our OL is really bad right now and we'll be losing our best and most consistent one to graduation. It is no slam dunk that we'll have a good OL next year at all.

 

[Archer2]

Hopefully that is how it works out, but just because guys will be a year older doesn't mean they'll be much better. Our OL is really bad right now and we'll be losing our best and most consistent one to graduation. It is no slam dunk that we'll have a good OL next year at all.

I think that is an exaggeration. Despite being in our first year under a new staff and having to learn a new offensive scheme, we're still ranked top 50 nationally in the following offensive categories:

Turnovers per game: 10th
Red Zone scores: 18th
Penalty yards per game: 27th
Passing Yards per game: 33rd
Total Yards per game: 46th
Passing Yards per attempt: 50th

I'd say those were pretty good numbers considering our two most experienced OL haven't played a lot. Polino, our starting center, has missed almost the entire season. And Heck, a senior, has missed a good part of the season as well. We've also played a tough schedule, currently ranked the 7th toughest according to this site:

https://www.teamrankings.com/college-football/ranking/sos-basic-by-other

I think our OL has played quite well when all of these things are taken into consideration. And with more strength, experience, and familiarity with the system, there is no reason to think they won't improve next year. I expect them to be one of the best in the ACC. If you disagree, fine. We shall see.

 

[lerario]

I think that is an exaggeration. Despite being in our first year under a new staff and having to learn a new offensive scheme, we're still ranked top 50 nationally in the following offensive categories:

Turnovers per game: 10th
Red Zone scores: 18th
Penalty yards per game: 27th
Passing Yards per game: 33rd
Total Yards per game: 46th
Passing Yards per attempt: 50th

I'd say those were pretty good numbers considering our two most experienced OL haven't played a lot. Polino, our starting center, has missed almost the entire season. And Heck, a senior, has missed a good part of the season as well. We've also played a tough schedule, currently ranked the 7th toughest according to this site:

https://www.teamrankings.com/college-football/ranking/sos-basic-by-other

I think our OL has played quite well when all of these things are taken into consideration. And with more strength, experience, and familiarity with the system, there is no reason to think they won't improve next year. I expect them to be one of the best in the ACC. If you disagree, fine. We shall see.

3.9 ypc - 95th nationally and particularly awful given how good our RBs are.
100+ nationally in sack rate

we suck at both run and pass blocking. This OL has been awful there really is no debate. There are reasons, but no debate.

 

[Archer2]

3.9 ypc - 95th nationally and particularly awful given how good our RBs are.
100+ nationally in sack rate

we suck at both run and pass blocking. This OL has been awful there really is no debate. There are reasons, but no debate.

We'll agree to disagree.

 

[uncboy10]

Experience should go a long way for the o-line. They'll be more familiar with the scheme and have another year in the weight room. Same goes for the RB's, which means the running game should be significantly better next year. Combine that with a QB who has already shown flashes of greatness, and a bunch of talented receivers coming back, and our offense could be one of the best in the conference, maybe even the entire country.

The play calling has got to be better though.

 

[lerario]

We'll agree to disagree.

what is your argument? We rank 95th or worse in the most relevant run and pass blocking metrics. Our skill talent and QB are very, very good. Please explain that without coming to the conclusion that the OL has been really bad.

 

[Archer2]

As I said, we’ll agree to disagree.

 

[lerario]

As I said, we’ll agree to disagree.

ie you’re wrong but can’t admit it.

 

[Archer2]

ie you’re wrong but can’t admit it.

No, it means I’m grown up enough not to have to prove that I’m right or that you’re wrong. I offer my opinion and you offer yours. We don’t have to agree. It’s okay if we don’t. A few of you guys can’t accept that and seem fixated on proving those who have a different opinion wrong.

 

[WoadBlue]

I can see reason to hope that the OL will be better next year. And I know that it could be worse this year. But I do not think we are going to have a miracle Spring that means we enter Fall Camp with 8 or 9, much less 10, guys ready to play well on the OL. Right now, we have no depth. Unless Polino gets some kind of injury hardship for another year, we will return only 5 guys with meaningful experience, and will have lost our 2 best when they were able to play. And Heck is, right now, indispensable to that OL working at all against a D with a pulse.

We have no depth on the OL, or the D Front 7. Games are won in the trenches, and defense wins championships.

The upside is that I have no doubt that Kapilovic was way over his head in trying to be both OC and OL coach. He dropped the ball on OL development, which means that some of these guys might take a step up after another Spring. But the Kap issue also means that he may have landed guys on the OL who are less likely to develop into what a program needs to win the ACC or even the Coastal.

It is possible that next year we have everything we need on offense to dominate the Coastal, save an OL.