(09-19-2019 07:55 AM)BearcatMan Wrote: (09-19-2019 07:46 AM)OKIcat Wrote: [quote='BearcatMan' pid='16309316' dateline='1568896322']
[quote='rath v2.0' pid='16308923' dateline='1568856145']
All the talk about how great it is that we have all these OL starters together for years to come...yeesh.
With that said, how much progress do you think we'll see during the season on the O line? Will the coaches just have to work around these issues all season?
Ehhh...I think Cooper and Metz are both projects that need more than 10 weeks to figure everything out. McConnell looks like he's more solid on fundamentals, but he just doesn't have the physical tools yet (if ever). I think you'll see progress from this year to next year, but not a whole lot in the weeks we've got coming up.
I edited the quotes above, shortening for readability.
I am going to be optimistic and disagree a little bit with the pessimism for this season. Young, inexperienced players are likely to improve more during a season than experienced veterans.
The 2 "senior/grad veteran" starters are just in their second year starting.
Robinson, (soph) started several games last year.
Metz, Cooper, and McConnell are redshirt freshmen with no previous starts.
Harper, while a junior, has essential no collegiate experience.
So, I am projecting some real improvement in the coming weeks. In part, because their base performance to date has been poor/mediocre. If nothing else, the false starts should decrease a little.
Will they become polished veterans in the next 2 months? NO.
I have been a skeptic about the O line since spring practice. None of us have been happy with what we have seen thus far. And I am surely hoping that we can avoid injuries which push us further into our 2 deep.
The glass is not yet half full, but I think it might fill up a little.