Don't know if yall have seen this Siddoway video...but its pretty 17ing impressive.
has a great highlight video. I'm hopeful that he and Holley are as advertised, because our season quite literally hedges on it. I'm still VERY concerned about the o-line in general. The only sure thing we've got there is Gabe Jackson. 1 out of 5, surrounded by 4 questionmarks, a qb that can't take nearly the beating our previous one could, and a back-up that has yet to take a snap, tells me to be careful on letting the expectations run rampant. Now that I've thrown all my negativity against the wall, we are getting alot closer to being on the o-line than people realize.
I would've liked to bridge the gap better this past season with depth from JUCO's(we missed on several). However this year we've done much better. IMO this round of JUCO's should be enough to bridge the gap to the Mullen/Balis/Hevesy-developed HS talent. Not to say that we don't still go after blue-chip JUCO talent on the OL, but this SHOULD be the last time we're immediately depending on it. Mullen has SIGNED heavily on the OL every season. In the 2012 class, we're signing 5 (3EE's). In the 2011 class, we signed 4(2EE's). In the 2010 class, we signed 6(2EE's). And here's where our depth problem comes in(we'll blame Croom). In the 2009 class, we signed 2(only contributor Gabe Jackson). In 2008, we signed 3(only contributor, oft injured, Tobias Smith). In 2007, we signed 6(Sherrod, Lawrence, and Saulsberry contributors). See the talent gap Croom left us here? When BUILDING o-linemen(read, not recruiting blue-chips from all over the country or finding a rare diamond), they are ALMOST NEVER ready to contribute until their 3rd yr on campus. IMO, O-Linemen require MUCH MORE development than any other position(only qb is even close). This was the 3rd yr for our 2009 class, which has exactly ONE contributor, a VERY GOOD Gabe Jackson(rated as the #6 OG for the 2014 draft). Next season will be the 3rd year for Mullen's FIRST true class, with contributors Blaine Clausell, Damien Robinson, Dillon Day, and Archie Muniz. IMO, they were forced to play too soon this year, and we questioned them at times because of it. Greg Hardy and Kentrell Lockett also made 4* and future first rounder Derek Sherrod look like a total fool in the 2008 Egg Bowl as a true Soph, to the point that MANY State fans were considering him a bust. For that reason, I'm reserving judgement on "Mullen's O-Line recruiting" until HIS players are in at least their 3rd year. This begins next season, but will really take form in 2013.
From 2013 on, we have NO EXCUSES on the o-line...
