Yeah totally agree with you. Not sure why it's slim pickings for Lineman at Frosh and Soph levels. That is a big concern if it is as widespread as I think it might be.
Big/Tall kids doing other sports? No recognition for doing the grunt work? Not sure whats going on.
rock - I agree with you. as I stated earlier. in the last couple of years we have seen a very steady decline in defensive play. maybe it is spread offenses or passing in general, but even run based teams cant stop the run games. mind boggling to me that defense in most of these schools is nonexistent. it really is just like watching 7on7's. not sure if like you say linemen(maybe) but I am more so saying defensive schemes. way, way to many 1 or 2 play td's being scored.
As far as the lineman issue goes, a study would probably be needed to find out for sure what the reason is, if indeed people's observations are correct regarding the declining numbers.
As far as the defensive play issue,I will take a shot at the POSSIBLE reasons:
1) I think a lot of coaches have decided that they need to develop explosive offenses, which probably leads them to put the majority of their best athletes on the offensive side of the ball, sometimes to the detriment of the defense;
2) I agree with others I have talked to that teaching (and playing) pass defense may be the hardest thing to master in high school football. With more and more teams seeming to go to spread offenses, a defense is often times put behind the eight-ball, especially if a team can put three or even four above average receivers against it. Good spread teams also appear to have more than adequate running games, so moving the ball on the ground is also successful. This is a lot for defenses to deal with; and
3) Not sure of this, but are more and more teams getting away from full contact during the week of practice? Could this be affecting the play of the defense come game day? I have heard some coaches who think that this is the case.