What's everyone expecting from the O-Line?

[CadaverDawg]

In Mullen's chat the other day, he didn't sound very optimistic about Tobias Smith. We all keep talking Russell, and the defense, but we all know deep down the O-Line will determine the season's success. How do you feel our starters will match up with others in the SEC? Is the lack of experienced depth going to kill us if we have even 1 key injury?

There's no doubt that we have talent, depth, and experience at most positions....but just like last year our O-Line is questionable. Are we looking at a similar outcome as last year due to the OLine, or will they be significantly better?

FYI: In Mullen's ESPN chat he said he was expecting a breakout year from Whitley. I took that as a great sign of how he's progressing post-injury.

 

[CadaverDawg]

In Mullen's chat the other day, he didn't sound very optimistic about Tobias Smith. We all keep talking Russell, and the defense, but we all know deep down the O-Line will determine the season's success. How do you feel our starters will match up with others in the SEC? Is the lack of experienced depth going to kill us if we have even 1 key injury?

There's no doubt that we have talent, depth, and experience at most positions....but just like last year our O-Line is questionable. Are we looking at a similar outcome as last year due to the OLine, or will they be significantly better?

FYI: In Mullen's ESPN chat he said he was expecting a breakout year from Whitley. I took that as a great sign of how he's progressing post-injury.

 

[BoDawg.sixpack]

It will be Blaine Clausell most likely. I hope Russell has been working on his three step drop.

 

[Maroon Flounder]

It's a damn shame that we have Tyler ready to take the reigns as full time starter at QB finally...WITH the most experienced WR corps we've had in....FOREVER?.....and TRmay be in a situation where he will have minimal time to get a pass off....and in most cases may not have time to go through his reads and go to his 2nd or 3rd option. I can't help feeling like most of his completions will be to RBs. Here we have a guy that has the arm to stretch the field and he may be on his back before that can happen. Couple that with the fact that he is the opposite of "happy feet"...in that he stands flat-footed in the pocket. (which is fine if there is time)

The good news is the schedule is light in the 1st half of the season (if we get past Aub) and the line has time to gel a bit and get some confidence.

Also, Hevesy is very good OL coach. If all the big guys stay healthy...the line will get better and better as the season rolls on.</p>

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[Buford T. Justice]

I like Dillon Day and Gabe Jackson. Tobias is always iffy due to injury, but I think Justin Malone and Ben Beckwith can fill in capably if he goes down. I think the tackles are the key. They must stop pass rushers from getting to Russell, and they need to provide some thump in the running game. Clausell, Damien Robinson, and Siddoway are basically all we've got. We will sink or swim with those 3 guys. I don't expect anything from Trapp, and Muniz missed the entire spring.

 

[Tds &amp; Beer]

I mean if no one is interested, fine. But it's our weakest position in a conference that is strongest at DL. Those juco guys have to be huge for us to have a good year. This feels almost just like last season, as far as the OL situation goes.

 

[Bulldog Backer]

In Mullen's chat the other day, he didn't sound very optimistic about Tobias Smith. We all keep talking Russell, and the defense, but we all know deep down the O-Line will determine the season's success. How do you feel our starters will match up with others in the SEC? Is the lack of experienced depth going to kill us if we have even 1 key injury?

There's no doubt that we have talent, depth, and experience at most positions....but just like last year our O-Line is questionable. Are we looking at a similar outcome as last year due to the OLine, or will they be significantly better?

FYI: In Mullen's ESPN chat he said he was expecting a breakout year from Whitley. I took that as a great sign of how he's progressing post-injury.

...is still one of our best offensive linemen. The problem with Tobias is his susceptibility to injury. I think we are going into this season with the following capable offensive linemen:

LT: Blaine Clausell: has unlimited potential, but just a redshirt sophomore.
LG: Gabriel Jackson: our best with Tobias less than 100%.
C: Dillon Day: gives max effort and improving daily. He plays tough.
RG: Tobias Smith: even at 85%, better than many SEC guards.
RT: Damien Robinson: see Blaine Clausell's comment. Needs to get more intense.

Reserves:

RT/LT: Charles Siddoway: Terrific run blocker, needs to improve pass blocking, largely due to still learning assignments.
RG: Justin Malone: Excellent potential, needs experience.
C/G: Ben Beckwith: Good versatility at the inside spots.
C/G: Dylan Holley: must get himself ready for SEC football.

It should be better than last year. If we avoid injuries, it could be a surprise.

 

[newyorkdawg]

We havea bunch of redshirt sophomores that should be coming into their prime and some talented redshirt freshmen backing them up. Last year we just did not have the maturity.

With three years under Hevesy under their belt, the sophomores should be ready.

 

[esplanade91]

but I haven't seen anyone talk about it.

Getting Green back for another year is really a huge boost for our young OL. Say what you want about his hands and injuries, but the guy is a wall, and I expect him to shore up our tackles in a huge way this season.

 

[columbiadawg2]

He appears to have a great build for a tackle but it seems he can never stay healthy. Will he be able to play this year? If so, what do people expect out of him? I honestly have no clue and am just wondering what others may know or have heard.

 

[Johnson85]

I just find it hard to believe that Robinson could be a competent SEC tackle this year if he was not good enough to get on the field last year with all the issues we had.

If Tobias stays healthy, and Clausell makes a jump (something I think is plausible after the experience he got last year), we could have a good line even if Siddoway is average. Even then, though, every injury we have on the OL probably knocks a win off our ceiling.

 

[EAVdog]

One of the writers/posters on 247 say he's lost a ton of fat but is weighing the same. Balismadeku

Also I ran into an ex-player from like 2004-5 era in Atlanta and he'd been to some practices. He said Justin Malone will be our next great LT and Damien Robinson is very good.

I'm optimisitic just hearing reports of Clausell filling out his frame. Tobais's health and our RT is where we need some good luck.

 

[Hector.sixpack]

He was a Redshirt Fr last year and made a lot of mistakes early in the season that have stuck in our minds, and now he's a 3rd year soph with tons of exerience against the best defenses. He's going to be fine.

But overall, I'm still concerned about the Oline. We are deeper there and have lots of unproven guys, butthere are lots ofquestionable areas. A few guys just have to step up, or we are going to suffer. We should see the redshirt program began to help us this year up front.

 

[Irondawg]

I see our tackles as the big question marks and i just don't have an overall great feeling there. I'm not in the camp of seeing the unlimited potential of Robinson and Clausell. Personally I think Clausell is the better of those two and really just hope he can be serviceable and not be a turnstile.<div>
</div><div>I have no idea what to expect out of Siddoway, but do know that i've yet to see Robinson stay in front of anybody even when he was at guard so I just don't trust him.</div><div>
</div><div>If Tobias can't go I'm not sure what we will do. We could slide Robinson back to G or would could go with Holley, Beckwith or Malone. Of those, malone has the most raw talent but zero experience. Beckwith has some experience and would probably get first crack. Holley could play C and move Day to G, but spring reports had Holley as very small and maybe even being beneficial if we could redshirt him.</div><div>
</div><div>I think Beckwith has done some work at C as well. </div><div>
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[RonnyAtmosphere]

...As far as offense, I am not worried about the OL.


I am worried about the WR's. I am wondering if they are finally getting adequate coaching. I am also wondering if we have a field goal kicker. I am worried about Mullen, yet again, wasting Bumphis on lateral passes. Returning to FG's: MSU's record will swing by 3 wins/3 losses due entirely to whether we have a FG kicker that can make FG's with the game on the line.


If MSU is going to have a solid year, in typical MSU fashion, it will come from outstanding defensive & special teams play.

If you are picking MSU to win 9 games, you are placing that 9 win burden on the defense & special teams.

You are not placing that 9 win burden on the offensive line.

 

[CadaverDawg]

It makes me think negatively. When you have as many questions as we do on the line...the likelyhood of it turning out like last year is much more probable than a pleasant surprise and 9 win season. But hopefully that early season schedule will help build chemistry, and hopefully we can manage to get by Auburn since they'll be trying some new things at that point as well.

 

[Palos-Verdes]

I thought he looked great against Autry in the spring game. He was the #1 rated player out of Oregon a couple of years ago.

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

percentagesku

 

[rugbdawg]

expect a win over the three preseseason top 10 teams we play. Bama, LSU, and Arkansas should all beat us (I know Arkansas isn't in the same class as theother two). We have three swing games (A&M, Auburn, Tennessee), two games we should win (Ole Miss, UK), and our gimmes in the nonconference.

Our three swing games are at home so let's say we win 2 of them. In my opinion, anything less than 7 would be a disappointment and a step back. Anything more than 8 would be an incredible year.

 

[JackShephard]

The guy with the bunting hang up. Reading any of your post past the WR **** is useless.

 

[Tds &amp; Beer]

because Clausell did not look ready last year. Not talking about his play. I am talking about how he actually looked when he ran onto the field in that Auburn game. He still had a very young looking build.

 

[DAWGS1.sixpack]

gave up in 4 or 5 games last year. I hope we can beat auburn this year but for those penciling in a win,.....I dontthink so---- and yes, our OLine will be very key in us winning 9 or more like 7-- hopefully not just 6 games in 2012. Unfortunatly!

 

[Todd4State]

is Clausell will look lost again, and then we end up moving Siddoway to LT and he does OK and we start Robinson at RT.

I think Clausell is one of those players that is a "good person" and I think he works hard in practice, but I'm still not sure if he can do it when the lights come on. Personally, I think he's a head case. He'll probably be a spring game All-American from here on out though.

He may have done better later in the year, but that was as a back-up and that might be his best role ultimately.

If Malone is that good, I wouldn't be shocked if he takes over at LT even though he is a freshman. We'll see what he does once he gets some game action.

 

[Hump4Hoops]

First LT I've ever seen catch a pass.

 

[LBC.sixpack]

A freshman last year mind you, on how he finished the season and how he played in the spring people are judging him on the second game of the season where he was put into a high pressure situation after a teammate went down? Of course he wasn't the best last year, he was a second string freshman against SEC d-lineman. I understand our line was bad last year but people shouldn't be saying "If Siddoway can't beat out Robinson/Clausell we're screwed because our O-line'll suck." Between Robinson, Day, and Clausell there were times when we had three freshman out there, and Relf's play didn't make any of them look better. We had some talented, but unexperienced kids out there. Now they've got the experience. Now when they go out onto the field they aren't fighting a panic reflex hoping they won't screw up, it's just business as usual.

 

[lazlow]

Does this guy have the "Terry Roland 5 year injury" or something? Woulda thought at some point this guy would've at least be in the 2 deep conversation.

 

[JackShephard]

And is likel our first guy off the bench at either guard position. He may start if Tobias goes down again. Seriously, he goes down more than coach34 does on body building transvestites.

 

[Tds &amp; Beer]

So instead of judging Clausell, a freshman last year mind you, on how he finished the season and how he played in the spring people are judging him on the second game of the season where he was put into a high pressure situation after a teammate went down?

I'm not. Please show me where I said that. All I was saying was that he had a lot of room for improvement with his body from last year. That alone will make him better this year, not even counting all the new experience he has gotten. You are a good poster so quit jumping to conclusions.

 

[bonedaddy401]

Clausell was a sub par tackle all season last year. A big reason we went 6-6. Get off his jock bud, it would be more of a shock if he was a great lineman this year than it would be if he continued to struggle. I think he is soft and has slow reaction time to pass rushers. Not a dominate road grading run blocker either.<div>
</div><div>Clausell has to be better than he was all of last year, much better, if we even want to think 8-9 wins.</div>

 

[codeDawg]

Playing LT as a RS Frosh is no joke. I though he did a pretty good job by the end of the year and he had a good enough spring to keep Siddoway at bay. He has all the physical skills, but he has to get the experience necessary to put it all together. Do I think he's All-SEC, no, but I think he's a decent option at the position.

 

[maroonmania]

as a freshman. I have no clue if Clausell will ever become a quality SEC LT or not but I DO know that you can't make a final judgement on him by his performance last year.

 

[maroonmania]

I thought early indications were that he would be pretty healthy to start the year. Granted I'll be surprised if he stays healthy for long after contact but I thought he was believed to be in pretty good shape going into the season.

 

[Johnson85]

people shouldn't be saying "If Siddoway can't beat out Robinson/Clausell we're screwed because our O-line'll suck."

I think Claussll could certainly make a jump this year. He was simply not ready last year and all the experience he got should help him now, when he should be ready if he's going to be better than serviceable.

But I think if Siddoway can't beat out Robinson, we're in trouble. That's based on the fact that if Robinson was really going to be a good player this year, it seems like he would have been in position last year to get a lot more playing time considering how badly our line struggled.

 

[Johnson85]

I think they have plenty of talent, and I definitely am not penciling us in for a win, but I don't think Chizik is going to be able to put together a good defense. If we lose to them it will be because our O-line is not an SEC O-line, not b/c their defense is good.

 

[engie]

Everyone called Sherrod a brutal BUST after the 2008 Egg Bowl as a true SOPH..

Clausell performs better than Derek did in his first 2 seasons, as a rs fr, and he's got people calling him a bust too.

Give it time, let it play out. I'm not saying he's all SEC, and I'm not saying he's a bust, I'm just saying that it's FAR too early to make a good faith decision on him one way or the other...

 

[RonnyAtmosphere]

..& I grew tired of reading all of your negative pearl clutching crap about the football team.


Guess what? Since the good lord provided me with a free will, I don't read it anymore.

 

[lazlow]

the part about TH.

 

[CadaverDawg]

Kyle (Little Rock, AR)

How healthy is Tobias Smith and how important is he to the o-line unit this year?
Dan Mullen (12:24 PM)

He's our senior starter, the only one on the OL. We expect him to be healthy, not at the start, but at some point to play a full game and get some reps.

I misread at first and thought he was saying we hope he can start at some point, but that he wouldn't be healthy at the start......but it looks like he was saying, he will start and we hope he can play an entire game as the season progresses.

 

[studentdawg87]

Clausell is going to be a solid OL before he leaves, but I think he is still a year away. He is a lot bigger than he was last year, but he still looks like a kid.

I expect Siddoway to beat out Robinson by the time the season starts. If he doesn't, we're going to win six games. Hell, we may win that as it is. Our OL is going to blow. No one seems ready to admit it, but they're going to get Russell killed. During the spring, even employees in our athletic department were discussing how ****** our OL is going to be. The DE lined up against Robinson basically had to be told not to rush so we could run a play. Seriously.

If Tobias can't play, Russell is in deep ****. Malone is still really raw, and Beckwith, while a nice find for a walk-on, isn't a guy you want trying to block DL from LSU and Bama.

We will find out a lot about our OL against Auburn. Their DEs, especially Lemonier (potential All-American) are going to give us fits. I think we lose that game just because of that.

 

[JackShephard]

And believe me, I avoid your posts as often as possible because they're all stupid and pointless. Case in point what the 17 is an example of my "negative pearl clutching" posting? You apparently have the wrong guy because I'm generally upbeat. I'm one of the few people who gives 6-6 a pass and I feel like 8-4 is likely this year. Whatever I'm posting has to be less annoying than hijacking every football thread to call attention to your idiotic obsession with our WR coaches abusing poor little bumphis.