Box_O_Rocks

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nashvillepatsfan

Hey Box, I seem to recall some folks saying last year, that Kaczur might be better inside. Being that im not a fan of Yates, and Neal has had some injury concerns, maybe move him inside. Thats assuming Vollmer could take RT in TC. Whats your thinking on this Sir Box?

Mike the Brit

That's another excellent article, Chris -- right on the money!

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Still here to learn

Box_O_Rocks

Light - three year starter at Purdue.
Mankins - three year starter at Fresno State.
Koppen - three year starter at Boston College.
Kaczur - four year starter at Toledo.
LeVoir - three year starter at Notre Dame.
O'Callaghan - three year starter ay California.
Britt - four year starter at Alabama.
Hochstein - two+ year starter at Nebraska.
Yates - two year starter at Texas A&M.
Connelly - four year starter at Southeast Missouri State.
Johnson - three year starter at Wisconsin.
Wendell - two year starter at Fresno State.
Neal - World Class Wrestler.

With the exception of Neal, you see a pretty clear trend. The starters have at least three years of starting experience in college, the one non-wrestling starter who has more than three years comes from the smallest program. The reserve Tackles are all three+ year starters.

Vollmer is a two year starter. He appears to have greater athletic skill to work with than Britt & O'Callaghan, and maybe LeVoir, but he needs seasoning. I believe he's intended to be Dante's LT of the future, if he can't make it at LT he should work okay at RT (so he's not a wasted pick), but I expect him to spend this season in development unless he's forced into the line-up by injury. His three fellow rookie OL: Orhnberger just less than 3 years as a starter, Bussey 3 year starter, Porter All-American wrestler.

If you'll notice, with the exception of Vollmer and the wrestlers, the OL with less than three years of starting experience came from major programs or Fresno State (BB's old OL coach and a team that plays major programs for it's non-conference games) - and in Vollmer's exception, his OL coach was the same man who developed Kaczur at Toledo (a known quantity Scar obviously trusts).

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nashvillepatsfan

Thank you Sir Box

Box_O_Rocks

What! It made sense? I'm slipping.

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nashvillepatsfan

well, sorta

You did skip the question on whether or not you think Kaczur would be better inside. Try to do better next time

Box_O_Rocks

Kaczur is an option inside, but I thought last season was his best season at RT. He was a four year LT at Toledo and started most of 2005 as Light's injury replacement before moving over to RT. He's had to retrain himself to do things right-sided, sounds easy, but if you do things one way for five years, then have to do it another way - at NFL speeds - it's going to be difficult.

I've said this before, but my unarmed combat instructor taught that it took 2,000 repetitions to get a move locked into your muscle memory. There were 950 snaps on defense last season, so let's call it 1,000 snaps a season for offense or defense, that's roughly two years of full speed game snaps (and that's not breaking down pass vs run, which would be about 50/50, so arguably you are looking at four years to get 2,000 pass drop game snaps, but practice reps would speed that up).

unoriginal may wish to weigh in on Kaczur's run blocking and whether he's the best option to move inside to RG if Neal gets hurt, but I'm projecting no change in the starters on the line. Depending on LeVoir's health, he and Vollmer would seem to have the inside edge at Tackle. Bussey would probably be the G/T option for the Practice Squad. C/G reserves are a lot harder to project.

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nashvillepatsfan

Agreed. Im not one of the posters who thinks we need a new OL. I think they will be fine, and have no problem with Kaczur at RT. My main problem is the interior depth on the line, which looks to be better this year. But heck, what do i know I have no technical knowledge of football. I merely use my eyes, and my eyes like this OL (even though im usually watching through beer goggles)

DaBruinz

I think that Hochstein will make the roster, but as a utility player. I think he'll see more snaps as the short yardage FB than he will on the offensive line.

I expect that Ohrnberger will be the one getting snaps at RG if Neal goes down. However, we could have a situation similar to 2004 where, after Compton went down, the Pats moved Woody to RG and inserted Koppen at center. The same could happen this year if Koppen continues to get manhandled by the likes of Jenkins and Stroud.