* Center: The Lynch Pin of the Front Wall!! *

[Off The Grid]

No position has wrinkled my brow more.

It seems clear that our erstwhile All Pro ~ Dan KoppenHagen ~ has left his best days behind.

With 3-4 Defenses ~ and Behemoth Nose Tackles ~ enjoying a surging Bull Market, it behooves us to UpGrade.

Whither??

We're not In Line Blockers: Our Front Wall Grizzlies are noted more for their Athleticism than their MASS.

So we don't need to ask Ron Brace ~ 330 Pounds ~ to learn how to snap, is what I'm saying.

But I'd love to discuss, with you wizened gentlemen ~ and PatChick ~ WHO might fit the bill, and WHY.

Some In House Possibilities

Dan Connolly
Ryan Wendell
Rich OhrnBerger
Tom Austin

Draft Options

Steve Wisniewski ~ Penn State Nittany Lions
Kristofer O'Dowd ~ So Cal Trojans
Kevin Kowalski ~ Toledo Mud Hens!!
Brandon Fusco ~ Slippery Rock
Tim Barnes ~ Missouri Tiggers!!

And others...


I actually like Ryan Pugh of the Auburn Tiggers, at this early juncture.

 

[Peachhead]

I really like Pugh as well. He's about the only OC that has made a good impression on me so far this year.

Just no Pouncey from Florida please this year. Their O-line sucks and he is one of the biggest culprits.

 

[Off The Grid]

A name to consider: Alex LinnenKohl ~ 6.2/3005 ~ Oregon State Beavers!!

Slightly undersized, but the coaches LOVE this guy. He's athletic, and he's tenacious.

Other guys ~ already mentioned ~ that I'm finding myself gravitating to:

Kevin Kowalski ~ 6.3/300 ~ Toledo Mud Hens!!
Brandon Fusco ~ 6.4/300 ~ Slippery Rock
Tim Barnes ~ 6.4/300 ~ Missouri Tiggers!!

Kowalski, Fusco, and Barnes are projected as 3rd Day Picks...and LinnenKohl as a 7th Rounder. Even speaking as a RABID Devotee of Grizzlies and Trench WarFare...I see our best approach ~ at this early juncture ~ as being to PASS on the early round Bloated...and to target the above, as late round Value.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I actually like Ryan Pugh of the Auburn Tiggers, at this early juncture.

Pugh has been a beast so far this year.

I can not wait until Auburn plays Alabama in Tuscaloosa later this year. Pugh will have Chapman lined up over him all game long. If Pugh can get some push one on one against Chapman, it will seal the deal in my book.

I still think O'Dowd is the best center in college football, but Pugh probably fits out scheme better.

Last year Cody ate up Pugh,it was embarrassing. We shall see how Pugh does against a vastly inferior NT.

I also really like Ziemba from the Auburn O line as well. I know he has been injured, but when healthy, he is a great ROT prospect for our O line. (We could move Vollmer to LOT)

Having two 6 foot 8 inch OT's that can move their feet is not a bad thing.

 

[Taxed in Maine]

The later round guy a have been keeping track of is Zane Taylor from Utah. He listed at 6'2 300 but several reports I have read have him playing at @ 310.

Strongest player on the team, perenial starter and academic all-conference.

 

[Off The Grid]

I really like Pugh as well. He's about the only OC that has made a good impression on me so far this year.

Just no Pouncey from Florida please this year. Their O-line sucks and he is one of the biggest culprits.

EXCELLENT point.

I was big on Pouncey, 8 long weeks ago, because of my admiration of his Bro...But I have LONG since been cured of THAT particular error in judgment!!

 

[Off The Grid]

The later round guy a have been keeping track of is Zane Taylor from Utah. He listed at 6'2 300 but several reports I have read have him playing at @ 310.

Strongest player on the team, perennial starter and academic all-conference.

Very interesting point, sir.

I shall keep on eye on'm.

 

[Off The Grid]

* Pugh is a beast and he has worn out countless DT/NT's over the past two seasons. (Except Cody who mauled Pugh) Pugh is extremely smart and is a decent athlete and very rarely is Auburn's Oline in the wrong protection.

* On running plays Pugh is excellent at pulling and a decent trap blocker. On passing plays he is rarely beat and always seems to know where the blitz is coming from. I saw him stand up McClain of Alabama last year on a blitz. Very impressive.

I can not wait for Auburn vs. Alabama, fortunately I think we are doing the game so I will have a ring side seat.

Powe is extremely poorly conditioned, but then again not many DT's are conditioned well enough to track down QB Cam (6'6" and 260 pounds), the next Hiesman trophy winner.

* Interesting side note: whenever Cam gets in trouble and starts running, notice how many times he follows Pugh. Cam knows where his bread is buttered.

Stabbed + Dragged from another Thread.

Ryan Pugh is really looking like a potential player, here.

 

[Snake Eyes]

A name to consider: Alex LinnenKohl ~ 6.2/3005 ~ Oregon State Beavers!!

Slightly undersized, but the coaches LOVE this guy. He's athletic, and he's tenacious.

Other guys ~ already mentioned ~ that I'm finding myself gravitating to:

Kevin Kowalski ~ 6.3/300 ~ Toledo Mud Hens!!
Brandon Fusco ~ 6.4/300 ~ Slippery Rock
Tim Barnes ~ 6.4/300 ~ Missouri Tiggers!!

Kowalski, Fusco, and Barnes are projected as 3rd Day Picks...and LinnenKohl as a 7th Rounder. Even speaking as a RABID Devotee of Grizzlies and Trench WarFare...I see our best approach ~ at this early juncture ~ as being to PASS on the early round Bloated...and to target the above, as late round Value.

I'm curious, in what regard is he considered "undersized"? If it's height I find the assertion rather strange since being shorter gives one a lower more stable center of gravity.

 

[Off The Grid]

I'm curious, in what regard is he considered "undersized"? If it's height I find the assertion rather strange since being shorter gives one a lower more stable center of gravity.

Only in terms of overall frame. The top 5 Center prospects at SportsLine, for instance, are all 6.3 or 6.4.

But as you imply, it's not earth shattering, for precisely that reason: Being 6.2 gives you a Leverage Advantage, and that is obviously vital to the course of the Battle.

Seems to me that 6.3 offers just about the optimum height for a Center to combine Size, Strength, and Leverage ~ provided, of course, that he does the work to build out his frame.

Nick Mangold comes to mind.

But, then, in support of your point: Jeff Saturday is 6.2.

 

[Snake Eyes]

Only in terms of overall frame. The top 5 Center prospects at SportsLine, for instance, are all 6.3 or 6.4.

But as you imply, it's not earth shattering, for precisely that reason: Being 6.2 gives you a Leverage Advantage, and that is obviously vital to the course of the Battle.

Seems to me that 6.3 offers just about the optimum height for a Center to combine Size, Strength, and Leverage ~ provided, of course, that he does the work to build out his frame.

Nick Mangold comes to mind.

But, then, in support of your point: Jeff Saturday is 6.2.

I wonder how oftern many of the "experts" confuse correlation with causation, a great player might fit or even set the trend for a certain height/weight mold but is that height/weight combo why they're great?

A lineman is engaged with their opponent probably between 5-7 seconds every play so I'm more interested in their ability to be very explosive and also how well they can maintain that throughout the game. Having a guy rep out with 225lbs doesn't tell you that, in fact it has more to do with cardiovascular endurance at a certain point.

According to Bruschi one of the things that makes Mangold so effective is his hand strength (although there's plenty of forearm power needed for the stuff Mangold does) but I've never heard of teams doing any kinds of tests for hand strength.

I havent seen any footage of Alex LinnenKohl or Zane Taylor but being 6'2 wouldn't make me think any less of them, in fact it just make them more available because other teams might pass them up because of their height.

 

[Patriot Missile]

Koppen is not as bad as some have suggested here. He has trouble against some particular NT's for sure but if you judge his season as a whole he has actually been pretty good. 5 good games out of 7 is not too bad. I think Ngata is a probowler for a reason, he's been making a season of blowing up centers at the line of scrimmage for awhile now.

Honestly I'm sure there are ansers out there, maybe this Pugh guy or Pouncey etc. But the simple fact is Mangolds {sounds like an orange} don't grow on trees in the draft. Finding someone that can battle elite NT's to a standstill are in high demand these days. I'm sure Pittsburgh being in Bmore's division put a very high priority on Pouncey and rolled the dice hoping he would hold up. So far he looks really good. I hope they target and strike gold with someone like that.

But for right now Koppen is having a good season overall. If the o-line was to be judged as a whole as it should be, the Pats have only allowed 12 sacks. I see no sivs there. All I see is success based on the offense we are playing.