The experiment of Cannon at OG is NOT three games old, it is three years old. This board, and the team, has considered Cannon a "potential" RG since he arrived. He has gotten lots and lots and lots of practice at RG. He has much game experience at RG. In many games, he has been our backup RG. In this last preseason, he had some play at RG.
So, for me, Cannon at OG is not a new idea at all. HOWEVER, playing Cannon at a position at which he MIGHT have practiced at in college is strange indeed. The LEFT side is very different than the RIGHT. I certainly agree that many LGs were formerly LT's, and the many RGs were formerly RT's. But Cannon was a RT with no experience at LG.
This is Cannon's 4th year. For 3 1/2 years he has been a backup, being looked at to play wherever he can fit in. The new coach decided that he would do something different. He decided to start cannon at LG with no preseason experience whatsoever. I don't understand the decision. Perhaps, he valued Cannon as many here do (or did) as the next best lineman after Solder and Vollmer. So, of course, Cannon would start at LG. ????? As I say, I don't get it.
BOTTOM LINE
Cannon has been tried at RG for some time, and has not convinced the team that he is a starting RG. The team had an opening at LG, so Cannon was tried there.
Perhaps, there were just to many question marks at C and RG to move Connolly to LG before tonight. After all, Connolly, Stork and Wendell all had injury issues.
And yes, to me, it was perverse not to see Kline at LG in the first three games. After all, he started there for parts of last year. IMHO, there was no reason to panic and start Cannon, when Kline was available.