I think that this year's OL, when healthy, should be the best we have had since the 2015 OL. (Also.... when healthy. ) I remember being very high on that OL as everyone on the board was. I remembering driving to Kzoo for the opener that year and chatting with a buddy in their stadium about how good the OL was going to be. I remember him being like "Well where is it" by about half time, but that also the season after Langford graduated and we were lacking an experienced RB. I watched guys miss holes and not let blocks be set that game thinking it was too bad we didn't have a Langford or a Bell out there right now. I bring this up because their are parallels there this year. The RB core will miss KWIII and there is no way the running game will be better this year, yet the OL might be much better as a unit.
It all starts with LT. I am not going to talk about injuries, but I will say when he is ready Horst is going to have one of the biggest positive/redemption stories at MSU, and a big credit to this staff for sticking with him last year. He is as mentally ready as he could be, has developed good habits off the field (a steady lady friend will do that... and no p&$$% whipped jokes
), and is the most physically gifted LT we have had since Conklin. The kid has NFL talent, and IMO could play on either side of the line at the next level. If I could prototype a LT, they would like like him. I know I've said this before, but I remember when Jared McGaha came in everyone was excited about his size and how he would be an OT. The problem was that despite his height and frame he had short arms which hurt him there and he eventually became a contributor/spot starter type at guard. With Horst, just go back and watch the scUM game film to see what he does well against 2 future NFL DEs. He made one future Detroit Lion his bitch that day. He is strong in pass pro and can be a mauler in the run game.
Everyone knows I liked Matt Allen a lot. I know he wasn't popular here and whenever he had a negative play certain posters were quick to point it out, but the kid was a very solid center and I also think the gap with him and Samac was small. As a former center myself, I have to admit my bias, but I think after LT this is the most important position. The calls need to be made and you have to own the triangle. We will be in good hands this year at the position.
Just like 2015 we have to get some guys back and cannot expect great production if we have a rash of injuries like in 2015 (remember Jack Allen had to bump out from C to LT for a bit, then got hurt himself.) The talent is there this year. And to be clear, I think that this should be the best SINCE 2015, not better than 2015. All 5 starters on the 2015 team at least had a cup of coffee in the NFL, 4 of them stuck around for multiple seasons, and 2 of them are still starting. I don't think we have that talent level across the board this year to level set expectations.
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As for LB, I was expecting good things last year but was VERY underwhelmed by the performance of our LBs in the opener last year. I took some heat for that but I just didn't think Crouch was a LB. Exceptional athlete, bad LB. I thought Haladay was solid but he was still a freshman playing LB in the big ten. Now he had a great season with those constraints but Greg Jones wasn't perfect as a freshman starter either. I think Haladay will be a stud here for us, and was very good by the end of the year, just not in the opener.
Based on what I've heard from people I trust, that won't be the case in the opener this year. LB is by far the most improved unit on the team. I think we will miss Panasiuk and Beesley at the DE spot but more from a contain standpoint, as we will have a lot of help this year from the LB position in pass rush.
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Game time yet?
Go Green!
It all starts with LT. I am not going to talk about injuries, but I will say when he is ready Horst is going to have one of the biggest positive/redemption stories at MSU, and a big credit to this staff for sticking with him last year. He is as mentally ready as he could be, has developed good habits off the field (a steady lady friend will do that... and no p&$$% whipped jokes
), and is the most physically gifted LT we have had since Conklin. The kid has NFL talent, and IMO could play on either side of the line at the next level. If I could prototype a LT, they would like like him. I know I've said this before, but I remember when Jared McGaha came in everyone was excited about his size and how he would be an OT. The problem was that despite his height and frame he had short arms which hurt him there and he eventually became a contributor/spot starter type at guard. With Horst, just go back and watch the scUM game film to see what he does well against 2 future NFL DEs. He made one future Detroit Lion his bitch that day. He is strong in pass pro and can be a mauler in the run game.Everyone knows I liked Matt Allen a lot. I know he wasn't popular here and whenever he had a negative play certain posters were quick to point it out, but the kid was a very solid center and I also think the gap with him and Samac was small. As a former center myself, I have to admit my bias, but I think after LT this is the most important position. The calls need to be made and you have to own the triangle. We will be in good hands this year at the position.
Just like 2015 we have to get some guys back and cannot expect great production if we have a rash of injuries like in 2015 (remember Jack Allen had to bump out from C to LT for a bit, then got hurt himself.) The talent is there this year. And to be clear, I think that this should be the best SINCE 2015, not better than 2015. All 5 starters on the 2015 team at least had a cup of coffee in the NFL, 4 of them stuck around for multiple seasons, and 2 of them are still starting. I don't think we have that talent level across the board this year to level set expectations.
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As for LB, I was expecting good things last year but was VERY underwhelmed by the performance of our LBs in the opener last year. I took some heat for that but I just didn't think Crouch was a LB. Exceptional athlete, bad LB. I thought Haladay was solid but he was still a freshman playing LB in the big ten. Now he had a great season with those constraints but Greg Jones wasn't perfect as a freshman starter either. I think Haladay will be a stud here for us, and was very good by the end of the year, just not in the opener.
Based on what I've heard from people I trust, that won't be the case in the opener this year. LB is by far the most improved unit on the team. I think we will miss Panasiuk and Beesley at the DE spot but more from a contain standpoint, as we will have a lot of help this year from the LB position in pass rush.
----
Game time yet?
Go Green!
