Tell me why the O line will be serviceable next year, position by position. Do we need to go Juco or do we have the horses in place to be successful? Any realistic reason to be optimistic?
Fine. In '14:
LT. Brock Dagel (6'8" 297 JR) will return as a starter. After the first game, he beat out a returning senior. He'll have a full season of starting under his belt,and looks liek he'll be a best.
LG. Jamison Lalk (6'6" 295 JR) should be the starter. He grabbed the job from a senior in camp, but was hurt right after Farniok. Reinjured Saturday, not sure whether he came back or not.
C Tom Farniok (6'4" 295 SR) CPR was touting him as the "most improved player" on the team--before he was hurt in the very first game.
LG Dan Burton (6'5" 302 SO) Smart guy, but I suspect that his physical strength is about where Farniok was as a frosh. Another year under McKnight will only help.
LT Jake Gannon (6'7" 300 SR) Has had playing time since he was a frosh, but was the third starter with an MCL injury against Tech. Not sure when he'll be back. And whatever you think of Jake Campos, he'll be coming off a redshirt next season.
Lichtenberg and Tuftee will be the only seniors lost, and one has been hurt, and the other hasn't played well--that . Along with current soph Oni Omoile, who is getting valuable experience, and both Duaron Williams and Jake Dunning should be in the same position Omoile was this year--ready to get some playing time. Campos has some talented classmates who will also be coming off redshirts, and I'm looking forward to seeing Shawn Curtis and Nick Severs.
What we really need is for these guys to get (and stay)
healthy--to develop some continuity. Familiarity, cohesiveness and teamwork is how offensive lines gel and become a team strength. Six different starting lineups in six games is one reason this line hasn't gelled.