Concern About Offensive Line

[Husker_x]

I'm always amazed how people on our board talk with such confidence like they really know what the hell they are talking about!

 

I'm just a fan who wants to win a championship ... I just don't know enough to make many of the statements people make on this and various threads.

 

At best, we are all "hoping" for the best. I "hope" Bo can take us their, based off what I have seen from him in a year hear at Nebraska and his time at LSU ... but I have no "football knowledge" to "judge" what really happens.

 

I am a big fan ... I'm all "N" ... and that is a fact.

 

I do enjoy really all the posts!

 

 

Well good for you.

 

Watch enough football for enough time, or learn enough about great teams of the past, certain patterns begin to emerge. Thus, statements are not entirely based on fancy.

[BigWillie]

Our offensive line is the LAST position you need to worry about us having talent at.

 

Burkes SO

DJ Jones rSO

M. Jones rFR

Williams rSO

Smith rSO

Barrett rSO

 

Then you throw in the freshmen -- Thompson and Grant.

 

That's just in young talent. Throw in Murtha, Slauson, Hickman, Christensen, Henry and Huff as upperclassmen and we're more than fine there.

 

Baker has AA talent on both sides of the ball. But we need him MUCH worse on the defensive side of the ball than the offensive side. Plus, he may have more un-tapped potential at d-tackle than he does on the offensive side.

 

Willie:

 

Did DJ Jones and Cruz Barrett play last year? Are they not both rFr this next season?

 

Nope. They both came in the '06 class. They both will be rSO next year.

[HuskerWisdom]

I think they looked at the current roster, and at the commits they have + the walk-on commits and decided they had enough for this year. One of the things I think Bo wants to do is to get more for less from the OL, that means fewer scholarships than Cally spent on the OL, but with better results - part of this is moving to shorter, quicker offensive linemen who can be recruited as walk-ons to augment depth and even get starters from that program.

 

As others pointed out, Thorson and a couple of the other walk-on recruits can play there and develop.

[MadcatNU]

Our offensive line is the LAST position you need to worry about us having talent at.

 

Burkes SO

DJ Jones rSO

M. Jones rFR

Williams rSO

Smith rSO

Barrett rSO

 

Then you throw in the freshmen -- Thompson and Grant.

 

That's just in young talent. Throw in Murtha, Slauson, Hickman, Christensen, Henry and Huff as upperclassmen and we're more than fine there.

 

Baker has AA talent on both sides of the ball. But we need him MUCH worse on the defensive side of the ball than the offensive side. Plus, he may have more un-tapped potential at d-tackle than he does on the offensive side.

 

But next year that will leave us with 6 experinced lineman and two redshirt frosh. Isn't that a pretty thin rotation for an O line, especially factoring in a likely injury or two?

[RedDenver]

Here's all the OL from the roster (the year is for the 2007 season, I did not include the graduating seniors):

57 Bergland, Dennis OL 6-01 290 RFr. Plattsmouth, Neb. (Plattsmouth)

59 Masin, Mike OL 6-06 320 Fr. Lincoln, Neb. (Southeast)

61 Huff, Mike OL 6-04 300 Jr. Ralston, Neb. (Ralston)

62 Christensen, Andy OL 6-03 300 Jr. Bennington, Neb. (Bennington)

63 Valburg, Ethan OL 6-02 265 Fr. Fullerton, Calif. (Troy)

65 Smith, Mike OL 6-06 285 RFr. Las Vegas, Nev. (Palo Verde)

66 Barrett, Cruz OL 6-04 325 RFr. Daytona Beach, Fla. (Mainland)

67 Hickman, Jacob OL 6-04 285 So. Bakersfield, Calif. (Centennial)

68 Williams, Keith OL 6-05 310 RFr. Florissant, Mo. (McClure North)

70 Slauson, Matt OL 6-05 335 Jr. Colorado Springs, Colo. (Air Force Prep)

72 Burkes, Jaivorio OL 6-05 315 Fr. Phoenix, Ariz. (Moon Valley)

73 Jones, D.J. OL 6-05 310 RFr. Omaha, Neb. (Central)

76 Murtha, Lydon OL 6-07 305 Jr. Hutchinson, Minn. (Hutchinson)

78 Jones, Marcel OL 6-07 300 Fr. Phoenix, Ariz. (Trevor Browne)

79 Iske, Cory OL 6-02 260 Fr. Omaha, Neb. (Millard West)

 

I also excluded long snappers and any others who might switch to OL.

 

Assuming all the true freshman redshirted but no other classes did, for 2008 that gives:

2 Fr. schollie commits + ?? Fr. walk-ons

5 RFr.

5 RSo.

1 Jr.

4 Sr.

 

2009:

?? 09 OL schollie + walkons

2 + ?? RFr.

5 RSo.

5 Jr.

1 Sr.

 

I'll update for the walkons if anyone has the numbers.

 

That gives us more than 17 for 2008 and more than 13 for 2009.