BGIF, my friend --- on this board almost NOBODY thinks about the offensive line unless it's an afterthought. Flash and dash and then just maybe, why didn't we run the ball more?
But everybody knows that I'm the "BIGS are more significant than littles" curmudgeon, so I've been thinking of little else all year.
To answer one question: in my opinion Zach Martin would have started for Alabama over their rookie [but real good] LT. Martin is already NFL good, but needs more buddies to make it all work.
So, next year, eyes open: Thank God Zach is back. I have faith that Chris will get better and "get all the way there" too. I don't believe that he's far off. And then what?
I'm still a fan of Christian Lombard. I believe that he is in the Watt category [already good enough to beat good opposition, not good enough to beat elite competition.] I believe that most of his errors this season were funky reads on OLB or DB blitzes where he was VERY decisive in who he took out, but others didn't pick up the loose trash. I am eyeing him with great interest. And hope.
The other two line spots should bring great anxiety if not night terrors to ND fans hoping for a return to the BCS next year. I've stated elsewhere on this board that I believe that the defense will be terrific [better than this year], and the offense will have a kicka$$ receiving core. If Everett still has the job, he will obviously be an upgrade over his younger self, and if Gunner has the job he will by deduction be an upgrade too. That leaves ONLY the RB situation and the O-Line to stop us from getting back to a major bowl game. [and punting]
There is so much diverse talent running around the ND roster that I have difficulty imagining RB being a significant problem. Kelly will find some guy who will consistently passcatch and blitz block and they all can run. THAT LEAVES THE O-LINE.
Center and the right side... what are we going to get there? We have a very small number of options to man these positions: Lombard somewhere; NMartin, Stanley, maybe Hegarty, and maybe Elmer. I have seen nothing yet to tell me that Hanratty's apparent lack of quickness and flexibility will translate into a quality starting lineman, but will be delighted to be wrong. Mark Harrell could be the second coming Markise Pouncey, but there was no doubt that Kelly was grooming Hegarty for the spot not Harrell.
Lombard, Stanley, NMartin, Hegarty, Elmer. Who gets the three jobs and where do they play? THAT's who everybody should be looking at, and, yes, Everett and Gunner. As BGIF said: Gentlemen we have a problem. Can we get it solved? Hiestand's good. Kelly's good. The raw talent seems pretty good though unproven. Yes, we can get it done, but no one should assume that we'll just be handing it off to all our speed merchants and the holes are going to be a mile wide and something that Coach can build an entire offense around.
I'm ALWAYS optimistic that somehow our guys rise up. Sometimes that's obviously deranged fantasy. We need this development critically and fast.
