At 7-4, Air Force will become only the third team BYU has faced this season that currently has a winning record (TCU at 10-0 and Oklahoma at 6-4 are the others; Wyoming and Florida State are 5-5). This very well may be the second or third most difficult game of the year. The Academy held TCU to 20 points and only lost by 3 (20-17). They took Utah to overtime before losing (23-16). They also went into overtime with a good Navy team (8-3) before giving up another close one. The Cadets mean business and they are desperate to break through into the top tier of the MWC. They will come not only with talent, but with motivation. Despite having Air Force’s number for the last several years, it is going to take everything the Cougars have to pull this one out. Saturday will be a good one.
What to watch for…
• Will BYU’s offensive line be able to open up running lanes on the smaller Falcon D line? The first two series should be an indicator of how this game will go. The running game from BYU will be essential to winning this game. The size could become more of a factor as the game wears on and Air Force’s lighter line begins to tire.
• Will Unga be able to go? And, if not, will Kariya and DiLuigi be up to the task of filling in for him. Last week, without Unga in the game, the running game suffered. That won’t cut it this week.
• Can the Cougar front 7 continue to contain the run? For most of the season, the specialty of the defense has been limiting opponents running games. That will be key this week, as Air Force is fourth in the country in rushing offense (and 118th in passing).
• How much will the team miss Terrance Hooks in the middle? Will Shawn Doman be able to hold it down solo? Will Shane Hunter be able to spell him sufficiently to be effective? Defending the wishbone option will require all players to know their assignments, and a lack of experience could cost the Cougars.
• Will Dennis Pitta get the big game that he needs to solidify his status as Mackey finalist? He has historically had a big game against the Falcons, but opponents are much more aware of him this season. With 7 catches, 85+ yards, and a TD, Pitta would likely be in.
• What impact will the weather have? Friday night has a 20% chance of rain. On Saturday there is a 30% chance of snow. Highs are forecast to be 44 degrees. The team has been doing some practicing outdoors this week, ostensibly in preparation for Saturday’s conditions. A wet field might favor a passing game, but a cold precipitation would swing in favor of a running game. In any case, should rain/snow arrive before or during the game, expect the field to be sloppy.
• Can the team come out of this game without any significant health losses going into the rivalry game with Utah? Last year, Air Force’s chop blocks and low hits took a toll on Dennis Pitta specifically, as he was only a limping shell of himself in the Utah game (and played anyway) and was worse than a non-factor as he probably hurt the team by playing.
• Will more records fall? Last week, Hall moved into second in touchdowns, Pitta second in receptions. By the numbers this week…
o 1 victory for Hall to break a tie with Ty Detmer for all time wins
o 11 catches for Pitta to tie Austin Collie for all time most receptions
o 20 yards for Harvey Unga to become the all time leading rusher in program history
o 105 yards for Unga to move into third in all-purpose yards
o 165 yards needed by Pitta to pass Margin Hooks as the third leading receiver all time (Collie, Drage)
o 203 yards needed by Max Hall to become second all time in total offense
o 359 yards needed by Hall to become second all time in passing yards
How do I see this playing out? BYU got a wake-up call last week against New Mexico and will put in some extra effort this week in preparation and game planning. The Falcons will have the Cougars attention and there will not be any problem with losing focus. Hall and his fellow seniors know they only have two games left and will make the most of this one, having fun, playing relaxed, and showing a good first half. The defense will play well enough to give the Cougars a small lead at half-time. The second half will likely have AFA gaining some momentum out of the gate to make it look like a game, only to begin to tire going into the 4th quarter and BYU pulling out a two score win. BYU 34, Air Force 24.
Leave your own predictions in the comments below...
Showing posts with label Injuries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Injuries. Show all posts
Friday, November 20, 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
What We Learned in the TCU Game
There is something about being a BYU fan that allows for rugged optimism and hope in the face of diminishing possibility. There nearly always remains a way to win, a path to victory, or some combination of great playmaking, lucky breaks, and a touch of magic that keeps the dream alive. Yet, despite this, at some point the possibilities and optimal combinations become no longer viable. For fans of some teams, this may have happened early in the first quarter down 14-0, or at half time down 21-7, or even when TCU went up 31-7 ten minutes into the third quarter. But for BYU fans, it likely wasn’t until midway through the fourth quarter when defeat was acknowledged. They stay until the end of the game. They believe in the possibilities.
Here is what we learned this week in response to last week’s questions:
• Can Max Hall get rid of the ball in time? For the most part. There was quite a bit of pressure on the pocket, but Hall seemingly had enough time to get rid of the ball, and despite a couple of sacks, for most part was able to do so. The real issue seemed to be that there were no open receivers to throw to, resulting in coverage sacks or dumps for short to no gain.
• Will the BYU defensive front seven be able to contain the TCU run game and still get some pressure on Andy Dalton? Yes and no. Run game contained? Check. Pressure on Andy Dalton? Non-existent. For the third week in a row, BYU was able to contain the running game (giving up 127 yards on 37 carries to TCU is respectable). But until late in the game, there was almost no pressure on Dalton, allowing him to take his time waiting for something to open up. In the fourth quarter, when pressure was finally applied via blitz, Dalton threw several bad passes and looked flustered. And although too little too late, hopefully the coaches will identify this and incorporate it into future game plans a bit earlier.
• Has the BYU defense learned to adapt to the Wildcat and can it contain Jeremy Kerley? Yes. Kerley was held to 12 yards on 3 carries.
• What impact will the return of the injured have? Slightly positive. The return of Tonga improved the running game. With several players back special teams coverage was improved. The secondary, with a still hurt Johnson playing and flu-recovered Bradley, was not significantly better. McKay Jacobsen, still out with a hamstring, would have made a difference in this game, but did not play.
• Will BYU win the turnover battle? No. BYU 2, TCU 0. I wrote last week, “whichever team wins the turnover battle on Saturday is likely to win the game.” The interception in the opening drive of the third quarter leading to a TCU field goal was ominously reminiscent of a similar outcome in the FSU game. The best way for BYU to come back at that point was to get a few turnovers, but it never happened as the Cougars gave up a fumble to go with it.
• Will BYU’s running game find success? Not when it counts. The total yards were decent (Harvey had 123), but much of it came near the end of the game, when (surprise) TCU was giving up some room to run. The greater question is why BYU was running at that point. When it mattered most—on third downs, short distances, etc.—the run game was essentially shut down. What really hurt is that the passing game, was similarly stymied, and as mentioned already, the receivers appeared unable to get open when they needed to.
• Will BYU have the emotional intensity to match TCU without letting it interfere with their execution? Mostly. TCU did not appear to dominate the emotional battle as they obviously did last year. Nor did it seem to be primarily lack of execution that lost the game as it did in the FSU game (missed tackles, turnovers, etc.). BYU seemed focused and prepared to play, but matched up with an superior team (at least on this night) and with a few bad breaks, got behind early and was unable to overcome the deficit.
A few other things of note:
• Looks like the Poinsettia Bowl for the Cougars this year. The Vegas Bowl has already said that they would like to change it up and fans feel the same way, so with a BCS game out of the question, San Diego seems the likely destination. For your Holiday planning, that game will be played on Wednesday, December 23 at 5pm (PST) on ESPN. This will be the fifth year of that bowl game (first played in 2005), with the MWC playing in it each year, going 3-1. Interestingly, BYU has played in the Vegas Bowl all four years of the Poinsettia Bowl’s existence.
• Good time for a bye week. McKay Jacobsen will likely be back to full speed by the Wyoming game on Nov 7.
• Fans will always question the coaches’ decisions and play calling. But there are some plays and decisions that are easier to question than others. In particular, I thought it curious that they called a running play on third and eleven when we were within scoring range and that they decided to punt on fourth and two near midfield, down big in the second half…
Here is what we learned this week in response to last week’s questions:
• Can Max Hall get rid of the ball in time? For the most part. There was quite a bit of pressure on the pocket, but Hall seemingly had enough time to get rid of the ball, and despite a couple of sacks, for most part was able to do so. The real issue seemed to be that there were no open receivers to throw to, resulting in coverage sacks or dumps for short to no gain.
• Will the BYU defensive front seven be able to contain the TCU run game and still get some pressure on Andy Dalton? Yes and no. Run game contained? Check. Pressure on Andy Dalton? Non-existent. For the third week in a row, BYU was able to contain the running game (giving up 127 yards on 37 carries to TCU is respectable). But until late in the game, there was almost no pressure on Dalton, allowing him to take his time waiting for something to open up. In the fourth quarter, when pressure was finally applied via blitz, Dalton threw several bad passes and looked flustered. And although too little too late, hopefully the coaches will identify this and incorporate it into future game plans a bit earlier.
• Has the BYU defense learned to adapt to the Wildcat and can it contain Jeremy Kerley? Yes. Kerley was held to 12 yards on 3 carries.
• What impact will the return of the injured have? Slightly positive. The return of Tonga improved the running game. With several players back special teams coverage was improved. The secondary, with a still hurt Johnson playing and flu-recovered Bradley, was not significantly better. McKay Jacobsen, still out with a hamstring, would have made a difference in this game, but did not play.
• Will BYU win the turnover battle? No. BYU 2, TCU 0. I wrote last week, “whichever team wins the turnover battle on Saturday is likely to win the game.” The interception in the opening drive of the third quarter leading to a TCU field goal was ominously reminiscent of a similar outcome in the FSU game. The best way for BYU to come back at that point was to get a few turnovers, but it never happened as the Cougars gave up a fumble to go with it.
• Will BYU’s running game find success? Not when it counts. The total yards were decent (Harvey had 123), but much of it came near the end of the game, when (surprise) TCU was giving up some room to run. The greater question is why BYU was running at that point. When it mattered most—on third downs, short distances, etc.—the run game was essentially shut down. What really hurt is that the passing game, was similarly stymied, and as mentioned already, the receivers appeared unable to get open when they needed to.
• Will BYU have the emotional intensity to match TCU without letting it interfere with their execution? Mostly. TCU did not appear to dominate the emotional battle as they obviously did last year. Nor did it seem to be primarily lack of execution that lost the game as it did in the FSU game (missed tackles, turnovers, etc.). BYU seemed focused and prepared to play, but matched up with an superior team (at least on this night) and with a few bad breaks, got behind early and was unable to overcome the deficit.
A few other things of note:
• Looks like the Poinsettia Bowl for the Cougars this year. The Vegas Bowl has already said that they would like to change it up and fans feel the same way, so with a BCS game out of the question, San Diego seems the likely destination. For your Holiday planning, that game will be played on Wednesday, December 23 at 5pm (PST) on ESPN. This will be the fifth year of that bowl game (first played in 2005), with the MWC playing in it each year, going 3-1. Interestingly, BYU has played in the Vegas Bowl all four years of the Poinsettia Bowl’s existence.
• Good time for a bye week. McKay Jacobsen will likely be back to full speed by the Wyoming game on Nov 7.
• Fans will always question the coaches’ decisions and play calling. But there are some plays and decisions that are easier to question than others. In particular, I thought it curious that they called a running play on third and eleven when we were within scoring range and that they decided to punt on fourth and two near midfield, down big in the second half…
Monday, October 12, 2009
What We Learned in the UNLV Game
After perhaps the most complete game of the year against perhaps the worst team played against so far, it is time to assess where improvement was made. Last week I wrote:
“UNLV will come out swinging in the first half, play a good game, but will be outmatched by BYU’s talent. The Cougar offense will cut down on the turnovers (but likely still have at least one) and get into the end zone more than last week as they pull away in the second half. BYU ends up winning big and Sanford is out of a job before Monday. BYU 52, UNLV 13.”
I was essentially short a kickoff return TD for each team and only premature on the formality of Sanford’s resignation/dismissal, but otherwise, was pretty close in what I thought at the time was a rather gutsy call. Here is the outcome of the things to watch for:
• A Clean Game—BYU played its cleanest game of the year. Zero turnovers. Eight of eleven on third downs. Relatively few penalties. Not only was it clean, but the level of play was maintained for all four quarters, as the team scored a touchdown in all four for the first time this season.
• Health and Concussions—There were no serious injuries, although Scott Johnson left the game with a sprained ankle, and Manase Tonga suffered a knee injury. Both players status remains in question for the game with San Diego St. The absence of five players on special teams primarily due to injury was a likely contributor to the UNLV kickoff TD.
• More than Cover the Spread—Check. The spread was 16.5. The MOV was 38.
• Rushing and Total Offense—The box score victory was also secured as the offense and defense seemed to be clicking on all cylinders. Harvey Unga (20 carries, 149 yds, 3 TD) continued to improve and had his best game of the season, including a 52 yard TD, the longest Cougar rushing TD since 2006. Overall the team had 611 yards of total offense (320 passing, 291 rushing), well above the 500 or so total needed to solidify the win on paper.
• Filling in for McKay Jacobsen—Due to the lopsided nature of the game and the success of the running game, the receivers were never really tested. That said, Hafoka and Ashworth were relatively quiet with 1 and 2 catches each. It was Brett Thompson that stood out with 52 yards on only 2 catches, with a 46 yarder on a beautiful cut into a wide open post.
• Dennis Pitta Encore—Pitta had a solid, if unspectacular game with 2 catches for 60 yards and one touchdown (Andrew George also had a great game from the TE spot going for 61 yards on 3 catches). Pitta continues to lead all tight ends nationally in receptions (28) and yards (399); he is third in touchdowns (4).
• Mike Sanford’s Final Game—UNLV never appeared to give up (and so Sanford will likely coach again this weekend against Utah), but they did not deliver the job-saving performance that was needed. After five years, it is apparent that Sanford has not been able to turn the program around and no doubt the UNLV athletic director is already compiling a short list of replacement targets.
A couple of other notes from this game:
• In the second half, Max Hall threw a pass to Andrew George on the left side of the field that was overthrown and uncatchable. I realized as I watched that and thought about how long it had been since that had happened, how rare it was to see him overthrow someone, and that it has become easy to take his accuracy for granted.
• It was good to see Hall finally break his streak of interceptions.
• The rankings appear on the surface to not have given the Cougars any love, but in reality they gained a significant number of votes in each of the polls.
• O'Neil Chambers' 97 yard kickoff return was a long time in waiting, and as he has guaranteed a TD return, almost made good on his promise.
• The kicking game was much improved over the beginning of the season, as several kickoffs went into the endzone, and all of the PATs and the long field goal sailed through the uprights without any drama. Surprisingly, it was the punting in this game that was below par.
• The defense came through with a big game (aside from giving up the 75 yard TD pass), and managed three game changing interceptions—Pendleton’s in particular was an incredibly athletic and on-the-ball move to make the catch and stay in bounds.
• Manase Tonga, prior to getting injured looked better than he has all season, a positive sign that he is working hard and regaining his playing shape. He actually had a nice run in the second half where he outran several linebackers, something I didn’t think I would see him do this season.
“UNLV will come out swinging in the first half, play a good game, but will be outmatched by BYU’s talent. The Cougar offense will cut down on the turnovers (but likely still have at least one) and get into the end zone more than last week as they pull away in the second half. BYU ends up winning big and Sanford is out of a job before Monday. BYU 52, UNLV 13.”
I was essentially short a kickoff return TD for each team and only premature on the formality of Sanford’s resignation/dismissal, but otherwise, was pretty close in what I thought at the time was a rather gutsy call. Here is the outcome of the things to watch for:
• A Clean Game—BYU played its cleanest game of the year. Zero turnovers. Eight of eleven on third downs. Relatively few penalties. Not only was it clean, but the level of play was maintained for all four quarters, as the team scored a touchdown in all four for the first time this season.
• Health and Concussions—There were no serious injuries, although Scott Johnson left the game with a sprained ankle, and Manase Tonga suffered a knee injury. Both players status remains in question for the game with San Diego St. The absence of five players on special teams primarily due to injury was a likely contributor to the UNLV kickoff TD.
• More than Cover the Spread—Check. The spread was 16.5. The MOV was 38.
• Rushing and Total Offense—The box score victory was also secured as the offense and defense seemed to be clicking on all cylinders. Harvey Unga (20 carries, 149 yds, 3 TD) continued to improve and had his best game of the season, including a 52 yard TD, the longest Cougar rushing TD since 2006. Overall the team had 611 yards of total offense (320 passing, 291 rushing), well above the 500 or so total needed to solidify the win on paper.
• Filling in for McKay Jacobsen—Due to the lopsided nature of the game and the success of the running game, the receivers were never really tested. That said, Hafoka and Ashworth were relatively quiet with 1 and 2 catches each. It was Brett Thompson that stood out with 52 yards on only 2 catches, with a 46 yarder on a beautiful cut into a wide open post.
• Dennis Pitta Encore—Pitta had a solid, if unspectacular game with 2 catches for 60 yards and one touchdown (Andrew George also had a great game from the TE spot going for 61 yards on 3 catches). Pitta continues to lead all tight ends nationally in receptions (28) and yards (399); he is third in touchdowns (4).
• Mike Sanford’s Final Game—UNLV never appeared to give up (and so Sanford will likely coach again this weekend against Utah), but they did not deliver the job-saving performance that was needed. After five years, it is apparent that Sanford has not been able to turn the program around and no doubt the UNLV athletic director is already compiling a short list of replacement targets.
A couple of other notes from this game:
• In the second half, Max Hall threw a pass to Andrew George on the left side of the field that was overthrown and uncatchable. I realized as I watched that and thought about how long it had been since that had happened, how rare it was to see him overthrow someone, and that it has become easy to take his accuracy for granted.
• It was good to see Hall finally break his streak of interceptions.
• The rankings appear on the surface to not have given the Cougars any love, but in reality they gained a significant number of votes in each of the polls.
• O'Neil Chambers' 97 yard kickoff return was a long time in waiting, and as he has guaranteed a TD return, almost made good on his promise.
• The kicking game was much improved over the beginning of the season, as several kickoffs went into the endzone, and all of the PATs and the long field goal sailed through the uprights without any drama. Surprisingly, it was the punting in this game that was below par.
• The defense came through with a big game (aside from giving up the 75 yard TD pass), and managed three game changing interceptions—Pendleton’s in particular was an incredibly athletic and on-the-ball move to make the catch and stay in bounds.
• Manase Tonga, prior to getting injured looked better than he has all season, a positive sign that he is working hard and regaining his playing shape. He actually had a nice run in the second half where he outran several linebackers, something I didn’t think I would see him do this season.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
What to Watch for Against UNLV
Saturday night’s game against UNLV will be the third of four games that could be considered “trap games” for the BYU football team (you could possibly argue that the Florida State game actually fell into that category as well, making this the fifth of six) where there is very little for the Cougars to gain and yet significant benefit that will accrue to the opponent should they pull off the upset. Considering UNLV’s performance last week, and that Coach Mike Sanford is literally fighting for his career this weekend, watch for UNLV to come out with their A game, as they find themselves in a similar scenario to Florida State prior to the Seminoles playing the Cougars. This will be their chance to right the ship, prove the doubters wrong, turn the season around, and save their general. Or it will be the last hurrah. Here are a few things to keep an eye on as you watch this drama unfold on Saturday night:
• A Clean Game—BYU can give the ball up as they have been doing and still come away with a victory. However, as turnovers and mistakes have been a focus in practice this week, the team needs to come out and play a clean game in order to show that it is improving and ready to take on TCU in two weeks.
• Health and Concussions—The team needs to avoid injuries, as several key players have gone down in recent weeks. In particular, concussions has become a recurring problem this season (can anyone remember a season that featured more head injuries?). There were two last week as Steven Thomas and Tucker Lamb both were knocked out in special teams play—neither will play this week. In addition, we lost Matt Bauman in the Oklahoma game and Scott Johnson in the Tulane game both to concussions. Four players in five games is staring to border on a serious issue. Will the team avoid a concussion this week?
• More than Cover the Spread—As this is a prime time game on the Mtn, the voters will not be watching and will only see the box score when all is said and done. In order to continue to move up the rankings, BYU needs to beat the teams it is supposed to and in a manner that is expected (whether fair or not). That means covering the spread at a minimum which is 16.5.
• Rushing and Total Offense—Harvey Unga looked quick and effective last week. Can he keep it up this week? UNLV gave up 559 yards rushing and 773 total yards to a winless Nevada team last week. Watch for Harvey and the other backs to exploit this and for BYU to go over 500 yards. Again whether fair or not, 773 is the number in the backs of all of the box score viewers minds…
• Filling in for McKay Jacobsen—after missing last week’s game with a hamstring injured while stretching in warm-ups, it was determined earlier this week that it is more serious than expected and Jacobsen will be out 4-6 weeks recovering. Ashworth filled in nicely last week. Hafoka seemed to be in the dog house after fumbling the first catch of the game. Watch for both of these receivers to have good games as the offense gets rolling.
• Dennis Pitta Encore—After his biggest game of the year last week and being named the John Mackey Award Tight End of the Week, Pitta could take advantage of the spotlight by adding to his stats and overall frontrunner status this week against a soft UNLV defense.
• Mike Sanford’s Final Game—Should UNLV get down early and give up on their head coach as they did last week, this will likely be Sanford’s last game in Sam Boyd Stadium. In order to keep his job, the Rebels don’t have to win the game, but they need to play hard from beginning to end. Anything less and Sanford might as well begin dusting off his golf clubs.
I think UNLV will come out swinging in the first half, play a good game, but will be outmatched by BYU’s talent. The Cougar offense will cut down on the turnovers (but likely still have at least one) and get into the end zone more than last week as they pull away in the second half. BYU ends up winning big and Sanford is out of a job before Monday. BYU 52, UNLV 13.
How do you see it playing out? Post your own take and prediction below.
• A Clean Game—BYU can give the ball up as they have been doing and still come away with a victory. However, as turnovers and mistakes have been a focus in practice this week, the team needs to come out and play a clean game in order to show that it is improving and ready to take on TCU in two weeks.
• Health and Concussions—The team needs to avoid injuries, as several key players have gone down in recent weeks. In particular, concussions has become a recurring problem this season (can anyone remember a season that featured more head injuries?). There were two last week as Steven Thomas and Tucker Lamb both were knocked out in special teams play—neither will play this week. In addition, we lost Matt Bauman in the Oklahoma game and Scott Johnson in the Tulane game both to concussions. Four players in five games is staring to border on a serious issue. Will the team avoid a concussion this week?
• More than Cover the Spread—As this is a prime time game on the Mtn, the voters will not be watching and will only see the box score when all is said and done. In order to continue to move up the rankings, BYU needs to beat the teams it is supposed to and in a manner that is expected (whether fair or not). That means covering the spread at a minimum which is 16.5.
• Rushing and Total Offense—Harvey Unga looked quick and effective last week. Can he keep it up this week? UNLV gave up 559 yards rushing and 773 total yards to a winless Nevada team last week. Watch for Harvey and the other backs to exploit this and for BYU to go over 500 yards. Again whether fair or not, 773 is the number in the backs of all of the box score viewers minds…
• Filling in for McKay Jacobsen—after missing last week’s game with a hamstring injured while stretching in warm-ups, it was determined earlier this week that it is more serious than expected and Jacobsen will be out 4-6 weeks recovering. Ashworth filled in nicely last week. Hafoka seemed to be in the dog house after fumbling the first catch of the game. Watch for both of these receivers to have good games as the offense gets rolling.
• Dennis Pitta Encore—After his biggest game of the year last week and being named the John Mackey Award Tight End of the Week, Pitta could take advantage of the spotlight by adding to his stats and overall frontrunner status this week against a soft UNLV defense.
• Mike Sanford’s Final Game—Should UNLV get down early and give up on their head coach as they did last week, this will likely be Sanford’s last game in Sam Boyd Stadium. In order to keep his job, the Rebels don’t have to win the game, but they need to play hard from beginning to end. Anything less and Sanford might as well begin dusting off his golf clubs.
I think UNLV will come out swinging in the first half, play a good game, but will be outmatched by BYU’s talent. The Cougar offense will cut down on the turnovers (but likely still have at least one) and get into the end zone more than last week as they pull away in the second half. BYU ends up winning big and Sanford is out of a job before Monday. BYU 52, UNLV 13.
How do you see it playing out? Post your own take and prediction below.
Monday, August 17, 2009
O Line Getting Thin
[Originally Posted on August 17, 2009 at www.philsteele.com/Blogs/Individual_Team_blogs/BYU_Blog.html]
Only eight fall practices are in the books and already the offensive line is getting thin. Going into fall camp without four starters from last year, revamping the offensive line was one of the primary concerns. Now it is THE primary concern. With 19 days remaining until this group faces an Oklahoma defensive line that will put several players on your TV screens on Sundays, here is where the team stands:
• Matt Reynolds (So), LT—The lone returning starter broke his hand and had to have it surgically repaired. He is now the proud owner of a pin and a metal plate inside that hand, and is expected out for 2-3 weeks. Given the level of expectations placed on him, look for him to find a way to play in the opener, but will be held out of practices until then and may not be at 100%.
• Jason Speredon (Jr), LG—The other protector of Max Hall’s backside is out for the season with a torn rotator cuff in his shoulder requiring surgery and 3-5 months of rehab.
• Jesse Taufi (Jr), LG—Expected to add depth in the two deep at right guard, Taufi has not yet been cleared academically to join the team. There is a possibility that he is able to join once school starts, but that may not be much consolation going into the Oklahoma game.
In the mean time, the offensive line is playing with 5 freshmen and 3 sophomores on the two deep and is as follows (first team, second team):
LT: Braden Hansen (Fr), Terrence Alletto (Fr)
LG: Marco Thorson (So), Ryan Freeman (So)
C: RJ Willing (Sr), Houston Reynolds (Fr)
RG: Terrence Brown (So), Tui Crichton (Fr)
RT: Nick Alletto (Jr), Fono Vakalahi (Fr)
Only eight fall practices are in the books and already the offensive line is getting thin. Going into fall camp without four starters from last year, revamping the offensive line was one of the primary concerns. Now it is THE primary concern. With 19 days remaining until this group faces an Oklahoma defensive line that will put several players on your TV screens on Sundays, here is where the team stands:
• Matt Reynolds (So), LT—The lone returning starter broke his hand and had to have it surgically repaired. He is now the proud owner of a pin and a metal plate inside that hand, and is expected out for 2-3 weeks. Given the level of expectations placed on him, look for him to find a way to play in the opener, but will be held out of practices until then and may not be at 100%.
• Jason Speredon (Jr), LG—The other protector of Max Hall’s backside is out for the season with a torn rotator cuff in his shoulder requiring surgery and 3-5 months of rehab.
• Jesse Taufi (Jr), LG—Expected to add depth in the two deep at right guard, Taufi has not yet been cleared academically to join the team. There is a possibility that he is able to join once school starts, but that may not be much consolation going into the Oklahoma game.
In the mean time, the offensive line is playing with 5 freshmen and 3 sophomores on the two deep and is as follows (first team, second team):
LT: Braden Hansen (Fr), Terrence Alletto (Fr)
LG: Marco Thorson (So), Ryan Freeman (So)
C: RJ Willing (Sr), Houston Reynolds (Fr)
RG: Terrence Brown (So), Tui Crichton (Fr)
RT: Nick Alletto (Jr), Fono Vakalahi (Fr)
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