When it comes to offensive lineman, the fans love to see size. Bigger guys mean a better line, right? Well, not necessarily. The position known for big, ugly, bearded fat guys has been getting a makeover around the NCAA. With the advent of spread offenses and lighter, quicker defenses, the offensive line on many teams is morphing into a leaner, meaner, and more athletic group. That doesn't mean that everyone is going small. Some teams still like to load up their line with the biggest, baddest guys they can find. So which way will Bob Palcic go with this latest group of Bruins? Let's check out the options.
With less than three weeks before the start of the season, Palcic is still experimenting with his starting five lineman. Compared to last years team, this group is smaller and lacking a lot of experience. Here's a look at the weights of the major players in the 2007 line and those projected to play (or be backups) in the 2008 offensive line:
UCLA Bruins 2007 Roster.
Kia: 299
Lanis: 319
Reed: 310
Irvin: 308
Joseph: 289
Sutherland: 296
Abraham: 315
---------------
Average: 305
UCLA Bruins 2008 Roster.
Kia: 299
Reed: 310
Savage: 333
Ekbatani: 281
Glicksberg: 257
Harris: 305
Chandler: 252
----------------
Average: 291
Because of injuries and lack of depth, the Bruins are forced to play some smaller guys this season. The number drops mainly because of Glicksberg and Chandler, both former tight ends, joining the squad. While this unit is younger and less experienced than the 2007 group, it is also much more athletic. I could see Palcic drawing on some of these more athletic players to form a smaller, but quicker squad.
The Big Line
The advantages of a big line is that the guys can ware down the defense. The offensive lineman always has the advantage over his defensive counterpart because of two facts: 1) he knows which way the playing is going and 2) he can give up ground. This means that the offensive lineman can force the defender to expend energy trying to move him, all the while directing him away from the ball carrier. The bigger the body, the more energy the defender has to exert. Over the course of four quarters, the defender tiers out and the offensive lineman can push him around easier.
If Palcic wants to go with the big bodies, he has a pretty sizable group. Reed (310), Kia (299) and Savage (333) are already pretty big. Especially Savage, who has a big frame and a powerful upper body. If he switches out Glicksberg (257) for backup Sonny Tevaga (338) and replaces Ekbatani (281) with Harris (305) then the average weight hits an impressive 315. Harris injured his ankle on Sunday but he could be back if the sprain heals well. Tevaga has been overweight and out of shape since he came to Westwood, but he has worked hard to improve in those areas and he should be close to being ready to play. These big boys don't have the most experience or athleticism, but they'll wear down an opposing defense with their sheer bulk.
The Athletic Line
The flip side of that massive group is a leaner, more nimble and athletic squad. This is especially true for tackles. Bruce Davis showed that a smaller defensive end, with more of a linebacker-like body, can wreck havoc in the backfield. A big slow tackle is an offensive line coach's nightmare mismatch against a quick defense. A smaller, quicker tackle actually matches up better and he can provide a better pass defense. That's especially true when the quarterback is a dual-threat athlete who can take off running up the middle.
Nate Chandler is still undersized this year, but nobody else on this line has more athleticism. If he can put on some more weight and a bit more and strength (to get closer to 280) then he might be just the right guy for the job. Glicksberg is also a leaner and quicker lineman, who could be a solid pulling guard. Put Lanis (299), Reed (310), Glicksberg (257), Ekbatani (280), and Chandler (252) in there and you have a very fast and agile squad barely tipping the scale at 280.
Is Bigger Better?
The right mix of guys depends on a lot of factors and we could see this unit rotating in different players if the starters don't produce. As a whole, this group does lack size and even if we go with the more athletic lineman, you would like to see them add more weight and strength. Chandler will be very good in a year or two and next season the Bruins get Kai Maiva (the Colorado transfer) who already weights around 300 lbs.
Palcic will likely have to work miracles to make the line productive this season and its scary how little depth there is in this squad. But the good news is that they are very young with Reed being the only senior. Bigger might not always be better, but experience is always better. After a year in Bob's hands, you know this line will be much, much better.
Showing posts with label Sonny Tevaga. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sonny Tevaga. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Monday, March 31, 2008
Who to Watch this Spring
Amidst all the madness that is college basketball, you may have forgotten that spring practice begins this Thursday. This is always an interesting time for college football teams. Last season's seniors are gone and the incoming freshman have yet to enroll. That leaves some players with a chance to step-up and stand-out before things really get serious in the fall.
Here is my list of players to watch this April. None of them played much, if at all, last season. If they impress the coaches in the next few weeks, however, you could see them on the field come September:
Kevin Craft (QB). Anytime you get a new candidate at quarterback, he is going to spark a lot of interest from the fans. Especially at UCLA, where our QB play has been a real sore spot in the offense. It was originally announced that Craft wouldn't be able to participate in drills and scrimmages this spring because of NCAA transfer rules. But it looks like that all got ironed out and he'll be throwing around the pig skin this April. I'm not sure if Craft will really push Olson or Cowan for the starting spot. He wasn't that highly recruited out of high school or junior college but some observers think he's a good prospect. He played some during his time at SDSU and Mt. San Antonio (his Dad, Tom Craft, was the head coach at both schools), so he should hit the ground running with Chow's offense at UCLA. How quickly he picks up the scheme compared to the incumbents and how quickly he gels with his new team will go a long way toward determining if Craft is a legit contender for playing time in '08.
Courtney Viney (CB). UCLA has a lot to replace in the secondary. Alteraun Verner is the only returning corner who started last season. With a lot of open spots, Courtney Vinney has an opportunity to step-up and claim one for himself. He impressed the bleacher bums with his play on the scout team last season. He was named the Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year and along with those honors come some big expectations for 2008. He'll still have to fight for playing time with Michael Norris and some of the incoming freshman this fall. If he has a big spring then it could be his position to lose.
Glen Love (FS). Glen Love spent a good chunk of last season recovering from a shoulder injury he sustained in high school. Now the highly regarded red-shirt freshman is ready to compete for playing time at free safety. This is a position that's wide open and it likely won't get settled until sometime in the fall. Love is tall and big, standing tall at 6'4" and weighing close to 210 lbs. He has the physical skills to be a great safety but he'll have to battle for time with junior Aaron Ware.
Akeem Ayers (LB). Linebacker is another position with some slots to fill. Akeem Ayers looks to be one of the leading contenders for the job. He's a very athletic guy and he has a good frame for this position. He's making the move from defensive end into the linebacker spot and he could really excel here. Josh Edwards is hurt and that gives Ayers a chance to play with the first team this spring.
Steve Sloan (LB). I don't know if Sloan will overtake Reggie Carter for the starting spot middle linebacker role, but the Bruins really could use some depth at this position. I'm sure coach Howard is ready to start grooming someone to take over the position once Carter graduates after the 2009 season. Patrick Larimore is coming in this fall and the two will likely jokey for the Mike spot into the future.
Raymond Carter (RB). Big things were expected of Cater in the fall of 2007. All of those expectations came to a sudden halt when he tore his ACL on the second day of camp. Raymond likely won't participate in contact drills this spring. He hasn't completely recovered from knee surgery but assessing how well he has progressed will be important. He is expected to be 100% by fall camp, which will be just in time for him to fight for playing time against the talented freshman.
Sonny Tevaga (OG). It seems like the starting spots at offensive tackle and center are set with Kia, Lanis and Reed back. But the offensive guard spot is up in the air. It will be interesting to see if Sonny Tevaga, the younger brother of All PAC-10 guard Shannon Tevaga, can follow in his brother's footsteps. He's listed behind Nick Ekbatani on the depth chart, but Nick has been bumped from the starting spot a number of times through out his career. Tevaga could really push him for playing time.
Darius Savage (OG). He's in a similar boat. With the OG spot wide open, the big 335 lb Savage definitely has the size for the position. He's a strong guy with great upper body strength from competing in track and field. I like him on the o-line and I think the move was a good one from the defensive tackle spot. It seems like he was in the dog house with Dorrell's staff, so with a fresh start this might be his time to really shine.
Here is my list of players to watch this April. None of them played much, if at all, last season. If they impress the coaches in the next few weeks, however, you could see them on the field come September:
Kevin Craft (QB). Anytime you get a new candidate at quarterback, he is going to spark a lot of interest from the fans. Especially at UCLA, where our QB play has been a real sore spot in the offense. It was originally announced that Craft wouldn't be able to participate in drills and scrimmages this spring because of NCAA transfer rules. But it looks like that all got ironed out and he'll be throwing around the pig skin this April. I'm not sure if Craft will really push Olson or Cowan for the starting spot. He wasn't that highly recruited out of high school or junior college but some observers think he's a good prospect. He played some during his time at SDSU and Mt. San Antonio (his Dad, Tom Craft, was the head coach at both schools), so he should hit the ground running with Chow's offense at UCLA. How quickly he picks up the scheme compared to the incumbents and how quickly he gels with his new team will go a long way toward determining if Craft is a legit contender for playing time in '08.
Courtney Viney (CB). UCLA has a lot to replace in the secondary. Alteraun Verner is the only returning corner who started last season. With a lot of open spots, Courtney Vinney has an opportunity to step-up and claim one for himself. He impressed the bleacher bums with his play on the scout team last season. He was named the Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year and along with those honors come some big expectations for 2008. He'll still have to fight for playing time with Michael Norris and some of the incoming freshman this fall. If he has a big spring then it could be his position to lose.
Glen Love (FS). Glen Love spent a good chunk of last season recovering from a shoulder injury he sustained in high school. Now the highly regarded red-shirt freshman is ready to compete for playing time at free safety. This is a position that's wide open and it likely won't get settled until sometime in the fall. Love is tall and big, standing tall at 6'4" and weighing close to 210 lbs. He has the physical skills to be a great safety but he'll have to battle for time with junior Aaron Ware.
Akeem Ayers (LB). Linebacker is another position with some slots to fill. Akeem Ayers looks to be one of the leading contenders for the job. He's a very athletic guy and he has a good frame for this position. He's making the move from defensive end into the linebacker spot and he could really excel here. Josh Edwards is hurt and that gives Ayers a chance to play with the first team this spring.
Steve Sloan (LB). I don't know if Sloan will overtake Reggie Carter for the starting spot middle linebacker role, but the Bruins really could use some depth at this position. I'm sure coach Howard is ready to start grooming someone to take over the position once Carter graduates after the 2009 season. Patrick Larimore is coming in this fall and the two will likely jokey for the Mike spot into the future.
Raymond Carter (RB). Big things were expected of Cater in the fall of 2007. All of those expectations came to a sudden halt when he tore his ACL on the second day of camp. Raymond likely won't participate in contact drills this spring. He hasn't completely recovered from knee surgery but assessing how well he has progressed will be important. He is expected to be 100% by fall camp, which will be just in time for him to fight for playing time against the talented freshman.
Sonny Tevaga (OG). It seems like the starting spots at offensive tackle and center are set with Kia, Lanis and Reed back. But the offensive guard spot is up in the air. It will be interesting to see if Sonny Tevaga, the younger brother of All PAC-10 guard Shannon Tevaga, can follow in his brother's footsteps. He's listed behind Nick Ekbatani on the depth chart, but Nick has been bumped from the starting spot a number of times through out his career. Tevaga could really push him for playing time.
Darius Savage (OG). He's in a similar boat. With the OG spot wide open, the big 335 lb Savage definitely has the size for the position. He's a strong guy with great upper body strength from competing in track and field. I like him on the o-line and I think the move was a good one from the defensive tackle spot. It seems like he was in the dog house with Dorrell's staff, so with a fresh start this might be his time to really shine.
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