Portal 2021

[Flipper]

So we agree...Scott Loeffler can't judge OL talent. He signs them...and quickly discovers they can't play

[roguewarrior]

It seems like none of them play. Is that accurate?

That's correct. The 3 on this thread were not even second string. In a perfect world they'd stay and try to develop, but c'est la vie.

Why is getting a P5 transfer different competitively? Because you may not be good enough to start in the Big 10 but might be able to start in the MAC.

The continued assertion from certain aggrieved parties that playing time is unfairly distributed and granted to undeserving players is about as old a complaint as the game of football itself (and even sports generally at all levels). I'll bet people on those Princeton teams from the 1870's were convinced they were better than the people ahead of them if only those unfair coaches would see the light.

That argument might hold water if they were winning. You can’t argue with success, can you? I’ve seen every single snap in person for the last several years, have you?

[BGSU33]

It seems like none of them play. Is that accurate?

That's correct. The 3 on this thread were not even second string.

That's not correct. Kilbane was mentioned and listed a starter after camp and was the listed starter at RG in the season opener (he was also in the mix as the possible starter at center during preseason camp). Chris Oliver began the season as the #2 LG and Gabe Brown also appeared on the opening depth chart as the #3 RG. Joey Carrol was also at #2 RT in preseason camp. Kilbane played in several games this year and Brown played in nearly all of them.

[roguewarrior]

It seems like none of them play. Is that accurate?

That's correct. The 3 on this thread were not even second string.

That's not correct. Kilbane was mentioned and listed a starter after camp and was the listed starter at RG in the season opener (he was also in the mix as the possible starter at center during preseason camp). Chris Oliver began the season as the #2 LG and Gabe Brown also appeared on the opening depth chart as the #3 RG. Joey Carrol was also at #2 RT in preseason camp.

You are right. And there are often errors on the depth chart that’s posted. Chris Oliver should have been a starter. He was until he got Ill a few days before the opener. Recovered in time for game. Never took a snap the rest of the year. See what I mean?? I heard He has Mac offers and maybe Pitt. Ugh.

[BGSU33]

I am not in the BG locker room, so I do not know what is expressed or said behind those closed doors. That said, I am privy to some very insightful information directly from our coaching staff, and much of what I heard about our OL was and has been positive and very good. By far the biggest issue coming into this season was youth. I can't express how often it was mentioned, and we all saw for ourselves first hand, that came to light - quick fast and in a hurry. And after a season of play, any person with a halfway decent football mind can see for themselves, we need help on the OL. We just do. Now we can go into a hundred reasons why and how to fix or improve that, but the one thing we all can agree upon is, it needs help.

Now, as for the OL individually, the one guy who gathered a ton of rave reviews was Jalen Grant. The assessment on him was top-notch and without using exact words, it became clear that he is probably viewed as our best OL and they think very highly of him. I would have to agree. There was a group of players who were also mentioned in pretty high praise, and they were Alex Wollschlaeger, Jeremiah Banks-Walls, Cade Zimmerly, Brian Kilbane and Chris Oliver. Based off what was shared, it seemed that was sort of like our top tier at the time. And by saying "tier," let me be VERY clear, that is my choice of word and the coaches didn't say "tier" themselves. That is just what I took from it, before some rumor gets started. The next group of guys mentioned were Jordan Murphy, Gabe Brown, Sam Neverov and Malone VanGorder. Again, a lot of upside and positives mentioned about all of them. They then went on to talk in high praise about some of the true frosh OL and Dawson Hildebrand, Alex Padgett and Rocco Hicks stood out from that discussion. They also pointed out that Nate Pabst could also move to OL and could be a really good OL. Guys like Joey Carrol, John O'Brian, Matt Fortner, Ja'von Lyons, Luke Harmon, Kellen Adler and Blaine Rader were also talked about. I hope I didn't leave anyone off, but those are who I remembered being discussed.

Now before anyone thinks this was just one big praise fest in coach speak, let me say that no, it was not. There were things pointed out and mentioned that some guys needed to work on, develop, improve on, etc. And sure, there seemed to be a pecking order, as there would be with ANY team in the nation. But I can attest that these guys were and are valued. Does that mean that other factors are in play here like adversity, feelings, demeanor, work ethic, etc., as the season plays out? Of course so. But that's not unique to BG, that's everywhere.

But the bottom line is, what was shared matches up pretty close to the eye test after one full season. I hate losing any player because I do believe each player lost is a dent in what we're trying to build here. I particularly hated seeing Kilbane and Oliver leave, as I felt both were and could be important OL for us. But I also feel that the guys we do have hopefully all stay, because a good number of them do posses a lot of skill and talent. I'm still in the camp that we need...no...make that must add some transfers, because we're still extremely young and still very inexperienced. But I say that to help make this OL and team stronger, deeper, more experienced, etc.

[Schadenfreude]

I am not in the BG locker room, so I do not know what is expressed or said behind those closed doors. That said, I am privy to some very insightful information directly from our coaching staff, and much of what I heard about our OL was and has been positive and very good. By far the biggest issue coming into this season was youth. I can't express how often it was mentioned, and we all saw for ourselves first hand, that came to light - quick fast and in a hurry. And after a season of play, any person with a halfway decent football mind can see for themselves, we need help on the OL. We just do. Now we can go into a hundred reasons why and how to fix or improve that, but the one thing we all can agree upon is, it needs help.

Now, as for the OL individually, the one guy who gathered a ton of rave reviews was Jalen Grant. The assessment on him was top-notch and without using exact words, it became clear that he is probably viewed as our best OL and they think very highly of him. I would have to agree. There was a group of players who were also mentioned in pretty high praise, and they were Alex Wollschlaeger, Jeremiah Banks-Walls, Cade Zimmerly, Brian Kilbane and Chris Oliver. Based off what was shared, it seemed that was sort of like our top tier at the time. And by saying "tier," let me be VERY clear, that is my choice of word and the coaches didn't say "tier" themselves. That is just what I took from it, before some rumor gets started. The next group of guys mentioned were Jordan Murphy, Gabe Brown, Sam Neverov and Malone VanGorder. Again, a lot of upside and positives mentioned about all of them. They then went on to talk in high praise about some of the true frosh OL and Dawson Hildebrand, Alex Padgett and Rocco Hicks stood out from that discussion. They also pointed out that Nate Pabst could also move to OL and could be a really good OL. Guys like Joey Carrol, John O'Brian, Matt Fortner, Ja'von Lyons, Luke Harmon, Kellen Adler and Blaine Rader were also talked about. I hope I didn't leave anyone off, but those are who I remembered being discussed.

Now before anyone thinks this was just one big praise fest in coach speak, let me say that no, it was not. There were things pointed out and mentioned that some guys needed to work on, develop, improve on, etc. And sure, there seemed to be a pecking order, as there would be with ANY team in the nation. But I can attest that these guys were and are valued. Does that mean that other factors are in play here like adversity, feelings, demeanor, work ethic, etc., as the season plays out? Of course so. But that's not unique to BG, that's everywhere.

But the bottom line is, what was shared matches up pretty close to the eye test after one full season. I hate losing any player because I do believe each player lost is a dent in what we're trying to build here. I particularly hated seeing Kilbane and Oliver leave, as I felt both were and could be important OL for us. But I also feel that the guys we do have hopefully all stay, because a good number of them do posses a lot of skill and talent. I'm still in the camp that we need...no...make that must add some transfers, because we're still extremely young and still very inexperienced. But I say that to help make this OL and team stronger, deeper, more experienced, etc.

Thank you for all this detail. I appreciate this post.

[roguewarrior]

Some of these transfer prospects for the O-Line that we hope they get (now a necessity, not an upgrade) may not get here until after spring or summer…. I wonder if we will be able to practice in spring or have a spring game with so few o-lineman?

[Antimob]

Look at the landscape of college football today. Backups are going to transfer. People "talked about" to potentially be starters that don't start will transfer. Development and natural progression have been sacrificed to the fleeting whims of the moment. Why are we pretending this is some sort of BG/Loeffler thing when it's the new reality across the entire sport?

Wake me when it's someone who starts (and a replacement isn't found 4 weeks later).

[roguewarrior]

Everyone is navigating it. Some better than others. Replace or fill the spot? I’m still waiting for Doege’s replacement.

[BillyLP]

Everyone is navigating it. Some better than others. Replace or fill the spot? I’m still waiting for Doege’s replacement.

So are WVU fans

[Antimob]

I wonder if Duke football fans, or fans from other teams with obvious roster gaps and deficiencies, are pulling the hair out of their heads over losing backups on already underperforming units, particularly at a time when finding upgrades and replacements has never been easier.

[Flipper]

Why should we think the current staff will find those upgrades when they whiffed on the original recruits?

[roguewarrior]

Everyone is navigating it. Some better than others. Replace or fill the spot? I’m still waiting for Doege’s replacement.

So are WVU fans

Ha! Touché. I’ll still take him. That said, he probably wouldn’t light it up either running our leather helmet offense.

[Antimob]

Why should we think the current staff will find those upgrades when they whiffed on the original recruits?

Who says they whiffed? I can't wait to see what our frosh OL look like when they're juniors and seniors. You can't judge a player by what they do as a freshman. As for those who've left, please show me the coaching staff that has hit on 100% of their signees. Heck, Nick Saban has a few ex-Alabama signees in the portal.

[roguewarrior]

I guess you missed the memo. You’ll be watching many of them on another team.