What can we expect from our OL

I am trying to look at the bright side of Doman calling out the OL. It may have been a shot at the four BYU probable starters that were sidelined with injuries for the first week of spring practice and a statement that the backups need to get stronger in order to match up with the DL. In other words, not only heal up and toughen up, but come into Fall camp in even better shape than prior to when you were injured or manhandled.



This being said, I believe the silver lining was that the absence of the starters gave a group of youngsters a great opportunity to prove themselves, take their lumps, but learn what they need to improve upon (not just conditioning, but strength and mental mastery of the position). I believe that what happened in Spring will actually build some much-needed depth along the offensive line to help them late in the fall if the summer workouts go as planned.



From what I understand, below are my projected starters and the key backups.



1st team:



Braden Hansen, 6-6, 313, Senior

Braden Brown, 6-6, 301, Senior

Ryker Mathews, 6-6, 313, Freshman

Houston Reynolds, 6-2, 296, Junior

Manaaki Vaitai, 6-3, 307, Junior



2nd team:



Michael Yeck, 6-8, 286, Sophomore/Brock Stringham, 6-6, 287, Sophomore

Famika Anae, 6-6, 318, Sophomore/Corbin Kaufusi, 6-8, 255, Freshman

Blair Tushaus, 6-2, 280, Sophomore/Solomone Kafu, 6-2, 314, Sophomore

Walter Kahaiali'i, 6-3, 325, Senior/Fono Vakalahi, 6-3, 335, Sophomore



On paper, this looks like an impressive group, and if they do what is asked of them this summer, it is some very serious depth and talent. The height of our OT can not be overlooked (no pun intended).

I think the mentality has to shift or it will be just another average and overstated Oline. If Bronco-like discipline doesn't find it's way into the culture of this Oline, forget about it.

I like your optimism and I would rather have BD calling out folks with a tough love approach. I just hope it isn't lip service. Watching Oline warmups at the spring scrimmage--granted its "JUST" spring ball, was Far less than inspiring.

I see that you did not have senior Ryan Freeman. He has not played due to injury but he started as a freshman before his mission.

I expect that the O-Line will be over-hyped and under-perform, just like every other year. Until a change is made at the coaching level there, nothing will change.

scott715 wrote:
I see that you did not have senior Ryan Freeman. He has not played due to injury but he started as a freshman before his mission.

Starting and playing during mop up time are two entirely different things. He saw some pt but definitely didn't start.



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byucougar1 wrote:

From what I understand, below are my projected starters and the key backups.



1st team:



Braden Hansen, 6-6, 313, Senior

Braden Brown, 6-6, 301, Senior

Ryker Mathews, 6-6, 313, Freshman

Houston Reynolds, 6-2, 296, Junior

Manaaki Vaitai, 6-3, 307, Junior

You don't have a center there. Tushaus is expected to get the nod at center (if he can gain somewhere around 60 pounds or so. He is believed to be under that 280 that he is listed. To be taken serious as a center in D1 ball, you need to be 300+ at least.)

I was assuming that Reynolds would replace Brown at center as he did serve as the back-up during the year.

I doubt Reynolds does center duties, as he has missed spring workouts, will miss a good portion of summer, and that may even spill over into fall.



I honestly don't know who is the better option at center healthy, or no.

Based on how they did last year and that "unkiller" attitude that it appears they play with , I would expect a lot of running yards for RN as he runs for his life on every pass play. Until I see them (OL) come out and punch the other guys in the mouth and show some nastiness, I will have little confidence in their ability to be even a good OL.

Rebuilding year for OL. They will struggle.

I expect the following to start:



RT-Braden Hansen, 6-6, 313, Senior then Famika Anae

RG-Braden Brown, 6-6, 301, Senior then Brock Stringham

C-Blair Tushaus, 6-2, 280, Sophomore then Manaaki Vaitai

LG- Houston Reynolds or Walter Kahaiali'i

LT- Ryker Mathews, 6-6, 313, Freshman then Solomon Kafu



The right side of our line, Riley's blind side, is where the experience is this year. The Left Guard is the potential weakness this year. I think we will be stronger at Center. LT will lack experience from MReynolds, but I expect Mathews to be the next 4 year starter and high draft pick from BYU.



We actually go 2 deep with ability on Oline, it was just really hard to see it with 7 players out for spring in the 2 deep. 8 after Tushaus tore his meniscus.



BY the way, the huge development is what happened on Alumni Day on Friday. Apparently Bronco and Weber and staff lit into the Oline players asking them why guys from that unit work hard enough to play at a certain weight while at BYU, but then they all drop 30-40 lbs and work on other abilities to prep for BYU's NFL Day? They got after that group, and also announced that they are bringing in a specialty firm from Arizona to review BYU strength, conditioning and nutrition program position by position. From what I am hearing, the assistant trainers hope that this gets Bronco motivated to hold guys more accountable for summer workouts. Read that as you will.

Does the specialty firm have to be done at 5:00 pm, so they can go home with their families? And no working outside of the hours of 6:30 am to 5:30 pm?



Joking aside, this is a good thing - if they actually have the stones to take the negative information they are going to get and use it. ie, issue pink slips. If not, it's just good money after bad.



Weber doing the ripping? He is at least partially at fault, if not fully. You can't let your guys get that heavy and uncoordinated and play for an entire season and then rip into them when it is done.

"Hey T. Brown, you know how you are almost 400 lbs? Yeah... you need to lose 20 pounds before next weeks game, otherwise we are going to have to put INSERT BACKUP NAME HERE in and see how he works out."

Is that so hard? Am I missing something? How much does this guy get paid anyways?

It all comes down to summer for many of these Oline players. They need to keep their weights down and not balloon up during the time that the coaches can not work with them, but trainers can. Bronco needs to start holding players to summer programs--and he has not in the past. So while Weber is to blame, so is Bronco because summer workouts at BYU are more optional. For guys needing to maintain a weight and strength, that program needs more teeth.

Minor correction Law - H. Reynolds at LG otherwise agree with projected starters and back-up.



Love idea of AZ firm coming to Y to work on conditioning, strength, agility, nutrition, etc. What about attitude and nastiness for run blocking. That seems to be where there was a challenge last year as we clearly had the size and weight to compete with most teams. Alisa as much alluded to this when he said the running game success will depend on the OL as the RBs are bringing it on every play.



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Sure, but you don't have to start a guy that is literally 80 pounds overweight. He shows up like from summer like he just got off the Macey's Day Parade, and you put him on notice. Either lose 15 pound average a week, and for every week you don't we give the #2 your starter minutes.



It's not like T Brown was even that good that we needed to look over his vast over-weightedness for the skillset. He's not very skilled in the first place, and that was further extrapolated by his mushy, uncoordinated body.



It sends a good message to the other players when you announce that because someone didn't show up in shape, you are opening up their position. It makes the people that show up in shape feel like they did something right.

B. Fowler has a different line-up based upon comments from Mendenhall after the Spring Game:



LT R. Mathews / Kahalali'i

LG B. Hansen / F. Anae

C H. Reynolds / B. Tushaus

RG B. Stringham / Vaitai

RT B. Brown / M. Yeck



Commitment to Bronco, was that they would be leaner, in better shape and better run blockers. Onus is on the team leader Riley to work out with these guys this summer, get them to jell, and get in shape so as to avoid injuries this fall. IMO we have some very talented RBs (Alisa, Juice, Hine, Pritchard, Lasike) that will pile up the yards if OL can a good front push on the DL and create some space /daylight for backs to get past the line.

byucougar1 wrote:



LT R. Mathews / Kahalali'i

LG B. Hansen / F. Anae

C H. Reynolds / B. Tushaus

RG B. Stringham / Vaitai

RT B. Brown / M. Yeck

Makes sense as well. In the 2-deep, 9 of the guys are the same. Curious that they moved Hansen to LG from last year. Balances out hte line, I suppose