Scroll way down past a bunch of NIL stuff.
What a difference a couple of years can make. That’s a worst to first transformation in a very short period of time. While Chud may have been a dud, he did bring in some O-line talent, which Sam and staff have developed nicely. Then there’s old man Wagner. The last link to the Bielema error. Have we ever had a player who combines that much size and experience?
Aloha,
Discussing NIL strategy with recruits: “Florida, Tennessee and Texas are 3 of 9 states with no state income tax”. Ouch. Texas bought two players from Bama. ATM recruited EIGHT five-stars. Tennessee paid $8M for a five-star QB. The UA needs to lawyer up with some smart financial advisers to assist in the best way to operate their NIL program to be able to compete in the SEC.
UA…Campus of Champions
Experience means a lot on the OL. We have that and it allows us to play faster than a lot of the other teams. Hopefully we can stay healthy and find a quality LT which is a huge ? Right now. I think we will figure it out and have a quality 6-7 man OL.
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I think they are at six now. Crawford is the sixth. Don’t have but one backup ready so far and need another center out of that six. Henderson still lacks bulk and strength. Can’t be light at center in SEC.
I never have understood Henderson lack of ability to put on weight knowing that’s what Sam prefers. I’m very high on one of the incoming recruits Patrick Kutas who I think has everything you look for in an OL,Big Fast and downright Nasty!!!
Kutas could be that seventh and the back up center, although my mind wonders sometimes if PK is not that big nasty DT depth we can’t find in the portal …. 6 ready to go is not thick depth….
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I had trouble putting on weight until age 26. Maybe that was marriage.
He’s the type of kid who plays with incredible pad level and intensity which is what you have to have on both sides of the ball…I would hate to lose him off the OL but whatever is best for the team is what needs to be done
Lord knows I have never had problem putting on weight as a kid I could always roll down the hill faster than everybody else LOL finally got it under control now but it’s because of hard work not because of metabolism. It’s amazing but I don’t think he’s put on 1 lb since he’s been here
We had friends back home (Benton) who had a son that was recruited by a lot of big time schools. He was a tall athletic tackle that needed to add some weight. He stayed home at Arkansas and played tackle when Barry Lundy was QB. Never could put on the weight the coaches wanted. Just couldn’t. I was the same at that age.
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Yeah I totally understand some people’s problem putting on weight for sure… I just figured Henderson with all the good food available and the intense training they go through that he would have put on at least 5 or 10 pounds in 3 years …I don’t think he’s put on a pound …I think he’s still about 280. I could have sworn he was 300 lb when we signed him but he showed up around 280.
Our friend is lighter now than his playing days. His brother (who didn’t play college football) is a big guy. Go figure.
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Rivers?
I have a question. Due to posts expiring after 30 days I can’t pull up the exact quote but after the Auburn loss last year Clay wrote that the Auburn defensive line was of the sort that top SEC teams had and on the critical plays they physically beat the Arkansas offensive line. And let’s not forget what Georgia did. And now we are #1 offensive line with four of those same starters returning out of 5 and a brand new undecided yet left tackle defending our QB’s back side? What am I missing?
Yes, a great family. Scott is in NewJersey with a house full of daughters.
Experience matters. Maturity matters. Same offensive line also did well against Alabama, Texas, Ole Miss and Texas A&M.
I’m not sure what you’re asking by what am I missing. Ga DL beat up every OL in the country so wasn’t just ours,Auburn did a good job and LSU did as well.This is not physically mauling OL but our experience allows them to play well together and they did lead the SEC in Rushing per game I believe.They are very agile and play well together is why they are voted the Best.
Great OL play is about teamwork and communication and that takes a while to establish that chemistry.The LT will be huge for this yrs OL to do as well as last yrs bc Cunningham was good enough for us to do what we neded to be done. I think we will figure out LT and I believe we will be very solid up front as long we stay healthy.
Just think about the job Sam has done in these two years. Amazing really.
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Yeah hopefully the pieces of the puzzle will continue to get aligned the way he really wants them… there are some big kids being brought in hopefully they will be able to move good enough to make an impact.