Spring Position Battle - Tackle

[Eric]

Georgia Tech loses starter Will Jackson who started 8 games at tackle last season and Ray Beno who has been a key part of the OL for several seasons.

Competitors - Chase Roberts, Bryan Chamberlain, Chris Griffin and Nick Brigham.

Favored - Chase Roberts, Bryan Chamberlain (due to exp)

Chase Roberts played more than I expected him to heading into the 2013 and at times he showed the potential he has. He has good speed for his size and moves well...I liked what I saw from him last season. He had his errors but overall I thought he done well all things considered. He suffered a pretty bad injury in the Clemson game that they are calling a "concussion"...Assuming he is healthy I expect him to win one of the tackle positions.

Now we get to my favorite...Chris Griffin. There are so many things to like about his game...As I have said before if I was asked to develop a tackle for our offense it would be this kid. He moves extremely well and is just a natural knee bender. Chris also comes from a offense similar to ours and this has helped him adapt well. I have huge expectations for his future here at Tech...I honestly think he will be an All ACC guy and a 3 or 4 year starter.

Bryan Chamberlain did not have a very good 2013 season as I am sure all of you know...he seemed timid on the field to me and got beat a lot of times when I watched him. Still he has more experience than the other guys, a good frame and a work ethic to get better. We need Chamberlain to step his game up for if nothing else pure depth. I am hoping he gets his confidence back and gets things going.

The last one I am listing for the Spring is a walk-on in Nick Brigham...He is a transfer in from Maryland. Nick saw limited action in the 2013 season. This is someone that we are going to be counting on at the tackle spot for at least depth...Nick seemed to pick up the option pretty quickly in just 1 season so we can hope he makes a big stride from year 1 to 2. He is cross trained at T and G.

Prediction - Chris Griffin, Chase Roberts

 

[AE 87]

I'm hoping a true freshman competes

 

[Eric]

I'm hoping a true freshman competes

Me too. My gut says it will be Stickler.

I will do another one of these before the Fall camp and include all the Freshmen then.

 

[SidewalkJacket]

I know we like to train our OL by teaching them every spot, starting with center, but do you think Trey Klock will just go directly to T? He just seems like such a good fit for that position I'm our offense.

 

[techman78]

I'm really excited about Griffin not only is he an excellent tackle he also competed for a state championship in wrestling so he is a natural with getting leverage and putting his man on the ground.

 

[Eric]

I know we like to train our OL by teaching them every spot, starting with center, but do you think Trey Klock will just go directly to T? He just seems like such a good fit for that position I'm our offense.

Not every OL is cross trained for us...for example Chris Griffin sent straight to T. So yes we just have some guys go directly to a position...I wouldn't be surprised to see go him straight to T since we have a center in Marshall.

 

[vamosjackets]

Not every OL is cross trained for us...for example Chris Griffin sent straight to T. So yes we just have some guys go directly to a position...I wouldn't be surprised to see go him straight to T since we have a center in Marshall.

It wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility for Klock to be a better C than Marshall. It's just about seeing who's the best you've got and then seeing if you can find a combination to get all of them on the field at the same time.

 

[awbuzz]

Can hardly wait for spring training to get here!

 

[33jacket]

griffin reminds me a ton of andy gardner, in build and athleticism. He is a straight T...and needs to stay and grow there. I hope he is good enough to make chamberlain a career backup, says more about griffin than anything.

Roberts is a fighter and I think will grow into his frame a ton this offseason after his playing time....he is also listed smaller than he is...he is at least 6-4 and probably closer to 300 now.

One thing to note, the three of our potential Tackles (including chamberlain) are not even close to what paul recruited early on. In general they are taller 6-4/6-5/6-6 guys with longer arms and more of a true tackle build. They will all play around 300, in our O they need to move so I don't see them near 320 ever.

But what I do like is they are bigger frames, long arms...this is much more what we need for pass blocking and to help beat those quick DE we see.

Again, I have complained a ton about our OL concept and recruiting. But the younger guys are exactly what we need. Bigger frames, can carry 300 with no problems, and the gaurds have to be hogs. 315/320....i think one of our best performances up the middle was when we had cord howard at guard he was like 315 and would blow holes open....we need to get back to that massive pounding GCG combo...and we finally may have it.

Mason 305/310
Devine 320
Burden or Oreilly 300ish

I am excited about the potential. However lack of depth and youth may utlimately make 2014 another just ok line year. 2015 will be a different story.

I see a line no worse than 2013. Although its hard to project i better either.

My key is this...IF and a BIG IF...we can get a starting 5 through spring and fall totally healthy...which has NEVER happened under johnson, and that 5 gels etc...then it could be a really nice year on the line.

 

[Boomergump]

Getting some stability back at OT has got to be a top priority for the OL. Most of the problems created by the OL last year were at the edges or outside. There was a lot of shuffling around of the personnel and some of them were pushed into service a little before they were ready. We saw some potential in guys like Roberts and we saw some glaring problems (and possibly potential) from Chamberlain. It is kind of ironic how stable and secure the position seemed in the spring of 2013. Bailey and Beno seemed like the ideal bookends. This year, heading into spring, it is the biggest question mark. Maybe, or rather hopefully, the result come fall will be another 180 degree turnaround from expectation, this time for the positive. I am excited to hear rumblings about guys like Griffin, but pardon me if I offend, I like to reserve judgement until I get to see them myself. Lord knows we need a guy to come in and be a 4 year type starter out there.

I have absolutely nothing to back this up, but I have thought about the possibility of using Kallon at OT, especially if DT doesn't work out. My thought process is like this: he has really really nimble feet and long arms to go along with 300 pounds. At the OT position, you really don't have to defeat people like you do at DT. When we throw, you have to move your feet and catch people or direct them off their path. Very often, when we run, you are out in space finding moving targets and knocking them off their path. I dunno, it is just a crazy thought on my part. Maybe it is a bad thought because you have to be really good with your hands and I think that is what is limiting his growth at DT. So much for playing soccer your whole life.

 

[Techster]

Our best OT will be playing guard for the next 3-4 years.

 

[stylee]

B.C. moves very well in the run game for a guy his size. When he gets his assignment right, he's good on the second level. I wouldn't give up hope on him.

Roberts isn't as impressive on the eye test, but he's stronger and also good in open space. I'd have to think he's a favorite at one spot.
I loved Griffin's high school tape, like a lot of people, and hope it translates to a starting spot as a RS-Frosh. We've had some bad luck with our more highly-touted OTs - Phil Smith could have been fantastic but we know that story, Morgan Bailey was great in his 3 healthy games while here, etc.

To me, this and BB are our most interesting offensive position battles.

 

[franklinjacket]

Kallon at OT

My biggest concern with this is that it's taken him years to learn a position because of his limited football background. If we moved him now, how much field time could we hope to get out of him? It could be another two years before he was up to speed.

 

[alaguy]

This position is one of the big reasons we will struggle this yr.When you start a RFr and a soph(probably) in one of the most demanding positions,you have a big learning curve at best.
If this OL does well,Sewak should be given a giant bonus instead of firing like was suggested this yr. hmmmm.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

This position is one of the big reasons we will struggle this yr.When you start a RFr and a soph(probably) in one of the most demanding positions,you have a big learning curve at best.
If this OL does well,Sewak should be given a giant bonus instead of firing like was suggested this yr. hmmmm.

There's probably not a team on the planet not forced into played a RSfreshman or soph.

 

[Boomergump]

B.C. moves very well in the run game for a guy his size. When he gets his assignment right, he's good on the second level. I wouldn't give up hope on him.

Roberts isn't as impressive on the eye test, but he's stronger and also good in open space. I'd have to think he's a favorite at one spot.
I loved Griffin's high school tape, like a lot of people, and hope it translates to a starting spot as a RS-Frosh. We've had some bad luck with our more highly-touted OTs - Phil Smith could have been fantastic but we know that story, Morgan Bailey was great in his 3 healthy games while here, etc.

To me, this and BB are our most interesting offensive position battles.

I saw BC whipped too many times and in too many ways (pass or run) for me to share this opinion at this time. I hope you are right and I will always be rooting for the kid. We need him in a bad way.

 

[alaguy]

There's probably not a team on the planet not forced into played a RSfreshman or soph.

WOW, how many ways are you wrong on this- talk about twisting something
1 .I said R-Fr AND soph,not OR, that means BOTH positions, not either
2.. FORCED?- you are forced to do something when you do a replacement maybe ,like an injury replacement-this is a just a decision to play these guys to start next yr, I hope they are the best we have-nothing is FORCED
3. "not a team on the planet"? --well,if you would be speaking of MY point- that BOTH positions have either a Fr or soph to start season is what I suggested--you are SO SO wrong-NONE of the teams in just the ACC started last yr with that combination at OT according to Phil Steele magazine, including us

 

[dressedcheeseside]

WOW, how many ways are you wrong on this- talk about twisting something
1 .I said R-Fr AND soph,not OR, that means BOTH positions, not either
2.. FORCED?- you are forced to do something when you do a replacement maybe ,like an injury replacement-this is a just a decision to play these guys to start next yr, I hope they are the best we have-nothing is FORCED
3. "not a team on the planet"? --well,if you would be speaking of MY point- that BOTH positions have either a Fr or soph to start season is what I suggested--you are SO SO wrong-NONE of the teams in just the ACC started last yr with that combination at OT according to Phil Steele magazine, including us

What I meant to say was starting a young guy here or there is nothing earth shattering. All teams do it for any number of reasons. GT is certainly not unique in this.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

nm.

 

[Techster]

Tackle has been one of the worst positions on the team performance-wise in the CPJ era. Especially in pass pro.

I'm ready to get some bookend studs there and not have to worry about it for the next few years. Excited to see what Griffin brings to the table and hope he can plug one bookend.