Is just not going to cut it. The OL is not great, the talent is not great, yet it is - AT THE LINE - commensurate with the talent of the Defense.
This is already going to be more of a rambling post than my usual 'spills' so I will spare us all the recounting of ships offered,quality of ships and number for our guys on the Line. We cannot go from the excitement over Helms and Harris,for example,and then call them bums the following season. Helms is a true C and this staff needs to see him from a regional perspective. Cory is a big guy with a bad field attitude who showed his potential as a true Frosh. He is country strong and made for the C position. Alique Terry needs to be relegated to backup C and either G he is most suited.
Helms and Harris form the Center > R of the line. Harris,in only his 2nd season, performed very well as an 18 year old and we saw the body and strength of a kid who had a legitimate offer to Tennesssee. If Helms had not been his best friend - and on field mentor of sorts - he'd likely have gone to the Vols.
The 2 Georgians have a bond and inter competition that is helped by Helms having some position security.
Moving on...move Antonio Ford to G on the other side of Helms. He may be as good an athlete as you have so LT is appealing but Antonio does not have the punch required to get his hands on guys coming at end. Sure,we had Dennis Godfrey there and he had success but Dennis was different than Antonio in that he had more "jumbo ath" quickness and could slide and pick up quick ends. Dennis had been compared to Alge Crumpler and was a standout at the week of the Shrine Bowl @ TE. Clearly he outgrew the position. But Antonio has always been an interior drive blocker and there is a reason he garnered 30 offers out of HS and a long look from Alabama. The kid has legs and when he has been healthy (and yes that has been a hurdle) he has performed like a guy who could earn accolades. Nevertheless, as long as he is at Tackle he will struggle mightily. It is just not his position. It's like having Nikita take 4 paces backward from Nose Tackle to MLB and asking him to perform at the same level. Antonio is a drive blocker and let him end his career at WF doing not only what he does best but what gives us the best chance to win.
Hunter Goodwin is LT. Take whatever lumps may come but he has good wingspan, is tops on team in hammer competition (Josh Banks 2nd) and has excellent punch/jab. He was OL MVP of DC area Crab Bowl and drew praise for his potential there from Newberg and other scouts for his footwork.
Hunter Goodwin is a solid LT. He has already played solid football at Wake back in 2013.
Dylan Intemann is your RT. He has at times been counted on as the guy to really emerge as an All Star candidate. There is ample reason why Tom O'Brien (NCSU/ ex OL overseer BC) and Georgia Tech fought the Deacs till signing day.
We don't have great depth but can plug in "Turtle" at either G and Will is ready for minutes at either T.
Overall a fairly youthful bunch but they give us our best chance at continuity. It is a matter of rebuilding faith and the new staff could help itself by restoring Helms to Center and getting him going again. He is a born leader and there should be a good connection there. Somewhere there is some chaffing between new staff and current roster and that is to be expected. Time to bury whatever hatchets there are and get on with it. You see it in Tyree Harris' situation and somewhat James Ward. These guys and Harris/Helms are real solid people and work as hard as any we have. Tyree is our best WR - Kam Uter never has made a reception for anyone in college and is struggling to bat .100 in bush league ball...save me the boo-hooing. I've seen Harris and further know what kind of worker he is. For James...I'd get him more background on what he can do for the team. I realize you choose a school like WF in part because you can be "guaranteed" to be groomed at your position - in this case following Alphonso/Bud and tradition of quick swivel hipped corners from Florida -- I'd point James toward the Chuck Amato years at NCSU where he could not keep his 2 superstar backs Tony Baker and Andre Brown healthy - Well, Chuck always had some Florida kids playing Corner who,as career ball players,could plug in at TB and that's just what those guys did...they took one for the team. James,as a "do everything" guy in high school - from band to rebuilding hot rods to public speaking...well, he has to be prodded and reminded of the "do-all" tag he earned. No more sideline grumbling...plug in and Help! We need some quicks and wiggle in this backfield. Bury the hatchet with the coaches and move forward!
We need the guys who are natural leaders to get a shot of confidence because the offensive line and certain elements around it are playing as if they were already mentally defeated.
This is already going to be more of a rambling post than my usual 'spills' so I will spare us all the recounting of ships offered,quality of ships and number for our guys on the Line. We cannot go from the excitement over Helms and Harris,for example,and then call them bums the following season. Helms is a true C and this staff needs to see him from a regional perspective. Cory is a big guy with a bad field attitude who showed his potential as a true Frosh. He is country strong and made for the C position. Alique Terry needs to be relegated to backup C and either G he is most suited.
Helms and Harris form the Center > R of the line. Harris,in only his 2nd season, performed very well as an 18 year old and we saw the body and strength of a kid who had a legitimate offer to Tennesssee. If Helms had not been his best friend - and on field mentor of sorts - he'd likely have gone to the Vols.
The 2 Georgians have a bond and inter competition that is helped by Helms having some position security.
Moving on...move Antonio Ford to G on the other side of Helms. He may be as good an athlete as you have so LT is appealing but Antonio does not have the punch required to get his hands on guys coming at end. Sure,we had Dennis Godfrey there and he had success but Dennis was different than Antonio in that he had more "jumbo ath" quickness and could slide and pick up quick ends. Dennis had been compared to Alge Crumpler and was a standout at the week of the Shrine Bowl @ TE. Clearly he outgrew the position. But Antonio has always been an interior drive blocker and there is a reason he garnered 30 offers out of HS and a long look from Alabama. The kid has legs and when he has been healthy (and yes that has been a hurdle) he has performed like a guy who could earn accolades. Nevertheless, as long as he is at Tackle he will struggle mightily. It is just not his position. It's like having Nikita take 4 paces backward from Nose Tackle to MLB and asking him to perform at the same level. Antonio is a drive blocker and let him end his career at WF doing not only what he does best but what gives us the best chance to win.
Hunter Goodwin is LT. Take whatever lumps may come but he has good wingspan, is tops on team in hammer competition (Josh Banks 2nd) and has excellent punch/jab. He was OL MVP of DC area Crab Bowl and drew praise for his potential there from Newberg and other scouts for his footwork.
Hunter Goodwin is a solid LT. He has already played solid football at Wake back in 2013.
Dylan Intemann is your RT. He has at times been counted on as the guy to really emerge as an All Star candidate. There is ample reason why Tom O'Brien (NCSU/ ex OL overseer BC) and Georgia Tech fought the Deacs till signing day.
We don't have great depth but can plug in "Turtle" at either G and Will is ready for minutes at either T.
Overall a fairly youthful bunch but they give us our best chance at continuity. It is a matter of rebuilding faith and the new staff could help itself by restoring Helms to Center and getting him going again. He is a born leader and there should be a good connection there. Somewhere there is some chaffing between new staff and current roster and that is to be expected. Time to bury whatever hatchets there are and get on with it. You see it in Tyree Harris' situation and somewhat James Ward. These guys and Harris/Helms are real solid people and work as hard as any we have. Tyree is our best WR - Kam Uter never has made a reception for anyone in college and is struggling to bat .100 in bush league ball...save me the boo-hooing. I've seen Harris and further know what kind of worker he is. For James...I'd get him more background on what he can do for the team. I realize you choose a school like WF in part because you can be "guaranteed" to be groomed at your position - in this case following Alphonso/Bud and tradition of quick swivel hipped corners from Florida -- I'd point James toward the Chuck Amato years at NCSU where he could not keep his 2 superstar backs Tony Baker and Andre Brown healthy - Well, Chuck always had some Florida kids playing Corner who,as career ball players,could plug in at TB and that's just what those guys did...they took one for the team. James,as a "do everything" guy in high school - from band to rebuilding hot rods to public speaking...well, he has to be prodded and reminded of the "do-all" tag he earned. No more sideline grumbling...plug in and Help! We need some quicks and wiggle in this backfield. Bury the hatchet with the coaches and move forward!
We need the guys who are natural leaders to get a shot of confidence because the offensive line and certain elements around it are playing as if they were already mentally defeated.
