I think it's hard for a lot of the fans who have been here for many years to grasp the mistakes and physical limitations of our offensive line. It's almost amazing the amount of shuffling that has had to be done over the past 2 years because of injuries.
When I look back to the better lines during the TO era (and even some of the weaker lines) we rarely had a season where an offensive lineman missed significant time during the season. Looking back at 1983 (Behning, Steinkuhler, Traynowicz, Grimminger, Raridon) and 1994 (Zatechka, Stai, Graham, Wilkes, Wiegert), I don't remember any of these players missing any significant time or ever laying on the field hurt.
To me the big difference is that of these 10 players, 6 were 5th year players and 4 were 4th year players. At the start of fall camp this year, we had 3-3rd year players, a 4th year player and a 5th year player. Sure, the comparison here is between some of our best OLs and now, but in general, it was rare in the past for a player with 3 or less years in the program to get any "when it matters" playing time. We had eventual All-Americans like Traynowicz and Grimminger and an Outland Trophy winner in Steinkuhler who rarely saw the field until year 4. According to my brother in Seattle, one of the reasons that Washington is doing so well this year is that their lines are stocked with 4th and 5th year players for the most part. The 1983 players also had a different training system where they played a 6 game freshmen schedule, then redshirted as sophomores. After that, they were able to be competent apprentices as RS sophomores, ready to take on a starting role as 4th year players.
I think that we're doing the right thing this year and biting the bullet by redshirting the freshman and not playing the RS Freshman OLs in roles past special teams. Lineman need to develop over time to be effective and to not get hurt before they are ready to make an impact. If playing older walkons is the result, then so be it. It's for the long term good of the program. Guys like Raridon, Farniok, Brokop, Wilson, Barnett, Gaylord, and Decker are not ready to play yet, and we shouldn't expect them to be. It's going to be a few years of good recruiting before we can get back to the 4th and 5th year players manning our OL. Sure, if we get a 5-star that is a freak, he would likely play earlier, but that needs to be the exception.
When I look back to the better lines during the TO era (and even some of the weaker lines) we rarely had a season where an offensive lineman missed significant time during the season. Looking back at 1983 (Behning, Steinkuhler, Traynowicz, Grimminger, Raridon) and 1994 (Zatechka, Stai, Graham, Wilkes, Wiegert), I don't remember any of these players missing any significant time or ever laying on the field hurt.
To me the big difference is that of these 10 players, 6 were 5th year players and 4 were 4th year players. At the start of fall camp this year, we had 3-3rd year players, a 4th year player and a 5th year player. Sure, the comparison here is between some of our best OLs and now, but in general, it was rare in the past for a player with 3 or less years in the program to get any "when it matters" playing time. We had eventual All-Americans like Traynowicz and Grimminger and an Outland Trophy winner in Steinkuhler who rarely saw the field until year 4. According to my brother in Seattle, one of the reasons that Washington is doing so well this year is that their lines are stocked with 4th and 5th year players for the most part. The 1983 players also had a different training system where they played a 6 game freshmen schedule, then redshirted as sophomores. After that, they were able to be competent apprentices as RS sophomores, ready to take on a starting role as 4th year players.
I think that we're doing the right thing this year and biting the bullet by redshirting the freshman and not playing the RS Freshman OLs in roles past special teams. Lineman need to develop over time to be effective and to not get hurt before they are ready to make an impact. If playing older walkons is the result, then so be it. It's for the long term good of the program. Guys like Raridon, Farniok, Brokop, Wilson, Barnett, Gaylord, and Decker are not ready to play yet, and we shouldn't expect them to be. It's going to be a few years of good recruiting before we can get back to the 4th and 5th year players manning our OL. Sure, if we get a 5-star that is a freak, he would likely play earlier, but that needs to be the exception.
