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Spring Battles: Offensive Line
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Posted: 12/28/2012 7:52 PM
Spring Battles: Offensive Line
... because I want to get you all involved in these message boards.
So, our second Positional Battle for 2013: Center.
There are a few options here. No matter who's snapping the ball, he'll be doing it in a college game for the first time, and it will be the fourth starting center Cal has had in four years.
So, here are the candidates:
Mark Brazinski: Coming off a big knee injury and subsequent surgery, Braz is bright, studious and quick-witted, but in the past, he's proven a tendency to be a bit too smart for his own good, and that's kept him off the field. Will he be the right guy for the job, calling cadences for Tony Franklin's new system, or will either of the next two on the list ... ?
Chris Adcock: He started all but one game -- Oregon State -- at right guard last season, and earned All-Pac-12 All-Academic honors. He was the valedictorian of Dallas Christian when he graduated in 2010, so he's definitely got the mental acumen to run the offense. He's a tough, tenacious, physical presence on the inside, but at times looked very, very green last season. Maybe a year under his belt -- and under fire -- helps mold him into the center to guide this offense, but he won't be the only youngster gunning for the keystone slot.
UPDATE: Since Adcock is injured, the two contenders will be Cochran and Brazinski.
Matt Cochran: A very mature, bright and ferocious interior lineman who won his high school league's MVP award as a center in 2011. He's the youngest of the three, but he's probably the most physical. He's a smart cookie, as well, graduating in the top five of his class at Atwater (Calif.) Buhach Colony, and he's mature beyond his years. A Semper Fi All-American a year ago, Cochran was brought in for one thing and one thing only: To be Cal's next long-term center.
Last edited 02/25/2013 3:02 PM by RyanGorcey
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Posted: 12/28/2012 10:12 PM
Re: Positional Battles: You Make the Call Part II
Cochran. the other 2 are too typiCal of Oline recruits under Tedford who shouldn't be on P12 scholarship.
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I'll wear your granddads clothes, I look incredible |
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Posted: 12/29/2012 8:44 AM
Re: Positional Battles: You Make the Call Part II
With a new offense and new coaches it is entirely possible to see guys who have previously done nothing, perform at higher levels than thought possible.
Brazinski was one of the top Center recruits in the country when he signed, so a lot of people thought the kid had some talent. Adcock didn't perform too well at Guard, but that doesn't rule out him being able to play Center. Obviously Cochran has great size, but is that really a positive? Cal will be doing a lot of shotgun snapping, so whoever can snap the ball consistently is going to have a leg up in the competition.
None of these guys have much experience, and by all accounts the new OL coach is very good, so it's kind of a tossup as to who will win the job, IMO.
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Posted: 12/29/2012 8:58 AM
Re: Positional Battles: You Make the Call Part II
The center position is the only position in this offense that doesn't require the person to be quick enough to constantly be pulling for screens, so size and strength would be as much of a positive it would be in a normal offense. I would pick whoever can consistently shotgun snap and pick up the offense the fastest, as the center is going to be making all of the pre-snap OL reads.
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Posted: 12/29/2012 9:54 AM
RE: Positional Battles: You Make the Call Part II
Next year will be a transition year with anew coach new staff and new system to learn
Telford left dykes with apro style attack with pro style players
Dykes is spread offense so some players will not fit in this system
Look for transfers and new recruits to come in to fit the system
Go with Cochran and build from ground up
Plan for 2014.
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Posted: 12/29/2012 9:57 PM
Re: Positional Battles: You Make the Call Part II  (1 vote)
WWW wrote:
Cochran. the other 2 are too typiCal of Oline recruits under Tedford who shouldn't be on P12 scholarship. by the way we do not have more TE's than WR's on scholarship or on the roster .. you need a new tagline ... |
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Posted: 12/29/2012 10:29 PM
Re: Positional Battles: You Make the Call Part II
scoutallan wrote:
WWW wrote:
Cochran. the other 2 are too typiCal of Oline recruits under Tedford who shouldn't be on P12 scholarship. by the way we do not have more TE's than WR's on scholarship or on the roster .. you need a new tagline ... It's what Sonny said, and coaches are always right. You don't like it, take it up with him. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'll wear your granddads clothes, I look incredible |
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Posted: 12/30/2012 5:06 PM
Re: Positional Battles: You Make the Call Part II
--------------------------------------------- --- WWW wrote: scoutallan wrote:
WWW wrote:
Cochran. the other 2 are too typiCal of Oline recruits under Tedford who shouldn't be on P12 scholarship. by the way we do not have more TE's than WR's on scholarship or on the roster .. you need a new tagline ... It's what Sonny said, and coaches are always right. You don't like it, take it up with him. --------------------------------------------- Huh, its not subjective. Look at the roster and do the math. Not trying to pick a fight with you just saying that coach Dykes was brand new and was in error to say that so you might not want to quote him, coach is not always right when his facts are wrong, I'm a huge Sonny Dykes fan, I loved coach Tedford too... Don't like it when people rip Tedford , let's respect him and now pour our full support behind Coach Sonny Dykes. |
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Posted: 12/30/2012 5:19 PM
Re: Positional Battles: You Make the Call Part II
scoutallan wrote:
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--- WWW wrote:
scoutallan wrote:
WWW wrote:
Cochran. the other 2 are too typiCal of Oline recruits under Tedford who shouldn't be on P12 scholarship. by the way we do not have more TE's than WR's on scholarship or on the roster .. you need a new tagline ... It's what Sonny said, and coaches are always right. You don't like it, take it up with him.
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Huh, its not subjective. Look at the roster and do the math. Not trying to pick a fight with you just saying that coach Dykes was brand new and was in error to say that so you might not want to quote him, coach is not always right when his facts are wrong, I'm a huge Sonny Dykes fan, I loved coach Tedford too... Don't like it when people rip Tedford , let's respect him and now pour our full support behind Coach Sonny Dykes. I am pretty confident Dykes counted Hudson in his TE projection without counting the incoming WRs, thus making is 6-5. TEs-Espetia, Hagan, Rodgers, Wark, Wilfey (Hudson) WRs-Harper, Harris, Lawler, Powe Treggs (not counting incoming WRs) The main point was we have just as many, if not more, of a position group that requires much less bodies than another. |
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Posted: 01/12/2013 2:22 PM
Re: Positional Battles: You Make the Call Part II
I totally accept your reasoning, but Bouza is a scholarship receiver and has to be in that equation somewhere
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Posted: 01/15/2013 7:22 PM
Re: Positional Battles: You Make the Call Part II
RyanGorcey wrote: We're going to do one of these every week, because I want to get you all involved in these message boards.
So, our second Positional Battle for 2013: Center.
There are a few options here. No matter who's snapping the ball, he'll be doing it in a college game for the first time, and it will be the fourth starting center Cal has had in four years.
So, here are the candidates:
Mark Brazinski: Coming off a big knee injury and subsequent surgery, Braz is bright, studious and quick-witted, but in the past, he's proven a tendency to be a bit too smart for his own good, and that's kept him off the field. Will he be the right guy for the job, calling cadences for Tony Franklin's new system, or will either of the next two on the list ... ?
Chris Adcock: He started all but one game -- Oregon State -- at right guard last season, and earned All-Pac-12 All-Academic honors. He was the valedictorian of Dallas Christian when he graduated in 2010, so he's definitely got the mental acumen to run the offense. He's a tough, tenacious, physical presence on the inside, but at times looked very, very green last season. Maybe a year under his belt -- and under fire -- helps mold him into the center to guide this offense, but he won't be the only youngster gunning for the keystone slot.
Matt Cochran: A very mature, bright and ferocious interior lineman who won his high school league's MVP award as a center in 2011. He's the youngest of the three, but he's probably the most physical. He's a smart cookie, as well, graduating in the top five of his class at Atwater (Calif.) Buhach Colony, and he's mature beyond his years. A Semper Fi All-American a year ago, Cochran was brought in for one thing and one thing only: To be Cal's next long-term center.
For starters it would be great if all of our OL players actually played their natural position. Seems like for years we have had to move guys around to take up slack due to injuries only to see players probably not play to their natural talent level. Cochran probably has as good a shot as any, but I really thought Braz did a good job before getting injured. Knee injuries are like fleas on a dog, they are always a bother. Let's hope Braz comes back a near full strength, so he can at least add depth.
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- BluesandGold2
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Posted: 01/16/2013 8:52 AM
Re: Positional Battles: You Make the Call Part II
Until Adcock learns not to roll the snap in the shot-gun formation, it has to be one of the other two. If Chris can get some air under the snap, it may be a different story. |
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Posted: 01/16/2013 12:37 PM
Re: Positional Battles: You Make the Call Part II
Want to win this year.
..
Are we beyond this part II yet?
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Posted: 01/16/2013 12:56 PM
Re: Positional Battles: You Make the Call Part II
Not yet. I've actually been trying to think of a new position that could be fun to speculate about, haha. Any suggestions? I do, after all, serve at your pleasure.
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Posted: 01/16/2013 3:02 PM
RE: Positional Battles: You Make the Call Part II
CB, MLB, Safeties
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Posted: 01/17/2013 11:35 PM
Re: Positional Battles: You Make the Call Part II
RyanGorcey wrote: Not yet. I've actually been trying to think of a new position that could be fun to speculate about, haha. Any suggestions? I do, after all, serve at your pleasure. OK, I suggest start with A, go to Z? Maybe a blurb or two by position for each player would be good. Need updated roster, though too. |
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Posted: 01/18/2013 12:04 AM
Re: Positional Battles: You Make the Call Part II
FWIW, Kline and Cochran have great rapport having gone through the recruiting process together and coming in in the same class. This might be a case where one position battle could very well affect the choice at another...
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