The Bank (9/21)

Dark Cane said:

Wingo, Spafford, and Parris all have the talent to be impact players but I hope Dre is able to get those extra reps since he has big game experience playing at this level already.

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I agree with Future

OrangeBowlMagic said:

Calinative said:

Yup just wish we left him at LT from start to today and let him sink or swim and THEN is he isn't stepping up you talk about McCoy to OT and him to OG or Congdon or something ...

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You wish we’d have left a kid who clearly isn’t anywhere near ready to protect your $8M QBs blindside? Thats certainly a choice. A braindead one, but a choice nonetheless.

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Okay, what if Cantwell is ready to play Tackle by November? Do you still go with Samson? Or move Cantwell to RT and slide McCoy inside? Because that’s an awfully big investment to just not play him, especially at the position he’s built for.

If it didn’t mess with team chemistry and Pancake or McCoy were willing to slide back inside to give us a run game boost, that would be huge. I mean, I have no idea if Cantwell will be ready at any point this year to play tackle, and if not, that’s easily the biggest disappointment of this season, regardless of how it plays out. We were all sold this idea that he was some sort of physical anomaly and he was going to step in day 1 and play like Mauignoa. Clearly, playing at IMG made a massive difference in his development and Cici was far ahead of Cantwell at this stage of his career. I guess we will see if Mario and Mirabal are truly the OL savants we believe them to be, because in my opinion, the difference between a one and done playoff run and winning the whole **** thing is getting Cantwell ready to play tackle, or be at least consistent as a guard. It’s gotta happen. SJ ain’t it, and I’m not sure Max is either.

Brooklyndee said:

Not really. Unless I misunderstanding him his point would be these first few games where we're playing trash would have been the time to give him the reps necessary where he's staying at a position we can count on him long-term and get through some of the bumps and bruises. It actually is by far the best strategy we could have had if that's the intent. Myself I don't see the logic in having him play a position just for reps that won't be his position long term. Now obviously if we would have started off the season with people with a pulse then you'd be 100% accurate why would you put a guy to guard The blind side of somebody you're severely counting on. It's also important to remember we are talking about the number one recruits and the number one offensive tackle and a huge Mammoth individual here. Whose main weakness right now is just the fact he needs to work on his technique and he needs reps. It's not like all the sudden he's no good that's not the case with him at all. It's also important to remember he would have had fall camp to go along with spring and back up his reps. He didn't get that once Samson came back the focus was him at left tackle and spreading the reps around at the other position for the rest of the lineup

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That is exactly my point and it's especially the case given we had the easiest first 4 game stretch since literally 2016 when we opened with FAMU/FAU/APPst/GTech! Every year since 2017 we've had 1 or 2 major P4 opponent in the first 4 games - most game 1.

If you leave Cantwell at LT all offseason + The first 4 games and had the competition in offseason be Samson vs McCoy for RT (I think Samson wins that) and the loser (McCoy) starts at LG like past 2 years, it's a win win win. Then all you have to do is find best RG or rotation of RG - imo likely Buchanan with Congdon getting some rotational work ever 2 drives or so (I think SJ should never have received a single guard snap only center all offseason).

I am NOT even saying that ON game 1 Cantwell would have been superior to Samson (or even McCoy) at LT. However by game 5? How about the Unit as a WHOLE entering game 5? I'd feel signifcantly better. Because either:

A) Cantwell gets consistent development time at 1 position, and then over 4 games has shown the development we want to see and gives staff the confidence that hes not a major liability and worth taking the lumps of a true frosh....
or
B) He doesn't show the development we want to see and then you automatically move The LG (likely McCoy) to LT and THEN you try to slide Cantwell into LG and have him compete with the person who is 1b in the RG job rotation (congdon imo).

I legit can't see how this is possibly a worse outcome than we are currently in with the staff trying to pigeon hole Cantwell exclusively into guard and SJ into non-center PT - because they locked McCoy into RT too early, meanwhile Samson is our best Olineman so naturally you don't want to move him off a starting OT spot!

Again I'm NOT someone who minds cross training. And if the plan is Cantwell to start at Guard a full year THEN move to tackle next yr, hey you know what I can accept that. Not the ideal outcome, but acceptable.... But we have gotten instead - SJ starting at Guard - is stupid as **** imo.

Canes2026Champs said:

Okay, what if Cantwell is ready to play Tackle by November? Do you still go with Samson? Or move Cantwell to RT and slide McCoy inside? Because that’s an awfully big investment to just not play him, especially at the position he’s built for.

If it didn’t mess with team chemistry and Pancake or McCoy were willing to slide back inside to give us a run game boost, that would be huge. I mean, I have no idea if Cantwell will be ready at any point this year to play tackle, and if not, that’s easily the biggest disappointment of this season, regardless of how it plays out. We were all sold this idea that he was some sort of physical anomaly and he was going to step in day 1 and play like Mauignoa. Clearly, playing at IMG made a massive difference in his development and Cici was far ahead of Cantwell at this stage of his career. I guess we will see if Mario and Mirabal are truly the OL savants we believe them to be, because in my opinion, the difference between a one and done playoff run and winning the whole **** thing is getting Cantwell ready to play tackle, or be at least consistent as a guard. It’s gotta happen. SJ ain’t it, and I’m not sure Max is either.

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See even then though Samson imo is our best olineman, so you'd want to move him from LT Least. That would mean Cantwell to RT, right? Well that obviously mean Cantwell this season went from LT all Spring, to RG most of Summer and half the season... then RT starting in November?

Do people really not see how ****ed that is for THIS SEASON Oline outlook and Cantwells ability to actually develop and be a legit starter as a true frosh for a playoff run? ....

Hurracanes said:

I would be utterly shocked if McCoy moves to guard. It’s not happening. He’s been playing tackle since spring. The changes are gonna come with the guards. I hope..

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Me too. Doesn't mean it's right....
Which Is why I'm saying this "plan" was stupid - by not having McCoy start at LG and Cantwell at LT - they effectively locked themselves into not moving tackles all yr. Just gave us way less flexibility to get the best 5 to form the best overall unit...
It is easier to move McCoy out to OT if Cantwell was struggling than it is to move McCoy off of OT even if its best for our unit as a whole...

C A N S said:

I've seen enough of the OL and defense to conclude this is a 2-3 loss team. The OL that get PT aren't talented enough and the back 7 cannot communicate or tackle enough consistently.

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I wouldn’t bet this…but it’s not hard to see how it would happen. When you aren’t above and beyond in the trenches then games can become closer and then you never know wtf can happen

We had close games last year because our offense was limited at qb and skill positions. This year we have an elite qb and skill positions but not the same level trenches

Its possible we have a better record but aren’t the same level of team

Zbrod95 said:

@DMoney Then why not Hawks at RT with McCoy back at guard?

Hawks at the very minimum has gone through game week as a starter and has play in college as a starter even though it’s JUCO.

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Was there ever an answer here? I feel like @DMoney said on a recent pod that hawks had taken a nice leap. Not only does he have more experience - he has actual size this ol seems to need.