2024 UA All American Game 1/3/2024

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I would argue we’re trying to do both and need to do both.

I'd argue you shouldn't overthink things. You have a second-team All-ACC LT going into year 5 on your roster (you don't have another player on your roster who has started even 1 game at LT in a real college football game). Start there and make your way in, not vice-versa.
 
I'd argue you shouldn't overthink things. You have a second-team All-ACC LT going into year 5 on your roster (you don't have another player on your roster who has started even 1 game at LT in a real college football game). Start there and make your way in, not vice-versa.
In my opinion, lines are built inside out not the other way around. Interior pressure kills the run and the pass. Knowing Mario wants to be a run first team, i’d rather have a 5th year guy with the strength to play against DT’s in the league at guard than a younger guy that’s more finesse. If we truly operated as an air raid and wanted to throw 50 passes a game id agree with you but Mario ain’t about that life.

We saw in the bowl game how lil Cristobal at guard effected our offense.
 
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Also Blake sims and Jake Coker, amazing he won’t championships with all these bums.

Goes to show. Put elite talent around a QB with NFL offensive lines and all of them can be good enough to win.

Also have elite nfl talent all over your defense every year.
See Ken Dorsey
 
The stupidity of some on this board in mind-blowing. To make an evaluation of a player either negatively or positively off of an all-star game is ridiculous, I remember guys on this board calling Trevor Lawrence a bust because he struggled in the AA game years ago, just stop.
 
The stupidity of some on this board in mind-blowing. To make an evaluation of a player either negatively or positively off of an all-star game is ridiculous, I remember guys on this board calling Trevor Lawrence a bust because he struggled in the AA game years ago, just stop.
This... but CIS gonna CIS.
 
Rivers was great at LT far exceeded my expectations. I just think he’s a guard in the NFL and the tape at that spot could help solidify his draft spot
If Samson isn’t ready they roll with rivers at tackle. They know what they have. McCoy at LG. If Samson is ready and earns it then put him at tackle and slide rivers inside. McCoy unfortunately goes to the #6
 
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The stupidity of some on this board in mind-blowing. To make an evaluation of a player either negatively or positively off of an all-star game is ridiculous, I remember guys on this board calling Trevor Lawrence a bust because he struggled in the AA game years ago, just stop.
Yea all star games are trash the only thing I take away from it is the speed of the game. Is it too much for kids. Like 3G played better than Clowney in the game but we all know Clowney was the better prospect. The game means nothing especially for OL. You can’t evaluate properly, u can see traits but just because u have a good or bad game it doesn’t mean anything.
 
all star games are trash
Preach John Stamos GIF by Fuller House
 
In my opinion, lines are built inside out not the other way around. Interior pressure kills the run and the pass. Knowing Mario wants to be a run first team, i’d rather have a 5th year guy with the strength to play against DT’s in the league at guard than a younger guy that’s more finesse. If we truly operated as an air raid and wanted to throw 50 passes a game id agree with you but Mario ain’t about that life.

We saw in the bowl game how lil Cristobal at guard effected our offense.

It's not an unfair or unreasonable opinion, as interior pressure is one of the most disruptive things for an offense (or a QB) to deal with. And your point about being a run-first team under Mario is also valid.

I just think it's easier to find guys who can perform well at guard versus guys who can be good at LT. I also think at G you're generally lining up against fewer athletic freaks inside (often with help from the C) versus out on an island at LT. You can slide protection and do things to help a struggling LT, but that limits your offense, too. We've already uncovered a very good, proven P4 LT in Rivers.

All that said, it may be that we have more good OTs (Rivers, Mauigoa, McCoy, Okunlola, Bell) on the roster than we do good guards. If Okunlola really is that dude (and healthy) and he can push Rivers to LG, it's ultimately a great sign for the continued success of the OL. This is a group that should actually be fun to watch through the spring and fall camps.
 
It's not an unfair or unreasonable opinion, as interior pressure is one of the most disruptive things for an offense (or a QB) to deal with. And your point about being a run-first team under Mario is also valid.

I just think it's easier to find guys who can perform well at guard versus guys who can be good at LT. I also think at G you're generally lining up against fewer athletic freaks inside (often with help from the C) versus out on an island at LT. You can slide protection and do things to help a struggling LT, but that limits your offense, too. We've already uncovered a very good, proven P4 LT in Rivers.

All that said, it may be that we have more good OTs (Rivers, Mauigoa, McCoy, Okunlola, Bell) on the roster than we do good guards. If Okunlola really is that dude (and healthy) and he can push Rivers to LG, it's ultimately a great sign for the continued success of the OL. This is a group that should actually be fun to watch through the spring and fall camps.
It’s definitely a breath of fresh air that we’ve recruited tackle so well. Generally speaking it’s easier for a tackle to play guard than the other way around. Mirabal and Mario have done a tremendous job adding talent there. It’s great that we can even have this debate. For years, there were no options.
 
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It’s definitely a breath of fresh air that we’ve recruited tackle so well. Generally speaking it’s easier for a tackle to play guard than the other way around. Mirabal and Mario have done a tremendous job adding talent there. It’s great that we can even have this debate. For years, there were no options.
We used to be the team that was like " can he play tackle" because all we had was IOL bodies. Big difference.
 
He already has tape at guard. The NFL knows it can make college tackles guards. And UM is trying to maximize its own wins, not just get players drafted.

The question is which 5 are the best collectively, and where. I don't see Samson as strong enough yet to play IOL, especially if he's recovering from injury. So Rivers at LT and Samson at LG seems suboptimal to me. Maybe McCoy could pull it off, I don't know. What I do know is that both Samson and McCoy look like they can handle tackle. ... I would have said I trust Mario and Mirabal on this. But after they trotted out Lou during the bowl game, they've lost all credibility.
 
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