Tuesday, November 07, 2017

Schmeltz: BG Likely Without 4 on OL

So, Thomas Schmeltz has a nice piece in the Sentinel on what is going to be a huge issue for tonight's game...BG has FOUR starters down on the o-line at a time when Coach Jinks said a couple weeks ago he only had 7 playable guys to start with.  I'd recommend you check it out and then I have a comment.

Pause.

What's interesting to me is the comments that we have two empty classes on the o-line.

“For whatever reason we’re two classes short offensive line wise. Two full classes,” Jinks said.
When you break it down,  Labus, Lucke and Kramer are the only linemen on the roster from the Babers classes, and Lucke is a guy who quit the team and has come back to at least help out and provide some depth.  Jinks is close to burning redshirts on guys for three games in a season where we are literally going nowhere.

So, this gets to the heart of a debate going on among BG fans.  Fans are increasingly not interested in hearing Jinks (or his defenders) blame Babers.  I've written on this before.  We might have been behind the 8-ball but I think our staff has made it worse.  Having said that, facts are facts.

Last thing.  When you have that kind of talent gap in the middle of your classes, it isn't a one-year fix.  Absent JUCO signees, the line is going to be an issue for at least another year, maybe longer.

1 comment :

Anonymous said...

We had a good idea that issues we're going to rise when we lost most of our experienced line to graduation a couple years ago. Babers did his thing. My real question however, it seems odd we lose that many lineman in one season vs how many in how many seasons before this? I can't remember us losing many lineman at all. Albeit a game or two but not like this. I really question strength conditioning etc., Including upper body strength and size.