The Starters: Hokies Offensive Line Analysis


The Hokie offensive line is leaner, meaner, and hopefully better in 2013. Photo credit www.twitter.com/coachgrimey

While the likely rotation came into focus last week, Coach Jeff Grimes made it official yesterday on his twitter account, announcing Jonathan McLaughlin, Caleb Farris, David Wang, Andrew Miller, and Laurence Gibson as the starting offensive line for the Alabama game. Most attention has been focused on McLaughlin, who will be the first true freshman under Frank Beamer to start at left tackle for the Hokies.

As I noted in my scrimmage analysis last week, this starting five was effective in pass protection after an early breakdown and effectively executed zone blocking with the proper footwork and head position when running inside and outside zone's late in the scrimmage. David Wang and Andrew Miller both looked quick and kept their feet chopping after initial contact. Caleb Farris was effective. Jonathan McLaughlin struggled a bit with a power bull rush early from JR Collins, but has proven to be an effective run blocker and had two nice pick ups on stunts. Laurence Gibson is an outstanding athlete who can seal the edge and proved to be the most effective tackle blocking James Gayle in the spring and fall camps.

Depth is a huge concern. Brent Benedict is a powerful option at either guard position, but continues to be somewhat limited with quickness. Matt Arkema struggled mightily as a backup center, but is the only other interior lineman with experience. Augie Conte was brutalized by Gayle off the edge in the public scrimmage, but worked his way into the starting group before suffering a minor injury. Parker Osterloh is huge, but is getting his first true offensive line work after playing tight end. Wyatt Teller is supremely talented, but is a neophyte in terms of learning all the tricks of the trade at tackle.

Grimes use of multiple lineups and moving players to different positions may have been a head scratcher initially, but he looks like a genius now. Despite a lack of depth, he has a clear contingency plan on the offensive line, which I believe will look like this:

  • If Jonathan McLaughlin is injured, Laurence Gibson will move to left tackle and Augie Conte will play right tackle.
  • If Caleb Farris is injured, Brent Benedict will play left guard.
  • If David Wang is injured, Farris will move to center and Benedict will play left guard.
  • If Andrew Miller is injured, Benedict will play right guard.
  • If Laurence Gibson is hurt, Augie Conte will play right tackle.

Alabama will be a huge challenge for this inexperienced group. The Tide use variable fronts, exotic stunts and blitzes, and have more size, speed, and athleticism than any defensive front on the schedule. If the Hokies can effectively run the football, it limits the ability of the defense to dial up those blitzes and it is much easier to pass block with effective play action. David Wang will have the challenge of engaging and turning the Alabama nose tackles, and then passing them off to the backside guard and getting to the second level to block an elite talent like CJ Mosley. Meanwhile, those guards have to get push on the nose tackle to allow the center and tackle a clear path to the second level. Expect the Hokies to use some motion and bootleg to cause the defense to hesitate and give the offensive line group an extra split second to get proper head position and drive the Tide defenders laterally.

DISCLAIMER: Blog posts may not have been written or edited by The Key Play staff.

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"I'm too drunk to taste this chicken" - Colonel Sanders via Ricky Bobby

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"I'm too drunk to taste this chicken" - Colonel Sanders via Ricky Bobby

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"We judge ourselves by our intentions and others by their behavior" Stephen M.R. Covey

“When life knocks you down plan to land on your back, because if you can look up, you can get up, if you fall flat on your face it can kill your spirit” David Wilson

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Joffrey, Cersei, Ilyn Payne, the Hound, Jeff Jagodzinski, Paul Johnson, Pat Narduzzi.

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"I'm too drunk to taste this chicken" - Colonel Sanders via Ricky Bobby

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Five star get after it 100 percent Juice Key-Playing. MAN

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No, I *don't* want to go to the SEC. Why do you ask?

We don't love dem Hoos.