Offensive Line

[RDUpony]

I keep hearing that the offensive line is SMU's primary weakness. Who will be our starters and how good are they?

[ClassOf81]

The starters should be Judson Davis and Sterling Harris at tackle, Brad Keischnick and Thornton Chandler at guard, and Steve Reindl at center.

Davis and Harris COULD be great tackles. Davis (6'5", 291) is a transfer from Oklahoma a few years back, and has done a fantastic job recovering from several knee surgeries. He started last year and did a stalwart job. Harris, when he signed, was labeled the next Forrest Gregg, the next Dave Richards, etc. The guy looks the part of an NFL tackle -- 6'6", right around 300 (now that he's shed 30 or so pounds). His problem is hard to identify. There are those who say he lacks motivation or inner fire. There are others who say he's lazy, relying on his size rather than working on his strength and/or technique. And there are those who say he simply is too slow. Whatever the reason for his failure (so far) to become a dominant lineman, the tools are there. When he gets mad, he can maul people. There are widespread stories of him getting annoyed in practice when linemen of much smaller stature (Luke Johnson, Allan Adami) whiped him in practice - and when he got angry, he started crushing people, driving people backward repeatedly. Then, for whatever reason, he'd back off and revert to being a big but average lineman. If Coach Bennett and his staff can get Sterling to play hard, or play mad, on every play, we'll have great bookend tackles.

Chandler (6'3", 277) is another who's always been touted as having great potential (Coach Cavan once told us at an alumni meeting that he liked Chandler because "he's got long arms and a nice big butt." That was a little weird.) Anyway, he does have very long arms, and they are strong. When he's able to get his balance set and lock his arms in on a guy, he's tough to beat. Chandler's inconsistency can be traced to the fact that he repeatedly has been moved back and forth between center and guard, and the fact that he's had injury issues. Keischnick (6'3", 275) could be the key to the line. He's only a redshirt freshman this year, and many coaches say offensive line is the toughest position to play early in a career. Brad has sound technique, and has a mean demeanor that coaches love in their linemen. But he's also young, and despite rigorous work in the weight room, lacks the power that comes with physical maturity. He's also only 275 pounds, so he should be able to get up and pull on sweeps and other running plays, but in future years, the coaches will want him to add 20 or so pounds.

Reindl (6'3", 274) has come along since his arrival primarily as a deep snapper. Like Keischnick, he needs to add size and strength. But he is a brawler by nature, and is a major reason for the improvement the offensive line showed throughout the spring. His ability to recognize the schemes and alignments presented by opposing defenses will be crucial for the line's success.

Key backups will include Townsend Hargis (6'4", 275), a sophomore tackle who could play guard if needed; tackle Hulsey Smith (6'4", 275), the "gray shirt" who signed in 2001 but counted against this year's signing class and is said to be still growing; guard Eric Neal (6'3", 281) and Mike Munz (6'5", 285), a transfer from Cornell who sat out last season and could play either guard or tackle spot.

You can expect at least a few of the true freshmen to get some playing time, especially if the offensive line is hit by injuries.

[RDUpony]

Thanks for the in-depth analysis of the OL ClassOf81.

[aggiejohn]

plus you have Dustin Morton, one of your OL signees from this year, on campus this summer for voluntary workouts. That should help him get a leg up on the competition.


[This message has been edited by aggiejohn (edited 06-17-2002).]

[Otto]

Dustin was listed on signing day as being 6-foot-4, 270. Has he added any size? And can he play as a true freshman? The Ponies will need a few to play as freshmen.

[Drinking]

Class of 81:
Your thoughts are very interesting, but where do you get off saying that Sterling will start? I know that we need him to start, but he lacks something that we need up front...FEET. I think Hargis will make a strong run at a starting position. He has more spunk than anyone els other than Chandler. That is what we need some people with attitude up front. We haven't had that in a long time.

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Posty...give me a reading

[aggiejohn]

Dustin is still about 6'4" and probably weighs more, but is more lean, than he was when he signed.

Can he play as a frosh? Probably.
Can he start as a frosh? Probably not.

Hopefully this summer will go a long ways in getting him ready for D-1 competition this fall.

[ClassOf81]

Drinking (great name, by the way):

If you look, I didn't say Sterling Harris will start -- I don't know if anyone, including the coaches, know for sure who will start at any position (with a few exceptions, I guess). I said he and Davis should start at the tackles, and perhaps I should have clarified that stance by saying it's not my opinion, but rather the opinions of coaches as quoted in the papers, etc. Judson Davis started last year, and Sterling Harris started a few games, if memory serves.

I also wrote in there that many fans have said Harris is too slow -- an idea you underscored by your point that linemen need good feet. I have nothing against Townsend Hargis, and I don't know any more than anyone else does who will start. I do know, however, that Sterling spent much of the spring drills running with the first team, he's a year older than Townsend and he's got two inches and 20 or so pounds on him. But like you, I readily admit that Sterling has never been the consistently dominant player we all hoped he'd be. My write-up includes many comments about unfulfilled potential. Personally, I hope Hargis comes back in August in tremendous shape, strong enough to bench-press the Doak Walker statue and stakes his claim to the starting spot. If he wins it outright, great. If Sterling hangs on to it, that would mean that Townsend's presence and improvement and hard work might have lit a fire under Harris.

Frankly, it doesn't matter to me who starts. I don't have a personal tie to either player. I want to see the five nastiest and most technically sound blockers on the field at all times. If that means grabbing five walk-on kickers and sticking them on the offensive line, go for it. We all understand the importance of the offensive line to the success of the offense. Without the big guys up front, the runnings backs will have nowhere to run and the quarterbacks will be running for their lives. And with the lack of numbers that we have on the offensive line, and the probability that all teams suffer injuries -- the very nature of playing offensive line would indicate that the linemen will get beat up over the coarse of the season and will need to sub in and out for each other -- they both will play, and I assume they'll both play a lot.

I'm not sure if you're related to Townsend, a friend of his or maybe Townsend himself. If my write-up chapped anyone's hide, I apologize -- that wasn't the intent. I wrote what I did based on what I saw last season and this spring, and based on what I've heard the coaches say. I think Townsend can be a hell of a player, and if he comes in and takes the starting job, I'll be cheering as loudly as any PonyFan out there.

[Drinking]

Class of 81:
I have nothing against you. I admire your opinion of what is going on at the Hilltop. I was simply stating my point of view.
For the record I have no relation to any player, I am just a big fan.


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Posty...give me a reading

[ClassOf81]

Fair enough. No hard feelings. Keep 'em coming.

[MTSURIM]

I think that the argument about Sterling and Townsend is mute, as they are not playing the same position. One is a tackle, and one is a guard. Sterling doesn't need Townsend to "fire him up." And for the record, Townsend IS strong enough to bench press the Doak Walker statue and neither has a problem getting mean. Currently they both are looking at starting together side by side.

[mtsurim1]

Sorry about the typo before. I mean the argument is MOOT, not mute.

[Guest]

I like MUTE points better!

[Corso]

From MTSURIM:
"I think that the argument about Sterling and Townsend is mute, as they are not playing the same position. One is a tackle, and one is a guard. Sterling doesn't need Townsend to "fire him up." And for the record, Townsend IS strong enough to bench press the Doak Walker statue and neither has a problem getting mean. Currently they both are looking at starting together side by side."

Huh? When did that happen? When I was at spring practice, I don't recall seeing them line up side-by-side (doesn't mean it didn't happen, of course - I just didn't happen to see it.) So should I assume from your post that Sterling is staying at tackle and that Hargis is moving in to guard? If that's true, who's he bumping from the starting group, at least as it's listed in ClassOf81's post: Thornton Chandler or Brad Keischnick?

That's big news, if it's true. We'll see how it plays out in August, I guess.
Thanks for the update, MTSURIM.

[mtsurim1]

Thorton is playing center. The other side remains a mystery so far. They have 3 big guys left, but only 2 spots left. My guess is that Brad is going to have to bide his time behind his upper-classmen.