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Offensive tackle Ben Gottschalk sat out of spring workouts with a pair of fractures in his back. Now healthy again, he is workout with his teammates and taking aim at a starting tackle position. Gottschalk visited with PonyFans.com to discuss his health and strength, and how the new-look SMU offensive line is approaching the 2012 season.

Enjoy!

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Tear it up

prove all the naysayers wrong...please?

Love the attitude about "proving people wrong."
Continued good health, Ben. Now go put that new-found strength to use by pancaking some folks.

Great article, and I am glad to hear he is feeling ready to go full force. My favorite quotes:

About last year's group:

They were really good players and experienced players, and they deserved the attention they got. But they’re gone, and we still have a job to do.

Our own expectations aren’t low, but if people want to think we have nothing left, that’s fine. It kind of gives us a chip on our shoulders. We like proving people wrong.

Can't wait for these guys to tear it up!

Hell yeah! Starting to become quietly optimistic about the offense.

I am cautiously optimistic as well, but we really need to win 3 of 4 non-conference games to get most people's attention

Charleston Pony wrote:I am cautiously optimistic as well, but we really need to win 3 of 4 non-conference games to get most people's attention

2 of 4 would work for me.

Junior wrote:

Charleston Pony wrote:I am cautiously optimistic as well, but we really need to win 3 of 4 non-conference games to get most people's attention

2 of 4 would work for me.

I think that's what most of us who follow the program hope for, but if SMU is ever going to make a splash and get recruits' attentions, we ned to step it up. Beating TCU in consecutive years would be a good start, but I'd really like to take the Aggies after the way they kicked our arses last year

Charleston Pony wrote:

Junior wrote:

Charleston Pony wrote:I am cautiously optimistic as well, but we really need to win 3 of 4 non-conference games to get most people's attention

2 of 4 would work for me.

I think that's what most of us who follow the program hope for, but if SMU is ever going to make a splash and get recruits' attentions, we ned to step it up. Beating TCU in consecutive years would be a good start, but I'd really like to take the Aggies after the way they kicked our arses last year

I'd take those two and a SFA loss if we could only get two.

I look forward to seeing Ben on the field. He was a solid player in HS. While Palcic was at ucla he put together lines that worked while dealing with injuries and mixed talent. Many of his former players credit him with their growth both as players and as men.

Go Ponies!