Bear Down Wildcats

63 is an open roster spot and I have covered all the incoming offensive lineman, so I'll cover the entire offensive line today.

Here are the offensive lineman currently on the roster:


We also have 3 incoming Freshman and one walk-on who are not on the roster yet.

Keenan Walker, 6-5, 282 and coming off an injury
Cody Creason, 6-4, 270
Nathan Eldridge, 6-4, 275
Chase Hanlon, walk-on form Long Beach City College

That is 17 players in the largest position group on the team.

Tagaloa is expected to lead the group and start at left tackle. Alsadek and Bundage will return as the guards and should give us plenty of push, toughness, and experience. Maiava is expected to start at right tackle and had 5 starts last year at either guard or tackle when players were injured. These 4 are all experienced and proven players who will form a solid core to the O-line. Now we just need to find a center and back-ups.

The most important position need when camp start is finding that starting center. Carter Wood should enter camp as #1, but he will be pushed by Hemmila, Catalano, and Hanlon (who looks like he is coming in just to fight for this position).

Finally, we need to find out who will be the back-ups. Last year, Maiava was the utility offensive lineman who came in to fill when their was an injury at either guard or tackle spot. There is very little experience in the rest of the group and I will be interested to see which players want playing time and fight to get on the field.

Don't tell the rest of the league, but our offense could be spectacular this year if we can generate solid line play and be ready in case of injuries.

If you are really paying attention, you noticed that Harper Sherman wasn't on the list. Sherman was originally a 2015 recruit, but has decided to grey shirt and enroll next January.

Can anyone who knows more than me project who our backups will be?

I had thought keenan may be in that role but I think his knee injury makes a red shirt mandatory. I don't expect Gerhard de bear to play at all because he's on a track scholarship and him playing would require a football scholly be burned. Jordan Poland? Was expecting him to contribute last year but apparently he had a long way to go to get in shape and learn the system.

Did anybody notice that layth freikh played last year but the schools roster still lists him as a redshirt freshman? How is this possible? Does he have a big role this year as a backup?

Hamilla has played a bit but just doesn't seem to have enough to get over the hump, is he a backup guy this year? Don't know much about Lawrence kosinski gross or Walton just that they weren't highly recruited and we took their commitments early so was hoping rich rod really.saw something there nobody else saw.

My WAG right now are Poland at tackle and Fanene at guard, but that is just based on their online resumes. I don't think we will have a clue until fall camp starts and we can get Coach Rod and Coach M to say who is standing out and who needs to work harder if they want a position.

Poland's going to be a help in goal-line/short-yardage situations this fall, but he doesn't have the skill down yet to be anything more than a bull. Levi Walton IMHO will emerge as the other backup tackle.

Hopefully Hanlon can step in as a center-only backup, because I see our guards needing Hemmila and Catalano as quality backups.

Don't we have to break in a new long snapper this fall too?

OT: Tagoloa/ Poland or Gross
OG: Bundage
C: (Wood, Walton, Hemilla, Catalano, or Hanlon)
OG: Alsadek/ Walton or Hemilla. (Assuming One doesn't start at center)
OT: Maiava/Friekh

I loved Kosinski out of highschool. He was here for spring ball so that's a good start but it's not likely he's gonna play. Probably a red-shirt. Keenan Walker Will probably grey shirt. Won't be ready to play this season so why start his clock? He will be here in January with 5 to Play 4. Creason is a good player but there's a reason almost all freshman red shirt on the offensive line. Eldridge is already a project in my eyes (could see a move to defense).