Hoke revealed first team OL today (in first padded practice).......
Okay.
EDIT: fixed to not scare people as much
Hoke says first team OL today was Mason Cole LT, Magnuson LG, Miller C, RG Glasgow/Dawson, RT Braden
— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) August 8, 2014There might have been extenuating circumstances, but the last three seasons have not proven that Funk can put together the kind of line Michigan needs. Based solely on the results on the field, it's not unreasonable to question whether he can.
However, all the angst and hand-wringing about the OL lineup in one early camp practice session seems more than a bit over the top to me.
"Today, (the first-team group) was (true freshman) Mason Cole at left tackle, Jack (Miller) was at the center position, (Erik) Magnuson was at the left guard position for a little bit, Ben Braden was at right tackle and the right guard was Graham (Glasgow) and David Dawson," Hoke said after practice Friday.
"I'm sure it will change from a morning practice to an afternoon until we really feel 'this is it' with these guys. The competition has been really good for us there."
With reference to Kalis in particular, it's not like he's shown on the field that he's the reincarnation of Steve Hutchinson, so why are so many here apoplectic that he's not with the first unit during one practice? It certainly would be disappointing for a highly-regarded 5-star recruit to be a bust at a position of need, but it would hardly be the first time in college football history for this to happen. It occurs everywhere each season. And it's far too early to call him a bust anyhow.
A few thoughts -
- At the end of the day, whoever and whatever combination of recruiting stars doesn't matter on the OL or anywhere on the field.
- Motivation, 5th practice, Compete Every Day, etc.
- This is exactly what you want when the OL is inexperienced and in a new system. The best linemen will rise but you also need to build depth by getting guys experience running with the 1st team.