Question about OL depth and positions

I don't have the kind of credibility you want from your answerer, but I have heard people I respect say that one good way to build an excellent OL is to recruit more OTs than OGs and move them inside if they don't work out.

Either way, I'm going to sit back now and hope this conversation goes somewhere. There's nothing I want to read more about in the offseason than items relevant to the Michigan Offensive Line (the scholarship OL roster, the walk-on OL roster, how they are developing, whether Drevno was previously spread too thin, and the benefits of adding Frey).

We'll be moving the OGs to TE so no need

but if too tall they tend to stay outside

 

also, don't forget Paea as a possible Guard - many think that is his best position - will obviously see where the staff likes him

My understanding is that good tackles are always hard to find --- which is why they earn a premium in the NFL.  Mediocre tackles can always slide inside though and play guard and be succesful there.

Take Kyle Kalis.  He was recruited as a tackle, couldn't hack it there, moved inside to guard and started 43 games there for Michigan.

But you also have mini planets like Mike Onwenu who are never going to play tackle and can only play in the middle.

So a good rule of thumb is to recruit a lot of tackles, let the cream rise to the top and move the rest inside.  That way you don't get stuck in a spot like Michigan is in this year where the middle of the line will be filled fine, but tackle is a bit of a mystery.  Which is never a good thing.

There's no hard and fast answer to your question on who can play where but preferred positional attributes are about winning the most common matchups.

Taller/rangier and more athletic guys tend to end up on the outside where those traits are useful while playing in space against DEs and LBs. Guys with lower centers of gravity are at an advantage on the inside where you're moving 300+ lb DTs. Minor exceptions to the general traits abound, particularly when you're trying to get your best five guys on the field at once. 

Good tackles are harder to find because of sample size (fewer very tall people in general/even fewer very tall people who are plus athletes).

The reason that recruiting looks that way is that high schools tend to put their best OL (and particularly the best athletes on the OL) at tackle. College football takes the best high school OL each year so high school tackles are recruited at a higher rate than HS Gs and Cs. The same trend happens in the NFL draft where college tackles are often moved inside. 

it's always easier to move in than out. Tackle requires terrific footwork, more comfort in space, and handling one on one pass rushers. The mold for a tackle is usually tall and long arms.

Guards can sacrifice some of that footwork in place of being pure maulers, are very rarely relied on in space, and pass blocking is usually double teams/chips/one on one with a DT. That's significantly easier. Guards are also a couple inches shorter than tackles, and have shorter arms.

Now the reason it's so much easier to move in, is because tackle is a higher premium position in most offenses. Which means a high school team is putting its best lineman at tackle. There's usually a good reason for a blue chip HS OL to be playing guard instead of tackle. Usually too heavy, too slow, short arms, short guy. Those things really can't be fixed, plus it's a different mindset. The space a tackle works in is daunting to most guards.

It's helpful to have a few versatile OLinemen like G. Glasgow, Braden, Cole and Bredeson, that can shuffle around if need be. Ideally I'd want two 6'8" 325 pound OTs with incredible reach that could stonewall Reggie White and run him straight out to the bleachers, two 6'5" 350 pound OGs able to manhandle and plow through any Mean Joe Greene and a 6'4" 310 pound center with cat-like reflexes, sumo-style leg drive and the intelligence of an MIT grad.

Does Harbaugh recruit more OTs than OG?  Two years ago we took 3 OGs.  This past year we took four OTs because we had a glaring hole at the position.  So far in the 2018 class we have already received two OG commitments (one decommit).  Looks pretty even to me.

LT - Ulizio LG - Bredeson OC - Cole RG - Owenu RT - JBB Stueber replaces JBB after a few games. JBB is then first tackle off the bench. Kugler backs up all three interior positions.

It has Bredeson at OT, even though he played OG last year.

It also has Jon Runyan at center, even though he's been playing OG.

It also has Ja'Raymond Hall at OT, even though many project him to play OG.

So I wouldn't take the depth chart here on MGoBlog as gospel.

We don't have a pure LT unless Newsome is 100% healthy, which is doubtful for 2017 (very hopeful for 2018). Could be a lot of experimentation with combinations depending on who the best 5 guys are. I have to believe Kugler is better than Ulizio. Cole at center is a lock. Onwenu at guard is a lock. Bredesen at tackle or guard is a lock. The open two spots is anyone's guess - who works the hardest in spring, summer and fall camp wins the job. I think Kugler steps up to left guard and Bredesen moves to left tackle. JBB likely takes the other tackle spot, unless one of the frosh is ready.

Cesar Ruiz would like to have a word...and a sandwich, probably.

a offensive tackle from HS may be better suited to play inside if he doesn't have long arms. OSU's starting LT jamarco jones is 6'4" but he is very agile and has long arms that allows him to play tackle. Our starting LG is 6'7" and was recruited for the tackle position but was one the best 5 lineman we have. I think you are better off figuring out who are your best 5 lineman are and make sure you get them on the field. OSU's Ol looks like this LT 6'4" 308, LG 6'7" 316, Center 6'4" 315, RG 6'8" 325, RT 6'7" 315 that's the early projections for 2017 offensive line. 4 of these guys were recruited and projected at the tackle position one was a DT, who will be the center for 2017, he played guard last year. This is the 2nd year in a row that we are converting a guard to play center. So for the OP, height is less of a determining factor then arm length and agility imo.

in decent information with your buckeye love. Fuc the Bucs

had a guy i know say this, and while I know LT is very important he said:

"If you don't have a good Tackle you have to roll the pocket, if you don't have a good Center, there is no pocket to roll." (or something like this)

Using the Sandwich Scale of Veracity® is this quote:

1.  Reuben piled high on dark rye ?

2.  PB &J on white ?

3. A shit sandwich ?

From reading comments above it looks sort of like a PB & J that has been left on the floor overnight.

Waiting to hear more from the experts.