The Official Offensive Line OL recruiting thread

the hole of not having a consistent, quality OL. I’ll believe it when I see it for this year and if it is, will be because of the transfer. If the line turns out not to be the weak link, it will be because of coaching.

 

The staff took 3 transfers on the OL. One immediate starter at OG that is considered a first or second team All American, one huge OT backup that the staff knew well as he was on their team the prior year, and one huge JUCO backup. All are better developed than any true freshman. It would concern me if we can’t sign more than 2 four star OL from HS with two OL coaches. However, coaches need more time to develop relationships with kids, families and HS coaches here in Florida. Will see if they continue to have trouble in 2024. Perhaps they will get some flips or verbals as the season goes along? If not, maybe the portal is their friend.

 

All true but to take three transfers means you’re short and compared to other positions this cycle its going to take time to becomes deep, organically.

 

We have not recruited well on OL for most of four cycles, and that is generous. Mullen/Havesy had one good cycle. Before Mullen ??? If this staff can strong together 8 SEC level OL I will be surprised, and even if, it surely will not be made of 8 Havesy commits.

 

I think we have 8 sec lineman and a few youngsters that will get there. It could very well be a strength this year. Maybe we get a couple more or maybe we hit the portal but as long as they block and we win games, I don’t care.

 

Yeah, sorta excited about our OL this year. I Thought for sure Braun would be starting, so the fact that he isn’t bodes well for the first string line. Sounds like Tarquin is finally living up to his potential out of high school, Think his injury or sickness or whatever during his freshman year really put him back.

I just hope everyone can stay healthy!

 

Hope you guys are right as it has been soooo long since we have had a SEC line. I'm so tired of 2 yards on 1st down, 2 yards on second, QB scramble on 3rd for a 4-yard pick up.

 

Incorrect.

Mullen/Havesy (M&H) were solid OL recruiters and did a fine job developing what they got. The only time they recruited low numbers (3 in 2021) was when they returned two super SRs.

For this year, the OL looked good even without the addition of Torrence. The depth past the top 7 would have been in question, but the top 7 looked good. CBN did a great job bringing his two guys with him and adding JUCO Herman. This improved the starters and the ready depth. We don't know what M&H would have done. They were missing on their top targets for 2022, but previously showed to be good scramblers by adding talent late in the process with commits, transfers and JUCOs. They would have added something in 22 as well.

Just by going by what they had left after last season, M&H would have had:

LT- Gouraige
LG- White
OC- Eqaukun
RG- Braun
RT- Tarquin

SOT- Barber
SIOL- Leonard

That's a good top 7. Could very well be better than that. After them there was Simonds (from what I understand he's close), Mugharbil, Mincey and Slaughter for deep depth. Three of them or transfers, JUCOs and even a Fr. would have had to develop or be added for a complete ready to play 2-deep.

For "not recruiting well for four cycles", that's nonsense. Again, going by memory. The players that can be considered good recruits now:

1- Gouraige
2- Banks (Seizures ruined his career. His 2019 retirement hurt)
3- White (A stinkin' low 3 star recruit)
4- Equakin (Another awful 3 star recruit)
5- Tarquin
6- Walker (transferred to UM. I understand he's in the portal again, lol)
7- Braun
8- Leonard (A dirty low level 3 star recruit)
9- Barber (An awful, desperate late signing 3 star recruit. BTW, CBN loves him and Leonard).

Honorable mention is 10-Mugharbil, 11-Slaughter and 12-Simonds (albeit a late developer). All trending as quality linemen that may or may not be ready this year. Even 13-Chris Bleich has turned into a quality starter for Syracuse. Banks retirement hurt him too when UF was forced to play him when he wasn't ready in 2019.

No matter how much we want to bloviate (SAS reference, lol) the M&H hate, this isn't "not recruiting well for most of four cycles".

 

No it hasn't.

Had an excellent OL in 2018 and the OL was killing it last year until injuries knocked 'em down. They manhandled Alabama for Pete's sake.

The 2020 OL even had success. It was an excellent pass blocking group that protected an immobile QB. It was also a bad run blocking unit which M&H were vilified for.

So, ya can't have an SEC line if it can't run block. But, it was good enough for a record breaking offense.

 

You lost me at “Mullen/Havesy (M&H) were solid OL recruiters and did a fine job developing what they got.”

 

Not surprising. Like Doering alluded to. A faction of Gator fans love to wallow in hate regardless of the facts.

 

Why does my post have to be labeled as “wallowing in hate”? Don’t be a drama queen

 

Gotta love people that get off on judging others but can't stand it when their nonsense is reviewed.

It might be good to take your own misguided advise about not being a drama queen.

 

Did somebody piss in your grits this morning? You have some serious attitude issues. All this hostility because I disagreed that Mullen and Hevesy didn’t do a good job recruiting and developing our OL. Seriously - think about that.

 

I don't know how hard you're trying to be ironic, but you're nailing it.

It's almost impossible for a poster on a message board to generate emotion with me. I'm just making simple posts and backing them up with facts and observations. You should try that.

I'm gonna let your drama go here.

 

There is zero substance to this post Donzo. You got all bent out of shape at me and can’t even articulate why

 

I know you want to give them props but not one of these guys has made all-SEC . Some of them are good players but they are not elite.

 

I'm not looking to give them props. I'm just evaluating performance. I know you want to be hypercritical, so I understand.

By elite and All-SEC, that's Alabama's roster. The same Alabama that UFs OL got the best of the last two years. Is there really an issue with the returning left side of the OL (Gouraige, White and Eguakin) because they weren't All-SEC?

Braun and Tarquin where developing last year. Are there specific issues with them? For Torrence, he's a 2-star (maybe 3-star. He wasn't in the top 1,500) recruit transferring from a lower level school. So, I imagine there's a lot of issues there.

 

Was told by someone that knows..we have 20 oline men?.now some may not be ready to contribute

 

What was our rushing ranking last year? Not exactly terrible.