Hunchback,
I don't know if a single answer would do it. Here are some various factors that might have played a role:
1. At the start of spring, the staff was looking to find another powerful left side to replace the Zack Martin/Chris Watt duo. So Ronnie Stanley was moved from right tackle to left tackle and Steve Elmer from left tackle to left guard.
2. In the meantime, Christian Lombard was coming off major back surgery and then suffered an arm injury in the spring that sidelined him the last dozen practices. Mike McGlinchey, who played tight end, fullback and linebacker in high school, was raw at the position and trying to balance his 6-8 frame with leverage while replacing Lombard.
3. Nick Martin underwent MCL surgery the previous November and had to sit out the spring. He also was not able to develop much lower body strength while recovering from the injury.
4. When it became apparent at the end of spring that McGlinchey wasn't ready to take on a starting role at left tackle, the staff then decided prior to August to switch Elmer from left guard to right tackle and move Lombard inside to right guard (where he started in 2012).
5. Unfortunately, Elmer's strength was not playing in space at tackle, especially against speed rushers off the edge. He had some footwork/balance issues, so after the third week he was moved to right guard and then Lombard was back out at right tackle, still battling some injury issues.
6. Elmer also was moved inside to provide a little more girth. This was a problem because center Nick Martin and left guard Matt Hegarty were 295 pounds each. Defensive linemen were getting way too much of a push inside against what in these days is a relatively light interior when you are not 300 pounds. Martin was coming off knee surgery and had problems with lower body strength, and lest we forget, Hegarty underwent heart surgery at the end of 2012 and we wondered if he could ever play again.
7. Hegarty was maybe a bit more comfortable at center, so he moved there while Martin (who denies that a hand injury affected his snapping) moved to left guard. So when you have three position changes (Elmer, Martin and Hegarty) after just the third game, you know something is amiss.
8. By November, I think Lombard was worn out physically. He gutted it out, but there is a reason he is not even going to give the NFL a try. He wants to be able to walk without constant pain. McGlinchey was the only other tackle prepared to play some, although he was probably a year away still.
I think the staff felt a shake-up on offense was needed, which is why Malik was given the starting role at QB. It "forced" the offense into more of a running identity and for the first time during the season there was a genuine commitment to the run. Stanley emerged as a leader, Martin began to find his way with Hegarty, and both Elmer and McGlinchey hit their stride during the December practices. It was the first time where talent met with a clear identity on offense and combined for the best all-aroiund performance, versus LSU.
Moving forward, if the carryover from last December takes root, the offensive line could be a top strength in 2015. But how many times have we seen what we thought would be an asset not pan out, or an area that was deemed a huge concern (like cornerback in 2012) be a pleasant surprise? One can never really say how these things will work out.
However, I am guardedly optimistic about the o-line in 2015. Stanley has become a vocal leader and is in line (no pun intended) to be a first-round pick. That's a great base to work with. Nick Martin, when I saw him up close during an interview, is now over 300 pounds and looks much more stout than last season. He could flourish as a fifth-year senior. Junior year is when linemen begin coming into their own, so we'll be expecting much more from Elmer and McGlinchey on he right side. Brian Kelly already has referred to Elmer as one of the team's most improved players.
If the sophomore tandem of Quenton Nelson/Alex Bars doesn't undergo too many growing pains this season, the line should be at a level comparable to what we saw against LSU, if not higher. That would be outstanding. If key injuries occur to a Stanley or Martin, then all bets are off. But my early guess is that all five starters this season will some day be playing in the NFL, and that's a pretty darn good base to begin with going into a season.
Lou Somogyi
BlueandGold.com
Follow: @BGI_LouSomogyi
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Wow, outstanding job Lou. I put this on the regular side so people can see what an amazing job you did on this. Mega props.
This post was edited on 3/30 6:56 PM by Lou Somogyi
