Pleasant surprise Nasty! I have wanted Baker to get beat out, and Knapp looks to have won the job. We’ll have two inexperienced relatively small tackles, each athletic as hell, strong, quick feet, and aggressive. But Pendleton beating out both Coogan and Rocco is the real surprise for me. I desperately wanted Rudolph to select his OL based on performance and without regard to class level; and I hoped he would value performance and upside over experience. Looks like I got my wish! Agree, these guys can move. Run game and RPO should be exciting.
Until Freeman lists out the depth chart for game time, expect changes. I get as we move closer to game week/time things should be getting settled, but -- you never know.
Pendleton starting has not been confirmed by anyone on the coaching staff. Same with Knapp.
Well, Knapp wouldn't be starting if Jagusah didn't get hurt obviously. So that opened up a slot.
There's some speculation that Coogan was seen working at center to get work in there, in case he's needed later, and hasn't really lost the LG job. We'll see when the depth chart comes out.
Whoever they choose to run out there will certainly have some struggles. I hope folks don't have unrealistic expectations. None of the potential tackles have more than minimal experience including Jagusah. It's a process. I trust the staff will scheme enough around the inexperience to provide passable results. The input I've been given about Knapp is outstanding. Great feet, high football IQ, excellent technique for a young player and they feel the moment wouldn't be too big for him as he is supposed to have a cerebral calm presence about him. I for one am very curious to see how it plays out.
As far as I have heard he has been extensively trained at RT and at the moment i don’t think there going change that
"They should know who their starters are by this Saturday."
they appear willing to trade that off; if so I guess we will see if it works.
Because next week the vast majority of practice is specifically for A&M then the following week its 100% A&M. You want your ones getting all the reps they need together the next 2 weeks.
We'll probably know tomorrow. If freeman isn't adamant that it's tosh in his presser then they're probably decided or heavily leaning towards knapp being starter.
They caught more than a glimpse but still a small percentage of the practice time.
I get all of that -- but the question was -- why do YOU need to know now?
If I said, "You" need to know who the starters are by Saturday, I was implying ND coaches, not me. I'd love to know, but if I was the coaches I'd want A&M to think i was starting Tosh when i was starting Knapp. How A&M would attack tosh would be extremely different than how they attack knapp.
Hopefully Knapp does. We've seen Baker already and pretty much know what to expect. Very curious to see what the young, athletic guy brings to the table.
290 pounds and 18 years old is what the kid brings to the table.
True freshmen are typically a liability on the OL.
Typically yes, but not always. We KNOW tosh is a liability
They don’t want 290lb tackles but in the end you have to play the best players.
Interesting comments re the OL by both Freeman and Denbrock. In addition to your post, Freeman said what is best for week one might not be best for week two, etc…. Denbrock clearly stated that Knapp and Pendleton earned these opportunities, and later referenced how these two are benefitting from going against two of the best defensive ends or lines in the country. Freeman sounds like a nod to experience for the first game, and Denbrock’s sounds like a nod to performance and upside, generally. Texas A&M probably guessing along with the rest of us, not a bad thing!
