With the football roster now updated, here are some
takeaways:
1)
Missing Lions
The non-graduating seniors now officially
gone are LB Mark Cieslak, WR Isaiah Gross, OL Eric Kuklinski, TE Connor Spears,
WR Jake Wanamaker, and OL Ricky Wolff.
2)
Weights are not updated
With all the scrutiny I’ve been
putting on the player weights, I doubt this will be updated any time soon. But
maybe they’ll surprise me.
3)
It’s all about the O-line: part 135
We now have 10 returning offensive
linemen. Job 1 is still the same: fix this unit and fix it now. I know we have
a number of incoming frosh linemen, but do we really want to rely on freshmen
offensive linemen? These are the guys the coaches need to make into a unit that
gives the team a fighting chance to win.
I’m not sure when the weekly
updates that were promised in this release will actually begin. I was expecting something yesterday, but
maybe the timing is off.
This Saturday’s practice is still
open from what I understand.
9 comments:
What happened to Cieslak? He was coming on strong at the end of last year, seemed penciled in for middle backer.
My sources tell me Cieslak is locked in a personal issue.
It certainly sounds like we don't have enough offensive linemen. I'[d feel better with 15 and up without incoming freshmen. Perhaps some conversions from def3ense are in order? How are we fixed on the defensive line, Jake? Or at linebacker?
As for losing players, however, that probably happens on most every team out there, and I'm sure players have their reasons. This one you just have to ride out as well as possible.
Big loss if Cieslak is not able to rejoin the team for pre-season camp.
The biggest problem with the OL has been the type of system they are using on offense. They need to get very creative to work with the personnel they have to form a workable system. Unfortunately, they lack what need which is a power running game and dual threat QB to engineer a ball control offense. This seems out of the capabilities of what is on the roster right now. They are locked into a pocket passing strategy based on personnel and the design they want to use. We just don't have the right personnel to make that work. Patchwork at best unless a wizard coach steps in to make monsters out of those linemen.
New guys will help but we won't know how much until pre-season.
If Nottingham is OK we can go to a five step drop and throw to spots, so long as Nelligan and Connors are on the field. Maybe Flanagan. The rising sophomore receivers need to show that they can run routes and actually catch the ball. Anybody going to the open practice tomorrow?
I have at least one source now telling me that there will NOT be an open practice tomorrow. Plus, the update we were promised this week for Wednesday from the dept. has not materialized.
Wheels are totally off in every department.
oldlion, I'll just base my expectations on what I saw last season and the personnel they have this season. It would be great to get Nottingham comfortable and able to read through his progressions. We know the OL is unproven and opposing defenses will be very aggressive in testing our OL. It is a huge question mark right now. It is so huge that I would say the season depends on what they can pull together. If there is even a hint of a repeat of last season's struggle to maintain drives, there's little chance of any kind of momentum.
No Wednesday update, maybe no open practice tomorrow (as Jake reports), and still no new coaches update is serious stuff. Anyone know what's going on?
It seems the weekly updates on social media will begin next Wed., the 12th.
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