Mix and Match O line

[Confident Carl]

I didn't include a number of incoming freshmen.
Did I miss anyone? Give it your best shot!

Jacob Basilica 6-3/293 RS/F
Kyle Bockeloh 6-3/284 RS/So
Gus Cruz 6-4/296 RS/Sr
Dalton Gifford 6-4/304 RS/Jr
Tommy Hopkins 6-6/298 RS/F
Andreas Knappe 6-8/300 RS/So
Richard Levy 6-6/305 RS/So
Alex Mateas 6-4/309 RS/Sr
Samuel Murphy 6-6/263 RS/F
Bryan Paull 6-4/303 RS/Sr
Zach Rugg 6-3/285 RS/So
Kyle Schafenacker 6-3/285 RS/F
Brendan Vechery 6-6/308 RS/F

 

[Lewconn]

I believe that OT Paul Nwokeji (rs-jr) 6”5”, 280lbs, is still on the team?

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

My educated guess is that the Center and both Tackle spots are pretty set with Mateas at C, Levy at LT, and Gifford at RT. The Guard spots are wide open. Cruz is still a wildcard. Samra (not listed in the OP), Rugg, and Schafenacker will probably battle it out with Cruz. I believe Rugg is listed as an OT but I think the staff will put the best 5 linemen on the field.

This is the one area of the team that gives me pause this year.

LT - Levy
LG - Samra
C - Mateas
RG - Schafenacker
RT - Gifford

That's my best guess.

 

[Confident Carl]

My educated guess is that the Center and both Tackle spots are pretty set with Mateas at C, Levy at LT, and Gifford at RT. The Guard spots are wide open. Cruz is still a wildcard. Samra (not listed in the OP), Rugg, and Schafenacker will probably battle it out with Cruz. I believe Rugg is listed as an OT but I think the staff will put the best 5 linemen on the field.

This is the one area of the team that gives me pause this year.

LT - Levy
LG - Samra
C - Mateas
RG - Schafenacker
RT - Gifford

That's my best guess.

Good assessment, J.S. Obviously hard to tell at this point. We all know that Mateas is the anchor at Center. Schafenacker and Rugg should play a lot. Let's hope Andreas Knapppe develops big time along with Levy and Gifford. Hoping Cruz is 100%. Keeping Foley on board should turn out to be a brilliant move!

“I know when I met with coach – we each went in for maybe a half an hour and sat down with him after he got hired - one of the first things I told him was I wanted to be here; that I thought it was a place we could definitely win. We’ve won before. We can win. We can win big. I’m excited about the university in itself and the players we have and the type of players we can get.” Mike Foley

 

[Palatine]

Diaco has penciled in Levy at LT and Mateas at OC.

 

[LRock34]

Left to Right

Levy, Cruz, Mateas, Samra, Gifford.

 

[Confident Carl]

Diaco has penciled in Levy at LT and Mateas at OC.

Sounds right.. Levy looked decent in Spring game.

 

[Lewconn]

Left to Right
Levy, Rugg, Mateas, Samra, Gifford.

 

[kcc1442]

Left to Right
Levy, Samra, Mateas, Cruz, Knappe

I could see Schafenacker or Rugg for Samra. I also could see Gifford for Knappe or Levy.

I think Mateas would be definite. I also think a healthy Cruz should get the nod.

 

[Dooley]

Anyone think Knappe will get a T spot this year? Or too soon?

Left to Right: Levy, Cruz, Mateas, Rugg, Gifford

 

[BlueDogs]

My guess, Diaco will favor size and strength all else being equal rather than speed. You usually don't get all three. I think assignments and reads get greatly simplified with an emphasis on getting somebody pushed downfield instead of stand up and look and then block.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Where are those weights from? Accurate? Guards look light - and light on the roster on the UCONN website too. WE going to be doing a lot of pulling and trapping with the guards? Weights would seem to indicate it. I hope they got quick feet!! I'm not including Gus Cruz, but if he is good to go at RG, it's possible to get Samra a red shirt he didn't get the opportunity to have before and we can potentially have a starting OL that are upperclassmen with some experience - that's a bit of surpise to me looking at it. The OL depth, especially with the new class of rooks showing up in the fall, seems to be improving quite a bit from the swiss cheese roster we had 2 seasons ago.

C: Mateas, Bockeloh, ?

LG: Paull, Rugg, ?

RG: Samra, Schafenecker, ?

LT: Levy, Hopkins, ?

RT: Gifford, Knappe, ?

That's the way I see it shaking out - how much Knappe can push will be interesting, with that size and reach, and his age and hopefully maturity physically and mentally, you hope he can make it really hard for the other younger guys to keep him off the field.

Levy, Paull, Mateas, Samra and Gifford start left to right.

 

[gioff23]

I'm in agreement with those suggesting Knappe will open at OT. Levy and Mateas can be penciled in. I'm going w/the S's at OG, although I recall hearing good things about Basilica, so he may be the dark horse.

I also agree Rugg is an OG, but would not be surprised to see him at OT while we rebuild depth there.

 

[Srqhusky]

Although the o line is an area of concern I do think they will be no worse if not better than last year. having a guard as a strong lean 285 i would take over 325 and weak.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Another take I have is this: unless Paull and Cruz are significantly better than Samra, Schafenaker, Rugg, or Hopkins I'd rather go with the youth movement and get them some game time experience. Need to build up this roster for the next 3-4 years.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Cruz is entirely a health concern. As a parent I would prefer to see a kid that age not consider risking his future but as he is obviously both passionate about the game and highly competitive (he never would have made it to this level if that were not the case) I imagine that he will put every possible effort into playing.

I would go with the kids myself and we will need to accept that it will take at least to the latter part of the 2015 season (possibly a bit longer) before our offensive line has the quality, experience and depth that we will need to be competitive at the level we are aspiring to (at that point, the top of the AAC).

I wish that Knappe was slotted as an offensive lineman from day one. About a year and a half of teaching was flushed down the toilet by keeping him with the defensive linemen.

 

[Srqhusky]

Another take I have is this: unless Paull and Cruz are significantly better than Samra, Schafenaker, Rugg, or Hopkins I'd rather go with the youth movement and get them some game time experience. Need to build up this roster for the next 3-4 years.

hopefully we will have games with mop up duty where this can get done

 

[RedSoloCup]

Cruz is entirely a health concern. As a parent I would prefer to see a kid that age not consider risking his future but as he is obviously both passionate about the game and highly competitive (he never would have made it to this level if that were not the case) I imagine that he will put every possible effort into playing.

I would go with the kids myself and we will need to accept that it will take at least to the latter part of the 2015 season (possibly a bit longer) before our offensive line has the quality, experience and depth that we will need to be competitive at the level we are aspiring to (at that point, the top of the AAC).

I wish that Knappe was slotted as an offensive lineman from day one. About a year and a half of teaching was flushed down the toilet by keeping him with the defensive linemen.

Think of all the unlearning he won't need... GDL never instructed him...

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Think of all the unlearning he won't need... GDL never instructed him...

Excellent point!

 

[Chief00]

Schanecker and Basilica are guys to watch, who might not be known to the average fan.

 

[metsfan2323]

This is the last year for the foreseeable future that offensive line will be a concern, with all of the freshman coming in it will probably be the strength of the team next year, Foley is terrific and Cummings coached up the #1 pick in last years draft, plus they all get to work with Balis.....heck maybe they will surprise and be the strength of the team this year.
'

 

[huskysupporter]

This is the last year for the foreseeable future that offensive line will be a concern, with all of the freshman coming in it will probably be the strength of the team next year, Foley is terrific and Cummings coached up the #1 pick in last years draft, plus they all get to work with Balis.....heck maybe they will surprise and be the strength of the team this year.
'

I wish I could share your optimism.

 

[Confident Carl]

This is the last year for the foreseeable future that offensive line will be a concern, with all of the freshman coming in it will probably be the strength of the team next year, Foley is terrific and Cummings coached up the #1 pick in last years draft, plus they all get to work with Balis.....heck maybe they will surprise and be the strength of the team this year.
'

On that note lets hope he and Foley turn Andreas into a super beast!

 

[UconnFamily]

LT: Levy, Hopkins
LG: Schafenecker/Cruz
C: Mates, Paul, Bockeloh
RG: Samra/Cruz
RT: Gifford, Rugg

Cruz can start in either side at the guard position, but because of some health issues I think Schafenecker and Samra makes the start if Cruz bad health continues.

We may have some question marks because a lot of these players on the O-line are young, however I believe that the O-Line will become a strength sooner than later. For one, we have Foley coaching the O-Line were he excels at; for two Hopkins Schafenecker, Samra, and Rugg were all highly touted players coming out of high school.

 

[UconnFamily]

This is the last year for the foreseeable future that offensive line will be a concern, with all of the freshman coming in it will probably be the strength of the team next year, Foley is terrific and Cummings coached up the #1 pick in last years draft, plus they all get to work with Balis.....heck maybe they will surprise and be the strength of the team this year.
'

I agree