Post-spring look: Offensive line
April 30, 2009
Sorry there’s been such a delay in between this and the other positions, but here goes…
...There wasn’t a position hampered by injuries more than the offensive line this spring. Senior Danny Franks missed all of spring (foot), senior Steven Adams missed most of spring (shoulder surgery), senior Tyrell Curtis (foot) missed the last part of spring, as did senior Nic Riley (knee). The good news is that all except Adams should definitely be ready for the start of fall camp. Adams is probably questionable for the season opener, but coaches feel like he’ll be back by then.
Troy found four starters on the offensive line. Sophomore James Brown is your left tackle, junior Tyler Clark is your left guard, senior Danny Franks at center, senior Steven Adams at right guard, and the right tackle spot is between senior Nic Riley and redshirt freshman Kyle Wilborn.
Let’s go position by position
LEFT TACKLE - Brown, who played just one semester at SW Mississippi CC, emerged as the frontrunner for the left tackle spot and that’s what coaches were hoping the 6-foot-5, 330-pound (anywhere from 320-350 depending on who you ask) would do.
“He’s got a chance to be really special,“ offensive coordinator Neal Brown said. “He’ll be the starter at left tackle. It was good for him to go against our defensive ends (Lang, Sheffield, etc.)“
Backing up Brown will be junior Tyler Graves.
LEFT GUARD - Clark, who emerged as a walk-on starter as a freshman in 2007, had a great spring. “He was the best player on offense several days during the spring,“ Brown said. Clark worked mostly at center, which is where he’ll play in 2010. Tyrell Curtis is his backup and redshirt freshman Jacob Creech is in the mix.
CENTER - Despite missing the spring, Franks will return as the top guy there for the third straight year. Clark will be his backup, and Brown said Zach Swindall, a walk-on, had a good spring.
RIGHT GUARD - Adams is the top guy here and sophomore Micah Grimes is backing up Adams. “He had an up and down spring,“ Brown said of Grimes. “He’d have good days and he’d have plays where he’d have some mental errors we can’t have.“
RIGHT TACKLE - Riley went down with a sprained knee late in spring, allowing Wilborn, who’s about 6-foot-7, 320, to step up. Wilborn had shoulder surgery last year and missed some crucial time in the weightlifting program, but got a redshirt year.
The big deal here is that Brown wants five starters and seven guys who are ready to play - preferably guys who can learn all the positions and be interchangeable. Help will come in the fall from JUCO transfer Nate Newland and freshmen Jay Stansberry and Cody Jenkins.
