2014 Tackle Situation

[Joe Theismann's Leg]

We've all heard the rumors about Shane Callahan coming back to Colorado. I think that's a great move, but it seems very unlikely that he would be able to play in 2014. If he can, great, but I think it's premature for us to be counting on him.

So assuming he's not able to join the team until 2015, where does that leave us for this season?

I honestly believe that the interior of our line is solid. Not great, but good. Crabb looks good as a LG. I really hope this idea of moving him to LT blows over. At 6'3'' 300 he's just not LT sized. He could be a very good offensive guard, but has a low ceiling as a tackle. Alex Kelley seems pretty good also. He won the RG spot last spring as a RS-Freshman until Munyer came back. Ideally, we'd have seem more game action from him, but he's drawn rave reviews. Daniel Munyer is probably our best lineman right now. He's gotten accolades from Phil Steele and Athlon and his name is being bandied about as a potential draftee. There's not a lot of depth, but those three look like a solid interior...

However, on the offensive line you're only as strong as your weakest link. That interior is bookended (on the post spring depth chart) by Marc Mustoe and Stephane Nembot. Neither of these guys were particularly impressive in spring ball and we could be in some trouble.

JC product Sully Wiefels has been talked about as a potential tackle, but he also lacks size for the position, though he could challenge Kelley for the job at center. Jeromy Irwin seems to have a lot of potential but he hasn't really been healthy for a while now. Younger guys like Sam Kronshage haven't done a lot to climb the depth chart either.

Stephane Nembot looks the part, he's tall, athletic, strong... but he doesn't seem to have any of the skills you'd expect an offensive lineman to have. He's gotten the attention of NFL draft insiders for his physical attributes, but he's still very raw... and he's a Junior. The dude allowed 7.5 sacks last season and 20 QB pressures. Is he ever going to put the pieces together?

 

[Quattro]

1. Callahan is joining the team in 2014, the question is if he can play in 2014
2. Believe most of those sacks by Nembot were early on when Wood was the QB but I expect he'll take another big step

 

[Highlander]

1. Callahan is joining the team in 2014, the question is if he can play in 2014
2. Believe most of those sacks by Nembot were early on when Wood was the QB but I expect he'll take another big step

I will admit to struggling to watch Buff's games with rapt attention in the second half of last year, but I didn't get a warm and fuzzy that Nembot had taken any step forward in pass pro. Would be delighted if he did, but I was actually wondering if that light bulb was ever going to turn on.

 

[Quattro]

I will admit to struggling to watch Buff's games with rapt attention in the second half of last year, but I didn't get a warm and fuzzy that Nembot had taken any step forward in pass pro. Would be delighted if he did, but I was actually wondering if that light bulb was ever going to turn on.

Well the coaching staff awarded him the most improved OL in the Spring

 

[badbone63]

I am going to count on Callahan playing just because I don't want to think about the other options at this time. :lalala:

Has anyone heard anything about Callahan? Isn't he working out with Matt Mcchesney. Has Matt given anyone the unfiltered evaluation of Callahan.

 

[slider]

Nembot allowed 2 sacks that resulted in fumbles vs Utah last season. He was a BIG reason we lost that game

 

[J.R. Ewing]

Well the coaching staff awarded him the most improved OL in the Spring

Didn't know that. Certainly very encouraging.

 

[Quattro]

Nembot allowed 2 sacks that resulted in fumbles vs Utah last season. He was a BIG reason we lost that game

Or the PRich drop that would have gone for 6. Or the Sefo overthrow that would have gone for 6. Or the overthrow to Spruce on a drive that ended in downs on the GL that would have been a TD.

 

[slider]

Or the PRich drop that would have gone for 6. Or the Sefo overthrow that would have gone for 6. Or the overthrow to Spruce on a drive that ended in downs on the GL that would have been a TD.

"A big reason"

But thanks for the breakdown

 

[Quattro]

"A big reason"

But thanks for the breakdown

Yes I understand that, just pointing out that there were 2 scoring plays in the 1st quarter alone that we missed and one in the 2nd early on before I stopped watching. We need to make those types of plays moving forward.

 

[MtnBuff]

I like Nembot and want him to do well but I just have seen to many blown assignments from him right up till the end of last year to have any confidence in him. A couple years ago we could blame it on him being new to the position but he has now been there a couple of years and still gets beaten badly far to often.

I'm not sold on Munyer either. He gets media notice because Plati feeds that stuff to the media but so far his performance while decent hasn't been notable. Remember that his primary position was at Center and he couldn't beat out Handler who despite lots of pre-season publicity last year was someplace between bad and terrible. I almost got sick watching Handler standing there with his hands on his hips as his man was getting up off the QB or the RB last year.

Sully is an inside guy. I'm hoping that he can grab one of the guard positions with Crabb solidly locked into the other. We then have Kelley and Munyer battling for the center with the guy who doesn't get it providing a solid depth guy on the interior.

For lack of alternative Nembot is going to be the RT. Let's hope that he does make a big step forward this year. If Calahan can't play then the likely LT is Irwin who due to injuries we have not seen play yet but who has reportedly impressed people. His natural position is probably inside at guard as well but he is the best alternative we have.

Another possibility is for Mustoe to make a significant step back from the health problems that he has dealt with and see playing time at LT. He was fairly highly rated coming out of HS and has the natural body size and feet to be a tackle. Let's hope that his bad breaks are behind him.

Ideally Calahan can play which answers the LT question. Mustoe comes back enough to challenge Nembot at RT, and with 3 competent guys we have a little depth there.

That would also let Irwin compete for an inside position which would mean that we would be much deeper inside than we have been for a few years although still woefully short on quality compared to most PAC teams.

 

[Burrito]

We've all heard the rumors about Shane Callahan coming back to Colorado. I think that's a great move, but it seems very unlikely that he would be able to play in 2014. If he can, great, but I think it's premature for us to be counting on him.

So assuming he's not able to join the team until 2015, where does that leave us for this season?

I honestly believe that the interior of our line is solid. Not great, but good. Crabb looks good as a LG. I really hope this idea of moving him to LT blows over. At 6'3'' 300 he's just not LT sized. He could be a very good offensive guard, but has a low ceiling as a tackle. Alex Kelley seems pretty good also. He won the RG spot last spring as a RS-Freshman until Munyer came back. Ideally, we'd have seem more game action from him, but he's drawn rave reviews. Daniel Munyer is probably our best lineman right now. He's gotten accolades from Phil Steele and Athlon and his name is being bandied about as a potential draftee. There's not a lot of depth, but those three look like a solid interior...

However, on the offensive line you're only as strong as your weakest link. That interior is bookended (on the post spring depth chart) by Marc Mustoe and Stephane Nembot. Neither of these guys were particularly impressive in spring ball and we could be in some trouble.

JC product Sully Wiefels has been talked about as a potential tackle, but he also lacks size for the position, though he could challenge Kelley for the job at center. Jeromy Irwin seems to have a lot of potential but he hasn't really been healthy for a while now. Younger guys like Sam Kronshage haven't done a lot to climb the depth chart either.

Stephane Nembot looks the part, he's tall, athletic, strong... but he doesn't seem to have any of the skills you'd expect an offensive lineman to have. He's gotten the attention of NFL draft insiders for his physical attributes, but he's still very raw... and he's a Junior. The dude allowed 7.5 sacks last season and 20 QB pressures. Is he ever going to put the pieces together?

Shouldn't you be teaching kids how to read or something?

Sent from inside the house!

 

[Quattro]

I like Nembot and want him to do well but I just have seen to many blown assignments from him right up till the end of last year to have any confidence in him. A couple years ago we could blame it on him being new to the position but he has now been there a couple of years and still gets beaten badly far to often.

I'm not sold on Munyer either. He gets media notice because Plati feeds that stuff to the media but so far his performance while decent hasn't been notable. Remember that his primary position was at Center and he couldn't beat out Handler who despite lots of pre-season publicity last year was someplace between bad and terrible. I almost got sick watching Handler standing there with his hands on his hips as his man was getting up off the QB or the RB last year.

Sully is an inside guy. I'm hoping that he can grab one of the guard positions with Crabb solidly locked into the other. We then have Kelley and Munyer battling for the center with the guy who doesn't get it providing a solid depth guy on the interior.

For lack of alternative Nembot is going to be the RT. Let's hope that he does make a big step forward this year. If Calahan can't play then the likely LT is Irwin who due to injuries we have not seen play yet but who has reportedly impressed people. His natural position is probably inside at guard as well but he is the best alternative we have.

Another possibility is for Mustoe to make a significant step back from the health problems that he has dealt with and see playing time at LT. He was fairly highly rated coming out of HS and has the natural body size and feet to be a tackle. Let's hope that his bad breaks are behind him.

Ideally Calahan can play which answers the LT question. Mustoe comes back enough to challenge Nembot at RT, and with 3 competent guys we have a little depth there.

That would also let Irwin compete for an inside position which would mean that we would be much deeper inside than we have been for a few years although still woefully short on quality compared to most PAC teams.

 

[MtnBuff]

Okay tini' I respect you as a fan and love your enthusiasm but tell me which PAC 12 teams does Munyer start for? If you find 3 you are stretching things way past any logical reasoning. (and that three includes us!)

 

[Quattro]

Okay tini' I respect you as a fan and love your enthusiasm but tell me which PAC 12 teams does Munyer start for? If you find 3 you are stretching things way past any logical reasoning. (and that three includes us!)

Well he's good enough for Athlon to put him as the 2nd team OG

http://athlonsports.com/college-football/pac-12-football-2014-all-conference-team

 

[MtnBuff]

Well he's good enough for Athlon to put him as the 2nd team OG

http://athlonsports.com/college-football/pac-12-football-2014-all-conference-team

Kind of like Handler last year. These pre-season teams are mostly a product of the media relations departments.

 

[Quattro]

Kind of like Handler last year. These pre-season teams are mostly a product of the media relations departments.

 

[Joe Theismann's Leg]

Yeah, this claim that these preseason teams are based on media relations departments is ridiculous. Like, whichever PR guy sends the most letters to Athlon wins a spot for his guy? Like it or not these guys are scouted and ranked by people who do this for a living. Munyer was 3rd team last year and he's 2nd team this year. He's also been discussed as a guy who could be drafted. Note, we only had one guy drafted last year.

EDIT- The ewes had two, one before PRich and one in the 3rd round.

 

[J.R. Ewing]

Kind of like Handler last year. These pre-season teams are mostly a product of the media relations departments.

gif away tini, but for the most part I agree with this.

 

[Quattro]

gif away tini, but for the most part I agree with this.

So it's just a coincidence that the best teams happen to fill the 1st and 2nd team and on?

 

[J.R. Ewing]

So it's just a coincidence that the best teams happen to fill the 1st and 2nd team and on?

No, that's not what I'm saying. Beyond the 1st team, and the 2nd and 3rd team skill positions, I don't think most voters put a lot of time into the preseason teams. If you think the majority of the voters are going back and watch 12 games worth of film to try and decide who should get 2nd or 3rd team mention for the guard spot, you're out of your mind.

 

[Quattro]

No, that's not what I'm saying. Beyond the 1st team, and the 2nd and 3rd team skill positions, I don't think most voters put a lot of time into the preseason teams. If you think the majority of the voters are going back and watch 12 games worth of film to try and decide who should get 2nd or 3rd team mention for the guard spot, you're out of your mind.

And I'm sure there's some validity to that, but to complete discount them and state that it's because of Plati's hype is dumb. Athlon is a good publication who knows their stuff.

An important note on the all-conference teams: These are based on how players will perform in 2014. Career statistics and awards matter in the evaluation, but choosing players for the 2014 all-conference team is largely based on predicting and projecting the best for the upcoming year.

 

[slider]

Munyer is a solid Pac-12 player but in 3 years of starting he hasn't broken Pac-12 HM, correct me if I'm wrong. CU was the only school in the PAC to not have a 1st, 2nd, or HM OL last year. Our OL is not good as a whole, nor do we have a star OL to make up for it. Also Munyer is very likely not being drafted. 6'2 Guard (likely shorter) doesn't translate to the NFL

 

[MtnBuff]

Munyer is a solid Pac-12 player but in 3 years of starting he hasn't broken Pac-12 HM, correct me if I'm wrong. CU was the only school in the PAC to not have a 1st, 2nd, or HM OL last year. Our OL is not good as a whole, nor do we have a star OL to make up for it. Also Munyer is very likely not being drafted. 6'2 Guard (likely shorter) doesn't translate to the NFL

Don't bother him with the facts, he's on a roll.

I'm not saying Munyer is a bad player, he has been a solid contributor to the Buffs and will continue to be. He is also a guy who came in and competed as a center and couldn't beat out Gus Handler, he ended up at guard despite his shortcomings (sorry about the pun) because we didn't have anyone else and did a decent job.

I will again ask that question, how many PAC12 teams would he start for? Answer, not many. I don't discount him winning a starting job for us this year. I would also not be entirely shocked if he didn't, if that were the case he would be the best interior OL back-up we have had going into a season for a while.

 

[SpacemanSpiff]

I don't care what anyone says, I'm in favor of our team being able to tackle in 2014.

And on that note, we were SIGNIFICANTLY better at that last year, than the year prior. It was obvious that basic fundamentals like, using the boundary and funneling a ball carrier toward your help, were not being taught by JE's staff. You could see those fundamentals being employed last year.

 

[Joe Theismann's Leg]

Munyer is very likely not being drafted. 6'2 Guard (likely shorter) doesn't translate to the NFL

Given his height and history I would expect teams to look at him as a center. There's been many successful centers at 6'2''. Dominic Raiola has had a terrific NFL career and he's about 6'1''.

I will again ask that question, how many PAC12 teams would he start for? Answer, not many.

I disagree. Given his consistently high ratings in outside publications, the flashes of ability he's shown and the fact that he plays all three interior positions I'd say he'd start for any other Pac-12 team.

 

[Quattro]

Don't bother him with the facts, he's on a roll.

I'm not saying Munyer is a bad player, he has been a solid contributor to the Buffs and will continue to be. He is also a guy who came in and competed as a center and couldn't beat out Gus Handler, he ended up at guard despite his shortcomings (sorry about the pun) because we didn't have anyone else and did a decent job.

I will again ask that question, how many PAC12 teams would he start for? Answer, not many. I don't discount him winning a starting job for us this year. I would also not be entirely shocked if he didn't, if that were the case he would be the best interior OL back-up we have had going into a season for a while.

1. I'm saying that Munyer is a solid PAC 12 starter and backed that up by providing a pre-season team that has him ranked above many other PAC 12 guards, which you decided to discount with its Plati's fault.
2. Where did I say he'd be drafted? His size won't be liked well by scouts, doesn't make him a less of a PAC 12 player.

You say Handler sucked, well Munyer had to help him and Nembot. The fact that you are talking about it being possible that he doesn't start is just laughable.

 

[slider]

Given his height and history I would expect teams to look at him as a center. There's been many successful centers at 6'2''. Dominic Raiola has had a terrific NFL career and he's about 6'1''.



I disagree. Given his consistently high ratings in outside publications, the flashes of ability he's shown and the fact that he plays all three interior positions I'd say he'd start for any other Pac-12 team.

Raiola won the Rimington as a JR and was a Unanimous 1st team All-American. Munyer didn't crack HM all-PAC as a JR.... Munyer is a fine Guard for CU but he'll be lucky to land as an UDFA

 

[MtnBuff]

Given his height and history I would expect teams to look at him as a center. There's been many successful centers at 6'2''. Dominic Raiola has had a terrific NFL career and he's about 6'1''.



I disagree. Given his consistently high ratings in outside publications, the flashes of ability he's shown and the fact that he plays all three interior positions I'd say he'd start for any other Pac-12 team.

This is so far off base I don't know how to respond. He would start for USC? He would start for Stanford? Keep going down the list.

Great to be a fan but lets get just a little bit realistic here.

 

[leftybuff]

Munyer is probably CU's most consistent OL. Let that sink in for a moment, especially those of you who a guzzling the Kool-Aid, predicting a 6 or 7 W season.

So Munyer at one G, Krabb, who has improved according to the coaches, at the other G.

Kelley at C. I like what I see form him, but he still did not displace Handler, so I am a little concerned.

Nembot, at RT. Hopefully he has figured out the mental aspects of OL. He has the frame.

LT? Who Knows? Crabb? Irwin if he's healthy? Wieffels? Or does Wieffels grab a G position and Crabb takes LT? Callahan?

In short, a ton of questions about the OL.