Rock M Nation - 2013 Mizzou Walkthrough: The offensive line looks for a bounce backA Blog for Ol' Mizzouhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50319/rmn-fav.png2013-08-09T11:00:06-05:00http://www.rockmnation.com/rss/stream/43725272013-08-09T11:00:06-05:002013-08-09T11:00:06-05:00Does experience = improvement on OL interior?
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/fzAZvrqKWa_fQmf4i__-dR6NBn0=/0x153:683x608/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/17615931/sela-copeland.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Bill Carter</figcaption>
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<p>Thanks to injuries, Mizzou had neither experience nor depth in the middle of the line last year. It has both this year, but is there enough pure talent to lead to offensive improvement?</p> <h3><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/85965/max-copeland">Max Copeland</a></h3>
<h4>#61 | 6'3, 300, Sr. | Billings, MT</h4>
<p><i>2012: 11 starts (all at RG)</i></p>
<p><b>Bill C.</b>: There are a million obvious reasons to hope Missouri is really good this year. One of the less obvious reasons: The better Mizzou is, the more people will discover Max Copeland.</p>
<p>Max Copeland has personality to fill an entire two-deep, he has the perfect lineman attitude, and in 2013, he has more heft, too. The only question with Copeland is simple: How much talent does he have? It's great to have as many max-effort guys as possible setting the tone for the rest of the team, but the simple fact is that Mizzou wasn't good enough at actually blocking last year, and while the tackles struggled mightily in September, the interior of Mizzou's line really never did. While Nassib-to-Lemon was a big reason why Mizzou lost to Syracuse, so was Syracuse's ability to slice into the backfield in multiple short-yardage situations. (Same with Vanderbilt.) Quick lines devastated the Mizzou line, and while some good ones (Arizona State, Syracuse, and, it goes without saying, Alabama) are off the schedule, obviously you're going to be limited if you don't trust the line to do its job. Copeland is the incumbent and never saw his starting job seriously threatened in the spring. Here's to hoping that's because of how much he's improved, not because of how much his backups haven't.</p>
<p><b>MizzouRugby: </b>Rock’n’Roll and don’t get hurt.</p>
<p><b>The Beef: </b>Another person, similar to <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/85955/matt-white">Matt White</a>, though slightly less vilified because he walked on, has an impressive personality and is from Montana. At the same time, a number of Mizzou fans are somewhat bothered he currently exists as the starting left guard. Keep on rocking, Max ... keep on rocking.</p>
<p><b>countrycal: </b>They say Max is up to 305 or more now. I am perfectly happy having him as a starter. Last year caught the kid by surprise – this year has not, and I see him opening some eyes as he comes in prepared to rock and roll.</p>
<h3><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/134339/connor-mcgovern">Connor McGovern</a></h3>
<h4>#60 | 6'4, 310, So. | Fargo, ND</h4>
<p><b>MizzouRugby: </b>Don’t get hurt.</p>
<p><b>The Beef: </b>One starting guard from Montana, the other from North Dakota. Strange things are afoot at the Circle K. McGovern, if I recall correctly, was some sort of weight lifting champion coming out of high school. Starting as a sophomore is a very solid and exciting thing to have happen if he is truly ready for the test.</p>
<p><b>countrycal: </b>Starting as a sophomore, with good talent behind him. This line is looking better and better as we go down the line.</p>
<p><b>Bill C.</b>: There's no question that the line needed both health and some new blood. In late(ish) bloomer McGovern, the Tigers are getting the latter. McGovern wasn't a very big part of the rotation last year, but things clicked for him this spring. His emergence at right guard allowed for Mizzou to keep <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/158655/evan-boehm">Evan Boehm</a> at center permanently. Again, here's to hoping that's because of how good McGovern has become, and not a less appealing alternative.</p>
<h3><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/134341/brad-mcnulty">Brad McNulty</a></h3>
<h4>#63 | 6'4, 300, So. | Allen, TX</h4>
<p><i>2012: 5 starts (all at center)</i></p>
<p><b>Bill C.</b>: Brad McNulty didn't get much mention during spring ball last year. That he started for nearly half the season tells you what you need to know about the health of the guys in front of him. But McNulty is the perfect example of the "Injuries hurt in the present tense and help in the future tense" truism. In McNulty, Mizzou now has an experienced, toughened-up backup guard and center. And when players above him graduate, Mizzou will have an even more experienced, even more toughened-up veteran to serve as a major contributor/starter. That McNulty couldn't land a starting job this spring tells us immediately that the depth has improved as compared to eight to 12 months ago.</p>
<p><b>MizzouRugby: </b>Don’t get hurt.</p>
<p><b>The Beef: </b>McNulty currently reads as the backup center. However, I imagine we see McNulty on the field at one of the guard positions at different times this year, as I would hope we go about trying to come up with a solid rotation of 7-8 guys who stay healthy for the better part, or all of, the year.</p>
<p><b>countrycal: </b>Brad is experienced insurance for any of the three middle spots when they need a breather or should have to deal with an injury.</p>
<center><img src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/2509091/BCP_8008.jpg" width="100%"></center>
<h3><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/115157/nick-demien">Nick Demien</a></h3>
<h4>#78 | 6'6, 300, Jr. | Wentzville, MO</h4>
<p><b>MizzouRugby: </b>Don’t get hurt.</p>
<p><b>The Beef: </b>I still remember seeing this kid at the end of his sophomore year in high school at Timberland. He was a monster then, but he never quite rounded into the form most Mizzou recruiting fans thought he would be. At this point, he is behind McGovern at RG. If he sees meaningful minutes this year, that is either a good thing (because he would have finally taken the next step) or a bad thing (injuries have come back to haunt us yet against).</p>
<p><b>countrycal: </b>The kid still has potential, but last year may have been when it should have come forward. He may get hid on this line if it stays healthy.</p>
<h3>Mitch Hall</h3>
<h4>#73 | 6'5, 320, So. | Russellville, AR</h4>
<p><b>Bill C.</b>: I don't want to get my expectations too high regarding Hall, who was struggling to crack the two-deep on what seemed like a pretty iffy line at Ole Miss not too long ago. But his presence assures us, again, that depth is better than it once was. And the dude's got SEC size, that's for sure.</p>
<p><b>MizzouRugby: </b>Don’t get hurt.</p>
<p><b>The Beef: </b>The heaviest of the heavies on the line, Hall has spent his year on the sideline and now is 2nd in line behind Copeland. Is there a battle ready to wage between this Hall and Copeland?</p>
<p><b>countrycal: </b>That is one big body. There is a lot of experience ahead of him to overcome, but you’ve got to like the bulk he brings to the table.</p>
<h3>Stephen Carberry</h3>
<h4>#51 | 6'5, 300, Jr. | Belleville, IL</h4>
<p><b>Bill C.</b>: Recruiting rankings are powerful things. Because of Nick Demien's four-star rating, we continue to list him pretty high when we're doing walkthroughs and whatnot; but for most of the last year or so, another player has been either even with or ahead of Demien (and others) on the two-deep: junior walk-on Stephen Carberry. It's hard to know which walk-ons to mention or not mention, but if you spend a decent portion of the time on the second string (and Carberry opened fall camp as No. 2 left guard), we should probably mention you.</p>
<p>Carberry's a big boy. That much we know. We're used to walk-ons being a bit undersized (6'2, 280, something like that), but that doesn't apply here. He's got a couple of inches on Max Copeland (who was indeed in that 6'3, 280 range last year); and while pure brute strength became an issue last year when injuries wreaked havoc -- Evan Boehm was still a true freshman putting on good weight, and both Copeland and Brad McNulty were at least a little bit lacking in the strength category -- Carberry can help to assure Mizzou doesn't go down that road this year, even if there is more shuffling in the middle.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.stltoday.com/sports/college/mizzou/eye-on-the-tigers/tigers-assess-first-scrimmage/article_bf83f9e8-1be7-5098-a226-53535c174d36.html" target="_blank">And he has Josh Henson's blessing</a>. That's something.</p>
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<p>Offensive coordinator Josh Henson came away from Saturday’s scrimmage pleasantly surprised by the play of some young offensive linemen. He mentioned backup center Brad McNulty, backup tackle Jordan Williams and backup guards Stephen Carberry and Nick Demien.</p>
<p>"Honestly, after that scrimmage there were a couple of guys who I said, ‘They could play for us if we need them to,’" Henson said. "Before that scrimmage I was not saying that in my mind. You never know when that’ll start clicking for them."</p>
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<p><b style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px;">The Beef: </b><span>I could not have said it any better myself when Bill mentioned the pre-conceived notions I had about the relative size of Carberry. When Bill mentioned him to me the other day, I figured he would be 6'2 or 6'3 and about 285. 6'5. 300?!?! Well damn. Impressive to me to see the size on the inside of the line here. I will be excited to see Carberry get some snaps here and there, even if the here and there is only in the home opener. But as we know all too well from last year, we can never seem to have enough insurance policies kicking around, and Carberry clearly appears to merit consideration as one.</span></p>
<p><span></span></p>
<h3>Jordan Williams</h3>
<h4>#76 | 6'3, 295, RSFr. | Denton, TX</h4>
<p><b>MizzouRugby: </b>Don’t get hurt.</p>
<p><b>The Beef: </b>MUTigers.com now has Williams at 6’3 and 295, so that is not bad to see. As a third stringer coming off his RS season, I do not believe his is a name we will hear much from as the year goes on.</p>
<p><b>Bill C.</b>: Williams needed to pack on a decent amount of weight, and now he's done so. The Beef's right: If we hear his name in 2013, that might be a sign that a lot of bad things have happened. But he still has plenty of developmental time ahead of him.</p>
<h3>Alec Abeln</h3>
<h4>#57 | 6'3, 290, Fr. | St. Louis, MO</h4>
<p><b>MizzouRugby: </b>Don’t get hurt.</p>
<p><b>The Beef: </b>I recall hearing or reading Abeln was a volleyball player at SLU High while also playing football. I also remember hearing they liked him at center, but this may have been before Boehm moved over. If center is still the case, Abeln will have some time to come before he potentially sees the field.</p>
<p><b>Bill C.</b>: Abeln was one of the first commits of the 2013 recruiting class. I think the best-case scenario is that, by this time next year, his development at center is making coaches wonder about moving Boehm back to guard. That's quite a bit to ask, of course, and after a redshirt year, Abeln could still serve as a quality backup center for a year or two before taking over for Boehm. Regardless, it's nice actually having freshmen to redshirt. Recruiting on the line has been less-than-successful of late, so it would be lovely if both Abeln and Clay Rhodes were able to provide quality pretty quickly.</p>
https://www.rockmnation.com/2013/8/9/4605234/2013-missouri-football-max-copeland-connor-mcgovernBill Connelly2013-08-09T09:30:05-05:002013-08-09T09:30:05-05:00Mizzou seasoned, serviceable at tackle
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<figcaption>Bill Carter</figcaption>
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<p>Perhaps the depth still isn't what it should be, but Mizzou has some interesting names, new and old, at offensive tackle.</p> <h3>Justin Britt</h3>
<h4>#68 | 6'6, 315, Sr. | Lebanon, MO</h4>
<p><i>2011: 13 starts<br>2012: 9 starts (8 at RT, 1 at LT)</i></p>
<p><b>Bill C.</b>: Four and a half years ago, Justin Britt signed with Mizzou as a run-of-the-mill two-star recruit, a local(ish) boy from Lebanon who had drawn as much attention for his wrestling as for his exploits on the football field. Now, he's the most well-seasoned player on the line, a two-year starter with 22 career starts who was lost for the season with a torn ACL in November and is already back to full speed. And he's a dad to boot.</p>
<p>Britt was part of a 2011 line that dominated on the ground, and it's worth pointing out that, with <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/22654/elvis-fisher" class="sbn-auto-link">Elvis Fisher</a> out against South Carolina, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/138017/jadeveon-clowney" class="sbn-auto-link">Jadeveon Clowney</a> only had a <i>good </i>game against Missouri with Britt lined up at left tackle. Clowney had some ridiculous performances in 2012 -- 3.5 tackles for loss versus UAB, 4.5 sacks versus Clemson, a decapitation versus Michigan -- but while he had 1.5 sacks against Mizzou, he was mostly a non-factor for the rest of the game. (It was everybody <i>else</i> who was giving Mizzou fits in that game.) Despite shifting from right to left and back to right, his play improved over the course of 2012; after the first month of the season, in fact, I didn't have much concern for the tackle position. (The interior was a different story.)</p>
<p>If healthy, Britt plays at a level that far exceeds his recruiting ranking. He isn't an All-American, but I have little problem with him protecting the blind side of whichever quarterback Mizzou is playing on a given snap.</p>
<p><b>MizzouRugby</b>: Don't get hurt.</p>
<p><b>The Beef: </b>My thoughts exactly. Beyond that, a healthy and full season from Britt may lead to greater things for this young man come April. And if that happens, it means it was very likely (conversely) that <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/115134/james-franklin" class="sbn-auto-link">James Franklin</a> may have also survived the year like 2011 rather than 2012.</p>
<p><b>countrycal: </b>The odds say we won’t get hit with another disaster like last year, so I am looking for most if not all of our OL to return to form and produce like the line has the past few years. Britt has the second most important job – protecting the quarterback’s back side. I really look for this young man to kick butt on some of the big names of the SEC. He’s big enough, he’s tough enough, and I can’t help but believe he has plenty of motivation.</p>
<h3><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/115154/mitch-morse" class="sbn-auto-link">Mitch Morse</a></h3>
<p><i>2012: 11 starts (7 at center, 4 at RT)</i></p>
<h4>#65 | 6'6, 305, Jr. | Austin, TX</h4>
<p><b>Bill C.</b>: Mitch Morse was an average center in 2012, struggling mightily with consistent snapping, especially at the beginning of the season. But while he, too, missed some time with injury, his late-season move to tackle worked out pretty well. <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/158655/evan-boehm" class="sbn-auto-link">Evan Boehm</a> has taken the center job, so the athletic Morse can focus on his better position. He probably wasn't quite as successful as Britt at tackle, but he was also less experienced. Again, neither Britt nor Morse are All-Americans, or even potential all-conference performers, but they are more than serviceable.</p>
<p><b>MizzouRugby</b>: Nope.</p>
<p><b>The Beef: </b>A year ahead of Chappell and someone who saw a good amount of time on the field last year among the injuries, you hope Morse is one of many who end up benefitting from the time they got last year, however unexpected it might have been.</p>
<p><b>countrycal: </b>If Mitch beats Chappell out, then we are really looking at some awesome depth. Bring it on.</p>
<h3><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/115156/anthony-gatti" class="sbn-auto-link">Anthony Gatti</a></h3>
<h4>#70 | 6'6, 315, Jr. | St. Louis, MO</h4>
<p><b>Bill C.</b>: Anthony Gatti was getting hurt before it was cool to get hurt.</p>
<p><b>MizzouRugby</b>: Don't even.</p>
<p><b>The Beef: </b>Gatti may finally be healthy and ready to contribute to the team as the backup left tackle. I will say the time may be now for him, as he will be looked to replace Britt next season, but MU is bringing in a LOT of OL in our past and current classes. I’d love to see Gatti be in the mix all season as one in the rotation.</p>
<p><b>countrycal: </b>A tough, experienced backup tackle. Goodbye 2012, hello 2013.</p>
<p><b>Bill C.</b>: Actually, one more thing about Gatti, and I think I mention this every year: The dude passes the eyeball test. And he still almost looks skinny at 315.</p>
<h3><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/134340/taylor-chappell" class="sbn-auto-link">Taylor Chappell</a></h3>
<h4>#62 | 6'5, 300, So. | Canadian, TX</h4>
<p><b>MizzouRugby</b>: Think about.</p>
<p><b>The Beef: </b>Chappell was someone who was believed to be in the mix to play quite a bit last year before getting hurt in two-a-days this time a year ago. Since then, he has come back to find himself behind Mitch Morse at the RT spot. If he can get back to where we thought he would be last year, chalk him up as another in the rotation.</p>
<p><b>Bill C.</b>: We were indeed hearing quite a few good things about Mr. Chappell. It will be interesting to see who gets more playing time in 2013 -- Chappell or Gatti -- and what that could mean for the battle to replace Britt next spring.</p>
<p><b>countrycal: </b>We could have used him last year; we will definitely use him this year. Another big, talented sophomore. The trenches are looking particularly stout for the next few years.</p>
<center><img width="100%" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/2509019/BCP_7890.jpg"></center>
<h3><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/134343/michael-boddie" class="sbn-auto-link">Michael Boddie</a></h3>
<h4>#67 | 6'5, 295, So. | Gilmer, TX</h4>
<p><b>MizzouRugby</b>: Getting hurt.</p>
<p><b>The Beef: </b>Every time I see Gilmer, I think of <i>Varsity Blues</i> and Gilroy. That is all I have to offer on Boddie, who I do not think is likely to see much time at all this year.</p>
<p><b>Bill C.</b>: Gilroy's no Bingville.</p>
<h3>Clay Rhodes</h3>
<h4>#72 | 6'5, 290, Fr. | Stilwell, KS</h4>
<p><b>MizzouRugby</b>: This year.</p>
<p><b>The Beef: </b>If there is someone from the incoming class who might see some time, my money would be on Rhodes. A BEAST, he may be the closest to being physically able to play this coming year. But I think the future is <i>very</i> bright for this young man.</p>
<p><b>Bill C.</b>: The coaches agree with that last part.</p>
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<p>"Clay is going to be a really good player," Walker said. "He’s athletic, he’s big, he’s long, he’s got pretty good feet. He’s got to learn that he can use his hands to stop people and not lean on people with his face. That’s the number one thing...all high school linemen do that."</p>
<p>Walker, however, said it's still too early to say whether Rhodes, a three-star prospect according to Rivals, will actually redshirt or not, though Missouri coach Gary Pinkel recently said every freshman offensive lineman will likely need a redshirt year to get stronger.</p>
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https://www.rockmnation.com/2013/8/9/4605018/2013-missouri-football-justin-britt-mitch-morseBill Connelly2013-08-09T08:00:10-05:002013-08-09T08:00:10-05:00Boehm is already the anchor
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/f2aN3IUL95AtnoGcJq-BLHtFA9g=/0x94:683x549/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/17560653/bcp_7817.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Bill Carter</figcaption>
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<p>Mizzou's most highly touted line recruit moves from guard to center and becomes the anchor of a scarred line looking to rebound.</p> <h3><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/158655/evan-boehm">Evan Boehm</a></h3>
<h4>#77 | 6'3, 315, So. | Lee's Summit, MO</h4>
<p><i>2012: 12 starts, freshman All-American</i></p>
<p><b>Bill C.</b>: On both the field and the recruiting trail, Mizzou has lost a lot of offensive linemen over the last couple of years. We've discussed the de-commitments of players like <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/162640/simon-goines">Simon Goines</a> (a full-season starter for UCLA as a true freshman) and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/158389/germain-ifedi">Germain Ifedi</a> (a full-season second-stringer for Texas A&M as a true freshman) before, and we all know about the injuries -- how the projected 2012 starting five never actually saw the field at the same time, how all five members of that five (and a key backup) were all lost for various amounts of time. But through each type of loss, one name didn't go anywhere: Evan Boehm. Sure, he <i>thought</i> about going elsewhere in the fall of 2011, but he stuck to his original Mizzou commitment, signed in February 2012, and started every game during the frustrating 2012 season a few months later.</p>
<p>Under normal circumstances, playing as a true freshman on the line requires an advanced state, both mentally and physically. Only three OLs have played as true freshmen in Gary Pinkel's 12 seasons in charge, but Boehm was a no-brainer even before the injuries. He was a star recruit, overshadowed only by DGB in Mizzou's 2012 recruiting class, and considering his age, he lived up to the billing.</p>
<p>The main problem with last year, however, was that simply <i>playing</i> as a true freshman is different than starting every game and becoming the closest thing to an anchor on the line. Boehm wasn't ready for that -- almost no true freshman is going to be ready for that -- and he often struggled. The interior of the Mizzou line was punctured frequently, even later in the year when the tackles stabilized. The hope is that Boehm's growth wasn't stunted by struggle. Lord knows he's got talent, and lord knows the staff is showing a ton of trust in him, moving him to center and basically making him the captain of the line.</p>
<p><b>MizzouRugby: </b>Be better at snapping than anyone last year. Don’t get hurt.</p>
<p><b>The Beef: </b>I dont think his move to center is a bad one at all, and he will hopefully bring a solid amount of stability to the line for many years to come.</p>
<p><b>countrycal: </b>As I said in my discussion of the OL coach – I think Evan has the most important job on the field simply because he touches the ball first. Every offensive play begins with him, and if it does not begin right then the play is not likely to produce maximum output. We have had one all-conference center after another since GP came to town. That being the case, we simply did not realize how disastrous it can be to play quality defenses with one of our quarterback’s hands tied behind his back due to poor snaps – that was just not in our playbook. Nor should it be. Any successful play must start with a timely, accurate exchange between the center and the quarterback. That has been the way it has happened each year until last year. I truly believe the loss of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/36915/travis-ruth">Travis Ruth</a> hurt us more than any of the other losses, though the number of OL injuries finally trumped the season. Evan Boehm is a man among men, and a highly mental and highly skilled athlete. I foresee three years of successful exchange ratios and, thus, a fast, athletic offense that is going to stun the SEC. The move of Evan Boehm to center was absolutely coaching genius and is going to be the catalyst to Mizzou’s return to the Top 25 and quality bowl consideration.</p>
https://www.rockmnation.com/2013/8/9/4601548/2013-missouri-football-evan-boehmBill Connelly