Competition renewed on Pitt's offensive line
Share with others:
Pitt's offensive line seemed set heading into the final few days of camp, but that's mostly because the five players who had constituted the first unit didn't have much competition from others on the depth chart.
And that wasn't a good situation because it meant there wasn't much, if any, depth at any of the positions along the line.
But this second week of camp has proven to be quite productive for the reserve offensive linemen to the point where Pitt coach Todd Graham said Thursday that some of the starting spots again are up for grab.
Graham said there are seven players competing for five spots, but those five spots will be settled by the end of camp Saturday so the competition over the next two days should be intense.
"There is still a lot of work to be done," Graham said. "Football is such a physical sport that it is important you are developing your depth and getting guys ready to play. We'll go through and evaluate this Saturday and go from there.
"I'm feeling a lot better about things because my biggest concern was the fifth spot up front along the offensive line and that group being so thin. And now we have some guys coming on and now we are looking at seven, eight guys who are getting better and competing."
The five players who have consistently been among the first unit had been left tackle Jordan Gibbs, left guard Chris Jacobson, center Ryan Turnley, right guard Cory King and right tackle Lucas Nix.
But in recent days, fifth-year senior Greg Gaskins has moved into the first unit at right tackle, Nix has moved to right guard and King has been playing with the second unit.
Graham said Gaskins has made a strong move this past week, as has redshirt sophomore tackle Juantez Hollins who has gotten some first-team repetitions at left tackle
Early in camp Graham said he wouldn't move Nix to guard because Nix was a "special tackle." But the coaches have struggled to find the right combination of the "best five guys," and with both reserve tackles coming on so strong in the same week, there are clearly some options.
First Published August 19, 2011 12:00 am
