Pitt O-line works around missing pieces

By Darrell Laurant  |   Saturday, March 29, 2008  |  Comments( 0 )

Pittsburgh Panthers
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Spring football is a time for trying out new players, or old players in new positions. For offensive line coaches, it's also a window of opportunity to build comaraderie and continuity on their unit.

Not Pitt's Tony Wise, however. As he begins his new job with the task of rebuilding an O Wi-line minus three 2007 starters (including NFL Combine invitees Jeff Otah and Mike McGlynn), a number of key pieces to his puzzle will be watching from the sidelines.

Three-year starting guard C.J. Davis is the biggest absentee (literally, at 6-3, 315), taking the spring off to heal a bad hamstring. Five-star 2006 recruit Chris Jacobson (sore knee) and part-time starter Jason Pinkston are also out, along with redshirt senior tackle Chase Clower.

Wise still has plenty to work with. But an offensive line is essentially a machine with moving parts, and those parts need time to get in sync. As Pitt head coach Dave Wannstedt told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review recently: "The biggest concern I have with our football team right now is putting this offensive line together, figuring out who the best five, six, seven (linemen) are, getting them in the right spots and working them as a unit.

"We're going to go out there and not get hung up on who's playing center, guard or tackle. With having a new line coach, everybody's got a clean slate. Everybody's got to prove themselves."

One of the tackle spots vacated by McGlynn and Otah is expected to be filled by junior Joe Thomas, who will move from right guard to right tackle. John Bachman and junior college transfer Robb Houser will compete for a vacancy at center, Jordan Gibbs is the spring starter (for now) at left tackle, and John Maleski has been moved from nose guard to join Davis at offensive guard. In C.J's absence, fifth-year senior Dominic Williams will keep the position warm.

Maleski and Gibbs are especially intriguing to Wannstedt and Wise. The latter, who played both ways on a state champion Franklin (PA) Regional High School team, brings a defensive attitude to his new position. Gibbs, at 6-7, 270, was agile enough to play tight end (and score nine touchdowns) as a high school senior.

The 6-3, 285-pound Jacobson was rated one of the top 10 offensive linemen in the country (and the 38th best prospect at all positions by Scout.com) as a senior at Keystone Oaks high in Pittsburgh. He was invited to play in both the All-American Bowl and the Big 33 Classic, and also excelled on defense.

In addition, according to Scout.com, Jacobson also proved his value to Pitt as a recruiter. His best friend and Keystone Oaks teammate Myles Caragein, a defensive lineman, was on the fence between Pitt and West Virginia. Both were on the wrestling team, and Jacobson declared one day in practice that if he beat his friend in that day's match, Caragein would go to Pitt. Jacobson won.

This year's Chris Jacobson, four-star OT Lucas Nix, should also figure into the mix when he arrives in the fall.

"The offensive line is not a one-man show," said Wise.

Especially in the spring.



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