Welcome everyone to the latest edition of the Ragin Cajuns position preview!
We’re wrapping up the offense this week in a nice little bow with a look at one of the more intriguing positions on the team heading into the season. Without further ado, let’s dive right into it!
Departing Players:
The offensive line lost a ton of talent from last year’s team with the biggest loss being Grant Horst. The senior pushed through some injuries last year to try and help this team, but eventually had to be shut down towards the end of the season.
Another big loss was D’Aquin Withrow, who started in 11 games last year most of which were at right tackle. They also lost some depth in the offensive line with Craig Smith and Christian Cederquist both leaving due to running out of eligibility.
Returning Players:
With a lot of holes to fill, it’s safe to say that every job is up for grabs especially with a new coaching staff running things. That being said, there’s a chance that we see Cole Prudhomme hold his spot as the starting center. He was the anchor for this offensive line and helped the run game continue to be a solid option in 2017.
However, you’ll need to keep an eye on Kordell Brewster, who was the backup for the Cajuns last season. While some continuity at the position would be nice, offensive coordinator Rob Sale has mentioned that every job is up for grabs and if Brewster has a great fall camp don’t be surprised if you see the senior become the starter.
Outside of the center position, it seems like two more spots are going to be taken and that’s Robert Hunt and Kevin Dotson on the left side. Hunt worked well as a left guard for much of last season, starting nine games. You put Dotson on the same side, that’s some serious meat on the offensive line to protect whoever the starting quarterback is. It’ll be a transition though, as he was used on the right side in 2017 as a guard.
Ken Marks is another player that will likely have a leg up as they get started with fall camp as he has some experience as a starter, but will have to prove it quite a bit with the amount of bodies on the offensive line.
Finally, you’ve got to look at Christian Goodacre as a contender for a spot after being used as a reserve offensive lineman last year.
The Other Guys:
There’s a few players that will look to get some playing time and that’s players like Shane Vallot and Carlos Rubio. These two guys have some serious weight to their frames and are two players that have a great chance at making waves in the depth chart.
Overall Thoughts:
While they lost a ton of experienced players like Grant Horst being out of eligibility, the offensive line has a lot of options to choose from when he comes to putting together a two-deep depth chart.
-Clint Domingue