OL Shakeup - Hudson to Center
by ricobert1 on May 20, 2009 4:36 PM EDT
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PrintNo slam to McMahon, but I agree with WC poster Wild@HeartNole that Hudson moves to Center this year.
Marketability
Having seen him personally, Hudson is currently at about 6' 1.5", 285 lbs, and maxed out in my opinion. The rest of his time here will be about strength gains and an maximizing lean mass at his current weight. Having said that, this is his only downside. His first step quickness, locking up quickly on a defender, and tenaciously finishing him off is exactly what Trickett looks for from his linemen, and is the star of a squad of big, mean boys. In a phrase, Hudson gets it, and gets after it.
The 2009 draft featured 10 Gs and 5 Cs drafted (intentionally disregarding tackles here). Mean OG height was 76.3", with 67% of heights within 1.1" of mean. Mean OG weight was 311.4 lbs., with 67% of weights within 11 lbs. Hudson's 73.5" / 285 lbs. puts him almost 3" shorter / 26.4 lbs. lighter than average, and a 0.5" and a full 12 lbs. below the shortest/lightest OG drafted.
On the other hand, of the 5 OCs drafted mean height was 75.4", with 67% of heights within 0.9" of mean. Mean OC weight was 303.2 lbs., with 67% of weights within 8.5 lbs. of mean, lighter overall by 8.2 lbs. than OG draftees. Hudson's 73.5" / 285 lbs. puts him less than 2" shorter / 18.2 lbs. lighter than the average OC. He's still shorter by a 0.5" than the shortest lineman, but only 5 lbs. lighter than the lightest C.
This isn't a revolutionary discovery: Linemen who lack ideal athleticism or height/weight routinely work their way toward the interior as they increase in competition level (from high school to college, college to NFL).
Hudson took some snaps at C with the 2nd team OL (UT-Chat, etc.) to get him some game experience and, undoubtedly given Trickett's methodology of actually wanting his players to get drafted, increase his marketability.
Getting the best 5 linemen on the line of scrimmage
FSU is in no danger of having to throw untalented OL onto the field. Trickett is notorious for recruiting his guys, and honestly couldn't give a crap about star ratings as far as determining a player's value and potential. Trickett loves smart, low-ego kids who listen, grow, and grind it out in practice and on game day, and doesn't mind grabbing a guy who fulfills the above yet doesn't have current ideal weight: That's what your redshirt/conditioning programs are for.
He's recruited some big, mean boys in case you haven't been paying attention. Spurlock was recently singled out by Coach Fisher as being "one of the nastiest [linemen] of the bunch." His HS film shows a road-grading BA that locks up his defender and drives him out to dinner and a movie before he's done with him. Oh yeah, and he's a true sophomore who will be starting this fall. Kids like Rhonne Sanderson and Garret Faircloth are also getting mentions by coaches and media as diamonds in the rough. Datko gets a 2nd-team All-ACC preseason selection entering the season as another true Soph, and could be an elite LT by the time he leaves here. Greenlee and Sanders will duel it out for the RT spot.
Based on a cursory observation of his performance at C last year, McMahon had an average season. IMO, he's in danger of being replaced by Hudson, which opens up a G spot for a host of hungry kids, maybe even to the runner-up of the RT position battle.
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We've argued about this forever and it's the right move.
McMahon on the field means we don’t have our five most talented offensive linemen on the field.
I'd love to see what Rhonne Sanderson could do at LG
We’d have a real road-grating line then – especially in the interior with Sanderson, Hudson and Spurlock. I know I’d feel more confident on the 3 and 2s with those 3 manning the middle.
C is the least important position on the OL
Why put your best guy there?
http://today.sportingnews.com/sportingnewstoday/20081229/?pg=2
It's simple:
Is
OG _, C Hudson better than OG Hudson, C McMahon?
Basically, the new OG needs to be better at Guard than McMahon was at Center.
Least important?
First, if Hudson can play C better than McMahon and you can put a G out there who is good (doesn’t have to be as good as Hudson, but better overall than McMahon), you’re putting your best 5 guys out there.
C often has double-team responsibilities. Having Hudson double with Spurlock on a guy would be quite a sight, and allow for one of the double teamers to detach and take out a LB, most likely. Having a great C is not a waste of a position by any means. Otherwise, you wouldn’t see any OCs taken in the draft; they’d all be playing G.
Centers are the OL that are in 1 on 1s the least
How many times is the center the key blocker on a running play? Not too often. An important part of being a center is line calls, and though McMahon may not be that great physically I’d guess that he would be better than Hudson at making line calls.
Also, McMahon was injured this past year, and I think many people have been too hard on him. Is he a star? No, but he doesn’t suck like some people think he does.
http://today.sportingnews.com/sportingnewstoday/20081229/?pg=2
by tdchrisdavis on May 20, 2009 8:03 PM EDT up reply actions
He also has received ACC accolades.
Maybe it’s because he’s next to Hudson, maybe it isn’t.
I agree with tdchris, I never noticed McMahon getting consistently blown up. I’m sure he had a couple bad games, but that may have been due to his injury.
One of the big things about o-line play is consistency in personnel. Maybe someone is physically more talented than McMahon, but McMahon and Hudson have been playing together for 2 years now. They probably have a good idea of what the other is doing.
Could someone comment
…more on the injury to McMahon? If that was the case, that would explain a lot in terms of his performance this year.
He fractured his foot a few plays before Antone's long run against Va Tech
Definitely bothered him throughout the latter part of the year.
by Bud Elliott on May 21, 2009 12:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Antone's long run...
Now there’s a phrase we rarely used.
Antone was a decent Nole, but whenever I hear Antone & run in the same sentence, I think of that labored/high-step/awkard stride he has.
Then there's this...ugh. showing name recognition trumps all
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
FOOTBALL
May 20, 2009
Ryan McMahon Named To Rimington Trophy 2009 Spring Watch List
Florida State center listed among the top players at his position entering 2009.
New York, N.Y. – Florida State center Ryan McMahon was named to the 2009 Rimington Trophy Spring Watch List on Wednesday. The redshirt junior is appearing on the list for the second consecutive season. The ten-year old trophy is presented to the nation’s top center by the Boomer Esiason Foundation. Rimington, the award’s namesake, was a consensus first-team All-America center at Nebraska in 1981 and 1982, during which time he became the John Outland Trophy’s only double winner as the nation’s finest college interior lineman
Ryan "Pancake" McMahon
I saw in “Angels and Demons” that you create anti-matter if you collide two certain particles at a very high velocity and with a lot of force. If this is so, what happens when McMahon has to block Budd Thacker in practice…Do they just create matter(AKA crapping their pants at the same time)? Would that explain why Budd always has problems with his butt bad? Should we just call him Butt Thacker?
Just rode the elevator up with McMahon
A) Glad he doesn’t know what I’ve written online
B) He is a tank. I’m a big guy at 6’ 260, but he’s gotta be 6’2", 280 right now. No fat, either. Btw, Thacker has to pushing 295. He is absolutely monstrous right now.
Playing injured
As soon as the bowl game was over Thacker got shoulder surgery. His first two years I really marvelled at his high motor. I didn’t see that last year, most likely from the injury. If he can stay healthy he can be a wrecking ball. I expect big years from him and D Watson, actually.
If anyone attended last year's Super Regional, you have to be impressed by at least 1 thing about Bud Thacker.
The man can apparently drink like a fish.
Hey now!
I was the one advocating for Thacker on here.
We can’t have more than one poster playing devil’s advocate on a single issue – the board might melt down. :)
Good to hear that Thacker’s gained weight. Weren’t we speculating that he played at 260-270 last year?
I don't know
I delivered furniture my freshman summer after fracturing my wrist after prom without way too much problems, and I’m not all that tough.
I just remember watching him get blown back off the line during pass protection alot and bumping into Ponder several times a game after I read others noticing him (I’m not that observant without someone guiding me, lol)
I guess what you are saying is that your prom dates did not put out, hence you stroked it till you broke it.
>-----:----:------>Spear 'em then Scalp 'em
that is just wrong.
And her I am with a broken wrist. (from playing on the church softball team) It sucks but I think a foot Fx is worst than a wrist because you have so much weight on it. and when you are 260+ thats a lot of weight.
Why is the sky blue? Because, God Loves the Infantry
LOL
This is a tough neighborhood. It is amazing a player can be downgraded on here for playing with a fractured foot. Little wonder he got pushed back. Feet are what you stand on when people are pushing you.
McMahon rarely had any penalties caled on him whatsover. Centers are important, they have to pick up the audibles correctly or it is penalty city and the end of the drive.
It has been awhile but Trickett called this guy a future all american and one who would end up in the FSU hall of fame. I will go with Trickett everytime. I will go with him on Thacker also as he wanted to bring him over the the offensive line.
Bud has had his ups and downs but if he is up to 290 he might also surprise you this season. He does have a motor and if he can drink like you say then my hat is off to him.
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