Camp preview: Offensive line
With SEC Media Days in the books, it’s finally time to start looking ahead to the 2018 football season. Missouri will begin its preseason camp on Aug. 3. Each day until then, PowerMizzou will evaluate the roster one position group at a time, breaking down the depth chart and the outlook for the season. Today, we focus on the offensive line.
The starters: The Missouri offense has the rare luxury of returning all five of its starting offensive linemen from the 2017 season: Yasir Durant and Paul Adams at tackle, Tre-Vour Wallace-Simms and Kevin Pendleton at guard, and Trystan Colon-Castillo at center. Even better for the Tigers, that line performed well a year ago, allowing just 13 sacks and 37 tackles for loss (which led the country) last season. While that may have had a lot to do with Josh Heupel’s fast-paced system, we’d still bet on all five starters from a season ago keeping their jobs this season, barring injury of course.
The backups: Missouri’s players talked excitedly during the spring about the level of depth it has on the offensive line, something that was not present three or four years ago. Plus, several of the reserve linemen have shown the ability to play multiple positions, which could come in handy in the event of injuries. Samson Bailey, who has started nine games at center in his career but is now listed as a tackle, and center Jonah Dubinski, who also has a few starts on his resume, are the most notable backups with game experience. Case Cook, Larry Borom and Hyrin White all redshirted a season ago, and Cook, especially, has drawn compliments from the players above him on the depth chart. Missouri also signed four newcomers on the offensive line: Javon Foster, Mike Ruth, Xavier Delgado and Bobby Lawrence. Due to the Tigers’ depth on the line, most of the four will likely redshirt this year, but due to the new redshirt rule, they could still see a few snaps if Missouri puts a game or two out of reach early in the season.
Camp outlook: The biggest question on the offensive line is not who will start, it’s whether the line can be as effective if new offensive coordinator Derek Dooley slows the pace of the unit. Pro-style concepts such as play-action passes require linemen to block for longer than the spread, run-pass option plays that Missouri featured a season ago. Plus, as opposing defensive players said at SEC Media Days, the easiest way to stop Drew Lock is by pressuring him. The offensive line’s ability to keep Lock upright against a four-man rush and thus force defenses to use additional players to create pressure could be the biggest key for the Tiger offense this season.
Projected Week One depth chart:
1. Yasir Durant (LT)/ Kevin Pendleton (LG)/ Trystan Colon-Castillo (C)/ TreVour Wallace-Simms (RG)/ Paul Adams (RT)
2. Hyrin White (T)/ Case Cook (G)/ Jonah Dubinski (C)/ Larry Borom (G)/ Samson Bailey (T)