For my spring breakdown I took every player on the roster and studied their past numbers, how they have graded, measured what I think their upside is, and put together each position preview.
I start with the offensive. The unit will look a little different in the spring than fall camp. I noticed the other day Logan Brown and Bryce Cabeldue are out of their boots, but I believe will be limited in spring ball.
Here is what to expect in the spring and then how this unit can develop heading into the fall.
Spring Outlook:
First, we must look at what is not coming back and there are some tough losses to overcome. For starters Dominick Puni was clearly the best lineman and will get a shot in the NFL. He had a great year grading out at 80.6 and manned the left tackle spot as well as anyone could have hoped.
Also gone is the leader and captain of the offensive line Mike Novitsky. For three years he made all the line calls and was the player who kept things together.
Opinions will vary on Armaj Reed-Adams, but he played 605 snaps and could give them looks at different positions.
With those losses that is three of the top five snap counts on the line departing.
Right now, I expect the top candidates in the spring at tackle to be Calvin Clements and James Livingston with the uncertainty of Cabeldue and Brown. Clements has potential and will have to learn on the job. Some believe Clements is maybe a year away from being a solid Big 12 tackle. Livingston was showing good signs of improving until the injury bug hit.
Inside I am looking for Mike Ford, Kobe Baynes, Nolan Gorczyca, Darrell Simmons, and Dre Doiron to get the most snaps. Simmons started 20 games for Iowa State and will eventually fight for a starting job. Ford is coming off a good season, but he might not be locked in at guard. Gorczyca and Doiron are going to be depth guys.
Center is the position where things will be interesting to watch. The staff signed Shane Bumgardner, who was the D2 center of the year. I saw him the other day and he didn’t look like the advertised size. He looked small standing next to Ford. I did hear he needs to get stronger. I expect Ford to spend time between guard and center because he will have to be ready.
Final thoughts and looking ahead:
There will be some challenges for new offensive line coach Daryl Agpalsa. He will have to learn the strengths of each player and figure out how to piece the puzzle together. That was one thing Scott Fuchs could do well. He was a master of mixing players around and finding the right combos.
Agpalsa told me he will find out what each player can bring to the team. Sometimes it comes down to being more comfortable on one side or the other or playing another position.
“I think for me, the interchanging pieces help me as a new coach coming in to see how we decide as a staff where they fit,” Agpalsa said. “At the end of the day, I love the ability for multiplicity with alignment just because it allows them to play more positions which gives them more opportunities. Injuries are a part of the game, and we have to make sure we have the ability to plug and play the next best player.
“But obviously when they're younger and they're not able or they feel comfortable in a spot like when I played, I love the right side, not the left. So, you kind of learn that about each individual player as well.”
Spring will be a key time to learn the players and start developing a line-up for the fall. There will be a lot of moving parts with a new coach, key losses to graduation, and a new offensive coordinator.
I will admit I am not ready to feel comfortable yet about the offensive line until I see how some of the players will develop. There are over 2100 snaps gone from last year. Some concerns at center and left tackle. I like Agpalsa a lot and anyone that Leipold rehires tells me he can coach. But he will have some challenges early on.
I start with the offensive. The unit will look a little different in the spring than fall camp. I noticed the other day Logan Brown and Bryce Cabeldue are out of their boots, but I believe will be limited in spring ball.
Here is what to expect in the spring and then how this unit can develop heading into the fall.
Spring Outlook:
First, we must look at what is not coming back and there are some tough losses to overcome. For starters Dominick Puni was clearly the best lineman and will get a shot in the NFL. He had a great year grading out at 80.6 and manned the left tackle spot as well as anyone could have hoped.
Also gone is the leader and captain of the offensive line Mike Novitsky. For three years he made all the line calls and was the player who kept things together.
Opinions will vary on Armaj Reed-Adams, but he played 605 snaps and could give them looks at different positions.
With those losses that is three of the top five snap counts on the line departing.
Right now, I expect the top candidates in the spring at tackle to be Calvin Clements and James Livingston with the uncertainty of Cabeldue and Brown. Clements has potential and will have to learn on the job. Some believe Clements is maybe a year away from being a solid Big 12 tackle. Livingston was showing good signs of improving until the injury bug hit.
Inside I am looking for Mike Ford, Kobe Baynes, Nolan Gorczyca, Darrell Simmons, and Dre Doiron to get the most snaps. Simmons started 20 games for Iowa State and will eventually fight for a starting job. Ford is coming off a good season, but he might not be locked in at guard. Gorczyca and Doiron are going to be depth guys.
Center is the position where things will be interesting to watch. The staff signed Shane Bumgardner, who was the D2 center of the year. I saw him the other day and he didn’t look like the advertised size. He looked small standing next to Ford. I did hear he needs to get stronger. I expect Ford to spend time between guard and center because he will have to be ready.
Final thoughts and looking ahead:
There will be some challenges for new offensive line coach Daryl Agpalsa. He will have to learn the strengths of each player and figure out how to piece the puzzle together. That was one thing Scott Fuchs could do well. He was a master of mixing players around and finding the right combos.
Agpalsa told me he will find out what each player can bring to the team. Sometimes it comes down to being more comfortable on one side or the other or playing another position.
“I think for me, the interchanging pieces help me as a new coach coming in to see how we decide as a staff where they fit,” Agpalsa said. “At the end of the day, I love the ability for multiplicity with alignment just because it allows them to play more positions which gives them more opportunities. Injuries are a part of the game, and we have to make sure we have the ability to plug and play the next best player.
“But obviously when they're younger and they're not able or they feel comfortable in a spot like when I played, I love the right side, not the left. So, you kind of learn that about each individual player as well.”
Spring will be a key time to learn the players and start developing a line-up for the fall. There will be a lot of moving parts with a new coach, key losses to graduation, and a new offensive coordinator.
I will admit I am not ready to feel comfortable yet about the offensive line until I see how some of the players will develop. There are over 2100 snaps gone from last year. Some concerns at center and left tackle. I like Agpalsa a lot and anyone that Leipold rehires tells me he can coach. But he will have some challenges early on.
