LongTimeCatFan wrote:TomCat88 wrote:LongTimeCatFan wrote:How's the center position shaping up?
If the center is to be Catalano, where does that leave Horn? How is Eekoff looking at tackle? Aggressive, knows the plays, knows where to go? Or is he slow off the line like last year and playing with sub par effort?
You're probably asking Colter, but ... If Cat is the center, then Horn is the backup center and Eekhoff is the OT. If Horn is center, then Cat is OT. I don't the answer to the other three. Ash calls it a competition between Horn and Eekhoff.
I'm asking anyone who's watched practice. I have BIG concerns about Eekhoff as evidenced by our "run game woes" from last year. And if Horn can't snap, doesn't know the calls, etc... Why is he STILL at center? Could HE play tackle? Or, is his snapping getting better? Is he learning the calls?
Man, I didn't think I would say this, but I miss Sampson. He was cerebral, made the correct calls consistently, made the snaps (except one), wasn't the biggest guy, but knew how to use leverage.
I'm just curious to know where both guys are at. Catalano is a GREAT tackle. He plays tackle in such a way that I prefer. And I would prefer to keep him there if possible so I'm sort of rooting for Horn to pick it up at center, but I also want the best combo on the field in whatever configuration so that probably means Catalano moves to Center and Eekhoff starts at tackle. If that's the case, do our run game woes reappear?
Don't second-guess yourself for missing Sampson. He was the most valuable offensive player on the 2012 Bobcats. He cut DeNarius' calls at the line in half because he could recognize every front, every blitz, every twist. On top of the pre-snap reads, Sampson was incredibly mobile, tough as hell and absolutely fearless. He was a truly stellar center, and as a former center myself, one of my favorite college football players of all time.
Right now, I'd give the MSU centers, particularly Horn and Catalano a B+. I would have given the centers a C- at this point last spring and a C for the season last year, so they are ahead. Horn's snapping is vastly improved. He's playing his best football right now, Ash said following last Saturday's practice. Yesterday, Horn had two high snaps during team drills, but Catalano looked great. It's looking more and more like Quinn will win the job because of his experience and familiarity with the offense more than any other factor.
“Quinn is very vocal, understands the schemes and sees the pressures, makes the audibles at the line,” Ash said following yesterday's session. “He’s pretty good there.”
But as Tom indicated and Ash stated, this isn't a competition between Horn and Catalano for center. It's a competition between Horn and Alex Eekhoff. Whoever can play their specific spot better will earn that spot and Catalano will play the other spot. I'm not sure where Catalano stacks up with the other centers in the Big Sky, but I agree with LongTimeCatFan in that he's an outstanding right tackle, in my opinion, the best returning RT in the entire league.
McEndoo wants his best five guys out there. He knows who four of them are. Now they have to figure out a fifth and they'll be fine up front.