2010 BYU Preview: Offensive Line
Matt Reynolds (BYU Photo)
The start of fall camp is less than two weeks away for the BYU Cougars. Today we begin a 9-part series over the next several days, breaking down the 2010 Cougar football team position by position.
We begin by covering what is considered the number one strength of this year’s team, the offensive line. With four returning starters and a legitimate All-American candidate at left tackle, BYU enters the season with one of the best offensive lines in the country. The only question up front is who will take over at the center position vacated by RJ Willing.
Here’s how the Cougar O-Line breaks down:
Tackle
All-American candidate Matt Reynolds may be one of the top two or three left tackles in next years NFL draft if he decides to come out early after this season. Meaning the 6-6, 329-pound junior could well be a first round draft pick in 2011.
He is a also serious contender for this year’s Outland Trophy. If he were to win it, he would become the third Cougar to take home the award. He has been named to the Lombardi Trophy preseason list as well.
Reynolds has terrific feet and great hands and has been one of the top offensive linemen in the Mountain West Conference ever since he stepped on the field as a freshman. Reynolds will play a huge role for BYU this season, protecting the blind side of a new quarterback.
Nick Alletto started 11 games last year at right tackle and was the second, less heralded piece of BYU’s bookend duo with Reynolds. Identical to Reynolds in size at 6-6, 329 pounds, the senior from Parker, Colorado will team with Matt once again if he doesn’t moved to guard in 2010.
6-6, 280-pound sophomore Braden Brown made the successful transition from tight end to tackle last year. He appeared in 12 of 13 games last year, starting two games in place of the injured Aletto. Brown has really come into his own this off season and may be in a position to threaten Alleto for the starting job. He still needs to add size to his frame, but he is a terrific athlete on the offensive line. He has a bright future as a Cougar.
Guard
Braden Hansen started every game at left guard last year as a freshman and earned multiple freshman All-America honors. He and Reynolds are one of the best starting left sides in college football entering 2010. The 6-6, 300-pound former Alta High star is a great athlete and, if he is not moved out to tackle at some point in his BYU career, should have the left guard position locked down for years to come.
Terance Brown started every game at right guard last year and developed into a force at the position. Terance is a surprisingly good athlete for a man that checks in at 6-3, 340 pounds. The junior from Summerville, South Carolina should continue to develop into a dominant player during 2010. Brown also saw significant reps at center this spring and could end up starting there and snapping the ball to BYU’s new quarterback this fall.
Marco Thorson is a valuable asset to the Cougar offensive line as “Moose” can play either guard position as well as center. The 6-3, 321-pound junior played well last year in spot duty and saw action in 12 games.
Center
Jason Speredon is another candidate to start at center. The 6-5, 313-pound senior was expected to start at guard last year before suffering a season-ending rotator cuff injury in fall camp. If he stays healthy this year he could bring senior leadership and experience at either center or guard.
Also expect to see competition at the center position from redshirt freshman Houston Reynolds. He missed all of last season after tearing the ACL in his right knee during fall camp, but there is every reason to believe that the 6-2, 303-pound frosh will continue the Reynolds family tradition by developing into a fine offensive lineman at BYU.
Depth
Brad Wilcox is a promising young player that begins his Cougar career at tackle. He went on a mission before enrolling at BYU and returned in time for spring ball. The 6-7, 265-pound freshman played at North High School in Edmond, Oklahoma. The BYU coaches love his wing span and mobility, but he needs to put on some weight to effectively play the position.
Euless Trinity High star Manaaki Vaitai returns from his mission in time for fall camp. The 6-3, 300-pound redshirt freshman guard has the talent to contribute this year depending on mission rust.
Walter Kahaialii is another player returning home in time for fall camp. Again depending on how he shakes of the mission rust, the 6-4, 320-pound Hawaiian could contribute this year. He saw action as a freshman before his mission and BYU coaches expect big things from Walter in the future.
At 6′8″ tall, Michael Yeck is another freshman returned missionary lineman that BYU coaches are eager to get into camp. At 260 pounds, Yeck has a lot of weight to gain. It will be interesting to watch his development over the next couple of years.
Freshman coming in from high school on the offensive line include:
Blair Tushaus, Manu Mulitalo, Tuni Kanuch and Jordan Black
Hey Brett, if Riley gets the nod over Heaps, does that mean Matt Reynolds would move to right tackle to protect his blind side?
@Al
Could happen if Riley wins and holds on to the job.
Brett
Great article Brett. Looking forward to the rest. Hey, a lot of folks have BYU projected to finish 4th in the MWC. It makes me smile… being the underdog. Is there any way a AF team with only 10 returning starters uproots BYU in the standings? Personally, I see BYU 2nd in the MWC and competing for the championship with TCU. I mean, BYU would be considered MWC Championship candidates this year without the loss of Max, but how could Riley or Jake fail with all the talent on this O Line, and all of our receivers returning? Optimistic, I know. I just don’t see a big slump coming. This is BYU we’re talking about.
I think if the O-line can get over the injury bug, they’ll pick up right where they left off last year which would be a huge lift for whoever starts at QB and RB. Coach Webber has done a good job with the big boys.
Where does Ryan Freeman figure into the mix? Of necessity, he started some games as a freshman, if my memory serves me correctly.
@PG Coug
Your right, my bad for leaving out Freeman. He will be in the mix as a back-up at guard this year.
I think it is time BYU went out and recruited a 6′6″ QB. Gonna need to be that tall to see over that O-line. Wow. Lots of 5 and 7 step drops will be required with that group. Lets hope that Anae turns those big bodies loose on the run game because they could dominate.
Seems like we have a few tall guys that don’t have enough weight for the O-line. Is there any chance that they could help out at the Tight End position? Keep the weight off and see how fast they are. Just a thought. But we do need some good depth at all positions.
detmer14, we have lots of depth at the TE spot. That’s why we moved a TE to tackle. We have been recruiting top tier athletes in the 6′4″-6′7″ range and have placed them in positions depending on how they gain weight. We may be young at TE but we have a lot of highly touted talent there.
Gonna be eating a lot of pancakes on Saturdays this fall… I don’t care who is in the backfield this year… RUN THE BALL!
Jason Munns is 6′6″ So we have already recruited someone that tall.
kiyoshige, spot on! The line a few years back was supposed to be dominant, but it didn’t really show. I’m hoping that the hype and the ’strength’ lives to its’ billing this year. Pave the way boys.
Re: 6′6″ QBs, height doesn’t guarantee success at the position, in college or the pros. See Ryan Leaf, Tim Couch, and David Klingler under “NFL Failures.” Give me a shorter college QB anyday like Ty Detmer or Max Hall who can make quick reads, pass with accuracy and knows how to win/perform in the clutch.
J 2, This year’s line seems to have better run blocking types at the guard spots. That could be a key to our running game. We still seem a bit tall but Brown has a low center of gravity.
Just a note:
Brad Wilcox is on a mission, headed to Cali
Elder Bradley Morris Wilcox
MTC Mailbox # 172
CA-SBER 0817
2005 N 900 E
for some reason, several sites seem to believe that Wilcox just got home from his mission. Instead he just entered the MTC this month. He was quite effective in spring ball but he was redshirting this season.
And dont’ forget about 6′7 290 lb Brock Stringham who will be back after this season.
And of course, 6′8″ Bronson Kaufusi; who may turn out to be the best ever to play at BYU. (He’s a freakish athlete; who could literally be our Anthony Munoz, Orlando Pace, Jonathan Odgen type of LT). His dad said he would play O-line when he got home form his mission.
The future is very very bright on the line.
For those that wonder if their height is a detriment to a shorter qb, dont’ forget we play in the spread; there are plenty of passing lanes. Tall O-linemen with good quick hands also help neutralize d-linemen from batting down balls, so what you give up in vision is made up for in support.
@ Craig O.,
Thanks for the update on Brad. I know that the coaches were very impressed with him. Not sure why so many of us were off on his mission timeline.
How did Matt Reynolds become and NFL first round pick? I thought BYU was a second tier non BCS team that was not on national TV enough. I do not doubt his talent for a second but how did this happen. We have had offensive linemen that tested the strongest at the NFL combine and not drafted high. How do all these NFL experts know about Matt Reynolds and that he will go in the first round? Is this real or just manufactured hype from the BYU PR department? Dennis Pitta was the best tight end in the country but was drafted in the fourth round. How come he was ignored but an offensive lineman gets all this attention? Did he single handedly destroy Florida State and TCU? All this after playing just two seasons. I stand all amazed!
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