Season In Review: Offensive Line
01/08/18 | Football, @GoDucksMoseley
The Ducks returned a veteran group up front, and had a solid season led by Morris Trophy winner Tyrell Crosby before a flat bowl performance.
Reviewing Oregon's 2017 season and looking ahead to spring drills
DEPTH CHART
LT: Tyrell Crosby, Sr.; George Moore, So.
LG: Shane Lemieux, So.; Evan Voeller, Sr.; Sam Poutasi, RFr.
C: Jake Hanson, So.; Alex Forsyth, Fr.; Doug Brenner, Sr.; Ryan Walk, Fr.
RG: Jake Pisarcik, Sr.; Jacob Capra, RFr.; Charlie Landgraf, So.; Cody Shear, Fr.
RT: Calvin Throckmorton, So.; Brady Aiello, So.; Logan Bathke, RFr.
Starters: A year after breaking in four redshirt freshmen as starters, the Ducks returned a veteran unit for 2017, one that embraced a more physical philosophy under position coach – and now head coach – Mario Cristobal. The standout was Tyrell Crosby, who bounced back from foot problems that limited him to two games in 2016 by winning the Morris Trophy as the Pac-12's best offensive lineman, as voted on by the conference's defensive linemen. He was also named first-team all-conference, and honorable mention was bestowed upon sophomores Jake Hanson and Calvin Throckmorton.
That trio was joined all season in the starting lineup by guard Shane Lemieux; Jake Pisarcik spent most of the season at the other guard spot, until concussion symptoms ended his college career. At that point, Throckmorton shifted inside to guard, and Brady Aiello – the starter at left tackle in Crosby's absence during 2016 – returned to the lineup at right tackle. That group helped the Ducks finish second in the Pac-12 in rushing, at 251 yards per game, and fifth in sacks allowed, with 25. They took their lumps in the season finale against Boise State, though, which no doubt will fuel the returners this offseason.
Reserves: Redshirt freshman Jacob Capra made his first career start at UCLA, the first of four games Pisarcik would end up sitting out. The Ducks also regularly travelled transfer George Moore, who suited up all year but didn't play. Cristobal relied heavily on his starters, with veteran backups Evan Voeller and Doug Brenner playing relatively little in reserve; Brenner's college career ultimately ended when he opted to have a late-season surgery. Logan Bathke also dealt with some injury issues that impeded his development. Returners Sam Poutasi and Charlie Landgraf spent most of the season giving the defense a look as scout-team players.
Redshirts: During the 2015 season, Hanson redshirted but practiced as the No. 2 center behind starter Matt Hegarty; by the time the Ducks needed their backup, when Hegarty was injured in the Alamo Bowl, it was too late to consider burning Hanson's redshirt. In 2017, Hanson made it through the season himself, so there was no need to make a difficult decision with backup Alex Forsyth, another redshirting freshman who proved himself the best backup option at center. Cody Shear also redshirted after signing last February, but a lower leg injury sidelined him most of the fall; in his absence, another hometown kid, walk-on Ryan Walk, picked up reps at both center and guard in practice, and ended up making the travel squad.
SPRING PROJECTION
LT: Brady Aiello, Jr.; George Moore, Jr.
LG: Shane Lemieux, Jr.; Sam Poutasi, So.
C: Jake Hanson, Jr.; Alex Forsyth, RFr.; Ryan Walk, RFr.
RG: Jacob Capra, So.; Charlie Landgraf, Jr.; Cody Shear, RFr.
RT: Calvin Throckmorton, Jr.; Logan Bathke, So.
What to watch: Long-time college football analyst Phil Steele has long trumpeted returning offensive line experience as a marker of a team's potential, and in that regard the Ducks are set for 2018. Hanson, Lemieux and Throckmorton have two full years of starting experience, and Aiello has also started games each of the last two years. Presuming those four have an inside track to first-team jobs when spring practice opens, the question becomes which player is the fifth starter. Capra has the edge in experience, after breaking into the lineup last fall. Forsyth obviously made a big impression while redshirting, and is versatile enough to have practiced all over the line during the season. The wild card could be Moore; he was a raw prospect with an incredibly high ceiling when he arrived at Oregon, and Cristobal pushed him hard all year to get him up to speed. Moore already looks like a guy with pro potential, and if he starts playing like one as well, he'll be hard to keep on the sideline.
