When Kevin Gorman asked for e-mail responses to the question “What position is of greatest concern to you?” on his blog, I wrote him the following.
Dennis from Pittsburgh: I think it’s, by far, the offensive line, and especially at center. It sounds like Mike McGlynn is the answer there because of some of the experience he’s had as well as the problems the other potential centers have seen. We’ll need him and the entire line to be solid to get anything going on offense.
KG: McGlynn just might solve that riddle and, if so, it potentially gives the Panthers their best offensive line in years. McGlynn and left guard C.J. Davis have two seasons as starters in offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh’s system, while left tackle Jeff Otah and right guard Joe Thomas both have one. Jason Pinkston appears to be a fixture at right tackle, and saw spot duty last season.
If McGlynn moves to center, which is becoming a strong possibility, it would allow the Panthers to have solid backups at every position: Chris Vangas at center, Dom Williams at guard and John Bachman, who can now play all three spots.
McGlynn, however, is recovering from surgery for a torn labrum and might not be ready by the season opener against Eastern Michigan Sept. 1. That would leave another Bachman/Vangas battle and could stunt the development of the quarterback competition.
Considering that the center touches the ball on every play, that the starting quarterback is going to inexperienced and the difficulty Bachman had making clean exchanges, it might just be the position of most pressing concern to the Panthers.
Just one of many things to think about for this upcoming season. Other responses included punter, linebacker, and leadership.
“McKenzie is uncertain whether he wants to continue playing football,†Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt said in a statement. “He has informed us that he will transfer from Pitt, perhaps to a smaller school closer to home…”
From what I gathered (and equally from what I did not), it’s unclear whether he left Pitt and enrolled elsewhere for spring semester. But there’s a marked decline of interest in the MM story as NLOI deadlines grew nearer); I pulled nothing more current than an article dated 1/31/07 (rivals, scouts, etc.), and found nothing new from that previously reported and already known.
…a horrible waste of time. damn!
conc. : your guess–anyone’s guess–is as good as mine, but I think we’d have heard something (anything, a rumor, etc.) if he was contemplating enrolling at a BCS school (e.g., Boston College).
All indications, however, seem to confirm that the kid wasn’t kidding about his waning interest in football.
