That’s the theme now that Greg Romeus has had his back surgery — successfully — and is now recuperating. Speaking of which, one would think such opportunities exist on the O-line given their play in the first couple of games. However…
Offensive line coach Tony Wise said the progression of the line, which includes three new starters, has been “slow,” but don’t expect any shuffling. He said right guard Greg Gaskins, center Alex Karabin and left guard Chris Jacobson, who’s nursing a sprained ankle, will remain the starters. “There’s no substitutions because the other guys on the team are slower to respond,” he said.
/weeps softly into a Scotch.
But back to the opportunities left by the Greg Romeus injury. Brandon Lindsey is the obvious guy with the first crack.
Gattuso said he has noticed a difference in Lindsey’s practice habits and demeanor in the short time since it was announced that Romeus needed surgery.
“I talk to Brandon all the time about opportunity,” Gattuso said. “When you’re sitting behind two All-American candidates, you can talk all you want to them, but they can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. It’s like, ‘OK, I have to wait until spring to get my chance.’ He sees it as an opportunity.
“We base things on production. Brandon has produced as well as anyone we have. And he has to continue to do that. That’s how we base our depth chart. Joe Clermond came out of nowhere a couple of years ago. We have guys with that ability lurking in the wings. They’re going to get an opportunity earlier than we wanted, but they’re going to get an opportunity to start shining.”
Gattuso will take the pressure off Lindsey by rotating in some bigger players who can bring different skills into the mix, such as freshman T.J. Clemmings. Plans to redshirt Clemmings were scrapped because of Romeus’ injury.
Coach Wannstedt has already acknowledged that Clemmings is not bothering with the redshirt.
As a result of Romeus’ injury, highly regarded freshman T.J. Clemmings — who coaches had hoped to redshirt — will now be in the rotation of defensive ends. “We’ll start getting him some practice time, some playing time. But you don’t replace first-round draft picks overnight.”
One player still trying to work his way into the rotation at defensive end is redshirt sophomore Shayne Hale, a highly rated player out of Gateway High School.
“Shayne has been giving good effort,” Wannstedt said, “but from an evaluation standpoint he just hasn’t progressed. He is eligible to play, I’m not saying he wouldn’t play.”
That’s unfortunate with Hale. No one is saying he isn’t working hard and trying. It is just that he is not having it click into place.
