OUInsider - Owen Field

there have been many true freshman throughout the years that have had great success.. we have a few of those and some redshirts as well... We will be fine

Don't try too hard to downplay this situation. I'm all for optimism, but the reality is that Habern and Evans took 59 combined starts with them. Habern and Evans were just as talented as the players who will take their spots, but also had the benefits of extensive experience. Their replacements will lack that experience, and it will be evident on the field, especially early on in the season.

It is all but a given that, at some point this season, there will be more OL injuries that will force a guy to miss all or part of a game (and maybe more). The lack of depth will rear its head at some point. The only question is how bad it will be when it does.

The good part of this is that it is off season and the coaches know the holes that need filling so learning and competition for playing time will be fierce and guys will be in a position to step up. It is much harder to get and keep young guys prepared during the season when the reps with first team are reserved for the guys that earned it during the Spring and Summer so when you lose multiple players at a position (during the season) there will be inexperience and a learning curve. With the early schedule we have this year you will see more young guys getting quality practice and real game reps, the future is very encouraging with the young talent we have here also think the coaching staff will coach more to their personnel strengths as opposed to (and not bashing V) forcing things on kids when they just do not get it at times. Brent is a my way or the highway kinda guy and expected them to grasp any and everything he threw at them never changing even when the problems were evident to everyone. Now on the other hand Josh is no dummy, got much needed experience last year and will only be better for it so I look for greater things from him this year. All in all coaches can be stubborn on how they coach, game plan and call games but I can bet last year left a lot of bad tastes in coaches mouths and should not repeat the same mistakes and the same goes for the players that were there as well. Again the early season schedule will be easier this year and with the two bye weeks there will be additional time for some of the younger and perhaps older guys to get the preverbal light to come on and step up.