Friday Q&A: Grimes and his linemen

1) Based on the types of offensive linemen Grimes has recruited and targeted so far (current OL commits and targets, and for that matter OL targets we have decided not to pursue like Herndon), do you think the 2013 commits (Chung, Osterloh, McLaughlin, Pfaff) are the type of guys he would have pursued had he been here a year ago? In other words do those guys look like they match up with the style of player he wants (good lateral quickness, etc.)?

Chris Coleman: That’s a great question!  I think Jonathan McLaughlin is definitely that type of player.  His lateral movement looks good, and he’s also big and strong.  It’s really difficult to understand how he didn’t have more scholarship offers after seeing him in the spring.  Then again, offensive line recruiting is sort of a crap shoot.

Kyle Chung with primary recruiter Charley Wiles at Virginia Tech’s July 14 Camp.

I feel better about Kyle Chung in the new blocking scheme than I did in the old one.  He played tight end in high school, so he can move his feet very well.  He’s also got a big frame, so I think he’ll have the ideal size after a year or two in the weight room.  Chung is the type of player who I think can be very good in Grimes’ system.

I never made it a secret that Braxton Pfaff was my favorite offensive line recruit of the 2013 class.  However, I was more confident in him with the old system than the new system.  He is a big, tough, strong offensive lineman at the point of attack, but I don’t think he has the lateral movement of McLaughlin or Chung.  That said, I still think it’s good enough that he’ll be a good player for the Hokies.

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