2008 Spring Football Preview: Offensive Line

One unit that has to improve this year for Virginia Tech is the offensive
line, which has been subpar for the last two years. This year the Hokie defense
will be younger and probably not as good as last year, so they won’t be able to
cover for an offense that isn’t capable of standing on its own two feet. The
offensive line has to step up. They have to be better, or it could be a long
season.

Curt Newsome loses just one player from last year’s line, starting left
tackle Duane Brown. Brown is a big loss, but everybody else on the line should
improve, and depth should be a lot better this year. Key word: should.
Nothing is guaranteed. Here’s a look at our pre-Spring depth chart for the
offensive line.


2008
Pre-Spring Offensive Line Depth Chart

LT

LG

C

RG

RT
Ed Wang
(r-Jr.)
Nick Marshman
(r-Sr.)
Ryan Shuman
(r-Sr.)
Jaymes Brooks
(r-Fr.)
Sergio Render
(Jr.)
Aaron Brown
(r-So.)
A.B. Latif
(r-Fr.)
Beau Warren
(r-So.)
William Alvarez
(r-Fr.)
Blake DeChristopher
(r-Fr.)
Greg Nosal
(r-Fr.)
Richard Graham
(r-Jr.)
Brandon Holland
(Jr.)
Richard Graham
(r-Jr.)
Clark Crum
(r-So.)
Hivera Green
(r-Jr.)
Eric Davis
(r-Jr.)

I’ll be the first to admit that a lot of those picks are nothing but guesses,
particularly with the backups. At this point, it’s a fact that left tackle, left
guard and center are set. On the right side of the line, we know Sergio Render
is going to be tried at right tackle this spring, which will probably move
Jaymes Brooks into the starting spot at right guard. William Alvarez would also
get a shot at right guard in that scenario, but for now we’ll project Brooks
with the first unit.

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