Tag: Elliott Mealer

Offensive Line Preview: Michigan vs. Virginia Tech

Blake DeChristopher (left) is a four-year starter for Virginia Tech and head coach Frank Beamer (image via Washington Post)

MICHIGAN
Starters: Redshirt sophomore left tackle Taylor Lewan (6’8″, 302) has started every game this season and was voted Second Team All-Big Ten by conference coaches.  Redshirt junior left guard Ricky Barnum (6’3″, 292 lbs.) has started three games this season and remained #1 on the depth chart all season despite missing all or part of the other nine contests.  Fifth year senior center David Molk (6’2″, 286 lbs.) received every conceivable award for a center, including First Team All-America status and the Rimington Trophy, given to the nation’s top center.  Redshirt junior right guard Patrick Omameh (6’4″, 299 lbs.) has started every game this season.  Fifth year senior right tackle Mark Huyge (6’6″, 302 lbs.) has started every game this year.
Backups: The only backup to see significant playing time this season was redshirt sophomore tackle/guard Michael Schofield (6’7″, 299 lbs.), who actually started more games (9) than Barnum at left guard.  Schofield is a tackle by trade, but with Barnum consistently hurt, the coaches plugged him in and he’s essentially a sixth starter.  The next two backups appear to be redshirt junior tackle Elliott Mealer (6’5″, 310 lbs.) and redshirt junior center Rocko Khoury (6’4″, 287 lbs.), who have played in seven and four games, respectively.

VIRGINIA TECH
Starters: Fifth year senior left tackle Andrew Lanier (6’5″, 306 lbs.) is a two-year starter at left tackle.  Redshirt junior left guard Greg Nosal (6’6″, 297 lbs.) has started every game for the past two seasons and was Honorable Mention All-ACC in 2011.  Redshirt sophomore center Andrew Miller (6’4″, 290 lbs.) has started every game this season.  Fifth year senior right guard Jaymes Brooks (6’2″, 307) is a three-year starter and two-time Second Team All-ACC selection.  Fifth year senior right tackle Blake DeChristopher (6’5″, 311 lbs.) is a four-year starter with 50 career starts, was a First Team All-ACC selection and earned the ACC’s top award for offensive linemen.
Backups: True freshman Caleb Farris (6’3″, 309 lbs.) has played in four games as a backup offensive center.  Redshirt junior Michael Via (6’7″, 292 lbs.) has played in eleven games as a backup guard and center this year, and also has past experience at tackle.  Redshirt junior Nick Becton (6’6″, 326 lbs.) has played in every game at offensive tackle.  Via and Becton appear to be in line for starting jobs next season.

THE TAKEAWAY
Michigan’s starters average a shade under 6’4″ and about 294 lbs.  Virginia Tech’s starters are a shade under 6’4″ and about 302 lbs.  In addition to size, the Hokies also have a slight advantage in experience, with an average experience level of 4.4 years; Michigan’s starters average 4.2 with Barnum counted as the starter and 4.0 if Schofield earns the nod.  It’s a slight advantage, but an advantage nonetheless.  Virginia Tech’s linemen have 158 starts total, or 31.6 on average.  Michigan’s linemen have 123 starts among them, or 24.6 on average.  That means the average Hokie lineman has started for half a season longer than Michigan’s, and if you look at the following list, the only position Michigan has an experience advantage over VT is at center, where Molk’s 41 starts and Rimington Trophy hold an obvious edge over redshirt sophomore Miller:

Lewan: 21 starts
Barnum: 3 starts
Molk: 41 starts
Omameh: 28 starts
Huyge: 28 starts

Lanier: 27 starts
Nosal: 28 starts
Miller: 13 starts
Brooks: 40 starts
DeChristopher: 50 starts

Michigan might have more talent due to playing in the Big Ten, but experience is a key component in offensive line development, so . . .

Advantage: Virginia Tech

2011 Countdown: #58 Elliott Mealer

Elliott Mealer

Name: Elliott Mealer
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 313 lbs.
High school: Wauseon High School in Wauseon, OH
Position: Offensive guard
Class: Redshirt junior
Jersey number: #57
Last year: I ranked Mealer #51 and said he’d be a backup left guard and special teamer.  He played all 13 games on special teams.

If you’re a fan of humanity, you can’t help but root for Mealer.  It doesn’t seem that long ago, but now entering his fourth year in the program, Mealer lost his father and girlfriend to a car accident during the holidays in his senior year of high school.  Elliott suffered a shoulder injury and his brother, Brock, was partially paralyzed.  On a brighter note, Brock recovered enough to lead the team onto the field for its opener against Connecticut in September 2010.

Elliott has played sparingly in his first three seasons in the program, seeing action at offensive guard in only four games thus far.  Brady Hoke’s offense might benefit Mealer a little more than Rich Rodriguez’s system, which stressed quickness and blocking at the second level.  Mealer looked fairly quick coming out of high school and as a redshirt freshman in 2009, but he added some weight prior to 2010 and looked a little too slow to be effective.  Now he’s the heaviest he’s ever been (up from 310 to 313), but the power running game ought to suit him a little better.  I don’t expect him to push for a starting position here in 2011, but he could be a key backup if there are any injuries along the offensive line.

Prediction: Backup offensive guard

2010 Countdown: #51 Elliott Mealer

Name: Elliott Mealer
Height: 6’5″
Weight: 310 lbs.
High school: Wauseon High School in Wauseon, OH
Position: Offensive guard
Class: Redshirt sophomore
Jersey number: #57
Last year: I ranked Mealer #69 and said he’d see mop-up duty. Mealer played a couple games as a backup left guard and was a consistent contributor on special teams.

Now Michigan’s heaviest offensive lineman, Mealer spent 2009 working his way back into shape after injuring his shoulder in an automobile accident. In the meantime, he beat out more highly touted linemen like Ricky Barnum and Quinton Washington for a role as a second-string offensive guard. In addition, he was an anchor of the field goal protection unit.

Mealer’s role in 2010 will be reminiscent of his 2009 contributions. He heads into fall camp as the top backup behind starting left guard Steve Schilling. He’s an athletic kid who played some tight end as a high schooler, so he’s able to release to the second level and get blocks downfield. And with that 310 lb. frame, he can excel as a blocker on the field goal unit. This won’t be his year to shine, but that day isn’t far away.

Prediction for 2010: Backup left guard, special teams duty

2010 Countdown: #61 Quinton Washington

Name: Quinton Washington
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 307 lbs.
High school: Timberland High School in St. Stephen, SC
Position: Offensive guard
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #76
Last year: I ranked him #80 and said he’d redshirt. He redshirted.

Washington is a mammoth offensive guard, weighing more than all but two of his teammates – nose tackle Will Campbell (324 lbs.) and fellow guard Elliott Mealer (310). As evidence that Rich Rodriguez is embracing larger offensive linemen, there are now five 300-pounders; there were only two in 2009. With several guards ahead of him on the depth chart last season, Washington’s services weren’t needed . . .

. . . and they probably won’t be needed again this year. David Moosman was the only guard to graduate in 2009. Steve Schilling returns at left guard, and last year’s part-time starters at right guard (Patrick Omameh and Mark Huyge) also return. Mealer, Ricky Barnum, and part-time 2008 starter John Ferrara also return. There have also been reports from practice that Washington has been developing slowly. That’s not a concern at this point, considering that he’s only one year removed from high school. But Michigan fans shouldn’t be expecting to see Washington on the field much this season. Perhaps he can push for the guard position that Schilling will be vacating after this season.

2010 Recruiting Grades: Offensive Line

Michigan’s lone offensive line commitment in 2010 is early enrollee Christian Pace. Pace comes out of Avon Lake, OH, and is likely a center. He could also play guard, but considering Michigan’s depth at guard (Patrick Omameh, Elliott Mealer, Ricky Barnum, Quinton Washington, and Mark Huyge all have at least two years of eligibility remaining), the more pressing need in the 2010 class was a center.

Predictions: As long as two-year starting center David Molk can return from his torn ACL healthily, Molk and his immediate backup, Rocko Khoury, should hold down the fort. Mealer has also practiced at center, and Barnum was a center in high school, so there’s no reason Pace should play in 2010. But when the center position opens up in 2012 after Molk graduates, I expect an all-out battle between a fifth year senior Khoury and a redshirt sophomore Pace. Pace has the athleticism to be an all-conference center as a starter.

Grade: C-. Pace will be a good player, but Michigan needed more linemen in the class of 2010. Once Steve Schilling and Perry Dorrestein graduate after the 2010 season, only ten scholarship linemen will remain on the roster. Not only does that set Michigan up for an inexperienced line in a few years, but it forces Rich Rodriguez to devote a significant amount (4-5) of his small 2011 class (13-14 as of now) to the offensive line.