Massive Line Ready To Plow The Field For Hurricanes
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Several years ago, the University of Florida recruited a top quarterback in Brock Berlin and the offensive line in front of him had a temporary nickname of the Berlin Wall.
It's not the Berlin Wall, but the University of Miami has put together quite a mountain of men to protect quarterback Stephen Morris and blow open holes for top running back Duke Johnson.
From left tackle to right tackle the Canes offensive line measures up like this: left tackle Ereck Flowers, 6'6", 315 pounds; left guard Malcolm Bunche, 6'7", 327 pounds; center Shane McDermott, 6'4", 296 pounds; right guard Brandon Linder, 6'6", 319 pounds; and right tackle Jon Feliciano, 6'5", 318 pounds.
Feliciano was only switched to right tackle this week and unseated another behemoth, Seantrel Henderson. The former top overall recruit in the country is 6'8" and weighs in at a svelte 345 pounds.
Head coach Al Golden told CBS4 news partner the Miami Herald about the starting lineup, "It might change right now. We're going to go and watch the tape. If guys are still getting ME's [mental errors] on things we put in on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, then certainly we can't go into games with those kind of mistakes."
Lest you think it's only the starting offensive linemen that are massive, backup center and guard Jared Wheeler is 6'5" and weighs 319 pounds. Golden also has another freshman at 6'8", 318 pounds and other backups over 6'5" and weighing more than 300 pounds.
For comparison, FAU's largest defensive lineman is sophomore defensive lineman Derek Butcher who is 6'4" tall and weighs 295 pounds. Looking at FAU's entire defensive line roster, they weigh on average, 255 pounds.
UM's offensive line roster tips the scales at 310.4 pounds on average, so FAU will be giving up roughly 55 pounds to the behemoths Al Golden will line up in front of his playmakers.
