Hroniss Grasu needed a breather.
Practice had just ended on Monday, and the redshirt freshman center was gassed. Competing for a starting role at arguably the most important position on the offensive line is exhausting, and Grasu has quickly picked up on how difficult the Oregon offense is to master.
“It’s different when you’re in the film room and you see it on film, and you get a call out, you can adjust to the play,” Grasu said. “But when you’re out there like on the tempo that we play at, it’s totally different to get the calls out. It’s a different tempo when you’re going live at practice.”
Grasu is just one of many newcomers battling for time on offensive line coach Steve Greatwood’s unit. In the wake of departed seniors such as center Jordan Holmes, guard C.E. Kaiser and tackle Bo Thran, there are plenty of spots to be earned. It is Greatwood’s job to shuffle the new pieces to best fit the needs of Oregon’s high-octane offense.
Though it is very early in the process, Greatwood is happy with what he has seen in spring practices.
“Right now, I’m fairly pleased,” Greatwood said. “I mean, with the tempo, we’re not making it easy on them … there’s been some glitches but for the most part I think they’re handling it well.”
At the center position, the competition for playing time takes place between Grasu and sophomore Karrington Armstrong. Greatwood has also given sophomore Mana Greig some chances, but the decision will ultimately fall between Grasu and Armstrong.
“We’ve gotta continue to work and get more consistent at that position,” Greatwood said. “But I like the competition that’s developing there, as I do across the board … both those kids are competing their tails off right now inside at center.”
Of course, as Greatwood alluded to, there are other holes to fill. He hopes senior Darrion Weems will be able to avoid injury and become a stalwart at the left tackle position, and junior Nick Cody has caught his eye as a potential guard or tackle.
“I really like the way Nick Cody is competing right now at both guard and tackle,” Greatwood said. “(Sophomore) Everett Benyard has looked as good as he’s ever looked since he’s been here. So we’re slowly developing some depth, and now it’s just again a matter of getting the consistency.”
To do that, he will rely on the leadership of upperclassmen like Weems, senior Mark Asper and junior Carson York. As is often the case, this season’s offensive line will be a healthy blend of fresh talent and seasoned veterans. For Asper, the key will be establishing cohesiveness across the board.
“To really get clicking as a unit, communication has to be back and forth down the whole line,” Asper said. “And a couple times today we were just a half a second late getting a full line adjustment call off, and we were late, and the play got busted.”
It will take time, and Greatwood knows this. For him, practices during the spring should be so difficult that by the time the season rolls around, the players are over-prepared.
“We want to make it tougher in practice than it’s going to be in a game,” Greatwood said. “And I think we do that for them. I want the games to be slow for them.”
Asper agreed but made sure to point out that nothing can simulate live game experience.
“You gotta get in and get in the fire,” Asper said. “Because nothing’s like the real deal. We try to simulate noise and crowd and excitement here, but I think it’s even different once you get in a game.”
Live game experience may be a long way off for Grasu, but he is slowly gaining confidence as spring practices wear on.
“I feel pretty confident,” he said. “But it’s still early. It’s still spring ball, we gotta work every single day.”
[email protected]