Latest news with #offensiveline
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Florida Beats Out Three SEC Rivals For Elite OL Recruit
Florida Beats Out Three SEC Rivals For Elite OL Recruit originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Last season, the Florida Gators won eight games for the first time since 2020. Leading the offense for the second half of the season was quarterback DJ Lagway, a five-star true freshman quarterback and the future of the program. With his health a priority for at least the next two seasons, Florida added a key building block to their future offensive line on Sunday. Advertisement Hayes Fawcett of On3 reported that G'Nivre Carr, a towering 6-foot-5, 320-pound interior lineman, has committed to Florida's 2026 class. The three-star recruit chose the Gators over SEC rivals Tennessee and South Carolina. He also held offers from Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M, among others. © Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images "Once a Gator, always a Gator! Proud to be a Gator 5=1🐊," Carr said in a statement per Fawcett. Carr becomes the third hard commit in Florida's 2026 class, joining defensive lineman Jamir Perez and quarterback Will Griffin. His commitment signals another long-term win for third-year head coach Billy Napier, who has gone 19-19 in Gainesville but is fresh off his best season at the helm with the Gators. Advertisement Carr's path could align perfectly with the rise of former five-star quarterback DJ Lagway, who threw 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions as a true freshman last fall. By 2026, Lagway will be in his third season under center, with Carr potentially ready to shore up any holes on the offensive line. Following the conclusion of this season, Florida will graduate multiple seniors on the offensive line, including veteran guard Damieon George Jr. Noel Portnjagin and Roderick Kearney sit as the only non-upperclassmen on the two-deep of Florida's depth chart, per Ourlads. Related: College Basketball World Reacts to Xaivian Lee's $6 Million NIL Move This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
CBS News
29-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Troy Fautanu ready for upcoming season after injury derailed rookie campaign
The Steelers' offensive line is going to look a bit different this season, in part because Troy Fautanu is healthy again and back on the field. Fautanu, the team's first round pick last year, says he's excited to be back on the field after spending nearly all of last season on the sidelines. After suffering a knee injury early in the season, Fautanu was placed on injured reserve and only appeared in one game for the Steelers. Fautanu says dealing with the injury was a difficult time for him, but he's happy to be on the other side of it now. "I wouldn't say I handled it the best some of the time," Fautanu said. "I would say I was my biggest enemy sometimes and thinking about my future when I really just had to lock in what was going on that day." Fautanu said that once he was able to focus on the day to day, he felt he was able to turn corner in the recovery from his injury. PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 6: Troy Fautanu #76 of the Pittsburgh Steelers works out during the Pittsburgh Steelers OTA offseason workout at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on June 6 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Joe Sargent / Getty Images With Fautanu back in the mix for the Steelers, there will be some movement on the offensive line. Broderick Jones, who moved to right tackle in Fautanu's absence, will be back in his original spot at left tackle and Fautanu will be on the right side. "Being back on the left, I feel like it's a bigger boost for me," Jones said. "Just because I've been used to playing on the left side." "At the end of the day, I made it through and I feel like that's what made me stronger and that's what's gonna make me play the best I can for this team," Fautanu said. Thursday will be the final day of Organized Team Activities for the Steelers.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Colorado beefs up its offensive line in transfer portal with former Maryland tackle
Colorado head coach Deion Sanders is not done beefing up his offensive line through the transfer portal. The Buffaloes landed former Maryland Terrapins offensive tackle Andre Roye Jr on Monday. Ranked a three-star transfer recruit Roye was only ranked the No. 30 tackle in the portal according to 247sports. He joins the Buffs with two years of eligibility remaining. Advertisement Coming out of high school, Roye was ranked No. 11 overall prospect in Maryland and the top offensive lineman in the state. He chose his hometowns school over programs such as USC, Penn State and Arizona State. However, he played sparingly with Maryland during his two seasons in College Park. The 6-foot-6, 300 pound lineman entered the portal on April 17 after his two years with the Terps. After redshirting his first year, he only appeared in six games his redshirt freshman season before getting his chance in 2024. In 2024 he started seven games helping block for the No. 3 passing offense. In 434 total snaps at Maryland he only allowed one sack. Roye is the third offensive lineman and third tackle added in the Transfer portal. He joins Xavier Hill and Larry Johnson III as the other offensive line additions this spring. Roye continues the trend of Colorado emphasizing size with its lineman as Sanders and company look to beef up a unit that struggled in that area a season ago. Advertisement Contact/Follow us @BuffaloesWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions. This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Colorado football adds OT Andre Roy's from transfer portal
Globe and Mail
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Globe and Mail
Saskatchewan's Ferland a perfect fit anywhere on Roughriders' offensive line
Logan Ferland has built a reputation for versatility over his CFL career. The 28-year-old can play – and excel – at any position on the offensive line. His adaptability was apparent during the 2024 season, when injuries forced the Roughriders to use 13 different starters and 16 players total on the line. Ferland made 11 starts at right guard, two, including the West final, at right tackle and six, including the West semi-final, at centre. He performed so admirably he was named the outstanding offensive lineman for the West Division and a CFL all-star at guard. For Ferland, from Melfort, Sask., it hasn't been a problem shifting to multiple spots on the offensive line, because it has been something he has been doing since his junior days in the CJFL. He was often lined up against the best defensive lineman the opponents had. 'Where it started was really with the Regina Thunder,' said Ferland, who starred for the team from 2015 to 2019. 'My last couple of years they would move me around in different spots. 'I really got used to it there. I was playing in multiple positions. When I moved on to the 'Riders, I knew that would be a way I could make the team was showing my versatility even though I was undersized at the time.' It appears the Roughriders are going to have to lean on Ferland's versatility once again. The team has already lost a pair of big free agency pickups to long term injury at its training camp at Griffiths Stadium on the University of Saskatchewan campus. Centre Sean McEwen, who played last season with the Calgary Stampeders, is out with an unspecified leg injury. Roughriders head coach Corey Mace confirmed Saturday that McEwen, who earned a Grey Cup ring with the Toronto Argonauts in 2017, would be out for a lengthy stretch. Guard Philippe Gagnon tore his biceps at practice on Monday. On Wednesday, Mace said Gagnon's injury might not be season ending, but he won't be available for a while. Gagnon played with the Montreal Alouettes last season and helped them win the Grey Cup in 2023. Those injuries caused the Roughriders to re-sign Saskatchewan Huskies grad Noah Zerr on Tuesday after releasing him on May 14. The Roughriders play the first of their two pre-season games on Saturday, when they travel to Winnipeg to take on the Blue Bombers at Princess Auto Stadium. Saskatchewan has a bit of time before cementing a starting offensive line. The Roughriders open their regular season June 5, hosting the Ottawa Redblacks at Mosaic Stadium. Mace said Ferland's versatility is a huge asset for the team. 'We think so highly of Logan as an offensive lineman, period, and that is at multiple positions,' said Mace. 'If something does happen, having him as somebody who can move into multiple spots allows us to keep him on the field always and affords us an opportunity to put the best linemen out there that we feel gives us the best shot to win. 'I am extremely happy with him. He takes reps at all spots still, so I can't say enough good things about Logan Ferland.' Once the injuries started to happen at training camp, it was business as usual for Ferland. He will play wherever the team needs him to play. 'I approach it like any other year, nothing changes,' said Ferland, who stands six-foot-four and weighs 300 pounds. '[The coaches] do reports for me every year, so I approach it like being ready for any spot. 'If they throw me in at centre, I will play centre. If they want to move me up to tackle, I will be ready for that. If they want to keep me at guard, I'll stay a guard.' Ferland, who says his favourite position is right guard, said a number of coaches with the Thunder and the Roughriders played a huge role in helping develop his versatility. He said he also learned a lot from now retired centre Dan Clark, who is also a Thunder alumnus, and retired guard Brandon LaBatte, a Regina Rams grad. Ferland still says it is special for him to play for the Roughriders after growing in small Saskatchewan towns. He lived in Kindersley until age 11 before moving to Melfort and later playing for the Melfort and Unit Comprehensive Collegiate Comets nine-man team in high school. He said the veterans he played with when he first joined the Roughriders reinforced that. 'It really is an honour to be able to play for this province being from here,' Ferland said. 'Growing up watching these guys and now being here, I have to pinch myself sometimes and just really realize where I am at. 'I have full-circle moments when I think back to where I initially started watching those guys and really looking up to those guys on TV.' He says he is now setting a goal for young players who want to play professionally. 'Especially the ones from Saskatchewan – from the small-town schools – that might not think they have the opportunity. 'They can make an opportunity for themselves.'
National Post
22-05-2025
- Sport
- National Post
Roughriders suffer more injuries along offensive line
Article content The Saskatchewan Roughriders have lost a pair of offensive lineman for the foreseeable future due to injury. Article content Article content After it was revealed centre Sean McEwen will be out long-term with an unspecified leg injury, Roughriders head coach Corey Mace told media in Saskatoon on Wednesday during training camp that guard Philippe Gagnon will also miss a considerable amount of time after tearing his biceps on Monday. Article content 'We got the results back, man, and unfortunately he ended up tearing his biceps,' said Mace. 'It might not be season-ending — which is good for him, good for us — but similar to Sean, it's just unfortunate; it didn't look like much but that's just the way it went.' Article content Both McEwen, a former Calgary Stampeder, and Gagnon, a former Montreal Alouette, were signed by the Roughriders during free agency this off-season with McEwen slated to start at centre, replacing Peter Godber who signed with the Ottawa Redblacks, while Gagnon was battling for a starting guard spot. Gagnon was also a potential replacement for McEwen at centre before his own injury. Article content While the 2025 season hasn't even kicked off yet, the Roughriders are now forced to shuffle the deck along the offensive line already, much like they did last year when the team deployed 13 starters and 16 total offensive linemen throughout the 2024 CFL season. Article content Guard Logan Ferland, who started five games at centre last season while Godber was injured, is a candidate to fill the vacant centre role this year while fellow guard Zack Fry is another option. With the injury to Gagnon, it's expected Ferland and Fry will play in the interior of the line along with American Jacob Brammer. Fellow Americans Trevon Tate and Jermarcus Hardrick are expected to be the starting tackles. Article content Article content The Roughriders also have Americans Yoseph Carter, Payton Collins, Nick Jones, Brandon Kemp, Jahmir Ross-Johnson and Canadians Erik Andersen, Daniel Johnson, Brayden Noll, Noah Zerr still at training camp competing for roster spots. Saskatchewan had previously released Zerr on May 14 after three days of camp before re-signing him on Tuesday due to the injuries. Article content Article content The Green and White are set to play their first pre-season game on Saturday when they visit the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2 p.m., CFL+) before returning to Regina on Monday for the final week of training camp, which wraps up with a home pre-season game on May 30 also against the Bombers. Article content
