Verlanic Injury Leads to Temporary Re-Shuffling
8/11/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Call it the Fall Camp Two-Step, a dance done by college football teams around the country at this time of year when injuries begin hitting starting units.
MSU's first injury to a starter occurred Monday morning, when center Jim Verlanic suffered a sprained ankle during a team segment of the full contact practice session, and a temporary re-shuffling of MSU's offensive line ensued. Verlanic's injury forced the move of junior guard Jeff Hansen to center.
"It's tough because (center is) a position where we don't have a lot of depth," Ash said. "As of right now Jeff Hansen will move over and play a lot of center with the ones. But Jimmy will be back."
Hansen is no stranger to the center position, starting the final 10 games of 2006 there. That run of games began Hansen's current 21-game starting streak, and instilled in him a willingness to play any position on the offensive front. "I like center, I like guard, I like tackle," he says with telling smile. "I'll play wherever."
Redshirt freshman Conrad Burbank moved into the guard slot vacated by Hansen's move to center on Monday. In part because Verlanic is expected back in a couple of weeks (the extent of the injury won't fully be known until Tuesday), Ash said the situation presents opportunity to Burbank, and others. "If there was one position on the line where we really didn't need an injury it was center," Ash said, "but you always have to look on it as an opportunity. This will be an opportunity for guys like Conrad Burbank and (Anthony) Patterson and maybe (Alex) Terrien to show us what they can do with the first unit. We'll rotate people in and see."
While Ash said the injury to Verlanic could hamper the Bobcats in the short run, the long-term impact should be negligible. "I think our practices could be a little sloppier this week right away with the first offense than they would be with Jimmy in there because the center makes a lot of calls. Jeff, though, is very capable. He'll do fine. Working new guys at the two guards will be interesting to see how it goes, but we won't slow down because Jimmy will be back."
For Hansen, preparation for any eventuality minimizes the difficulty of moving one foot to the right. "It's not so much that I've done it enough, but Coach Mac expects that if you play guard you know center, so when we're in meetings I listen to every position so if something does happen I can step in and know the position without missing a beat."
Two seasons ago, Hansen made the move with no experience at center in his background. "This is more comfortable for me," the junior co-captain from Great Falls CM Russell said. "Previously when I played center I had never even snapped a ball before. Now I actually have some experience snapping the ball, and that's one of the more difficult things."
Ash said the repetitions and experience gained by players who otherwise may have not been involved stands to benefit from the team in the long run. "We know what Jimmy can do, he's a good player, but it's an opportunity for our team to get better with Jimmy on the sideline for a little while."
MSU's first injury to a starter occurred Monday morning, when center Jim Verlanic suffered a sprained ankle during a team segment of the full contact practice session, and a temporary re-shuffling of MSU's offensive line ensued. Verlanic's injury forced the move of junior guard Jeff Hansen to center.
"It's tough because (center is) a position where we don't have a lot of depth," Ash said. "As of right now Jeff Hansen will move over and play a lot of center with the ones. But Jimmy will be back."
Hansen is no stranger to the center position, starting the final 10 games of 2006 there. That run of games began Hansen's current 21-game starting streak, and instilled in him a willingness to play any position on the offensive front. "I like center, I like guard, I like tackle," he says with telling smile. "I'll play wherever."
Redshirt freshman Conrad Burbank moved into the guard slot vacated by Hansen's move to center on Monday. In part because Verlanic is expected back in a couple of weeks (the extent of the injury won't fully be known until Tuesday), Ash said the situation presents opportunity to Burbank, and others. "If there was one position on the line where we really didn't need an injury it was center," Ash said, "but you always have to look on it as an opportunity. This will be an opportunity for guys like Conrad Burbank and (Anthony) Patterson and maybe (Alex) Terrien to show us what they can do with the first unit. We'll rotate people in and see."
While Ash said the injury to Verlanic could hamper the Bobcats in the short run, the long-term impact should be negligible. "I think our practices could be a little sloppier this week right away with the first offense than they would be with Jimmy in there because the center makes a lot of calls. Jeff, though, is very capable. He'll do fine. Working new guys at the two guards will be interesting to see how it goes, but we won't slow down because Jimmy will be back."
For Hansen, preparation for any eventuality minimizes the difficulty of moving one foot to the right. "It's not so much that I've done it enough, but Coach Mac expects that if you play guard you know center, so when we're in meetings I listen to every position so if something does happen I can step in and know the position without missing a beat."
Two seasons ago, Hansen made the move with no experience at center in his background. "This is more comfortable for me," the junior co-captain from Great Falls CM Russell said. "Previously when I played center I had never even snapped a ball before. Now I actually have some experience snapping the ball, and that's one of the more difficult things."
Ash said the repetitions and experience gained by players who otherwise may have not been involved stands to benefit from the team in the long run. "We know what Jimmy can do, he's a good player, but it's an opportunity for our team to get better with Jimmy on the sideline for a little while."
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