Injured CSU center Jake Bennett, seated, watches Rams’ practice Tuesday (Terri Frei, The Denver Post)
FORT COLLINS — Colorado State coach Jim McElwain played a bit coy Tuesday about how the Rams will adjust in the wake of center Jake Bennett’s likely season-ending knee injury.
Yet he was open enough to confirm that the major options involve choosing between sliding guard Fred Zerblis to center or plugging backup center Kevin O’Brien into the starting lineup. Both Zerblis and O’Brien did work at center in the Tuesday practice.
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Even the more simple solution — going with O’Brien — would involve some shuffling, also tied to tackle Ty Sambrailo’s return to the lineup. All of that underscores that fact that even in college football, with more numbers, offensive linemen almost invariably must be capable of playing multiple positions.
McElwain noted this week that one thing that stuck with him about his 2006 season in the NFL, as an Oakland Raiders assistant, was that an NFL team’s active roster usually has only seven or eight offensive linemen — and they must be capable of playing multiple spots.
That struck a chord with me because my father, Jerry, was an NFL offensive line coach with three teams before winding down his career as a Broncos scout and administrator, and he always prized his linemen’s versatility, adaptability and intelligence.
McElwain’s NFL experience obviously affected his coaching strategems since, and the Rams, with Derek Frazier as offensive line coach, seem more conscious than most college staffs of seeing to it that the guys up front are well-versed in multiple positions. Last season, center Weston Richburg, destined to be the New York Giants’ second-round draft choice, took occasional reps at tackle, just in case.
After practice Tuesday, Zerblis, who probably will end up starting at center Saturday against oston College, said he was fine with however it worked out.
“I haven’t ever really stopped playing center,” Zerblis said. “I mean, it’s not really that big of a deal to me. Moving to guard and now taking a little bit more center reps isn’t that much of a difference. I just need to keep preparing, taking mental reps, watching film in the film room.”
Terry Frei: tfrei@denverpost.com or www.twitter.com/TFrei
