While George McDonald’s new spread offense is at the forefront of Syracuse football this spring, the offensive line in front of it is mid-shuffle.

Right guard Nick Robinson is out with a lower-body injury. Right tackle Ivan Foy is suspended from team activities due to academics. Center Macky MacPherson graduated.

In their places is a five-man unit with only one starter, left tackle Sean Hickey, returning to the same position while left guard Rob Trudo is shifting under center.

“I definitely think there’ll be some chemistry that Nick, Ivan and I will have to pick up on,” Trudo said, “but I don’t think it’ll be that detrimental because we’ve got all summer to work, all fall camp, before the start of the season.”

Four days into the spring session, the makeshift line of Hickey, left guard Omari Palmer, Trudo, right guard Kyle Knapp and right tackle Michael Lasker Jr. has begun to gain a rhythm. Lasker played crucial snaps in Syracuse’s 34–31 bowl-clinching victory, while Palmer played primarily on the field-goal unit and Knapp was severely limited due to a head injury.

SU head coach Scott Shafer said he likes the competitiveness of the unit, but with only two full-contact practices under their belts it’s hard to draw too many conclusions this early.

“I think we need more reps,” Shafer said. “I’m anxious to watch the film from today because we’ve kind of put the whole install in now. There’s really nothing new on their plate, so it’ll be telling after we watch some film.”

At the center of the change is Trudo. Coming to Syracuse three years ago, he learned the center position and took the majority of his repetitions there. But after he found a quicker route to the field at the guard position, he spent all of last season starting between Hickey and MacPherson.

Now he’s back in the middle and working hard to get on the same page as quarterback Terrel Hunt.

“Sometimes the snaps are here,” Hunt said, pointing toward his waist, “or sometimes my communication needs to be better. But I trust Rob. He’s been blocking for a few years. I trust Rob with my life.”

On Trudo’s left is the 6-foot-2, 309-pound Palmer. Trudo and Hickey agreed he’s taken the starting role well after playing sparingly last season.

On the other side of the line is Knapp, who went through a tumultuous freshman year after suffering a head injury in practice.

While he did not practice Tuesday due to the flu, teammates agreed he’s taken to the guard position quickly.

“He hates when he’s not on the field playing so it was hard on him (last year),” Trudo said. “I think he was anxious and eager to get out on the football field.“

Then there’s Lasker, who filled in for Hickey against the Eagles and is easily the most prepared of the three new starters.

Hickey said he’s confident enough in Lasker’s abilities to spend the majority of his time mentoring backups Jon Burton and Jamar McGloster.

After Hickey went down in the second series against Pittsburgh on Nov. 23, Lasker was thrown into the mix and struggled. But one week later, with preparation as a starter, he improved dramatically against the Eagles.

“Now we’re relying on him because of that experience and that learning that he went through last year,” Hickey said, “so we can focus our teaching on other players.”

The new linemen in the rotation are improving by the day. But come fall when Robinson and Foy are expected to return, it will have to shuffle back.

Still, Trudo and Hickey agreed that with the rate at which offensive linemen get injured, having a deep group prepared will be helpful next season.

Said Trudo: “I think that’s more beneficial to the unit as a whole.”

Published on March 26, 2014 at 12:08 am

Contact Stephen: [email protected] | @Stephen_Bailey1