RAMS in the Spotlight

Offense: the Offensive Line

This is the second in a series of positional analyses of the current state of the Rams...

Offensive Line coach Jim Hanifan has his work cut out for him this year taking the youth and raw talent that he's has been supplied with and turning it into a solid unit that will protect Tony Banks in the pocket and open up holes for Robert Holcombe and Co. in the Rams backfield. The offensive line has been very unstable in recent years, a problem area for the Rams since they arrived in St.Louis.

Last season, the Rams were plagued by youth, injuries, and holdouts across the line. One projected starter at Left Guard, Gerald Perry, could not even decide whether he wanted to be a football player or not only adding to the general situation of instability that characterized the state of the Rams in `97 at this position. Many will argue that stability is perhaps the most important attribute of a solid offensive line. Dan Dierdorf and Conrad Dobler who were a part of many great Lines coached by Hanifan for the old Big Red have said that what made their lines great was not the greatness of any one of them as individuals, but rather their cohesiveness as a group... each man along the line knew what his fellow linemen were going to do, who they were going to block, and reacted accordingly.

There is good reason to be hopeful that Hanifan can recreate that kind of success with the Rams. The Rams DO have alot of young talent on their offensive line, as they have invested quite a few early picks in this position in recent drafts. Here then is a positional breakdown of what Hanifan has to work with in 1998...

Left Tackle Orlando Pace figures to be a solid cornerstone on the Rams line for many years to come. Orlando was considered hands down the best overall player in last year's draft. Dick Vermeil liked him so much that he gave up 4 draft picks to move up six spots and make Pace the number one selection in the draft. Pace's impact as a rookie, however, was tempered by a long holdout that forced him to miss all of training camp and most of the preseason. Once Orlando was signed to a long term deal though, it didn't take him long to find his way into the Rams starting lineup. As expected, he showed flashes of brilliance in `97, often flattening more experienced DE's with his massive 6'7 340 lb. frame... the sort of power that earned Pace his nickname as "pancake man" during his awesome college career at Ohio State. Orlando worked hard in the Rams offseason conditioning program after what he considered a dissapointing rookie season and lost 20 lbs. of baby fat and added muscle. With a year of NFL experience, along with a full battery of offseason workouts and training camp under his belt, look for Left Tackle to be the least of the Rams worries this year, as Orlando Pace looks to make the Pro-Bowl sooner rather than later.

Lining up next to Pace at Left Guard will be former Tackle Fred Miller. Affectionately tagged "Freddie" by Hanifan who loves Miller, Miller started 5 games at RT last season while Orlando Pace was out of the lineup and Wayne Gandy played LT. Miller was expected to challenge for the starting RT position this year, but the precamp retirement of Ed Simmons, who the Rams had slated to play LG, pressed coaches to try Fred at Guard upon his request. Expect Fred to go through some growing pains at the start of the year, as he gets used to a new position, but also look for the Rams to run left often behind the 6-7 330 lb. Miller and 6-7 325 lb. Pace.

Backing up Miller will be 2nd year man, Ryan Tucker. Ryan is another guy who should benefit incredibly from his first full offseason and training camp in the NFL. Last year Ryan was selected by the Rams in the 4th round of the draft, and considered to be a steal insofar as he was a potential first rounder who fell into the later rounds due to recent knee surgery and off the field legal problems. Tucker is also working hard this offseason and repotedly adding valuable pounds of muscle to his huge 6'6 frame.

He can play both Guard and Center, but the Rams coaches have listed him solely as a Guard this year, originally hoping he could provide an immediate upgrade to John Gerak who started at LG last year but was slow of foot and recently was released as per his request. On passing downs the Rams hope to include more of the three step drops that were very successful in the final four games of `97 and Tucker's height would present an obstacle to Banks' pocket vision at Center. Ryan needs more time under Hanifan's guidance learning to pass block in the NFL. He should be the first Guard off the bench.

At Center, the Rams expect an interesting battle to develop during training camp for the starting job between returning starter Mike Gruttadauria and newly added former Cowboy starter John Flannery. Gruttadauria was solid if unspectacular in `97 in a starting role in only his second full season back in football after being plucked out of a tire manufacturing plant by the Rams the previous year. Flannery has pushed him in camp, however, he made the all rookie team coming out of college with the Oilers and had a couple of solid years before blowing out his knee and resurfacing as a spot starter for the Cowboys last year. He adds valuable depth that was sorely lacking in `97, as evidenced by the poor performance of Vernice Smith substituting for Mike in the Denver game. "Grutt" has had a stellar camp and preseason by all accounts after adding 10 lbs. of muscle in the offseason, but recent leg surgery will keep him sidelined for the 1st game or two of the season. Flannery looks very comfortable at his old position of Center, and he will start in Mike's absence.

Right Guard is another position on the Rams line that was hampered by injuries throughout 1997. Former second round pick Zach Wiegert from Nebraska was converted from Tackle before the start of the season and his play was marred by shoulder injuries. Some have maintained that Zach's "injuries" may have been more mental than physical last year, nonetheless he has shown in his first two years that he has the size and the power to be a solid player for the Rams. Some believe that Wiegert may be the most mobile of all the Rams linemen as well. Expect Zach to really step up his play in his contract year and prove a valuable component of the Rams ground game and earn the type of contract that he believes he deserves.

Another player who will be in his contract year in 1998 is starting RT, former first round pick out of Auburn, Wayne Gandy. Wayne was credited by head coach Dick Vermeil as being the Rams best Offensive Lineman in 1997. Wayne is very versatile, he can also play LT and did so for the first few games of the year until rookie Orlando Pace got himself up to speed. Wayne was one of the few no shows in the Rams optional offseason conditioning program and his name was mentioned in predraft trade rumors, but since camp began in July, Wayne has looked aggressive and solid on the right side for the Rams. As the senior statesman on a very young offensive line, Wayne has been a more vocal leader during the preseason, at one time calling for a media boycott to foster unity among the offensive line. If Gandy can improve upon his drive blocking in 1998, then he and Wiegert on the right side could help turn Vermeil's dream of a Rams power rushing attack into a reality.

And If Jim Hanifan can pass on some of his years of NFL experience to these young guys and mold them into a cohesive unit... then new Rams tailback Robert Holcombe and Rams fans everywhere could have alot to be thankful for in 1998!

ROSTER

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