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The success of any good football team’s offense begins and ends with the five guys in front. For Richmond, its experienced offensive line will prove invaluable as the Spiders begin their CAA title defense in 2024.
Last season’s offensive line helped the Spiders rank second in the CAA in completion percentage at 67.8 percent, while quarterback Kyle Wickersham led the nation in the category at 72.6 percent during his first season in the starting role. Richmond averaged 345 yards and 28.2 points per game and was fourth in the CAA and 19th nationally in first downs.
While this year’s unit will look to fill the holes left by the departure of 2023 starters Gavin Lamp and Ryan Coll, who signed with the Atlanta Falcons following the NFL Draft, the Spiders are deep in the group and geared for even more success thanks to those who have been in the position before and those who have been diligently honing their craft and waiting for their chance to become regular starters.
Richmond’s offensive line is reloaded as it welcomes back team captain Tom Elia, Keith Gouveia, Scott Hummel, Parker Mitchell, Cade Salyers and Phillip Gray III who all made at least one start in 2023 and, with the exception of Salyers who missed the majority of the year due to an early-season injury, were listed on the final two-deep of 2023.
Salyers is now set to return to competition and will line up next to familiar faces like veterans Elia and Gouveia who have been longtime fixtures on the o-line, along with redshirt sophomores Gray III and Mitchell who will compete to be full-time starters in 2024. Outside of the time he was injured, Salyers along with Elia, Gouveia, Gray III and Mitchell have been listed on nearly every two deep of their careers.
While there’s a level of familiarity in the athletes lining up across from opposing team’s defenses, their position coach, Keegan Kennedy, is in his first season with the program.
Kennedy came to Richmond from Harvard where he served in the same role since January of 2019. Prior to Harvard, Kennedy spent three seasons with Coastal Athletic Association member Rhode Island and has made stops at Central Florida and John Carroll. His 2023 Harvard team was the Ivy League’s top rushing team as his offensive line blocked for five of the Ivy League’s top 10 rushers. Five of Kennedy’s linemen were All-Ivy selections as the unit helped Harvard win the 2023 Ivy League championship with a league-best 8-2 record. The Crimson finished first among Ivy teams with 31.8 points per game.
Along with his duties as offensive line coach, Kennedy will serve as run game coordinator.
Redshirt freshmen Godwin Burger, Ronald Anderson and Kade Capriso will look for their first collegiate playing time, while true freshmen Kelsey Hundley, Bo Fowler and Luke Surret will spend camp learning from the established and poised group of leaders ahead of them.
2024 Richmond Spiders Offensive Line
#52 Gabriel Carbajal (R-Jr., 6-4, 290)
#53 Kelsey Hundley (Fr., 6-4, 260)
#55 Ethan Calveric (R-Jr., 6-3, 255)
#56 Tom Elia (Gr., 6-3, 296)
#66 Keith Gouveia (R-Jr., 6-4, 305)
#68 Godwin Burger (R-Fr., 6-5, 270)
#70 Ronald Anderson (R-Fr., 6-3, 260)
#71 Scott Hummel (R-Jr., 6-3, 301)
#72 Bo Fowler (Fr., 6-5, 250)
#73 Phillip Gray III (R-So., 6-4, 300)
#74 Cade Salyers (Gr., 6-4, 325)
#76 Parker Mitchell (R-So., 6-4, 280)
#77 Kade Capristo (R-Fr., 6-3, 275)
#78 Luke Surrett (Fr., 6-4, 300)
Source link : https://richmondspiders.com/news/2024/8/3/camp-notebook-1-offensive-line.aspx
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Publish date : 2024-08-03 23:10:45
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