It has been well documented on various message boards and blogs that one of the major reasons Syracuse was more successful this season was because of improved line play. I am taking this a step further and saying it is THE reason for the success. All the changes we made offensively starting with the faster pace was made possible because of the offensive line. You can have quarterback who can throw the ball into a garbage can from sixty yards away, running backs and wide receivers who can run 4.3, but without someone blocking the defenders none of it matters.
The biggest improvement can be seen in one individual, Macky MacPherson. From the day he was offered a scholarship people said it was only because of his last name. Many big time colleges give special consideration to so-called "Legacy" recruits. I saw Macky play in high school on several occasions and I thought he was a decent lineman with pretty good size. Football skills can be taught, strength and quickness can be gained. Size is something you either have or don't have. His pretty good size and, I am not going to kid anyone, probably to a certain extent his last name led to his scholarship at SU. I have no problem with SU honoring their past by offering a borderline Division I player a scholarship, because of what his family have done for the program.
Anyone who has ever looked for a job can tell you that "who you know" is a big part of landing an interview and sometimes a big part of getting hired. I have personal experience with this, my father and grandfather have a combined 450 plus wins as head football coaches at the high school level. I interviewed for several head coaching jobs right out of college with an okay resume, high school assistant coach and a year as a Division III defensive line coach, but nothing spectacular. I have no doubt that the success of my father and grandfather played a large role in me getting interviewed. However, people are not going to put their own jobs and futures at risk just because of who you are, who you know or who you are related to. If it was deemed that I was not a good fit and couldn't handle the job I would not have been hired. If it later it was deemed that I was not doing an adequate job I wouldn't be appointed the following year.
I like the saying, "Who you know may get your foot in the door, but it is up to you to open the door and stay inside." This holds true with many people in the world. I believe this holds true for Macky MacPherson. He may have gotten a chance because of his grandfather. However, he worked hard to get stronger, quicker and turn himself into a legitimate Division I starting offensive lineman. He made the most of his opportunity and was a major reason why Ryan Nassib went from having happy feet and major o-line trust issues last year to a possible early round draft pick this year.
I hope all of the players on the SU team take advantage of their opportunities. It doesn't matter how or why you got there, it only matters what you do when you arrive.
