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| Christian Pace |
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 280 lbs.
High school: Avon Lake High School in Avon Lake, OH
Position: Center/guard
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #64
Last year: I ranked Pace #86 and said he would redshirt. He redshirted.
Pace was only 259 lbs. last year, which is roughly what I weigh after Christmas dinner. But I'm not trying to play offensive line in the Big Ten, so he needed some time to grow. He has grown since then, adding 21 lbs., which still isn't enough. The last time I saw Pace, 330 lb. defensive tackle William Campbell was teaching (er, forcing) him to moonwalk back into the path of running backs.
Pace did make appearances at guard this spring, which means he could be a backup in multiple locations. However, there are still several guys on the roster who can play center (David Molk, Ricko Khoury, Elliott Mealer, Ricky Barnum) that would probably be better options than the 280 lb. Pace. We'll probably see him on the field this year against, say, Eastern Michigan. But that might be it.
Prediction: Backup center/guard
How about Christian Pace at fullback!? MANBALL
ReplyDeleteHow's Pace holding up from the injury? He was hailed as the future at center because he was a Molk clone out of high school...undersized, but strong and willing with near-perfect technique.
ReplyDelete@ David 12:17 p.m.
ReplyDeleteIn the offseason, there were suggestions that it might be career-threatening. But he played this spring and I didn't hear of it acting up. So as far as I know, he's good to go.
I saw quite a lot of Joey Burzynski at Center during the spring game as a RSFreshman. Is it likely that they'll compete for center or was that more of a depth thing. I haven't seen much from either of them yet.
ReplyDelete@ Michael 1:29 p.m.
ReplyDeleteBurzynski isn't really an option there, at least not at this point in his career. The problem was that the team needed to get two full offensive lines on the field for practice purposes, and Lewan (who's healthy now) was out for much of spring with the elbow injury. There was just a shortage of offensive linemen due to poor recruiting practices, no early enrollees, and injury.
Do you think that Pace can take over the job in 2013? If not, we're looking pretty weak at center, unless Jack Miller is a big time overacheiver.
ReplyDelete@ Anonymous 2:47 p.m.
ReplyDeleteI did like Pace as a player coming out of high school. I think we'll be fine at center, as long as he stays healthy. He'll be a redshirt junior by then, so that will be plenty of time to add the necessary weight and strength.
Agree that he had good film coming out of high school. RR's buddy Rick Trickett recruited the heck out of him on behalf of FSU. The question is whether he is able to beef up. He's off to a rough start with the injury.
ReplyDelete@ Painter Smurf 4:51 p.m.
ReplyDeleteHe's already 280 prior to his second year of college. I think he'll be fine when it comes to size.