Syracuse Football: Offensive line set to make the most of camp

The members of the Syracuse Orange offensive line are the healthiest they’ve been heading into preseason camp. Their strict and regimented strength and conditioning this summer will be a huge asset when it comes to position battles at the left and right tackle positions.

Each player had a specific goal to achieve by the beginning of the season. They were not asked to lose weight, gain weight or stay the same, but reform their bodies to convert fat to muscle, based on their individual evaluations during the spring. Head coach Dino Babers needs his team to be up for the challenge of running his fast-paced offense, and he is quite pleased with how the O-line is shaping up.

The entire line motivated each other by eating meals together. That meant that one guy might be chowing down on a huge meal while his buddy across from him longingly looked on. On the practice field, the line was divided into their specific positions to work out instead of doing drills as an entire unit. Veterans like redshirt senior Omari Palmer believe that was very beneficial:

"We'd move around through whatever it was for the day, sprints or stations, and push each other," Palmer said. "Everyone was kind of challenging and competing against each other. It was cool to see."

— from Stephen Bailey’s syracuse.com article on the health of the O-line

As far as the position battle goes, the tackles are a more interesting storyline than the rest. At left tackle, redshirt senior Michael Lasker, who missed the majority of last season with a labrum tear, is looking to continue his great spring while sophomore Cody Conway vies for his coveted spot. Redshirt junior Jamar McGloster is battling with redshirt freshman Evan Adams for the starting right tackle position.

During Friday’s media day, Palmer praised all four guys, that Syracuse.com’s Stephen Bailey quoted in his O-line battle article, a good sign as the team gears up for the fast-approaching start of the season on September 2.

This seems like music to every Orange football fan’s ears.

Highlights from the first two days of preseason camp: