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This weekend, I started a movement on twitter. Yes, some of you may have participated in this, but for those who don't know, I won't go into details (with this being a family friendly site and all). What this proved, obviously, is not only am I one of the Top 6 Most Handsome CougCenter Mods, but also that I am, without a doubt, a trendsetter. I would like to take this time to start another trend, and I hope you'll all help me with this: STOP USING BEEF REFERENCES WHEN REFERRING TO A LARGE PLAYER.
Every time an offensive or defensive lineman commits, a WHERE'S THE BEEF? reference is made. Every. Single. Time. I propose we come up with a new word that isn't so outdated (c'mon, Where's the Beef? is from 1984). Suggestions will be taken in the comment section below. For now, though, remember this: every time someone says "Where's the Beef?" in reference to a large lineman, somewhere in the world, a kitten dies. Do you really want that on your conscience?
According to CougFan.com, Paul Wulff has his first hoss of the 2012 recruiting class. B.J. Salmonson is a 6'5, 265 lb. guard from Everson, WA. Located north of Bellingham in Whatcom County, Salmonson plays for 1A Nooksack Valley. He was listed on Ron Siegel's 2011 preseason senior All-State team in the Seattle Times. While he was listed as a DT on Siegel's list, he should play offensive line for the Cougs.
Video of Salmonson is scarce, but I did manage to find some tape here. I can't embed it, but you should go take a look.
First thing you notice is the competition. He's playing for 1A Nooksack Valley. Most of the defenders are guys smaller than myself, who will never play football again. You absolutely have to take his level of competition into account when attempting to evaluate him. Having said that, I do see positives.
Salmonson certainly has the frame for more weight. Wulff's off-season conditioning program has worked wonders thus far, with almost everyone bulking up. If he can get to around 285 or so, I think we'll have a nice player on our hands. A few times in the video, you can see the makings of a mean streak. He gets down field well for a man his size, and his feet look ok.
However, I do want to point out the negatives I see as well. I worry that his technique will begin to suffer after being able to so easily push people around for so long. At the next level, he's not going to outweigh his opponent by 100 pounds, and he won't be able to skate by on sheer strength alone. He gets too upright at times, and I'd like to see him get lower and drive his man.
Overall, this is a solid, if unspectacular pickup by the Cougs. I'm certainly not upset we're adding more (don't say beef, don't say beef, don't say beef) bulk, as we need all the help we can get on the offensive line. Hopefully, Salmonson can redshirt, hit the weights, and help this team in the trenches in a few years. However, I caution everyone to temper expectations, as going from 1A to the Pac 12 is definitely not going to be an easy task.
Also, anyone making "Fish is the new Beef, because his last name is Salmonson" jokes is going to get banned so, so fast.
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