The interior of his offensive line will be elite
The game of football has changed significantly in the last decade when it comes to where the pass rush typically comes from Whereas defenses used to try to get to the passer around the edge of the o-line, more and more, the best pass rush seems to come right up the middle.
For decades, teams had their QBs throw from deep in the pocket. The QB would often take a five or even seven-step drop from under center meaning that the best way to apply pressure was off the edge because of the angle that it allowed rushers to take.
But with QBs now taking almost all of the snaps from the shotgun, they are getting rid of the ball faster than ever. Thus, defenses have figured out that the fastest way to apply pressure is to rush right up the middle.
That was where the hit that ended Bowman’s 2019 season came from. Thanks to a mixup in the interior of the offensive line, a delayed blitz from an Arizona linebacker resulted in a clean shot on Bowman, one injured his shoulder, and took him out for the rest of the year.
In 2020, the protection in front of the Red Raider signal-caller should be vastly improved. In fact, it should be elite.
Don’t forget that the Red Raider o-line was forced to play musical chairs to begin 2019. Both Jack Anderson and Terrence Steele missed games in the first three weeks so by the time the Arizona contest rolled around, it was the first time all year that the projected starting five had played together.
This year, Anderson will be back after missing nine games last year and he is one of the best guards in the country. He will be joined by redshirt sophomore Weston Wright, who was excellent in Anderson’s place in 2019. In the middle will be Dawson Deaton who did not allow a single sack last year.
Certainly, there will be questions about the tackles as Tech will be breaking in new starters on both sides. But it is easier to scheme against edge pressure than middle pressure. So if Tech’s o-line proves to be as solid along the interior as it looks to be on paper, Bowman may avoid the type of devastating hits that he sustained last year in Tempe, Arizona.