Why so many players are taking reps at center this spring

As the offensive line coach for the San Francisco 49ers, he was preparing his team to play the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night and only had seven players active for the game. It’s then he really started to note the importance of versatility of being able to play multiple positions on the line.

It’s followed him now to South Carolina this year, where plenty of linemen are taking reps at guard and center this spring.

“I think I owe it to all of my players who play inside—whether it’s Zack (Bailey), Sadarius Hutcherson or Donell (Stanley)—I owe it to all those guys to make sure they can snap the football,” the offensive line coach said. “Someday when they’re trying to make a professional football team, they’re going to be asked to play multiple positions.”

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He knows if and when those players, all of which have played inside at either guard or center at South Carolina, go play professionally they’ll be asked snap the ball.

He doesn’t want the lack of experience there to be the reason they get passed on by an NFL team.

“The first time they try to do that I don’t want their first experience to be, ‘Here I am trying to make the team at the highest level and I’ve never snapped a football in a game or played it in practice,’” Wolford said.

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Bailey played center his freshman season because of injuries hampering starter Alan Knott, and shifted to guard his sophomore year before going to tackle and now back to guard this spring.

Hutcherson originally started as a tackle but quickly moved inside once he got to campus and started four games and played in six more last season at left guard.

Through the first part of spring, Stanley is the team’s starting center, and it will likely stay that way through fall camp.

The redshirt junior, who started every game last season at guard, took some time to adjust but Wolford said he’s doing well.

“Donell was obviously last year one of our best players up front. The guy works hard. At the end of the day it’s important to him,” “He’s got a bright future. For his career he has to play both guard an center if he has aspirations of wanting to play in the National Football League.”

Also see: Tuesday morning practice notes

Now comes the part for Wolford where he says he has to develop depth and is working through that with some of the young talent on the team.

Eric Douglas is seeing some time inside this spring alongside Chandler Farrell and 2018 early-enrollee Hank Manos.

Manos, who played center throughout high school, initially started the spring at guard but was moved back to the center spot after Saturday’s scrimmage.

“I talked with Coach Muschamp the other day about having multiple guys—Eric Douglas, Chandler Farrell, Hank Manos,” Wolford said. “You have to have a lot of guys that can play center so we can have the success here we want to have.”