30 Players in 30 Days: #21 — Connor Lanfear

Notes from Billy's breakdown on Lanfear

• The coaching staff is definitely counting on Lanfear him for depth. He’s a returning starter so it’s his job to lose. I think a healthy Connor Lanfear starts at right guard, but there are some guys coming up that could challenge him.
  
  
• I think Jared Hocker could push Connor Lanfear this year. Hocker has that spring and entire offseason under his belt. Hocker was impressive this spring while Lanfear was out. Connor is a returning starter who will be pushed because of his injury.
  
  
• He’s played in the SEC and that’s where Koda Martin benefits, too. They have real, meaningful reps in games. Lanfear has gotten that for nearly a whole season. He’s pretty experienced. Jared Hocker is going to have to rise up to beat Lanfear. He will have to really elevate for the coaches to feel comfortable putting a true freshman in there over an experienced guy.
  
  
• Keaton Sutherland and Lanfear didn’t beat out a veteran guy when they were co-starting in their freshman year. Hocker has a huge road block ahead of him in Connor Lanfear. Lanfear has to have been back during the offseason long enough to get his strength and stamina back up, that’s the weakness that could get him beat out. If the Connor Lanfear of last season shows up, he’s the starting right guard.

Notes from Olin's thoughts on Lanfear

• To me, the only question about Connor Lanfear is how strong is he going to be? Is he going to be able to come back from that injury? I thought he was good, consistent and one of the reasons that A&M ran the ball so well. He was a really good player and an up and comer who was establishing himself. I thought his absence was notable when he got injured.
  
  
• In that Alabama game, they moved the football on them, even in the fourth quarter. There were a lot of players that got overwhelmed in that game. I don’t know if Connor Lanfear was one of them. I think he tried to play the next week or two against Mississippi State and he got hurt again in that game. They moved the ball okay in that game. Is it all because of Connor Lanfear? No, there were a lot of other great players. But, when they were playing like a nickle and not five pennies, Connor was there. He was showing that he could be a solid performer and that he can get better and better. I still think he can as long as his injury doesn't hold him back.
  
  
• I like Connor Lanfear. I think he is a good player and has a chance to be a very good player if he’s healthy. His injury held kept him out in the spring, how much of a setback is that? He was a solid lineman with room for improvement and a guy that struck me as the type of guy who would do what was needed to improve.
  
  

Follow the entire 30 Players in 30 Days series here.