Ryan Grubb and Kadyn Proctor Speak About the Growth of Michael Carroll

Offensive lineman Michael Carroll has been a name constantly brought up throughout the season. The freshman has impressed not only with his size and athleticism but also his approach to learning and developing at the collegiate level.

Get our free mobile app

As the season has progressed, Carroll has been in competition with fellow lineman Wilkin Formby for the starting right tackle job. On Monday, Ryan Grubb emphasized that while both players have shown promise, consistency remains the key factor for both.

Grubb stated, "Consistency is the biggest thing for both of them. DIfferent vantage points for both guys, but I think consistency is one of the biggest parts. Obviously, the good offensive line play, there’s no plays off. You don’t get to be on the back side of a route or something like that. So yeah, we just gotta have more consistency at that spot, so whether it’s Michael having a full grasp of the offense or Wilkin executing at his highest capability, we just gotta have better consistency at that spot."

Coaches have praised Carroll's work ethic and attention to detail, while teammates have noted his competitiveness and willingness to take coaching. "The playbook aspect has definitely been getting better for him. I know it's hard as a freshman–there's a lot of stuff going in; there's a lot of stuff that you have to remember–but he's been doing really great with that. As with any freshman, you got a guy next to you telling you some things that you need to do, like a play. If you don't know the play, we just tell him, 'Ask if you don't know; ask questions.' And he's definitely done that, and he's definitely growing in that aspect," said Kadyn Proctor during media availability on Tuesday.

Carroll's steady improvement has put him squarely in the mix for a starting role, showing flashes of maturity beyond his experience. His discipline and drive have made him one of the most talked-about young players in the offensive line room.

"When the game's moving fast, he's just gotta be able to do the same. Honestly, there was one pressure pickup that Michael M.A.'d on in the game. Super encouraging, we were having a unit meeting. I call Michael out in front of everybody. 'Whose fault was this? Who's the M.A. here?' Michael takes full accountability. 'It's mine.' 'What was the call?' 'It was a take-it-right call.' He had the whole thing down. He knew exactly what should have happened, who the running back... He was immediately able to articulate what should have happened in the play. And the growth that you can see from a young player like that just proves to me that he is very close to being able to be an every-down guy here," Grubb said.

Carroll's attention to detail and steady progress have been defining characteristics of his development thus far.