In my opinion So'oto will be missed more than Hooks. So'oto is the best-blocking tight end on the team, and that's huge in our offense. Without a powerful tight end, someone the defense has to account for both on the line and in the secondary, defenses can cheat either against our run or our passing game. With a tight end who can both block and catch, which So'oto can, a lot more of our offense gets opened up. Pitta is a better blocker than George, but he's not as good as So'oto. In the headlines, we hear about the catches and yards that both So'oto and Pitta have been making, but we haven't heard about the good work that So'oto does on the line. We will miss that if he's gone this fall.
As far as Hooks goes, he's been seeing a lot of time with the 2's and has even been rotating in with the first team. He is bigger and stronger this year and has been raising his game, but he is still a couple of steps slower than some of the other linebackers, including inside backers like Poppinga. We will miss the depth he would have provided, however, and if Staffieri and/or Poppinga go down this fall, we will miss him on the field. But, in my opinion, his absence will probably not hurt as much as So'oto's.
At this point, I still don't know what happened or whether this is a long-term situation or temporary. We've already lost Matangi Tonga for the year (supposedly), and now if we lose these two guys as well, it will mean that two starters and a second-stringer will be out this fall. Man, when will these guys learn that Bronco and BYU mean business when it comes to the honor code?
If I hear anything further, I'll let you know.
