Maybe I'm stupid, but doesn't not being on the football team this year sort of put a hole in his chances of playing in college?
Yes and no. It certainly doesn't help. And it will make it more difficult for him to even play varsity next year.
He's a lineman and he's not likely to get looked at and recruited for a scholarship. But, if he can get in at Tech, he's got a good chance of walking on and being picked up.