BEAUMONT, Texas – It goes without saying that the job of an offensive linemen is not a glamourous one. When someone refers to skill position players, offensive linemen are not included in that discussion. When it comes to popular nicknames the offensive line gets the short end of the stick – the Hogs, big uglies, etc. There are no stats for an offensive linemen, other than "pancake blocks" and that is a stat that only coaches keep and does not appear on in-game scoring software that colleges use for official stats. To top it off, offensive linemen primarily go unnoticed by fans unless they make a mistake.
The athletes – yes, athletes – that play this position do their battle in the trenches. Their sole responsibility is to do a job so that others get the credit, stats and honors due to their hard work. Offensive linemen must be a team within the team.
For the 2017 Lamar University offensive line, the offseason has been a trying one. Not only did the Cardinals' front line have to adjust to a new head coach and position coach, but right at the point they were getting settled with how the new coach operates they were forced to do it all over again.
Shortly after being named head coach,
Mike Schultz hired a young up and coming coach by the name of Brad Bedell to coach the offensive line. The only problem, Bedell was too up and coming. Just five weeks after National Signing Day, the FBS came calling and Bedell left to take a similar position at Boise State. How did Schultz handle the setback? He simply went out and hired the offensive line coach away from the 2016 FCS National Champion James Madison football team.
Jamal Powell accepted Schultz's offer and he immediately went about the task of winning over his position group.
"Schultz replaced a talented coach by bringing in another talented coach who just won a national championship," said senior center Matt Oubre at the Southland Conference Media Day. "Coach Powell doesn't like to talk about what they accomplished at James Madison too much. He always says he isn't going to compare us to that group but show us what he did with those guys. You wouldn't know the guy was part of a championship by being around him because he doesn't talk about it. He is focused on this season."
Despite what the LU front line has had to endure in the offseason, their new coach believes the transition has been smooth.
"For an offensive line to play well together, the relationship has to be built on trust and respect," said Powell. "I think the transition is going well. We're coming together as a group. We began that growth during our 15 workouts in the spring and that has continued during the fall."
The reason that transition might be more important this year than in other years is because the Cardinals return just two starters from last year's squad – Oubre and senior
Connor Ward. Behind the two upperclassmen the rest of the roster consists of an FBS transfer (
Willie Williams) and sophomores or younger.
With only 13 returning starters on the whole squad, there isn't much returning experience at any position group for the Cards this season. If there is a silver lining, it may belong to Big Red's front five. Oubre is one of LU's two returning starters with three years of experience.
"As a senior, I think everyone feels a little bit of pressure because you want to go out with a bang," said Oubre. "Because of my experience, the coaches should be able to count on me for leadership. We brought in a lot of new guys this year and they should be able to count on the seniors. It's been a blessing to start the previous two years, but I can't take anything for granted. I have to perform. I'm being pushed everyday by some of these younger guys. I know they come to practice every day working to be the starter, so I have to come work every day and work to be the starter."
For the Cardinals to have success up front, they will need a healthy Oubre (missed four games in 2016 due to injury) – to be lead that leader.
"Not only is he a senior, but his is our center," said Powell. "He is making calls left and right, holding people accountable and he has to be able to communicate. We are trying to grow that, and he is doing a good job working toward that."
Although the depth chart has not been officially solidified up front, Oubre is the odds on favorite to be the starter entering the season. Despite his experience, as the Cardinals learned last year, you're always just one play away from the backup taking over the starting role.
"In addition to
Chase Bridgeman (6-4, 276), we moved William Stanley over from guard," said Oubre. "Those guys have really been pushing me. They have to enter everyday like they're the starter. Anything can happen in this game and your career be over in a moment, so the next guy always has to be ready to step up. They prepare each like they're starter, which forces me to have to do the same."
Big Red's other returning starter among the front five comes at guard in the form of
Connor Ward (6-3, 298). Although Oubre has more experience as a starter, Ward has been around the program for four years. He worked his way into the starting lineup as a sophomore, before taking over the role fulltime last season where he started 10 games.
"Connor is a very solid player," said Powell. "He is doing what I'm asking him to do, and what we're asking him to do from a team standpoint."
Ward will be counted on heavily for his leadership in 2017 because the experience levels drops drastically behind him. Among the guys competing for playing time, Garrett Bowery, Terrance Burns and
Colton Peterson are putting together strong camps but each is new to Division I football. Bowery is a junior college transfer who joined the team during the summer, while Peterson (6-4, 300) was part of a highly-touted group of incoming linemen on National Signing Day.
"Garrett Bowery is doing a great job coming in from the juco level, along with Terrance," said Powell. "Colton was part of our signing class this year. We're getting those guys a ton of reps and evaluating them. The important thing is consistency, but those guys are doing well."
Texas State transfer
Willie Williams (6-3, 285) will look to provide leadership at tackle along with Beaumont native
Ethan Cothen (6-4, 280). Cothen is a redshirt sophomore who is entering his third season with the program. Sophomore
Corey Nance also figures to be a part of the rotation, but the coaching staff is looking for some of its youth to step at the position as well.
"Willie started off at guard, but we moved him to tackle and he has adjusted well," said Powell. "
Ethan Cothen has really been working hard on the right side of the line. Corey is also a guy that is going to see playing time for us but after that we are young. We're still trying to figure out who the other players are that will be a part of the mix."
With so many new parts to an offensive line, consistency was a key focus during the spring and continues to be a primary focus as the team inches its way to the start of the 2017 regular season.
"We have been improving each day," said Powell. "One thing that we focus on is our pad level. That has been getting better every single day. One of the things you can tell from day one until now when we hit the sled there is a pop in the sled. That is one of the first things you have to do when coming off the ball."
One big area of focus when dealing with new quarterbacks, or more specific to the 2016 Cardinals, multiple quarterbacks due to injuries, is the comfort level between the quarterback and his line. That became an area of concern with the quarterback-center exchange last season. That is an area where Powell sees improvement each day.
"We are getting way better, because we're making that a point of emphasis," said Powell. "We're taking a ton of reps, not only in team and practice but we also do that in our individual workouts. We're making sure our center and quarterbacks communicate if there is a bad snap. We hold each other accountable."
In addition to the Cardinals returning players, the coaching staff really focused on the offensive line during the recruiting process. LU added five players to the front on National Signing day which included a transfer (Williams) and four prep standouts. The future is bright for the Cardinals offensive front.
-LU CARDINALS-
