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August 8th, 2008, 09:44 PM
Linemen do the dirty work, without any of the credit.
Lyndal Scranton • News-Leader • August 8, 2008
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Offensive linemen are brothers in bulk, responsible for the heavy lifting that leads to first downs and touchdowns.
Few are in it for personal glory. Egos might as well be checked at the locker room door.
"You have to be willing to go out there, play for the team and work your butt off ... and not get any recognition for it," Missouri State offensive guard Seth Reichert said.
Reichert is one of four returning starters on a Bears offensive line that is one of the team's most experienced position groups.
Reichert and fellow seniors Kevaughn Brown and Mark Graf, along with sophomore David Arkin, have high expectations.
"It's pretty exciting," Arkin said. "Coming into last year nobody really knew what to expect."
Added Reichert: "It's definitely nice to have guys with experience up there. We've played together, we all know each other and we hang out together."
Bonding is as much a part of playing offensive line as anonymity. Perhaps no position group has to be more on the same page.
Pushing against someone, trying to move him against his will, is difficult enough individually.
But if one guy misses a block? Bad stuff happens.
"It takes all five of them working together for the offense to be successful," offensive line coach Sean Coughlin said.
"It does take a special guy because you aren't going to score touchdowns, make a catch or pick off a big pass. But as the offense goes, it goes by the offensive line."
While linemen rarely make the headlines, their work is appreciated by their teammates.
Quarterback Cody Kirby and running back Kingjack Washington made a point to quickly befriend the guys who make their jobs easier.
"I've already told them every 150-yard game I get, I'm taking them out to a buffet," Washington said, laughing. "They really appreciated that. They told me to get my money ready."
Kirby said most people assume quarterbacks befriend their receivers first.
"But when you're a quarterback you want to get a relationship built," Kirby said. "It all starts up front.
"If you don't have a good line, you're not going to be a good team. Bottom line."
And the line, which grew up last season as the Bears averaged 36.3 points, should be a strength.
Center David Tillman was the only starter lost to graduation. Junior John Mayberry and sophomore Brent Chojnacki are in the mix to step in.
Coughlin takes over as the line coach after two years working with the tight ends. He replaces Chris Kapilovic, who took a similar job at Southern Mississippi.
The transition appears seamless. Coughlin, a former offensive lineman at Drake, feels right at home.
It helps that he's not far removed from his players in age, being just eight years removed from playing.
"He gives us everything he's got," Brown said. "I think we relate to him really well and he relates well to us."
Arkin said Coughlin is more laid-back than the animated Kapilovic, but is equally effective.
"He definitely knows what it's like to be in our shoes," Arkin said. "He knows when to push us and when to back off a little bit."
Fittingly, the offensive line does much of its practice work in an isolated corner of the field.
Which is fine by Reichert.
"You're the guys who don't get the attention, so you have that in common," he said. "We all understand that. That's OK. I still love it."
Lyndal Scranton • News-Leader • August 8, 2008
Post a CommentRecommend (2)Print this page E-mail this article
Share this article: Del.icio.us Facebook Digg Reddit Newsvine What’s this?
Offensive linemen are brothers in bulk, responsible for the heavy lifting that leads to first downs and touchdowns.
Few are in it for personal glory. Egos might as well be checked at the locker room door.
"You have to be willing to go out there, play for the team and work your butt off ... and not get any recognition for it," Missouri State offensive guard Seth Reichert said.
Reichert is one of four returning starters on a Bears offensive line that is one of the team's most experienced position groups.
Reichert and fellow seniors Kevaughn Brown and Mark Graf, along with sophomore David Arkin, have high expectations.
"It's pretty exciting," Arkin said. "Coming into last year nobody really knew what to expect."
Added Reichert: "It's definitely nice to have guys with experience up there. We've played together, we all know each other and we hang out together."
Bonding is as much a part of playing offensive line as anonymity. Perhaps no position group has to be more on the same page.
Pushing against someone, trying to move him against his will, is difficult enough individually.
But if one guy misses a block? Bad stuff happens.
"It takes all five of them working together for the offense to be successful," offensive line coach Sean Coughlin said.
"It does take a special guy because you aren't going to score touchdowns, make a catch or pick off a big pass. But as the offense goes, it goes by the offensive line."
While linemen rarely make the headlines, their work is appreciated by their teammates.
Quarterback Cody Kirby and running back Kingjack Washington made a point to quickly befriend the guys who make their jobs easier.
"I've already told them every 150-yard game I get, I'm taking them out to a buffet," Washington said, laughing. "They really appreciated that. They told me to get my money ready."
Kirby said most people assume quarterbacks befriend their receivers first.
"But when you're a quarterback you want to get a relationship built," Kirby said. "It all starts up front.
"If you don't have a good line, you're not going to be a good team. Bottom line."
And the line, which grew up last season as the Bears averaged 36.3 points, should be a strength.
Center David Tillman was the only starter lost to graduation. Junior John Mayberry and sophomore Brent Chojnacki are in the mix to step in.
Coughlin takes over as the line coach after two years working with the tight ends. He replaces Chris Kapilovic, who took a similar job at Southern Mississippi.
The transition appears seamless. Coughlin, a former offensive lineman at Drake, feels right at home.
It helps that he's not far removed from his players in age, being just eight years removed from playing.
"He gives us everything he's got," Brown said. "I think we relate to him really well and he relates well to us."
Arkin said Coughlin is more laid-back than the animated Kapilovic, but is equally effective.
"He definitely knows what it's like to be in our shoes," Arkin said. "He knows when to push us and when to back off a little bit."
Fittingly, the offensive line does much of its practice work in an isolated corner of the field.
Which is fine by Reichert.
"You're the guys who don't get the attention, so you have that in common," he said. "We all understand that. That's OK. I still love it."