Football Preview: The Offensive Line
8/8/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
One of the position groups hit hardest by injuries in 2005, the offensive line was an area of great concern entering the spring. But after the institution of an offseason training table and a solid month of workouts, Martin is pleased with the results.
The offensive line was one of the areas where I saw the most dramatic improvement, head coach Doug Martin said. Coach Terry Tilghman and Coach A.J. Pratt really worked with those guys to improve their attitude and work ethic. Weve developed a lot of depth there now, with between nine and 10 linemen who could play for us right now, and their mentality has changed so that were much more aggressive up front.
Sophomore center Josh Perry made significant strides in the spring and worked his way into the first unit at center. Junior Kiff Kinkead, the two-year starter at center, forms a solid rotation. Veteran Craig Rafdal is a three-year starter at right guard, sophomore Travis McGraw returns from a knee injury that kept him out all of last season and will be the likely starter at left guard.
On the outside, sophomore Augustus Parrish continues to develop into a dominant player at the position and junior Joe Marafine also returns as the starter at right tackle. They are just two of the seven 300-pounders on the line after spring ball, with another four weighing 285 or more.
Juniors Justin Aderhold, Shawn Donaldson and Randy Robinson should also expect to be major contributors for the unit along with sophomore Dalton Memel, redshirt freshman Dante Campbell and junior Bill Starry.
Were bigger and stronger up front than weve been in the past, Martin said, but we still have players that move their feet very well. I really see offensive line being a strength for us this year.
