A Look at the 'Jacks' Offensive Line
8/24/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 24, 2006
NACOGDOCHES - The hogs, big uglies, grunts, or the Lumberjacks' very own SFA Grinders; no matter what words are used to describe them, the offensive line is the most under-appreciated position on the gridiron. While athletes at other positions receive accolades for the stats they accumulate throughout their careers, offensive linemen go unnoticed until the quarterback is dropped for a huge loss. But despite their lack of respect, no other offensive player can be successful without a good offensive line.
A lot of attention has been given to the youth of the Lumberjack football team, and that youth may be more evident on the SFA offensive line than anywhere else. The 'Jacks enter the season with no seniors, four juniors, one sophomore and nine freshmen on the line. Of the 'Jacks' four juniors, one is a junior college transfer and another is returning to the squad after sitting out an injury-plagued 2005 season. Despite its youth, the 'Jacks' O-Line will be expected to perform at a high level facing some tough NCAA Division I-A and I-AA teams.
"If you look at our depth chart right now, we have three guys on the squad that have traveled with us before," said SFA offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Gerald Broussard. "That will cause some sleepless nights when you consider Tulsa returns 10 starters on defense. But nobody is going to feel sorry for us. We have a job to do and we expect to produce."
The Lumberjacks will turn to 6-1, 296-pound Taylor Cobb to handle the responsibilities at center. Cobb transferred to SFA from Houston and was a member of the Lumberjacks' 2005 travel squad but saw limited action. Cobb will be backed up by 6-4, 270-pound freshman Jesse Funk from Carrollton, Texas. Funk has battled his way onto the 'Jacks depth chart after a solid performance during fall camp.
"Taylor Cobb is going to be our center," said Broussard. "He is a transfer from Houston who was the back-up last season. He has a real good grasp of the offense and we're excited about him.
"Cobb will be backed up by true freshman Jesse Funk. Jesse was a defensive lineman until his senior year in high school. He is really going to be a special player for us down the road," added Broussard.
The SFA tackles are going to be a very young group in 2006. The most experienced player on the current depth chart is 6-3, 328-pound sophomore Clint LaTray, who will be backed up by redshirt freshman Elijah Genskow (6-5, 314).
LaTray will be the guy the Lumberjacks turn to at right tackle. A 6-3, 328-pound athlete from Allen, Texas, LaTray really came on at the end of the 2005 season, starting the final four games of the year. With the defection of Scott Dover to the defensive line, LaTray is the lone returning starter on the 'Jacks' front line.
"Clint will be a solid player for us at right tackle," said Broussard. "He understands and has a good grasp of the game."
LaTray will be backed up by 6-5, 314-pound Elijah Genskow, who is coming off a redshirt season. Genskow was a guard during the spring but was moved to tackle during fall camp. He's just learning how to play the position, but the SFA coaching staff expects big things from Genskow in the future.
The 'Jacks will be counting on a couple of redshirt freshmen to lock down the left tackle spot in 6-5, 280-pound Karl Glimp and 6-6, 271-pound Dameion Harper. Both athletes have blazed a similar trail in their short time in Nacogdoches, earning spots on the 'Jacks' depth chart after an impressive spring and really working hard in the weight room.
"Karl Glimp will be starting for us at left tackle as a redshirt freshman," said Broussard. "Karl has really progressed during the spring and just continues to get better every day. He just needs to stay focused because he's not quite where he needs to be, but he has a huge upside. Harper also has a big upside, we've just got to get him more snaps."
After sitting out the 2005 season due to injury, 6-3, 302-pound, Brendan Flannery will be making his return to the SFA offensive line. The Lumberjack coaching staff is hoping that Flannery can return to the form that made him an honorable mention All-Southland Conference athlete as a sophomore.
"Flannery started the first 22 games of his career before being sidelined with an injury," said Broussard. "Despite his experience, he is still new to this coaching staff because he hasn't played for us yet. He really had a strong spring and has done a good job of picking up the offense. Now we just need him to improve on his execution."
Flannery will be backed up by a first-year player in 6-4, 275-pound freshman Dakotah Simmons. A former high school teammate of Dameion Harper at Henderson, Simmons worked his way onto the depth chart after an impressive fall camp.
SFA will turn to juniors Mike Davis and Tobi Kaiyewu (6-4, 302) at right guard. Davis, the biggest player on the 'Jacks' front line (6-3, 348 pounds), is a junior who transferred to SFA after an impressive career at Co-Lin Junior College in Mississippi.
"Mike has come a long way in terms of his knowledge of the game," said Broussard. "He just needs to play to get better and understand the speed that it will take to be successful here. He will be a solid player for us."
Kaiyewu has worked hard during the offseason preparing for his junior year. He has lost more than 40 pounds and has gotten stronger after spending the summer in the weight room with strength and conditioning coordinator Dan Eason.
The one glaring point about the Lumberjack offensive line is its overall youth. But the overlooked fact about this group is that the returners really hit the weight room in during the offseason to get ready for 2006. That fact, combined with a talented recruiting class, should leave a smile on the faces of Lumberjack fans everywhere.
