A Look at the 2008 SFA Offensive Line
8/20/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 20, 2008
NACOGDOCHES - The biggest part of the battles that take place on the football field are won and lost by some of the most overlooked, and underrated athletes in any sport, offensive linemen. Offensive linemen usually never get recognized until something goes wrong. A false start, holding call or the quarterback gets dropped for a 10-yard loss and everyone in the stands notices the offensive line. A running back receives a key block that turns a crack into a gaping whole allowing him to break a 50-yard run for the score, and the running back receives all the glory. Such is the life of an offensive lineman.
The Lumberjacks are hoping that the 2008 offensive line can go relatively unnoticed in 2008, and if they do that can mean positive things for SFA. But unlike 2007, the '08 Lumberjacks enter the season with quite a few questions after losing five letterwinners and four starters from season ago, which included Brock Pasteur who signed a free agent contract with the Tennessee Titans.
"We have a very inexperienced offensive line," said offensive line coach Chris Truax. "We're looking for our five best guys who can play together. Once we have that we will continue to get them more reps. It's important that you have five guys on the same page at all times."
SFA has attempted to aid its youth with the addition of transfers from the NCAA Division I FBS and junior college levels. The Lumberjacks have brought in Cameron Schacht (6-4, 285), Chris Garrison (6-5, 305) and Max Holmes (6-4, 285) to help bolster the offensive line.
A former All-SWJCFC selection at Navarro Junior College, Schacht also brings experience from the FBS level as well having spent time at Oklahoma. Schacht broke spring camp listed No. 1 at center just ahead of sophomore Jesse Funk.
Garrison and Holmes will be looking to lock down the guard spots for SFA. Garrison is a former all-conference player from Mesa Community College in Mesa, Ariz. Holmes is an LSU transfer who helped guide the Tigers to the 2007 National title.
"It makes it tough on your football team when you're trying to get a new unit to gel together, but you're also dealing with so many new faces," said Truax. "Not only are we working with a lot of new faces, but we are also learning a new offense as well as new defensive structures."
Even with the addition of the transfers, don't overlook the Lumberjack returnees. Junior Karl Glimp (6-6. 290), and sophomores Jesse Funk (6-3, 275) and Joshua Steger (6-4, 280) have all seen significant action during their time on campus. Glimp enters his junior campaign with a streak of 22 consecutive starts. Steger enters preseason camp as the starter at right tackle, while Funk finished spring drills listed second on the depth chart at center.
"Glimp is a returning starter," said Truax. "But he was unable to participate during spring ball, so he has only had 15 workouts. Steger was pretty good at right tackle for us last season, but after that our experience level drops way off."
Also fighting for starting jobs are juniors Bradley Chmelar (6-5, 290) and Daniel Patricio (6-6, 315), and sophomore Blake Hinton (6-3, 275). Chmelar came into preseason camp listed second on the depth chart behind Glimp at left tackle, while Hinton was second behind Garrison at left guard. Patricio is battling Holmes for playing time at right guard.
Houston native George Bias enters fall camp listed second on the depth chart at right tackle. Bias (6-4, 280), a talented member of the 2007 signing class, may have an uphill battle to jump past the more experienced Steger.
Normally, coaches prefer to redshirt incoming freshmen on the offensive front to give them a year to get stronger and get adjusted to the college game, but 6-2, 290-pound Henderson product Austin Wright is trying to buck that trend. Wright came into preseason camp and is forcing the coaches to consider him for early playing time at center.
"Obviously, we would like to redshirt our freshmen, but Austin has looked really good," said Truax. "We would like to redshirt Austin as well, but if he continues to play well and he is the best at his position, then he is going to play."
One upside about having so much youth on the offensive line is Truax, along with new offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson, will have more time to mold these players to fit a new offensive scheme. It would appear that the line is off to a positive start by judging the production of the offensive in its two scrimmages.
-SFA-
