5th of 7 columns on the top positional
units in college football
For my
money, there is no unit more responsible for a team’s
success and failure than the Offensive line. When a line
plays great, they control the game —
so much so they can make even average players look like
stars. When a line fails, it makes even the best skill
players look lost. There’s a lot one needs to consider
when deciding what constitutes the best offensive line in
all of college football. They have to be able to run
block, that’s a given. A potent running game, in college
football is downright deadly. They have to be able to
protect the quarterback, and give him time to throw.
Depth at the quarterback position isn’t what it is in the
NFL, so keeping an incumbent starter healthy is tantamount
to success.
There
are several offensive lines for which fans could make the
viable argument that their “big uglies” get it done on
both counts. So, what am I to do? I fall back on the
thing, in my opinion, that’s crucial for any unit
—
experience. There are really five units that stand above
the rest: Oklahoma, Florida State, Texas, Michigan, and
Minnesota. All due respect to the others, but 2 first
round prospects this year, incredible experience, and
depth give the Sooners’ offensive line the nod.
I said
experience was the clincher, and here’s a number to
illustrate that experience —
199. This is the number of games, give or take a couple,
that this OU starting lineup will have by the end of the
season (barring injury).
For OU, it all
starts in the middle with big Vince Carter, their 295-lb.
senior center. He’s been a fixture at that position for
the Sooners since he was a freshman, starting all but one
game there last season, which he missed due to injury.
During his junior campaign, he managed 118 knockdowns and
surrendered just one sack. Carter, being a supreme pass
protector, is a top-tier NFL prospect at the center
position. His main criticism has been his run blocking
technique, but with OU promising a big-time running game
this year, he’ll be ready.
So, who is
number two on this best unit? Well, for this exercise,
All-World senior right tackle Jammal Brown warrants the
next look. He’s a towering figure at nearly 320 lbs. and
he’s the most technically outstanding right tackle in the
country. Brown one-upped Carter’s knockdown total last
year, tallying 127, and also gave up only one sack. Brown
has started every game over the last two years, and in
2002, he only had one penalty. Amazing, isn’t?
Now, those are
the big names, the guys who get all the pub and the ones
who’ll be trying on the baseball hats at Madison Square
Garden next April, but don’t discount the other 3
starters, who are all great players in their own right.
The top of
that list is left tackle Wes Sims. At 6’5” and 317 lbs.,
this senior excels at protecting the quarterback. He’s
another kid who’s played nearly every game since he was a
redshirt freshman. Because of Carter and Brown, Sims is
the kind of player who generally goes unnoticed, but
someone will see him when watching tape of those other
guys, becoming aware of what a great player he is, and
draft him.
No mention of
the guards, you say? Okay, how about Kelvin Chaisson, a
306-lb. junior guard with 19 career starts, and Davin
Joseph, a 315-lb. junior with 14 career starts. These
guys are practically invisible, but when you watch guys
like Kejuan Jones and Adrian Peterson breaking long runs
up the middle, these guys are probably the ones to thank.
Well, there’s
the best starting lineup in college football, is that
enough? Probably, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t comment
on the insane amount of young depth, the Sooners have.
They will lose 3 starters this year, both tackles and the
center, but they may not miss a beat. Reserve left
tackle, Chris Messner, is a 280-lb. sophomore, who
promises to make people forget Sims. The guy who’s slated
to replace Brown is a redshirt freshman named Akim
Millington. Right this name down, because by the time
this 6’6” 300-lb. young man is done growing, he will be
something special. And finally, Carter’s replacement will
be the super sub, junior Chris Chester. He’s 278 lbs. and
can play center or either guard position.
So, one might
say, “there goes all the depth, whatever will they do?”
Simple, just plug in a group of sophomores and freshmen,
led by Antonn Reid (6’3”/285 lbs.), Aaron Rothenberg
(6’4”/291 lbs.), J.D. Quinn (6’2”/287 lbs.), Randy Adams
(6’7”/289 lbs.), and Brian Zimpel (6’5”/310 lbs.).
This unit was
embarrassed in their final two games of last season, but
the fault for that, by and large, was on the coaching
staff. This year, they will be playing with a chip on
their collective shoulder, and that could mean bad things
for opposing defenses.
