This football season, seven different players on the Andover Central football team took on the vigorous job of playing the position of offensive lineman. An offensive lineman’s job is to protect the quarterback by giving him time to throw, or creating space for the running back to rush through. The job of an offensive lineman is taxing, and it can be an unthankful and unappreciative position to play.
“Playing the position of an offensive lineman is hard and physical, and it’s not for
everyone,” senior Nate Peak said.
Offensive linemen take pounding upon pounding from the opposing team’s defensive
linemen to give the offense a chance to score.
“Offensive linemen do all the dirty work. Other players get the glory, but at the end of the day when we win and put points up on the board it feels amazing,” senior Drew Daniels said.
Daniels was voted First Team All State, and offensive player of the league in AVCTL Division II.
Typically, five offensive linemen line up at the line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped. The five positions include center, right guard, left guard, right tackle, and left tackle. Senior Nate Peak plays center and is the leader of the offensive line. He is responsible for making pre-snap blocking adjustments and snapping the ball to the quarterback.
Senior Drew Daniels and junior Bronx Wood play the position of right guard and left guard. Their job is to protect the quarterback from opposing linemen during pass plays, as well as create openings for the running back to head through. Junior Aydan
Tommer also plays the position of left guard and rotates with Bronx Wood. Senior Dawson Howard and senior Andrew Mann play the position of right tackle and left tackle.
Tackles are the best pass blockers and their job is to counteract the pass rush of defensive ends.
Normally, there are five offensive linemen, but occasionally the quarterback needs more protection, or the running back needs a bigger running lane. When more protection is needed, the tight end will shift inside to help block. Senior Isaac Sheeran played
tight end for the football team and was a big part of the offensive line’s success.
This season, the offensive line helped the offense accumulate 2,686 rushing yards and 1,883 passing yards. In just 13 games, the offense amassed 4,569 yards of total offense and averaged 351.5 yards a game.
“You have to beat the guy in front of you, and if you don’t, the whole play is screwed up
because everything starts up front,” senior Dawson Howard said.
Being an offensive lineman can be difficult and unrewarding, however, they are a crucial part of any football team. Five of the seven offensive linemen from this year’s team will move on to college and won’t return to the high school football field next year.
Hopefully, juniors Aydan Tommer and Bronx Wood will be able to carry on the success of this season’s offensive line into the next football season.
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