Cross This Line, I Dare You

 

Anyone who truly understands the game of football. Someone that knows what it takes to win. Someone that understands that the best team doesn’t always walk away victorious. Someone that reads the Saturday paper and takes in the stats and accolades, but does so with a grin, knowing that winning football teams have a great advantage that is often not talked about. An advantage that does not get in the Saturday paper’s stat line. An advantage that makes their playmakers seem like supper stars - the offensive line.

 

A team with a good quarterback, a good running back, and a good receiver will win a lot of games, but a team with all those same players and a good offensive line becomes great. Often we look at returning starters in the backfield and the number of touchdowns by receivers and try to determine how good a team is going to be in the next year. You can often hear fans talking about this running back is returning and he had 23 touchdowns last year, or the quarterback will be a senior and he had two thousand yards passing last year, his team is going to be good again this year. While listening to those fans, look around. Look for the quiet fan leaning on the fence not saying a word, just smiling. Walk over to him and ask him what linemen will be back because the hard core fans know that is the side of the bread that the butter is on. Those hard core fans know that quarterback passed for two thousand yards because he had five seconds to throw every ball. Those fans know that running back had 23 touchdowns because he always got five yards before he was touched. Those fans know the ball games are won by the linemen.

 

But, in high school those great offensive lines are hard to come by. If you get one or two good linemen you run behind them all day and have the quarterback roll out to their side, heck you may even move that good linemen depending the play because it’s better for the defense to know you are running to his side then to run behind a lineman that is just not up to the task of making a hole. Ask any coach, they would love to have a great offensive line unit where they could not care about the play call and who is on that side. A great offensive line is a magical thing to those that know football.

 

Raceland has one of those offensive line units this year. The Rams have a group of linemen that only come along ever so often, and at a small school, only come along once in a great while. Two guards and two tackles that you could move to different positions with the same result. A group of blockers that are not only good, but experienced, after playing together for three years. A group that is not only good and experienced, but are big with good feet (that may be odd to some of you stat readers, we on the offensive line don’t say “fast”, we say “good feet”. We don’t care about foot speed, more about foot mobility). Raceland, a middle sized Class 1A team has a line that is larger and more experienced then most much larger schools. You could find many Class 5A or Class 6A teams that would love to have linemen of this size and quality. In fact, many larger school coaches have commented on them at camps and combines this past summer. You could see Line Coaches watching, salivating, wishing they had this group. See, only the people that truly appreciate the game of football understand what a quality line can do for their team. Only those people can watch line drills and see what can be. Most people just think those linemen are firing off the ball and hitting the person in front of them. You have to be a real connoisseur of the game of football to appreciate the choreography of the line, the dance that is done by the five man unit, the “working separately, but working together” at the same time. It’s a thing of beauty when you see a group do it properly, and it’s an ugly mess when it’s done incorrectly.

 

Raceland’s line is anchored by returning three year starter, Nevan Johnson (Sr. 6’4” 290). Nevan is one of two players playing for the Rams that will be entering his 13th year of football. That’s right, he has played football since kindergarden. Johnson not only has the size, but, to use a football cliche, he has a “high football IQ”. Johnson can diagram the plays for every player on the field, break down defenses and understands not only the physicality of football, but the phycology of the game as well. Johnson has led the Rams in pancakes (for you stat readers, that is a touchdown for a offensive linemen. No, not really, but it’s pretty good) for the last two seasons, and will, more then likely, lead that category again this season. Johnson will take his experience to college next year and play at the next level. He has garnered interest from many colleges and will have a good group of schools to choose from.

 

Moving to left tackle from right tackle this season, Mac Boggs (Sr. 6’5” 270) will take over guarding the quarterback’s back side. Boggs has great size and has great speed for his size. Boggs would probably be a tight end if he were in an offense that had a tight end. Boggs played full back until last season when he made the move to the offensive line, a move that he didn’t seem to mind. An un-selfish player who was not bothered by the change. Boggs knows the game and understands what he can bring to the table. Boggs too, will have the chance to play at the next level, getting contacts from quit a few colleges.

 

Another three year starter, Austin Manis (Sr. 6’2” 255) returns after leaning down while gaining strength, not an easy thing to do. The lean frame has increased his mobility, which was pretty darn good to begin with, while the increased strength is going to catch opposing players off guard if they don’t watch out. Manis became more of a vocal leader last season, by nature he is quiet and reserved, but he seems to have found a way to turn on his football motivation when on the field. Manis is a quality player that has received some college attention.

 

Alic Risner (Sr. 6’1” 275) is the fourth returning starter. Risner has the “bad” streak of the linemen, he is one of those players that just learned to hit people. You know the kind of player that doesn’t look like he did anything special, but for some reason the player he hit goes flying through the air with his feet up in the air and has to be carried off the field afterwords. Risner just has a special ability to hit people. Oh, and he’s pretty mobile as well, deceptively fast. Risner is getting college attention and very likely will be playing college football next year. His brother is currently playing basketball at Georgetown College, he may end up there.

 

Under appreciated, under reported, and under estimated, the offensive lineman of the world are the driving force behind the sport of football. Raceland will be successful in 2013. They will have two thousand yard rushers, they will have a quarterback who throws for around two thousand yards, and they will have a few receivers fluttering around the thousand yard receiving mark, fans will read all about the stats in the Saturday paper. But, me, I’ll read them with a grin on my face thinking of the offensive linemen that paved the way, that gave that quarterback five seconds to check down to the third receiver, that gave that running back a five yard cushion by sealing that back side backer, that made that block on the jail break. I’ll be thinking of what a piece of art had to take place for those numbers to be posted, I’ll think of the linemen.

Nevan Johnson (Sr, 6'4" 290)

6'4 290? Yikes.

 

Any offers yet?

Austin Manis (Sr, 6'2" 255)

Mac Boggs (Sr 6'5" 270)

Alic Risner (Sr 6'1" 275)

6'4 290? Yikes.

 

Any offers yet?

Offers from Union and Morehead State. Positions offered from Centre and Walbash. With interest from Lyndsey Wilson, Indianapolis University, Williams College, Ouatacha Baptist, West Virginia State, and a few others.

Offers from Union and Morehead State. Positions offered from Centre and Walbash. With interest from Lyndsey Wilson, Indianapolis University, Williams College, Ouatacha Baptist, West Virginia State, and a few others.

 

Nice.

Impressive

Nice article.

 

I was hoping to see Denison, Defiance, Marietta or Ohio Dominican was looking at those linemen.

deleted

Extracted from Ram's post:

 

"Under appreciated, under reported, and under estimated, the offensive lineman of the world are the driving force behind the sport of football. Raceland will be successful in 2013. They will have two thousand yard rushers, they will have a quarterback who throws for around two thousand yards, and they will have a few receivers fluttering around the thousand yard receiving mark, fans will read all about the stats in the Saturday paper. But, me, I’ll read them with a grin on my face thinking of the offensive linemen that paved the way, that gave that quarterback five seconds to check down to the third receiver, that gave that running back a five yard cushion by sealing that back side backer, that made that block on the jail break. I’ll be thinking of what a piece of art had to take place for those numbers to be posted, I’ll think of the linemen."

 

 

Amen! And well stated brother.

Nice article.

 

I was hoping to see Denison, Defiance, Marietta or Ohio Dominican was looking at those linemen.

I have received second hand information that Ohio Dominican was interested, but they have not make direct contact as of yet.

Impressive

Hopefully this group will get the opportunity to play against your linemen. I think it would make for a great game.

O-Line Creed

We work the hardest,

We are known the least,

But we don't care,

For WE ARE THE REASON!

 

Don't know who came up with this quote, but Coach Jake Hallum used it often.