Line of Fire: Talented UL offensive line holds key to 2009

[NewsCopy]

  The five unsung heroes that helped UL’s spread option offense set numerous records last season are back on campus this fall. Here’s a crazy fact: Not all of their starting jobs are safe.

Former walk-on Chris Fisher returns for his senior season and fourth year as the starting center. In addition to earning first team All-Sun Belt Conference honors last season, he’s on the watch lists for the Rimington and Lombardi awards. Offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Ron Hudson says that Fisher’s job is safe, barring any surprises or injuries.

That’s not necessarily the case for left guard Brad Bustle, left tackle Kyle Pirtle, right guard Ian Burks and right tackle Jonathan Decoster. All four are getting pushed through the first week of fall camp by reserves Jaron Odom, Leonardo Bates, Colin Windsor and Kyle Plouhar, who all got extra reps in the spring with Fisher and Bustle out hurt.

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Joshua Parrott
jparrott@theadvertiser.com


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[Just1More]

Good OL overview. It's good to have senior leadership and so much talent and depth on the OL. This may be the year we provide a lot more cudos to the big men. RBs and QBs that give credit to their line sometimes mean it, sometimes don't know any better... but they are always correct. You can't get it done offensively without a good line.

We haven't had a QB in a long time that felt comfortable in the pocket. Our OL isn't used to it either. I hope all of that clicks this year. We need defenses to fear our QB's arm and start dropping into deeper coverage and being forced to stay with their assignments. If that happens, the offense will take off. If... and it is a big if... we use "the spread" to indeed spread the field... we still have what it takes to run down most of the SBCs throat... a really good OL.