Size Matters: College Football's Biggest Offensive Linemen

[NewsCopy]

Here is the top 20 offensive lines according to size.

1-Ole Miss: Their line averages 6'4.4" tall and 334.2 lbs. per starter

2-Baylor: Always among the heftiest lines (avg. 6'6"& 328 lbs.)

3-Arkansas: (6'6.2" & 324 -- LT Dan Skipper tilts the scale more than a little at 6'10" 315)

4-LSU: (6'5.4" & 324 -- Both OG's are near 350 lbs.)

5-Utah: (6'3.4"- 321 lbs.)

... Tulane and Louisiana Tech, both average 313.2 lbs per man, ULM next 305.2 lbs. and the UL Ragin Cajuns average 295.4 lbs. How does size equate to success, you ask, well 12 of the preseason top 20 exceed the average.

The rest of the story ...

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[Big Buds]

The bigger they are...the harder they fall!

[Boomer]

The bigger they are...the harder they fall!

----Man --how long has this argument been going on--I can remember the Bear wanting small linemen that were quicker because of their blocking technique---i can remember C-Mac at LSU wanting bigger after Neb. kicked their butt---he talked about their leverage---Is big strong or fast and quick----Yes the great ones are!!!

[CajunRed]

Didn't seem to help Tulane, Techie and LaMonroe High.

[Boomer]

Didn't seem to help Tulane, Techie and LaMonroe High.

----You make my point!!! But remember we almost ____ed away the Tulane game and lost to Monroe!!!

[Hammer58]

----You make my point!!! But remember we almost ____ed away the Tulane game and lost to Monroe!!!

We beat toolame with a hobbled QB who went down on a drive that was heading for the endzone and a backup QB with limited experience.

We lost to the Hoax throwing three picks in the endzone.

Don't see the size of lineman playing into those outcomes to any great extent.

[Turbine]

We beat toolame with a hobbled QB who went down on a drive that was heading for the endzone and a backup QB with limited experience.

We lost to the Hoax throwing three picks in the endzone.

Don't see the size of lineman playing into those outcomes to any great extent.

The linemen don't go head to head so like you imply there is more at play than shear size.

On the other hand (I like to call linemen Time Machines) if the line can't buy or hold time, the QB will throw picks.

[Derfdog]

What is best?
To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women.

[Hammer58]

The linemen don't go head to head so like you imply there is more at play than shear size.

On the other hand (I like to call linemen Time Machines) if the line can't buy or hold time, the QB will throw picks.

Don't get me wrong, I truly believe that most games are won or lost on the LOS. But in those games against Tulane and ULMost there were unusual factors that contributed more to the final outcomes.

[Just1More]

The bigger (money) programs can recruit an athlete of that size. One of the reasons I very much wanted a Coach Hudspeth type coach for UL (not another coordinator that spent the majority of their critical time at a major program) is because Hud is not going to get fixated on how big a shadow OL or DL players cast... IF from the pool of athletes he's recruiting... there are significant drop-offs in foot speed and athleticism.

This article does not take into account that the most difficult athlete pool is lineman (to get good ones). And a national top program can find a behemoth that can still move. Programs that are not "top 25" had better not get wound up on height and weight averages... and had better recognize that a 6'2" 290 pound OL athlete will dominate a 6'6" 350 pound sloth all day every day.

I'm never fixated on these stats when it comes to the non top 25.

It's even stupid when you correlate the size of lineman among the national contenders, and not realize that they also have the best position players all over the field.