NO MISTAKES Utah’s offensive line will utilize trust, communica- tion to combat the pressure and expectations of their position

Sometimes big deeds go unnoticed. In football, when things go right for a team’s offense, we don’t see them. Yet, when things go horribly wrong, we know the first place to look.
You wouldn’t typically think a guy who weighs more than 300 pounds would go unnoticed. But the life of an offensive lineman is one of almost no recognition but of high expectation. For sophomore left tackle Jeremiah Poutasi, expectations are all part of the job.
“I love it,” Poutasi said. “We just got to be on our ‘A’ game. All five linemen have to be on the same page.”
Though lineman are usually recognized for their size and strength because they usually go against players that are as big and sometimes faster than they are, the positions on the line take as much mental capability as physical capacity. If they so much as flinch before the ball is snapped after they are set, it will cost them five yards. Everyone recognizes an offensive lineman who fails to do his job.
Senior center Vyncent Jones strongly believes an offensive line group is about trust and communication. When everyone does what they are supposed to, you don’t worry about the other linemen, he said.
“If you go up to the line of scrimmage and you don’t know where to go, you will not be successful,” Jones said. “The more you know, you’re not going to be thinking too much.”
It all begins at the front. An offensive lineman has to know what is happening on every play and down because they are the players that make the play happen. Linemen must know how to pick up an incoming linebacker or two on a blitz and must try and account for every man trying to reach the quarterback.
Utah’s offense has changed with the hiring of co-offensive coordinator, Dennis Erickson, but the schemes and plays the Ute offensive line runs haven’t changed much from their original responsibilities. Co-offensive coordinator, Brian Johnson, hopes the familiarity will help, since the line is key to how this offense will function.
“Coming from last year, I just feel more comfortable with the offense we are running right now,” Poutasi said. “It’s more fulfilling for me and pretty sure for the rest of the O-line as well.”
In the previous season, the Utes had a struggle finding the right combination as to provide the best protection. Because of injuries and inconsistency for much of the season, the O-line was constantly shuffled until coaches were satisfied.
Tuesday was the first practice where drills were live and everyone was eligible to be hit. Miscommunication was an issue early, but the offensive front quickly shored up their play.
“It tends to happen when you put the pads on and do some live work,” Johnson said. “You’ve got to make sure guys got settled down. Once we got toward the end of practice, I felt like at the end our line started to settle down and make some plays.”