Solid offensive line must handle all the attention Solid offensive line must handle all the attention
By Scott Wright
Published: May 28, 2007
In football, attention most easily comes to those with the ball in their hands. Or the guy tackling the guy with the ball in his hands.
So the Oklahoma Sooners' offensive linemen face a unique situation, because even though they don't fit into either category above, the attention will be coming their way this time.
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No other unit on the team is as proven before the season, and it is possible no other unit will perform as well during it.
But for a group that rarely gets showered with such praise from the media or fans, the challenge will be handling the attention.
The OU offensive linemen have already posed for photos for The Sporting News, which proclaims them the best line in the country. And more attention will surely come.
While the Sooners try to sort out their committee of running backs and decide on their quarterback-to-be-named-later, the positive focus of the offensive discussions will be linemen and Malcolm Kelly.
So coaches Kevin Wilson and James Patton must find a way to keep their young blockers mentally balanced.
Some of the players — Branndon Braxton and Jon Cooper, especially — appear to have the mental makeup to handle it well. With others, it is unknown if the positive attention will produce a false confidence.
Youth could also play a factor. OU's projected starting line could be five juniors, but two sophomores and at least one freshman will be in the mix. And only one senior, Sherrone Moore, even appears on the two-deep roster.
Though the OU coaches will quickly grow tired of August discussions about which running back should get the ball the most or which quarterback should be starting, those distractions will at least help to shelter the guys who will truly anchor OU's offense.
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