Frontier Conference Football Preview 2012: Offensive Linemen

In football, if teams want to score points, if teams want to move the ball, then a top-notch offensive line is paramount. The Frontier Conference is no different.

For years now, the Carroll College Fighting Saints have made a living off of having a premier offensive line. Likewise, teams who

MSU-Northern's Brock Hyder (left) leads the way for running back Stephen Silva during a Frontier Conference football game last fall in Havre. Hyder is one of the top offensive linemen returning in the Frontier Conference. For a look at the top running backs in the league, see Monday's Havre Daily News.

have had recent good runs like Montana Tech, Montana State University-Northern and Eastern Oregon have used a stout offensive line to create success.

But in the upcoming 2012 season, several teams will be looking to rebuild on the offensive line as six of the 10 linemen who were voted all conference are now gone due to graduation.

One of those teams replacing some big talent on the line is the MSU-Northern Light. Northern lost a pair of two-time all-conference standouts in Matt Cervenka and Jorge Magana. Magana was the starting center for Northern the last two seasons and his shoes will be tough to fill.

But when it comes to returning talent on the offensive line, the Lights have plenty, including 2011 all-conference performer and NAIA Preseason All-American Brock Hyder. The 6-1, 265-pound senior has started over 30 games for the Lights in his career and has been a staple on what has been a good run on the line for the Lights.

"Brock will definitely anchor our o-line this fall and in my mind he is the best o-lineman in this conference and if he was blessed with some more height I truly believe he could be playing at a higher level of college ball," MSU-N offensive coordinator Kyle Samson said. "He is as smart and tough as they come and I expect him to be that guy up front that makes sure everyone else knows what they are doing each and every play."

Northern will also look to 6-3, 275-pound junior Rostyn Pace to step in and become a starter this season. Pace mentored the last two years under a veteran offensive line, but he has the size and skill to become a very good Frontier Conference linemen. The Lights also brought in a pair of highly-touted transfer to shore things up after losing four starters a year ago. Patrick Kiser (6-3, 285) and Jordan Sharp (6-4, 275) will both be called upon to come in and have an immediate impact on Northern's offensive front.

"We obviously have to replace some good players from last year's o-line," Samson said. "The group of kids we had last fall was as good as we have had here at Northern. With only two returning starters in Brock and Rostyn we definitely won't have the experience we had last year but I really believe we can be very good up front if we can come together and build on what they did last spring.

"With the mixture of young kids and the transfers we have brought in I really think our offensive line is going to be a great strength for us this fall and I know that because they are coached every day by my father (Mark Samson) who won't except anything less than greatness out of them. I think that with the leadership and experience that Brock brings to the o-line and the whole offense we are going to be just fine up front. We've got a good combination of size at our tackle positions and our interior lineman aren't necessary the biggest but are very quick and very strong."

It seems like Carroll loses great offensive linemen every season, and that's because the Saints' offensive line is always great. But they do return one of the best in the league, if not the NAIA this season. Connor Goudreau (6-3, 287) is a stellar player up front and was an NAIA First-Team All-American a season ago. The Saints have some holes to fill on the line coming into the season, and that's tough because they have such an immense rushing attack. But with Goudreau leading the way, don't expect anything less than greatness up front from Carroll yet again.

While Hyder and Goudreau are two of the best in the business, the player with perhaps the biggest upside is Eastern Oregon junior guard Will Hunter. Leading an offensive line that returns four starters, Hunter is a monster at the Frontier level. He's all of 6-4 and weighs a solid 300 pounds. He's already an NAIA All-American in 2011 and was touted as a First-Team Preseason All-American this year. And while the Mounties were young up front a year ago, they perhaps return the deepest line the Frontier this season.

Rocky Mountain College and UM-Western have some star players returning up front as well. The Bears return an all-conference performer in tackle Sonny Akhu (6-2, 300), while junior Neal Coon (6-1, 280) is considered one of the best up-and-coming linemen in the league. And if EOU's depth may some of the best in the league, Western might have the biggest average line in the Frontier this season. Guard Matt Rundle (6-2, 325) is a behemoth, while senior Ben Fuson (6-1, 265) is a three-year starter for the Bulldogs.

Montana Tech also produces some quality linemen and this year is no exception. One to watch for the Orediggers is senior Keith Mullan (6-2, 275). Mullan will lead an inexperienced, but big offensive line for the Orediggers this season.

Editor's Note: The Havre Daily News will continue its breakdown of the top returning players in the Frontier Conference with a look at the running backs on Monday.