Lights O-line is ready to own the trenches

For months now, Montana State University-Northern head football coach Andrew Rolin has been singing the praises of his offensive line and now that the Lights have hit the field for padded practices in fall camp, his praise of the hogs up front has continued to reach new heights.

"They are the strength of our offense," Rolin said of the offensive line Thursday following the fifth practice of fall camp. "I don't know how else to put it. They get things going and they set the tone for us up front whether we are running the football or throwing and they are protecting the quarterback. They have stepped up to everything I have asked them to do and it's fun because we have seven or eight guys and some young guys that are learning and pushing each other, too."

While Rolin is high on some of the young prospects who are in their first camp with the program, he also has a solid group of veterans that are ready to play right away, including three players who he said are already locked in as starters. Those guys are Clint Willis at left tackle, Trenton Woodward at right tackle and Ryan Handley, who will start at center.

"We are pretty much set at tackle and then with Ryan Handley at center," Rolin said. "But we have some competition at those interior positions. Those guys are pushing each other and making each other better. We are still rotating there, but we should know more after the scrimmage (Saturday)."

According to Rolin, the two guard spots are the ones still up for grabs and the Lights have a pair of former starters gunning for them. On the left side, Dylan Schmidt is looking to hold down that position and at the same time, former starting center Dale Cummings is trying to lock down the job at right guard, with competition coming from Darius Alexander-Jones, a transfer from Minot State.

"I am playing a little bit of right guard and left guard, all the interior positions really," Cummings said. "The adjustment is going well. I am feeling really good about it."

Cummings is used to playing inside but used to be the starting center. However, he said the switch to guard has gone smoothly.

"The biggest difference is that at center you have to call out the front and make sure everyone else knows what they are doing before the snap of the ball," Cummings said. "Now it's listening and trying to be quiet when you are used to saying everything. It's different but I like it."

One thing that the offensive lineman are liking is the more old-school approach Rolin takes to the running game. Under the previous staff, nearly every snap was out of the shotgun and out of a spread set. Now, that's not necessarily the case. The Lights still incorporate plenty of spread concepts into their attack, yet there is also a greater mix of traditional power run plays.

"I feel that our offensive line is more advanced and we are able to do more of that stuff," said Schmidt, a two-year starter at left guard for the Lights. "I think the whole offense is so much more in depth, it's going to be a lot harder for other teams to scout us and things like that."

If the Lights are going to find a way to win in the Frontier Conference, improved play from the offensive line will be a big part of it. Last season, Northern ranked seventh out of eight teams in rushing yards per game (125.8) and yards per attempt (3.6). The Lights also ranked last in the conference in rushing touchdowns with nine.

Yet, behind an experienced offensive line that legitimately goes seven or eight deep, along with Jett Robertson and some other talented ball carriers, the Lights should have all the tools for a more effective run game in 2018.

"We are all really confident," Schmidt said. "We have more depth than we have ever had since I have been here. We have improved and we just have a lot of confidence in ourselves."

That confidence is shared by their head coach.

"Maybe I am overly optimistic about these guys, but I have seen some good offensive lines and this is one of them."

The Lights will continue fall camp with a practice this morning. The team will also hold a scrimmage Saturday at the Northern practice field, with things getting started at 9:45 a.m.