2019 Frontier Conference Football Preview Series: Offensive Line

There's an old saying in college football: A good offense is only as good as the offensive line is.

And it's so true.

Over the years, some of the most potent offenses in the Frontier Conference have also possessed some of the biggest, baddest and best offensive lines the league has ever seen. Just ask now-retired Carroll College head coach Mike Van Diest. He coached some of the most outstanding offensive linemen, and full units in the history of NAIA football during his tenure.

And there's no doubt, that's what second-year Montana State University-Northern head coach Andrew Rolin is trying to build with the Lights.

"We want to run the football," Rolin said at Frontier Conference Media Day last week in Great Falls. "We want to have an offense built around being physical and running the football."

In order to do that, Rolin needs a stout offensive line, and while the Lights were young at the position a year ago, they do return to quality road graders this season, including standout center Darius Alexander-Jones II. In his first year as a Light, Alexander-Jones was outstanding, starting on the outside, before eventually moving to center. And Rolin believes he has a chance to be one of the best OL in the league this season. Veteran tackle Trenton Woodward is also a leader on the Northern OL, which Rolin is hoping will be an area of strength for MSU-N this season.

But hoping the offensive line is an area of strength is what every coach is doing as fall camps set to open around the Frontier.

That's certainly the case at College of Idaho. The Yotes were picked to win the Frontier crown this season, and longtime head coach Mike Moroski's offense has always been centered around the running game. And with a pair of returning All-Conference performers in Josh Brown (6-7, 290) and Ricky Bowman Jr. (6-1, 280), the Yotes should have one of the most stout lines in the league.

Around the conference, however, graduation did take its toll on offensive lines. Rocky Mountain College lost one to the NFL in All-American Troy Bacon, as well as two more All-Conference starters. The Bears do return a standout in Tanner Bloom, however, while Montana Western's Noah Danielson should be another one to keep an eye on this season.

Eastern Oregon figures to have a potent attack on offense as well this fall, and while the Mounties suffered losses up front to graduation, guard Luke Thomas is back, and he should be the anchor to help protect star quarterback Kai Quinn.

Montana Tech is another team which looks to run the football every year, and with new offensive coordinator Kyle Samson having All-American Jed Like at his disposal, OL play will be key. Samson has a good one to lean on there, too, with senior Grant Benz, while Carroll College returns star running back Major Ali. And while head coach Troy Purcell's squad did lose All-Conference right tackle Willy Clements and starting center Connor McGree, the Fighting Saints will look to veteran returners Alex Hoffman and J.D. Lyle to help Ali and the Saints get their once-vaunted running attack back on track.

Editor's Note: This is the third installment in the Havre Daily News' annual series on each position in the Frontier Conference. For a look at the linebackers, see Thursday's HDN.