Despite sometimes flying under the radar, the Lehigh football team’s offensive line has provided major contributions to the offense this season.
With seven straight wins and a high-stakes game against Bucknell on Nov. 5, the pressure is on for the men up front. Intense lifting, practice and training schedules bond the offensive line in a way that is not applicable to other positions.
“As an offensive line it’s important that we’re all a unit,” senior offensive lineman Micah Tennant said. “All five of us need to be on the same page and really gel together in order for us to be successful.”
Offensive line coach Andy Marino has been with the Mountain Hawks for the past three years. He said he pushes his players to consistently improve and master block techniques to ensure the quarterback has enough time to read the field.
“It’s been really fun working with him for the last two years,” junior offensive lineman Tim O’Hara said. “He wants to show the guys that no matter what you always have something to improve.”
The starting offensive line consists of O’Hara and Tennant, as well as seniors Brandon Short, Zach Duffy and sophomore Liborio Ricottilli. The range of experience diversifies the lineup in a way that plays to their strengths.
With leaders such as Short dictating communication codes, the offensive line effectively does its job of protecting the quarterback. Whether senior Nick Shafnisky or sophomore Brad Mayes is in at quarterback, the line’s goal remains the same: Don’t let up on the block.
“I think having two quarterbacks play gives the team a lot of confidence,” Marino said.
Being able to switch up the styles of play within each game has been a successful strategy for the Mountain Hawks thus far.
Shafnisky and Mayes have their own strengths and style of play in game situations, so the offensive line has to know which style to cater to.
Mayes tends to sit in the pocket and read the field whereas Shafnisky likes to be more mobile. As a result, the linemen have to be more aware of the nuances between each quarterback’s strengths and styles.
“Both quarterbacks in themselves are leaders on the field,” Ricottilli said. “I trust either one of them back there.”
Over the course of the season, the offensive line has been able to work together in unison as a force against the opponent’s defense.
The consistency of the starting lineup has made a significant impact on the success of the lineup since players have to act as one unit.
“The whole season, it’s kind of been the same five or six guys playing,” Tennant said. “We’ve really grown together and gelled which is critical for offensive line.”
With the team’s last home game against Bucknell before the Lehigh-Lafayette game, the offensive line wants to maintain its mentality moving forward and to keep doing what it’s been doing: imposing its will on the opponent’s defense and remaining consistent.
“Going into Bucknell our mentality really is to take it one more game at a time,” Tennant said. “We just have to keep doing what we’ve been doing.”
The Bison have a 3-5 record but are known to have a good defense, so Lehigh’s offensive linemen said they know they have a challenge ahead of them.
The game is scheduled for Saturday at 12:30 p.m. at Goodman Stadium.
Comment Policy
Comments posted to The Brown and White website are reviewed by a moderator before being approved. Incendiary speech or harassing language, including comments targeted at individuals, may be deemed unacceptable and not published. Spam and other soliciting will also be declined.
The Brown and White also reserves the right to refuse the publication of entirely anonymous comments.