Against Eastern Michigan last Saturday, MSU posted 56 points and gained 625 yards of total offense.
In the process, junior wide receiver Charles Rogers kicked off his Heisman Trophy campaign with 138 receiving yards and a touchdown. Junior quarterback Jeff Smoker also posted gaudy stats, passing for 232 yards and three touchdowns. And senior tailback Dawan Moss proved he could be a feature back with 136 rushing yards and two trips to the end zone.
But all three know none of it would have been possible without a stellar performance from their offensive lineman.
“I want to credit my offensive line,” Moss said after the game. “Center Brian Ottney, right guard William Whitticker, right tackle Steve Stewart, left guards Paul Harker and Joe Tate and left tackles Stefon Wheeler and Ulish Booker.
“We feel every man is going to do his job up front. And that lets you hit your holes with a lot of confidence.”
Such praise was heard from just about every Spartan on the offensive side of the ball following MSU’s 56-7 romp of the Eagles. And for an offensive lineman, that’s music to the ears.
Harker said lineman work as hard as anyone in practice, yet there is no statistic to show how well they did after a game. But he said seeing the skill positions stuff the box score feels great.
“I remember one play where I pulled out to cut a linebacker. As I’m cutting the guy, I see Moss hurdling the guy and running down the field for another 20 yards,” Harker said. “That’s better to me than scoring a touchdown.
“There’s nothing better than hitting a guy, locking up with him and seeing the back whiz by you. Or going to cut a guy and looking up to see the back still running for another 10, 15 or 20 yards down the field. That’s what we live for.”
The 72,000-plus fans in Spartan Stadium might not have realized it, but head coach Bobby Williams certainly did.
Williams spent a significant part of his weekly Monday press conference praising Whitticker with comments like, “He had a brilliant game.” Whitticker was named the Spartans Offensive Player of the Week.
Thirteen different linemen found their way into last Saturday’s game, and Williams said they all looked sharp. He added the competition helps push each one to their limits.
“The thing that really sets the tone for our offense is the offensive line,” Williams said. “Now we have a chance to really be more effective in the running game and a chance to protect the quarterback more consistently, which will allow some of our skill players to make plays for us.”
As evidence, Smoker wasn’t sacked at all against Eastern. In contrast, MSU gave up 44 sacks last season. That means Smoker should have more time this season to look for Rogers down field.
“I got hit like twice, but I was able to get rid of the ball,” Smoker said. “They did a great job and I hope they keep it up.”
But outside East Lansing the unit isn’t getting much credit. Only Ottney is up for any postseason awards. The man in the middle is on the preseason watch list for the Rimington Trophy, which goes to the country’s most outstanding center.
“I don’t care about all that stuff,” Ottney said. “My only goal is to win championships.”
It’s not uncommon to hear such statements from Ottney, but it’s become the motto for the entire unit.
“I think we just need to stick to what we’re doing,” Harker said. “At the end of the season if any accolade come to anybody on the line or a line as a whole that’s fine.”
Last season, the offensive line was considered a weakness. The starting lineup was constantly changing and many of those who saw action were seeing it for the first time.
But that has changed this year, as the Spartans have three full lines for practice.
In the period of one season, the line has now become a strength of the team and the unit itself is very close.
“If one or two of us go out to a movie we’ll call everybody,” Stewart said. “Me and Ottney just went and saw ‘Signs.’”
As a result of the strong emotional bond, offensive coordinator Morris Watts said the Spartans are able to do more with the ball.
“We didn’t quit trying to do the things we needed to do to win (last season), but we got exploited a few times by people on defense because our offensive linemen didn’t know what to do,” Watts said. “The great thing about where we are now, I think those kids feel they can pick up anything the other team gives them.
“The communication factor up front is entirely different when you’ve got five guys that are use to working together. They know how to be a unit.”
But it isn’t just the offensive side of the ball that the offensive line helps.
Sophomore defensive end Clifford Dukes said facing the line in practice has helped the defense improve.
“That helps us a lot,” he said. “I go up against Steve Stewart every day and I think he’s one of the best tackles I’ve ever been up against. And I’ve been up against some pretty good guys.”
But no matter how much praise anyone on the line receives, they all remain an impenetrable line of humbleness. Even when you ask whether they think running blocking or pass blocking is their strength, or which they’d rather do, they simply stand strong and refuse to let you by.
“It doesn’t matter, whatever,” Whitticker said. “I just want to make sure I keep my guy away from the quarterback or make sure I open up holes for Dawan or whoever is back there running.”
Eric McKinney, a State News football writer, can be reached at mckinn54@msu.edu.
