The quarterbacks keep switching, the running backs rotate in and out and the wide receivers change almost every play, but the one constant on MSU's offense has been the line.
The Spartan offensive line consists of senior guard William Whitticker, senior tackle Sean Poole, junior tackle Stefon Wheeler, sophomore guard Kyle Cook and junior center Chris Morris.
MSU's "big uglies," as lineman are often called, are slowly coming together as a unit and gave their best performance of the season against Notre Dame last week, Whitticker said.
"This offensive line has gelled each game this year," Whitticker said. "The first game we didn't have that bad of a game, the second game we didn't have that bad of a game and then this game, we came out and really played hard. The offensive line, we feel, is one of the key points of the team."
"We feel we have to go out every week and play hard as a group. We want to show we're a tough bunch of guys who want to win every game."
The line has stepped it up the last two games, helping the Spartan offense rush for 165 yards against Notre Dame and 213 yards the week before against Central Michigan. They have also held steady in pass protection, giving up only one sack in the last two games.
"The offensive line - they all played well, going against a good defensive line like Notre Dame," Whitticker said. "You have to realize we rushed for over 150 yards on a team that was giving up only 40 yards a game."
Their performance against Notre Dame has given the group confidence heading into the Big Ten season. The whole line graded out exceptionally well, with Whitticker and Cook grading out at 98 percent and 96 percent, respectively.
When the lineman get graded, they are assessed according to a system based in three areas, said offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland. The three areas are assignment, technique and effort. Stoutland said effort is decided by himself on a play-to-play basis.
"I look at the film and if all five guys have all three pluses, then that's a perfect play for the offensive line," Stoutland said. "If you're above 60 percent on that, that's hard to do. People don't realize trying to get all five guys to get pluses in all three categories is hard."
It hasn't been hard trying to get the group to work together. Morris said they all live with one another and have been working out and playing with one another for a couple years now.
"We're great together," Morris said. "It comes with working in spring ball, working through summer, working through winter and just drilling everything, just knowing our assignments."
"We're such a close group off the field, we can finish each other's sentences."
Morris and Stoutland talked about the group's pride in working hard and getting prepared for the games. Morris credited the coaches with preparing the players and Stoutland said hopefully the player's hard work is paying off.
"We pride ourselves on working hard and doing what we need to do," Morris said. "We know what the other team is doing and try our best."
With some players leaving games with injuries, notably Wheeler -who sprained his ankle against Notre Dame - back-up junior Gordon Niebylski and redshirt freshman Mike Gyetvai have been counted on to step up and play. The starters and coaches have confidence in the job they have done.
"We have good back-ups in Niebylski and Gyetvai, to come in and move Poole over to left tackle," Whitticker said. "With or without Stefon we have confidence in our back-ups to come in and play."
