Marble Falls offensive line gelling as a unit

JENNIFER FIERRO • STAFF WRITER

MARBLE FALLS — During the football offseason, the biggest question mark was finding four new starting offensive linemen.

Two from the 2014 team — Sam Kohutek and Hanner Shipley — each signed to play college football.

But several weeks into the 2015 season, the offensive line might be the most consistently productive part of the unit.

The only returning starter, senior Ryan Becker, said he has an easy explanation.

“Second year of the program has really helped,” he said. “We had a lot of really talented kids in the first year of the program. So we were kind of putting up better numbers this year than last year just because of having another year in the program under our belts and already knowing what’s going on, just knowing the scheme already.”

Joining Becker on the line are seniors Matthew Downey, juniors Wesley Moyar, John Winn and Aaron Kohutek and sophomore Daniel Sparks.

At the beginning of the season, the unit experienced its share of mistakes, from penalties to high snaps to missing blocks.

But Becker said the key was patience and allowing players to get invaluable experience.

It also helps playing for a former Mustang, offensive line coach Blake Nesrsta, who remembers what it was like when Marble Falls averaged 10 wins a season.

“That guy puts in perspective that he was here, he did all the same things that we did and he knows Marble Falls as well,” Becker said. “It helps us connect with him a little better I think. He is one of us.”

Head coach Matt Green said offensive line is an unusual position because it’s not enough to be strong anymore; linemen must be quick and agile to move from side to side because of the number of twists and turns of a defensive line and linebackers.

Another challenge for linemen is the speed of each play. They have to quickly run to the line of scrimmage, identify who they’re going to block as the quarterback checks the safeties and begins the snap count.

Then once the ball is snapped, a defense will change its looks in the hopes of confusing an offensive lineman to get a sack. Or defensive players will pretend to blitz and change their minds as the play is unfolding.

“The bottom line is these kids step up, and they have to identify the front every single play, and their blocking roles change every single play depending on what they’re facing,” Green said. “The intelligence level these kids possess, people do not have a concept of what they’re being asked to do. It is very mentally taxing. Our kids have done a good job … and I think they’ll continue to do that.”

The coach said the linemen have vastly improved thanks to their preparation, understanding the schemes and bonding.

“You throw in new guys who have different strengths and weaknesses, and as a coach, you have to figure those things out,” he said. “Those kids have to learn to compensate for the weak areas they may have and play to the strengths they have. Our offensive line has definitely grown in my opinion this year. They’ve gotten better. They have to continue to get better. They have to continue to get more aggressive.”

jfierro@thepicayune.com