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Nov. 17, 2008

(Written by Kyle Serba, Associate A.D. for Media Relations)

All guts, no glory.

That's the life of an offensive lineman.

Arguably the toughest position on the gridiron, the offensive line is the foundation of any quality offensive unit, yet its frontmen receive little to no praise for their efforts.

Offensive linemen enter a battle in the trenches every play, but the only time their name is mentioned is either on a penalty or when the team struggles to move the pigskin.

So, does all of the hard work with little recognition get to the offensive linemen of the North Carolina Central University Eagles?

Apparently not.

"I don't mind," said junior guard Eric Stanley, a 6-foot-5, 347-pound native of Sterling, Va. "As long as we get the yards, the touchdown, or the win, that's all I need. In the football family, we all know who helped out."

For junior tackle Gabriel Manns, regretting the lack of accolades is a thing of the past. "When I first started playing offensive line it bothered me that we did not get any glory, but I am over it now," Manns said.

NCCU assistant head coach and offensive line specialist Darryl Bullock warns his guys about the nature of the position. "I tell them from the start, if you don't have thick skin you can't play offensive line. I love their thick skin," said Bullock, complimenting his Eagle squad.

Bullock, who played college football at Penn State, keeps his linemen motivated by rewarding them with praise. "I make a big deal out of effort plays, cut blocking and pancakes; those are the victories for an offensive lineman," he said.

Besides the words of encouragement from their position coach, the Eagles offensive linemen take satisfaction in a tap on the helmet from a fellow Eagle in the huddle, a 'shout-out' from a running back or quarterback during a media interview, or a sprint down the field to celebrate a score with a teammate. "A touchdown for them is just like a touchdown for us," said senior tackle Jovan Olafioye, a 6-foot-6, 325-pound native of Detroit, Mich.

With a focused look on his face, Olafioye added, "I love the contact. Every play is a battle. Man against man; who's tougher, who's stronger. You have to be a man to be down in the trenches."

Not only is the position "physical and nasty," as described by Bullock, but it also requires great intelligence. "In a 20-hour work week (practice and preparation for the student-athletes), you can not block all of the looks you will see on game day," Bullock said. "The offensive linemen have to be intelligent and make split-second decisions about who to block and who to let go."

The effort, coordination and intellect of the position is something Manns finds satisfying. "It's one of the hardest working positions on the field," the 6-foot-6, 305-pound Winston-Salem, N.C. native said. "You have to be a unit, with all five guys working together. It's a challenge."

That is a sentiment echoed by his coach. "The greatest thing about offensive line play is the workmanship," Bullock said. "Taking pride in a job well done with very little praise."

Bullock was asked to describe each member of his starting offensive line with one word:

Left Tackle Gabriel Manns - "Athletic"

Left Guard Mario Brice - "Confident"

Center James Frye - "Tough"

Right Guard Eric Stanley - "Massive"

Right Tackle Jovan Olafioye - "Violent"

Bullock also wanted to be sure to recognize the other offensive linemen in his group: sophomore Tamiko Kelly, freshman Malcolm Rook, senior Greg Greene, sophomore Timothy Charity, sophomore Markee Watts, freshman Alex Johnson, freshman Alonzo Hunter, freshman Brian McDuffy, and freshman Donavon Harbison.

After all, for these Eagles it's all guts, no glory.