Last season, the offensive line was the kind of problem nobody wants to talk about at parties. The Cougars struggled up front, and when you struggle up front, everything else gets shaky. So the question now, ahead of fall camp, is simple: who actually wins those starting spots? And more importantly, does this unit get better, or are we in for another year of hoping and holding our breath?
Here's the honest take. Competition is good, but competition only matters if the guys fighting for jobs are actually pushing each other. The article points out that there will be competition for starting spots, and that's the right mindset. But as a student who's watched group projects go sideways, I know that "open competition" can mean "nobody has stepped up yet." It's one thing to have a battle; it's another to have someone win it convincingly. What I want to see is a guy who takes the job in fall camp and makes the coaches look smart for giving it to him. That's how you build a line. That's how you build trust with the quarterback and the running backs. And that's how you avoid the same old story by October.
For the fans, this is a patience test. We're not talking about flashy skill positions or highlight-reel catches. This is about the grunt work, the stuff that shows up in the fourth quarter when you need two yards and everyone in the stadium knows you're running it. The Cougars have a chance to flip the narrative, but only if the competition actually breeds results. If you're looking for a reason to stay interested, watch the battles in practice, not just the games. And while you're at it, check out how the team is building momentum elsewhere, like the all-around win against Duquesne that showed what happens when every phase clicks. That's the kind of energy this unit needs to borrow. Also, with the new academic officer survey out, it's a reminder that the program is about more than what happens between the white lines, but that's a different conversation for a different day.
Here's what I'd tell a reader who asked me about this directly: don't get too high, don't get too low yet. Fall camp is where we'll get our first real look at whether the pieces fit. The name to watch is Noah Dunham, who's in the photo from the article. He's the kind of guy who could be a cornerstone if he takes a step forward. But the real thing I'm watching for is how the coaches handle the rotation. Do they stick with a group and let them gel, or do they yank guys after one bad series? That decision tells you more about the coaching staff than any depth chart. So here's the concrete point: by the end of the first two games, we should know if this line is for real. If we're still asking questions in week three, then we're in for a long season. If someone steps up and owns the job, then we might just be okay. That's the detail to watch. That's the moment it all changes.
