Daniel offensive line welcomes anonymity

Photo by Sefton Ipock

Daniel's Richard Miller celebrates a touchdown run by teammate William Wingard in the first half against Chester Friday.

Photo by Sefton Ipock

Daniel's Jaquill Durham runs the ball in the first half against Chester Friday.

“This is the first year since I’ve been (coaching) here I haven’t played musical linemen."

Jamie Wilson, OL coach

CENTRAL — To celebrate the team’s first playoff win, the D.W. Daniel linemen did what they do best outside of their games on Friday nights: eat.

Line coach Jamie Wilson said the linemen knocked down $150 worth of ribs, 10 pounds of potatoes, three gallons of sweet tea, blackberry and peach cobbler, and two gallons of ice cream.

“And then when they got done, they went in my refrigerator,” Wilson said. “My wife looked at me and said, ‘What are they doing?’ I said, ‘They’re still hungry.’”

As long as the linemen continue to play like they have the last 10 games for Daniel, Wilson doesn’t mind going grocery shopping.

A season after the group wore the spotlight as the one question mark on a team many expected to get to the state championship, the O-line is mostly anonymous this season.

“People only notice offensive linemen when they mess up, so we’re trying to keep our name out of it,” senior left tackle Matthew Craig said. “Our reward is when C.J. (Davidson) or anybody else scores.”

Coach Randy Robinson said the difference between last season’s attention on the O-line, and this year, is the Lions won handily this year during the non-region schedule.

“I think the pressure’s off,” Robinson said. “We’ve scored a lot of points this year and that makes a difference. Early last year we were struggling to win games.”

The once revolving door on the line, especially at right guard, has stopped. The unit, which suffered several injuries at multiple positions last year, has remained in tact since the T.L. Hanna game in Week 2.

“This is the first year since I’ve been (coaching) here I haven’t played musical linemen,” said Wilson, a former Daniel O-lineman in his fifth year coaching the line.

Daniel’s used Craig, senior left guard D.J. Stukas, senior center Cody Thurlow, junior right guard Seth Galbreath, and junior right tackle Richard Miller in the same positions for 10 straight games.

The line isn’t an overpowering group — averaging 6-foot-1, 240 pounds — but has improved its fundamentals, and benefited from a strong offseason in the weight room.

In the summer, Craig made up for lost time playing baseball to earn a trip to the North-South All-Star game. And Thurlow put on 45 pounds in the offseason to weigh in at 255.

They’ve also spent more time together off the field, and Wilson said Craig’s the only one who plays another sport, meaning their priority is success in football.

“There’s a little more camaraderie within their group, and with them hanging out like that, they’ve formed more a unit, so they work well together,” senior linebacker Bubba Bryant said. “It makes them stronger as a unit, and they pick up each other’s blocks.”

That’s helped them pave the way for a rushing attack that’s collected 2,546 yards, or 212.2 yards per game, and 42 touchdowns. Davidson, a junior, has rushed for 1,075 and 14 TDs after starting the season as the No. 2 running back behind senior Brandon Anderson, who has 401 rushing yards and seven scores, but suffered a knee injury in Week 6.

More than rushing, Craig said Daniel’s two quarterbacks didn’t get comfortable with the line until the team opened region play.

“The quarterbacks are not as scared,” Craig said. “At the beginning they liked to run a little bit. Now they’re kind of getting comfortable. (At the beginning), they didn’t know us and our style. They thought we were the same as last year.”

After it dispatched Chester last week, Daniel gets another test this week from Greenville, a team that has a similar defensive scheme and philosophy as the Cyclones. After turning in one of the best games of the season last week, Wilson’s looking for more from his linemen.

“This is probably the toughest group I’ve had since I’ve been here,” Wilson said. “Their mental focus last week was the best it’s ever been, and my job as a coach is to get them more focused for what’s getting ready to happen.”