BOONE, N.C. — With the Aug. 1 start of fall camp, the 2019 football opener against East Tennessee State is only 12 days away. Today is the sixth installment of an eight-part, position-by-position breakdown series presented by Clean Eatz.
Part 6 of the series focuses on the Appalachian State offensive line, which has ranked in the top 25 nationally in both rushing yards per game and fewest sacks allowed during each of the last five years.
With five experienced, game-tested linemen returning from 2018,
Shawn Clark is entering his fourth season in charge of that group. He added the title of assistant head coach in the offseason.
"We're not the biggest O-line," redshirt senior
Victor Johnson said. "We're not the fastest O-line. We're not the strongest O-line, but we're going to be in every picture, running down the field to block, wanting to be in every pile. How hard we play is our strength."
Clark is among the coaches who remained in Boone to become part of head coach
Eliah Drinkwitz's first staff. While there are certainly new offensive wrinkles this year, the returning linemen will be coached by a familiar face who is highly respected for his understanding and teaching of zone blocking.
The most experienced returner is Johnson, also labeled as "Uncle Vic" by younger teammate
Trey Cobb. Johnson has started 38 games at left tackle and been named the best pass blocker in the Sun Belt Conference based on his work to protect the blind side of right-handed quarterbacks
Zac Thomas and, previously, Taylor Lamb.
App State junior
Ryan Neuzil has started the last 18 games at left guard, and center
Noah Hannon started all 26 games during his first two years in the program.
Baer Hunter is another junior who made 12 starts at right guard in 2018, and junior
Cole Garrison also played frequently at that position before filling in at left tackle late in the year.
Garrison actually played most of the way at left tackle in both the Sun Belt Championship Game win and the victory in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, performing well enough to make the All-Southern Pigskin Bowl team with a high grade from the PFF College site.
"To have an offensive line with a lot of experience is great, especially in down times," Johnson said. "If stuff's not going well on the field and you've got guys with experience, you can come back to the sideline and draw something up, and you know it'll get going eventually."
Garrison is versatile enough to excel at the right tackle spot vacated by the departure of 2018 senior
Chandler Greer or contribute elsewhere when needed.
Matt Williams pushed for a starting spot at right tackle last August and has impressed Clark during this year's camp. Redshirt freshman
Cooper Hodges has a lot of potential as an offensive guard, while true freshmen
Craig McFarland and
Lyle Hiers are among the newcomers of note. That group also includes graduate transfer
Joey Cave, who arrives from Tennessee, and
Larry Dowdy.
More depth comes from returners such as center
Ivan Reyes, left guard
Logan Wright,
Joe Hartung,
Gage Blackston,
Will Hardin and
Anderson Hardy.
"Our top guys have really come in and established their spots, and on the flip side, we have a bunch of young guys who have really stepped their game up," Clark said. "We have some really talented young guys, and the more plays they get, the better they're getting."
