Offensive Line Facing an Overhaul Soon
Dec 16 | Football
By Tom Luicci
ScarletKnights.com
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - When the calendar flips to Dec. 27 it will officially become Rutgers' second-biggest area of concern on offense, behind the quarterback battle that figures to dominate the attention in spring practice.
Three starting offensive linemen need to be replaced after the Scarlet Knights' game against North Carolina in the Quick Lane Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit on Dec. 26 - from a unit that accomplished something no Rutgers offensive line has managed since 2006.
The same five players started every game, and three of them - left guard and four-year starter Kaleb Johnson, center Betim Bujari and right tackle Taj Alexander - will do so for the final time as collegians against the Tar Heels. That adds up to 113 combined starts (counting the bowl) that have to be replaced.
"It's going to be a lot easier transition than people who aren't on the team may think," said 6-6, 300-pound third-year sophomore J.J. Denman, the leading candidate to replace Alexander. "We have a mindset of practicing as if we're the starter. So that won't change. It's up to us to take advantage of whatever opportunity there is."
For now, Denman, future center frontrunner Derrick Nelson and guard candidate Dorian Miller say their focus is squarely on the bowl game. But there will be a sense of urgency for all three very soon. They're all fully aware of it, too.
"You can really look at every practice as an audition," said Miller, a 6-3, 285-pound redshirt freshman. "Coaches are looking at how you prepare and practice. You're trying to impress them to get playing time. It goes on every day.
"For me personally I've always tried to make my mindset where I'm the starter and I know that might sound like a cliché but I think if you wait until that moment to start preparing as a starter … maybe you can get ready, but you'll be a better player if you start preparing ahead of time and get accustomed to preparing as if you are the starter. I've been doing that, but I know it gets more real as guys leave."
Denman has seen the most action this year among the trio of next-up offensive line starting candidates, appearing in eight games. Miller played in four, seeing his most extensive time at Ohio State. Nelson has played in parts of four games this year.
"The key thing for me was being able to play against Ohio State the whole second half," Miller said. "It was an important learning experience for me."
Denman insists his preparation won't change, even with the opportunity that is knocking louder with each passing practice.
"I've already had a sense of urgency. We all have. Dorian, Derrick. Me," he said. "We understand the situation. We've had to have that sense of urgency this year in case anyone went down. We were the guys expected to step in and step up. So you're always preparing that way."
Head coach Kyle Flood knows that this time of year, especially with the impending overhaul of the offensive line, is a balancing act between preparing for a bowl game while also laying the groundwork for the future.
"Every minute we can steal this time of year gets us a little further ahead once that bowl game ends and we start looking ahead to next year," he said.
Nelson said the key now for the younger offensive linemen is not to be distracted from preparing for North Carolina -- difficult as that may be for players who are moving closer every day to competing for a starting role.
"I always think about what's next," he said. "I know it's coming. But right now the focus is on the bowl game."
