Offensive Line School

Offensive linemen have always been the anonymous big guys that make it possible for the playmakers to do what they do. The players that routinely touch the football get the attention, the headlines, the endorsements. Even defensive players get more attention than offensive linemen. Fortunately, it feels like there there's been a recent, increased appreciation for the critical big guys. It's taken nearly 150 years of scrimmaged football for that appreciation but I guess it's better late than never. Three years ago, Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller got a bunch of his quarterback-harassing friends together for a pass-rushing summit. Pass rushers get a lot of attention. Miller's little gathering has received a decent amount of coverage. Last year, some of the league's offensive linemen decided to have their own little get together. I'm hearing about it now.

It appears that the Offensive Line Masterminds Conference appears is going to become an annual thing. Last Friday, Philadelphia Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson brought Kansas City Chiefs right tackle Mitchell Schwartz, New Orleans Saints left tackle Terron Armstead, and about 50 current and future offensive linemen to Frisco, Texas for offensive line school. Duke Mayweather, Johnson's coach at Oklahoma, led the group. Mayweather's knowledge of and passion for offensive line play has been key in the recent surge in appreciation for the big guys.

This conference is an immersive study into the techniques, fundamentals, etc. of the five critical football positions. In Johnson's words after the first day of the Conference:

“Hey, we’re talking it all,” Johnson told ESPN. “We’re talking about the O-line life in general, which not a whole lot of people really know about. We had a lot of people there in the room, a lot of pro guys, a lot of college guys, and really we’re just talking ball. We’re talking technique. We’re talking what should we do against this opponent? Training and then really everything. It was really just to get all the guys in one room and really just talk ball, something that’s never really happened. It was a good day today, a really good day.”

Lane Johnson is always on point.

I love seeing players from across the league take it upon themselves to get together in an effort to get better. Some fans might not like the collaboration and camaraderie between players from opposing teams but I think it's great. The CBA has seriously cut back on the amount of time that teams have to work on things as necessary as fundamentals and technique. This has probably hurt offensive line play more than any other position group. Anything done to improve that is fine by me. The fact that the players are taking it upon themselves, on their time and at their expense, is impressive.

It was great to see that Minnesota Vikings rookie center Garrett Bradbury was in attendance. I'm hoping that he wasn't the only Vikings lineman in Frisco over the weekend. The offensive line has been a serious problem for Minnesota in recent years. The talent level has been boosted considerably over the last two offseasons. Hopefully, that increased talent level translates into better play on the field. A little schooling in Frisco couldn't hurt.