Tulsa Football - Summer Position Analysis: Offensive Line
The biggest challenge this year for a usually sound offensive line will be replacing NFL camp invitees Chandler Miller, Willie Wright and Tyler Bowling.
With 128 career starts combined for the trio (Miller 50, Wright 47, Bowling 31), is Tulsa coach Philip Montgomery worried about it?
Yes, but not overly so. That is because he likes the talent he has coming back.
“It’s going to be similar to our first year here where we had to start a lot of young guys up front, and those guys stepped up to the challenge,” said Montgomery, who is in his fifth year as TU‘s coach. “And these guys have been challenged all spring. I think our defensive line is going to be really good, and our offensive line got that pressure every day and they’ve handled it well.
“Obviously, we have to replace three guys that were at least three year starters. That’s a ton of starts that we just lost."
The leader of the holdovers, Chris Ivy Jr., returns at the all-important left tackle position. The 6-foot-3, 296-pound senior from Wichita was a starter first time last season, starting all 12 games.
“Chris has the most experience coming back. He’s got to be our leader,” Montgomery said. “He has been the most vocal. He has the most starts under his belt. He’s got to lock down over there and lead those guys. I expect big things from him.”
Mammoth guard Tiller Bucktrot began last year as a starter at right guard, but lost his job to Chris Paul. Perhaps too much was expected of Bucktrot because of his obvious ability. But the 6-5, 322-pound junior from Stroud clearly was a work in progress last year, and should be more apt to excel this season.
“However we work the rotations in, Tiller is at left guard,” Montgomery said. “Tiller is a big kid who started about half the games last year, played in about all of the games last year. I thought this spring he was much more productive. I thought he continued to grow and develop. The summer and fall camp are going to be big for him.”
At center was the surprise of last year, Kansas State transfer Dylan Couch. When Couch, now a 6-3, 299-pound junior, eventually took over at left guard last year a couple of games after Bowling was injured, fans and media were wondering who he was. The Pryor product was so obscure that he wasn’t in the TU media guide due to being a late addition to the team just before fall camp.
“Dylan Couch ended up starting five games last year when Tyler Bowling went out with the injury,” Montgomery explained. “So that experience will help him. He’ll slide back into his natural position, which is center. He has big shoes to fill in Chandler Miller. It is so important up front to do the things that he does, but I have a ton of faith in Dylan. I think he’s going to do a great job for us at center.”
At right guard again is Chris Paul, who is coming off a solid year. The 6-4, 324-pounder from Houston was a surprise last year, starting 10 games as a redshirt freshman.
“Chris Paul, I think he’s a force to be reckoned with,” Montgomery said.. “He’s a young kid who understands what we are doing. He’s big, he’s athletic, he can move. Chris has got to be a big part of what goes on for us up front this year. Missed all of spring rehabbing from an injury. He’s a 100 percent now.”
Replacing Wright at right tackle will be X'Zauvea Gadlin, a 6-4, 300-pound redshirt freshman from Arlington.
“X’Zauvea is a very intelligent kid, very athletic,” Montgomery said. “He plays the game the right way. Got great leadership about him. Obviously, doesn’t have the experience factor. But he’s a kid who is going to accept the challenge. He’s not a a guy I’m worried about. I know he’s going to step up and continue to get better and better every game."
The top three backups are Gerard Wheeler (6-3, 325, G-C, Soph., Plano, Tx.), Dante Bivens (6-3, 321, G-C, Soph., Spring, Tx.) and Judge Hartin (6-4, 300, T-G, RS-Jr., Madill, Ok./NEO A&M). Bivens started in the spring game at left guard.
“We’re always going to try and put our five best guys on the field,” Montgomery said. “It may be a tackle moving to guard, a guard moving to tackle. It will be the best five guys, like we did last year with Dylan moving out to guard after the injuries we had with Tyler."
So if there are injuries, the best player will move into the lineup, which could result in more than one player changing his position. Montgomery said Gadlin could possibly play all five positions.
Another promising player is 6-4, 275-pound redshirt freshman Josh Owens, a center from Bixby.
Another local product, 6-3, 290-pound Edison graduate Chester Baah, heads an incoming freshman class that includes Jeremy Jones (6-5, 301, Lewisville, Tx.) and Tyler Smith (6-5, 312, Ft. Worth North Crowley).
“I’m really excited about the young guys we’re bringing in right now,” Montgomery said. “Chester is a local kid from Edison who I think has a really bright future. Can bend, can move, plays very aggressively. He’s got the ability to play a lot of different spots up front, so I’m excited about him. He comes from a great family and a good program.
“You look at Jeremy Jones, a kid who comes from Lewisville. Just continues to get bigger and bigger. He’s still young for his age. I think we stole him, to be really honest. He can be able to play earlier in his career than maybe some others just from his athletic standpoint.
“Then Tyler Smith is a kid who has a nasty streak about him. Comes off the football. Can get after you. Has got really long arms. He’s what you’re looking for when you’re looking for offensive linemen. All of these guys are extremely intelligent.”
For Tulsa to get back to being a successful program, the young offensive line must step up to the challenge. Montgomery believes they will.