Offensive Guard, Steve Hutchinson, Overlooked on Monday Night Football

Almost no one follows the play of the O-Line: not from the youngest fan, to the great Gene Deckerhoff, even the Running Backs don't pay attention. Next time you watch a football game, try and count how many times a Running Back doesn't follow his blockers and is punished for it. Offensive Lineman are used to this though, and it starts the first season they play that position.

Its Friday at 6am and I trudge out of bed, but I have to hurry to be in the weight room by 6:45am so I can lift for an hour and a half before school starts. This is the fourth time this week I've worked out like this, wednesday being the only off-day. On wednesday the Running Backs and Receivers lift for thirty minutes and then run routes. Things like this are mandatory though for me and my fellow Offensive Lineman, because you have to be the strongest player on the field at all times. Don't think so? Well think about it, what does a Blitzing Linebacker mean to an Offensive Lineman? It means that someone is gonna run as fast as they can at you from about five yards away and try and knock you over with all they have, its a scary feeling.

Usually during football season, between games, practices are typically light (shorts and shoulder pads) but not for Lineman who are still going full contact. Why? Because the Offensive and Defensive Line is the only position that is guarenteed to have hitting on every play.

There are times when it becomes very frustrating. Most recently at my schools spring game, I was playing Left Guard, mid-way through the 3rd quarter I saw that the Outside Linebacker was blitzing, I pulled outside and knocked down the Linebacker and the Quarterback got the pass off. Did anyone notice? ... Yes, Davis Bass, the Line Coach did.

Also, you hear all those stories of football players going on seafood diets (see food, EAT it), not for the O-Lineman. Most Offensive Lineman are put on strict diets to control their size.

So next time you watch a game, just be more cognisant of the play of the Offensive Line, because they are working hard to make other people look good.

I still wouldn't play anywhere else.

A Word on this Post:

This post comes directly from Buc'Em contributer Kmac68k12, he took the time to post this write-up in the diary section (after taking a couple knocks about Offensive Linemen from some of us in the community and the media) and being that its such a great write-up, it was my privilege to pull it from the diary section to this main section for ALL to see!! Nice Work Kyle!!!