Commentary: O-line deserves share of credit
By Steve Behr, sports editor

sports@wataugademocrat.com

There is a line in the movie “North Dallas Forty” that quarterback Mac Davis tells receiver Nick Nolte that describes every offensive lineman in America.

“You may keep me on the sports pages, but he keeps me off the obituaries.”

Davis was talking about an offensive lineman that Nolte liked to aggravate. His message was simple: If the big guys up front don’t block, the little guys behind them leave the game in a pine box.

So let this column be my vote for the Appalachian State offensive line receiving the SoCon’s Offensive Player of the Week award.

It could go to Armanti Edwards, who hit 26-of-31 passes for 295 yards and two touchdowns. Or, it could go to running back Kevin Richardson, who gained 215 yards and scored three touchdowns on just 22 carries, an average gain of 9.8 yards per rush.

Or, it could go to the Mountaineers’ offensive line, which blocked for an offense that gained a staggering 743 yards in total offense and blasted a Western Carolina defense for 79 points.

I know Western had three sacks. Even with that, scoring 79 points seems to overshadow that just a little bit. OK, a lot. OK, a whole lot.

Again, my vote is for candidate “C.”

Seventy-nine points! Has Notre Dame even scored 79 points this year? (Actually, they’ve scored 148.) And what about 743 yards? The Irish coaching staff may be giving the ASU offensive staff a call this week.

Though they are a group, the Appalachian State starting offensive line is made up of six individuals, if you include tight end Nic Cardwell. Starting on Saturday were left tackle Brad Coley (6-foot-4, 285), left guard Kerry Brown (6-6, 310), center Scott Suttle (6-0, 260), right guard John Holt (6-2, 265) and right tackle Jonathan Bieschke (6-5, 285).

This is a group that has played through pain and injury. Coley is playing for sophomore Mario Acitelli, who broke his leg three games ago. The Mountaineers are hoping he’ll be back for the playoffs, but Coley has filled in well for Acitelli, who will be an all-SoCon tackle some day.

Holt has subbed for Bieschke at right tackle and Brown is playing with a thumb that was first thought to be broken, but was just sprained at Furman.

Backup tackle Pat Mills also returned after missing games because of a injured ankle. Backup guard Daniel Kilgore has the same type of broken leg that Acitelli has and may be available for the playoffs.

And Suttle missed the first game of the season against Michigan because of an injury. Brett Irvin played for him and helped the Mountaineers claim a 34-32 victory.

To this line’s credit, they have not used injuries as an excuse to have a bad game. Then again, Appalachian State’s offense has had few bad games. The Mountaineers average 43.4 points and 492.9 yards per game.

They have scored more than 30 points in every game this year and more than 40 five times.

This offensive line is one of the reasons why the Mountaineers’ offense goes. They’re big. They’re well coached by offensive line coach Shawn Elliott. And they’re getting healthy just in time for the playoffs.

If the big guys continue to get their jobs done, the little guys will, too. And that’s bad news for the rest of the FCS nation.