Linemen focus on clearing a path

The life of a lineman can be quantified in four simple words: All guts, no glory. \nPlay after play, down after down, the big guys in the trenches make hits and open holes for both the running backs and quarterback. If they do their job, the offense prospers; if they don't, the team falters. \nRegardless of the outcome, the linemen get the least recognition from the casual observer. However, IU linemen said they actually get some satisfaction from the relative anonymity of their positions. \n"I love it, actually. I've been a lineman all my life and that's just something you grow to appreciate," junior Adam Hines said. "You just have to assume that you're not going to get recognized, but that's the way we like it. We don't care about all the hype because that's for everybody else."\nHype has never been the intent for the guys on the line of scrimmage. Junior Isaac Sowells said the attention backs receive can actually be taken as a compliment upon the line itself.\n"It really doesn't bother me as a lineman," Sowells said. "If the running back is getting all of the attention, he must be doing pretty well, which reflects on us because we're the ones doing the blocking."\nHype or no hype, it is essential for the big guys to play as a team. Offensive line coach Steve Addazio said team unity has to be its strongest amongst the offensive linemen. According to Addazio, they all must learn to work as a cohesive unit in order to successfully block on the field. \n"Team chemistry is a huge part of what a lineman has to do," Addazio said. "If you've had to work together as a unit over time and have made the same sacrifices over time, that builds a sense of pride and toughness." \nSolidarity isn't the only ingredient of a strong line. Hines said one of the most important attributes of a good unit is its ability to communicate well on the field. \n"Communication is the biggest part of being a lineman. You've got to have everybody on the same page," Hines said. "You've just got to count on the guy next to you to know what they're doing. The more times you've got five guys coming off of the ball hitting the right guy, the better the line will be."\nAddazio said the team's unity goes beyond the end zones and hashmarks and stretches into life off of the field. On the field, the linemen aren't driven by recognition from the average fan, but by an unmitigated devotion to the game. \n"When you put all of these guys together they have a nice chemistry, and these guys genuinely care for each other," Addazio said. "That group of guys, they love the game of football. They just don't love Saturday, they love football. They want to learn the game and it's not about the glory." \nWith so much time spent working toward a common goal, Hines said team unity grows into something larger -- family.\n"We're all buddies off the field and we all hang out. We pretty much do everything together," Hines said. "That's important because that's how you grow as a unit and as a team. You have to be around each other and know where you came from and instead of being a teammate, it's more like a brother." \nWhile team chemistry and camaraderie is strong, the unit's performance hasn't been perfect. The Hoosier line was plagued by false starts throughout Saturday's loss against Michigan State. \n"One of the things we have to work on is our ability to sustain our play throughout the game," Addazio said. "Throughout the season, we have always faltered in the second half and we can't do that."\nOne of the prerequisites for any self-respecting lineman is size and the Hoosiers are no exception. The fearsome five-some dwarf the average person as Hines weighs in at 6-foot-2, 304 pounds, Sowells at 6-foot-3, 317 lbs., senior Chris Jahnke at 6-foot-5, 294 lbs., sophomore Justin Frye at 6-foot-5, 300 lbs., and sophomore Chris Mangiero is the runt of the group at 6-foot-1, 290 lbs. \nWhen the half-pint of any crew tips the scales at 290 pounds, some people can be a little in awe of their presence; however, Sowells said it's all in good fun. \n"It's great to be big, but it also can be a little intimidating for other people," Sowells said. "Some of the smaller kids might see me and walk a little bit faster. But, some people see big guys like us as teddy bears so it all balances out." \nFor every IU lineman, football has transcended the ranks of sports and has become a major point of existence. Jahnke said his affinity for the game gives him the ability to lift the weight, watch the tape and make the hits time and time again. \n"My life is this school and football," Jahnke said. "We come out here day after day, prepare for each opponent and get ready for them. You've got to love the game in order to do that."\n-- Contact staff writer Dan Patrick at djpatric@indiana.edu.