Players Mentioned
OL
/ Football
OL
/ FootballOL
/ Football
OL
/ FootballOL
/ Football
OL
/ FootballOL
/ FootballOL
/ Football
Photo by: Frank Fortune - Georgia Southern Athletics
Position Preview: The Offensive Line
8/31/2015 7:54:00 AM | Football
Atkins must replace four starters from last year's group
The Georgia Southern football team set the bar extremely high in its first season of FBS play. By winning the Sun Belt Conference title, the Eagles duplicated what just two other teams in the history of college football had accomplished, and became the only team to do it with an undefeated league record. With 13 starters back, five on the offensive side of the ball and eight on defense, Georgia Southern will try to meet and surpass that standard in 2015 by reaching the first bowl game in school history.
With the season opener at West Virginia getting closer each day, GSEagles.com will break down each position group now that camp is over and the regular season is rapidly approaching. Today, we take a brief look at the offensive line, led by coach Alex Atkins.
COACH ATKINS ON THE OFFENSIVE LINE
"We needed to get as many reps as possible in preseason camp and try to continue to get better, fundamentally and with our technique. I think the guys have done that and gotten better each day. Hopefully, it pays off when the lights come on. We've got a good first group, but we lost four starters from last year. We have some older guys along there, but I don't know if you ever feel comfortable. We'll see after game one."
BRIEFLY:
• While the Eagles may not return the seasoning up front they had a year ago, the offensive line has gotten bigger. The average height and weight of the 10 players listed in the spring two-deep was 6-2.5, 300.4 pounds.
• Senior Darien Foreman (6-2, 310) is the lone returning starter up front, but senior Maurice Hunt (6-1, 299), junior Andy Kwon (6-2, 295) and sophomore Tommy Boynton (6-4, 300) saw game action last season and are battling for starting positions. The Eagles also added a pair of veteran transfers in junior tackle Max Magaña (6-6, 290) and senior guard Roscoe Byrd (6-3, 320), who are either slated to start or are in the mix for a starting spot.
• Redshirt freshman guard Ryan Northrup (6-2, 285), tackle Tristan Hill (6-4, 275), sophomore center Jackson Morris (6-1, 270) and true freshman tackle Jeremiah Culbreth (6-3, 300) exited fall camp on the two-deep and are expected to contribute.
• Foreman, a Lombardi Award Watch List member, started all 12 games on the offensive line and helped pave the way for the nation's most potent rushing offense, which racked up 381.1 yards per game and two of the top four single-game rushing totals in FBS in 2014. Georgia Southern also set a Sun Belt Conference record for rushing TDs with 55 and added 1,409 yards to the league's previous single-season rushing record with 4,573 in 2014.
• In addition to opening up running lanes for the Eagle backs, the offensive line will need to do its part to help the team's ability to stretch the field.
• "A lot of our passing game is play action, and when you play-action pass, you've got to protect a second longer, run crisper routes, beat man coverage and catch the ball, and our quarterbacks have got to be more accurate throwing the football so it's a whole team deal," said head coach Willie Fritz. "It's not just the quarterbacks and receivers - a big part of it is the offensive line and running backs providing adequate protection."
Monday, Aug. 24 - LINEBACKERS
Tuesday, Aug. 25 - QUARTERBACKS
Wednesday, Aug. 26 - SECONDARY
Thursday, Aug. 27 - TIGHT ENDS/H-BACKS
Friday, Aug. 28 - DEFENSIVE LINE
Saturday, Aug. 29 - RUNNING BACKS
Sunday, Aug. 30 - SPECIALISTS
TODAY - OFFENSIVE LINE
Tuesday, Sept. 1 - WIDE RECEIVERS
With the season opener at West Virginia getting closer each day, GSEagles.com will break down each position group now that camp is over and the regular season is rapidly approaching. Today, we take a brief look at the offensive line, led by coach Alex Atkins.
COACH ATKINS ON THE OFFENSIVE LINE
"We needed to get as many reps as possible in preseason camp and try to continue to get better, fundamentally and with our technique. I think the guys have done that and gotten better each day. Hopefully, it pays off when the lights come on. We've got a good first group, but we lost four starters from last year. We have some older guys along there, but I don't know if you ever feel comfortable. We'll see after game one."
BRIEFLY:
• While the Eagles may not return the seasoning up front they had a year ago, the offensive line has gotten bigger. The average height and weight of the 10 players listed in the spring two-deep was 6-2.5, 300.4 pounds.
• Senior Darien Foreman (6-2, 310) is the lone returning starter up front, but senior Maurice Hunt (6-1, 299), junior Andy Kwon (6-2, 295) and sophomore Tommy Boynton (6-4, 300) saw game action last season and are battling for starting positions. The Eagles also added a pair of veteran transfers in junior tackle Max Magaña (6-6, 290) and senior guard Roscoe Byrd (6-3, 320), who are either slated to start or are in the mix for a starting spot.
• Redshirt freshman guard Ryan Northrup (6-2, 285), tackle Tristan Hill (6-4, 275), sophomore center Jackson Morris (6-1, 270) and true freshman tackle Jeremiah Culbreth (6-3, 300) exited fall camp on the two-deep and are expected to contribute.
• Foreman, a Lombardi Award Watch List member, started all 12 games on the offensive line and helped pave the way for the nation's most potent rushing offense, which racked up 381.1 yards per game and two of the top four single-game rushing totals in FBS in 2014. Georgia Southern also set a Sun Belt Conference record for rushing TDs with 55 and added 1,409 yards to the league's previous single-season rushing record with 4,573 in 2014.
• In addition to opening up running lanes for the Eagle backs, the offensive line will need to do its part to help the team's ability to stretch the field.
• "A lot of our passing game is play action, and when you play-action pass, you've got to protect a second longer, run crisper routes, beat man coverage and catch the ball, and our quarterbacks have got to be more accurate throwing the football so it's a whole team deal," said head coach Willie Fritz. "It's not just the quarterbacks and receivers - a big part of it is the offensive line and running backs providing adequate protection."
Monday, Aug. 24 - LINEBACKERS
Tuesday, Aug. 25 - QUARTERBACKS
Wednesday, Aug. 26 - SECONDARY
Thursday, Aug. 27 - TIGHT ENDS/H-BACKS
Friday, Aug. 28 - DEFENSIVE LINE
Saturday, Aug. 29 - RUNNING BACKS
Sunday, Aug. 30 - SPECIALISTS
TODAY - OFFENSIVE LINE
Tuesday, Sept. 1 - WIDE RECEIVERS
Georgia Southern Football Media Availability (4/4/26)
Saturday, April 04
Declare your Major Day 2026
Tuesday, March 31
The GATA ZONE - Spring Volleyball
Thursday, March 26
Georgia Southern Football Media Availability (3/24/26)
Tuesday, March 24
