Position Previews: The Offensive Line
7/14/2025 2:30:00 PM | Football
Chatting with Zach Lankford about his position group
As the dog days of summer roll on, GSEagles.com is sitting down with each of the 11 position coaches to discuss their room. Up next is offensive line coach Zach Lankford.
Q: Coach, what were your general takeaways from spring ball when it came to your offensive line group?
ZL: It was a good spring. We got to see a lot of different guys take reps, and that's always valuable. We've got plenty of experience coming back—especially on the interior—but even at tackle, we've got guys who may not have started a ton but have played a lot of football and know what they're doing. This is one of the deeper groups I've been around. Our big emphasis this spring was making sure that no matter which combination of five guys is out there, we can go out and execute. The guys really bought into that, and I think we took a step forward both individually and as a unit.
Q: Which veterans stood out this spring?
ZL: We're really fortunate. In the middle, we've got some absolute stalwarts—guys like Pichon Wimbley, Caleb Cook, Chandler Strong and Chance Carroll. As a coach, you love working with players like that. You know they're going to give their best effort, they know the playbook inside and out, and they lead the rest of the room. It was fun to watch them work this spring.
Q: What about the newcomers? Who stood out there?
ZL: We've got some promising newcomers for sure. Robert Wright Jr. has been here a bit, but he's had to battle through some injuries. It was great to get him back healthy and see what he can do. Then there's Caelan Williams and Johnnie Brown III—both of those guys really impressed me this spring. Technically, they've made strides, and they're picking up the offense while playing hard and doing everything we ask. They've had a strong spring.
Q: I'm guessing some of the guys you just mentioned will also fall into this category, but who are the leaders in your room?
ZL: Absolutely. Pichon, Cook, Chandler and Chance are all leaders. But I'd also include Kyle Frazier in that group. He's an older guy who's been through a lot, and he brings a mature, grounded perspective to the room. He's kind of the heartbeat of the group. When we need to crank up the intensity, Kyle's the one who sets the tone. I really appreciate all those guys for what they bring.
Q: What position battles are you looking forward to watching in preseason camp?
ZL: We've got great depth, and that means more guys can contribute—and injuries hopefully won't hit us as hard. But yes, there are definitely some battles. Center is one to watch. We've got two guys there who I know can play at an all-conference level, so watching them push each other is going to be a lot of fun. At tackle, guys like Johnnie Brown III, Matthew Williams Jr. and Kyle Frazier are really coming into their own, and they're pushing the veterans. The more competition we have, the better we get.
Q: Georgia Southern has had five offensive line coaches in the past six years. How big is it for you and the guys to finally have some continuity heading into year two together?
ZL: It's huge—for me and especially for the guys. I think this is the first time for most of them that they've had the same offensive line coach for back-to-back seasons. That consistency is invaluable. This time last year, I was still building relationships and getting to know them. Now, we understand each other—we know what everyone's about. I've recruited a lot of the young guys myself, so there's that familiarity and trust. It's a blessing to be heading into year two together.
Q: Finally, what's the top thing you'll be preaching to your group to help this team win games?
ZL: For us, it's about being consistent and reliable. We talk all the time about our day-to-day approach—how we go about our business. We don't necessarily want to be the loudest group or the most vocal leaders, but we want to lead through how we work. We've got to be the toughest, hardest-working position group on the team. Whether Coach App needs us to run the ball 40 times and rush for 250, or throw it 50 times and keep the quarterback clean, we've got to be ready to get it done.
Q: Coach, what were your general takeaways from spring ball when it came to your offensive line group?
ZL: It was a good spring. We got to see a lot of different guys take reps, and that's always valuable. We've got plenty of experience coming back—especially on the interior—but even at tackle, we've got guys who may not have started a ton but have played a lot of football and know what they're doing. This is one of the deeper groups I've been around. Our big emphasis this spring was making sure that no matter which combination of five guys is out there, we can go out and execute. The guys really bought into that, and I think we took a step forward both individually and as a unit.
Q: Which veterans stood out this spring?
ZL: We're really fortunate. In the middle, we've got some absolute stalwarts—guys like Pichon Wimbley, Caleb Cook, Chandler Strong and Chance Carroll. As a coach, you love working with players like that. You know they're going to give their best effort, they know the playbook inside and out, and they lead the rest of the room. It was fun to watch them work this spring.
Q: What about the newcomers? Who stood out there?
ZL: We've got some promising newcomers for sure. Robert Wright Jr. has been here a bit, but he's had to battle through some injuries. It was great to get him back healthy and see what he can do. Then there's Caelan Williams and Johnnie Brown III—both of those guys really impressed me this spring. Technically, they've made strides, and they're picking up the offense while playing hard and doing everything we ask. They've had a strong spring.
Q: I'm guessing some of the guys you just mentioned will also fall into this category, but who are the leaders in your room?
ZL: Absolutely. Pichon, Cook, Chandler and Chance are all leaders. But I'd also include Kyle Frazier in that group. He's an older guy who's been through a lot, and he brings a mature, grounded perspective to the room. He's kind of the heartbeat of the group. When we need to crank up the intensity, Kyle's the one who sets the tone. I really appreciate all those guys for what they bring.
Q: What position battles are you looking forward to watching in preseason camp?
ZL: We've got great depth, and that means more guys can contribute—and injuries hopefully won't hit us as hard. But yes, there are definitely some battles. Center is one to watch. We've got two guys there who I know can play at an all-conference level, so watching them push each other is going to be a lot of fun. At tackle, guys like Johnnie Brown III, Matthew Williams Jr. and Kyle Frazier are really coming into their own, and they're pushing the veterans. The more competition we have, the better we get.
Q: Georgia Southern has had five offensive line coaches in the past six years. How big is it for you and the guys to finally have some continuity heading into year two together?
ZL: It's huge—for me and especially for the guys. I think this is the first time for most of them that they've had the same offensive line coach for back-to-back seasons. That consistency is invaluable. This time last year, I was still building relationships and getting to know them. Now, we understand each other—we know what everyone's about. I've recruited a lot of the young guys myself, so there's that familiarity and trust. It's a blessing to be heading into year two together.
Q: Finally, what's the top thing you'll be preaching to your group to help this team win games?
ZL: For us, it's about being consistent and reliable. We talk all the time about our day-to-day approach—how we go about our business. We don't necessarily want to be the loudest group or the most vocal leaders, but we want to lead through how we work. We've got to be the toughest, hardest-working position group on the team. Whether Coach App needs us to run the ball 40 times and rush for 250, or throw it 50 times and keep the quarterback clean, we've got to be ready to get it done.
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