Purdue offensive line breakdown: More size, more bodies, more talent

WEST LAFAYETTE — By the end of last season, Purdue's starting offensive line was decided by injury attrition .

Because of that, the Boilermakers loaded up with linemen and now is as deep as they've been on the offensive front in many years.

But it's not just the number, or size, of players Marcus Johnson has available that has Purdue's offensive line coach excited to enter the season.

"Everybody talks about size, but I see a lot of big people that can't move people off the ball," Johnson said. "Me, I just want good football players at the end of the day. Those players happen to be bigger, but we've got a pretty good room, I think."

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Purdue's offensive linemen

Who is back: Gus Hartwig, senior; Luke Griffin, senior; Tom Ewing, redshirt freshman; Thomas Tinsley, redshirt freshman; Aaron Roberts, junior; Marcus Mbow, junior; Drew Woodruff, sophomore; Jimmy Liston, redshirt freshman; Jalen Grant, senior; Ethan Trent, redshirt freshman; Mahamane Moussa, junior; Bakyne Coly, junior

New faces: John Randle Jr., freshman; Rod Green, junior (Coffeyville Community College); DJ Wingfield, senior (New Mexico); Jordan King, freshman; Anthony Boswell, freshman; Max Parrott, freshman; Corey Stewart, senior (Ball State); Josh Sales Jr., junior (Indiana); Joey Tanona, sophomore (Notre Dame)

Starting presence

Purdue's offensive line boasts an impressive 136 combined collegiate starts.

Center Gus Hartwig, right tackle Marcus Mbow and Mahamane Moussa are in their third season all starting together and Hartwig has the rare distinction as a starter for a fifth straight season. Jalen Grant also is familiar with that crew as a starter last season after he transferred from Bowling Green.

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"We know what one another looks at on the field and it makes it a lot easier when we all have the same lens," Moussa said.

Luke Griffin was previously a starter at Missouri and played seven games at Purdue last season before a season-ending injury. Corey Stewarts comes to Purdue having started 28 consecutive games at Ball State. Transfers DJ Wingfield at Josh Sales Jr. also bring in starting experience.

"At first it was new faces, so it was hard to break it in, but now the bond is unbreakable," Wingfield said.

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Versatility equals flexibility

Perhaps the most important element to Purdue's offensive line is that many are not limited to one spot.

Purdue's ability to shift players around was tested when the depth was nonexistent due to a rash of injuries last season. In fall camp, we've already seen numerous players shifting to multiple roles. Wingfield has played both guard and tackle with the first unit during practices and Grant has been at both guard and center.

"Having versatility and depth makes it so you don't lose a beat if something happens," Hartwig said.

Interesting name to note

Joey Tanona once was one of Indiana's best high school offensive linemen in the fall and throwers in the spring during track and field season.

His talents earned him a scholarship to Notre Dame, but a car crash caused Tanona to medically retire more than two years ago. Tanona entered the transfer portal in December and Purdue, in need of offensive line depth, took a flyer.

Tanona is starting to impress in West Lafayette.

"I expected him to do well because I knew the player he was," said Hartwig, a high school teammate of Tanona. "It was kind of the uncertainty of how would he be after the injury, but seeing him in the spring and seeing him now, he's exactly the player he was before."

Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @samueltking.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue offensive line breakdown: More size, more bodies, more talent