Early eyes center on offensive line as BYU finishes first week of fall camp

Will BYU’s offensive line be better this year after losing offensive tackle Kingsley Suamataia to the Kansas City Chiefs ?

Nobody knows yet.

Well, it needs to be.

Check that, it has to be.

The 2024 offensive line was the first thing head coach Kalani Sitake had his eyes on the first few days of the Cougars’ fall practice this past week.

Sitake wanted to see how that unit competed, how it had progressed in strength, how it worked together, and how it meshed on the field.

So far, he “liked what he saw,” but there’s a long way to go and when pads are on, he’ll know far more than he did during a midweek gaggle with reporters.

Sophomore running back LJ Martin told the media he has seen a difference in BYU’s offensive line under Woods.

“I’ve seen a mentality change in the offensive line. They’re a lot nastier, meaner,” he said. “They’ve been out there making plays and just getting blocks and getting in combo blocks faster. I’m grateful for that.”

Many of the same big bodies return from last year, sans Suamataia. They include center Connor Pay, Weylin Lapuaho and tackles Brayden Keim and Caleb Etienne. A promising freshman, Joe Brown, and others are expected to make an impact.

Sitake knows this group has to elevate play and lead his team.

BYU’s offensive line play was an embarrassment in the Cougars’ first season in the Big 12.

That unit struggled to compete at the line of attack and make its presence known. It had a tough time creating holes for running backs. Pass protection was decent, but the physical part of what it was supposed to do just didn’t get done.

Blocking assignments were not sustained downfield, which made it tough to get rushing yards at the line or the second level of play.

Sitake took action in the offseason and fired O-line coach Darrell Funk , a much-traveled veteran with Big Ten experience. He hired TJ Woods , a guy with extensive work with Wisconsin, a program known for its physical offensive line.

By all accounts, sources say Woods has made an impact on the offensive line since arriving. Aided by some progress in strength and conditioning, Woods is creating trust and chemistry, while demanding far more than his predecessor, who was technically sound in his approach but fell short in inspiring the group.

Sitake told reporters he liked what Woods has done. He also spoke of consultant Gary Andersen , the former Utah Utes assistant and former head coach at Utah State, Southern Utah, Wisconsin and Oregon State.

“Both Aaron Roderick and I are very familiar with Gary and he’s there to put an additional set of eyes on our defensive line and even our offensive line,” Sitake said. “He comes from the Ron McBride school of offensive line play.”

Sitake said defensive coordinator Jay Hill hadn’t installed many of his schemes the first week, but the offense did move the ball in limited 11-on-11 drills and he believed that was an improvement and a positive.

BYU has traditionally fielded and developed NFL-caliber offensive linemen, especially in the days of Roger French. There was a renaissance of sorts under the tutelage of Jeff Grimes.

One thing the most successful BYU offensive lines have displayed in the past is leadership and togetherness, working with trust and a cohesiveness that bled to other aspects of the offense.

Former San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh was once aske d about his offensive line and he gave a valued observation that carries to every level of the game.

“The offensive line to me is important,” said Harbaugh.

“If I asked you the question, what position group depends on no other position group to be good, but every other position group depends on them to be good — what position group is that? Offensive line,” he said. “They’re not relying on any other position group to be good, but yet every other position group relies on the offensive line to be good.

“And then the D-line, they’ll be the ones that argue back, saying ‘We don’t need the offensive line to be good.’ Don’t you? Don’t you like when the offense has a 12-play drive? And then they say, ‘OK, you’re right.’ Building that kind of offensive line is exciting. That group is like a fist. There are five of them playing as one.”

BYU’s entire team suffered last year when its offensive line didn’t keep the offense on the field for long, sustained drives — something the defense desperately needed in every Big 12 loss.

This O-line, the job Woods is doing, may prove to be a make-or-break part of the upcoming Cougar season.

Sitake was right to put his eyes there first when he strolled onto the practice field this week.

He’ll miss Suamataia for sure.

Can that unit be better without him?

It has to be.