Tulsa Football Preview: Offensive Line

After losing 123 career starts, the 2019 season was a rebuilding year for the Hurricane offensive line. As the season progressed, it became apparent that the extremely young front line was increasingly improving.

Versatility is the term that can be used for the Hurricane offensive front in 2020, as multiple players have seen valuable playing and have been coached to play multiple positions on the line.

A glimpse of what this year's offensive line looks to duplicate in 2020 came in the season finale after paving the way for an offensive performance that put up 338 rushing yards and a total offensive output of 669 yards against East Carolina.

"Last year we were really, really young and had to throw guys into the fire, but as the season progressed they showed steady improvement. We're multi-training a lot of guys, getting them to play multiple positions upfront," said Montgomery.

Tulsa's offensive front returns five lettermen, but six players who started at least one game a year ago.

"The offensive line has progressed well during the preseason," said Tulsa Head Coach Philip Montgomery. "We're changing up some things and looking at different things schematically. They're doing well."

"It takes time to jell on the offensive line. There's so much communication that goes on upfront, but I feel confident that those guys are handling it and they'll be the strength of what we do. As well as they play is as well as we'll play this season," added Montgomery.

The most experienced of the group is junior Chris Paul (6-4, 331) with 20 career starts, including eight at right guard and 12 at left guard. Paul will make the move out to his more natural position of right tackle. The left tackle spot appears to be in the hands of redshirt freshman Tyler Smith (6-5, 332), who played in four games and started two contests in 2019, including the East Carolina contest.

Backing up Paul at right tackle is redshirt freshman Jeremy Jones (6-5, 219) and true freshman Dillon Wade (6-4, 288). Jones was a two-year starter and all-district selection his senior season at Lewisville (Texas) High School, while Wade was a two-year starter at left guard for his Cypress Falls (Texas) prep team.

At left tackle, the freshman Smith is backed up by two newcomers. True freshman Jaden Muskrat (6-4, 280), who brings all-state honors from Arkansas, and junior college transfer James Middleton (6-5, 310). Middleton was a three-star recruit out of Jones County (Miss.) Junior College.

The guard position returns three players who have received starts in their careers. The first of Tulsa's two seniors, Dylan Couch (6-3, 299), sits atop the depth chart at the right guard spot, where he started the final four contests in 2019. He is backed up by redshirt freshman Chester Baah (6-3, 298).

Junior Dante Bivens (6-3, 324) moves over to the left side after starting seven games last year at right guard, while senior Tiller Bucktrot (6-5, 305), who opened the 2019 campaign in the starting spot at right guard, battles for playing time at left guard and can fill in on the right side as well.

Redshirt freshman walk-on Isaiah Wright (6-4, 310) also adds depth to the guard spot.

Junior Gerard Wheeler (6-3, 331) moved into the starting center position in the second game of the season at San Jose State and became a mainstay there for the rest of the season. Couch can move over from guard to back him up, while also on hand is true freshman Gabe Cantu (6-4, 300).

Cantu had a solid prep career at Tulsa's Union High School as he started at the center position his final two seasons.

"We're still trying to make our guys interchangeable. It's hard to do, but we're still doing it," said Montgomery. "This year is going to be different when you take into consideration all the different factors of the season with the virus and potential quarantines. You're going to have to play guys in multiple spots and they need the knowledge to move around like that, so we are still training to do that. They've handled it pretty well."

Tulsa Football Preview: Offensive Line

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Players Mentioned

Chester Baah

Dante Bivens

Tiller Bucktrot

Gabe Cantu

Dylan Couch

Jeremy Jones

James Middleton

Jaden Muskrat

Chris Paul

Tyler Smith

Dillon Wade

Gerard Wheeler

Isaiah Wright

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