The Unsung Heroes of the Tulane Football Team

NEW ORLEANS – Confidence, speed and power are the three pillars of the offensive line room for the Tulane University football team.

"Those are the three things we try to base our philosophy off of and you can't have one without the other," Green Wave offensive line coach Cody Kennedy said. "They all work together. You've got to go to work on that every day. You've got to have a mindset every day to get better and that's what these guys do and that's what these leaders do for us."

This season the offensive line has improved dramatically. Last season, the unit allowed 28 sacks through seven games, but this season the line has only allowed nine. This has helped quarterback Justin McMillan.

"If I've got an O-Line that can protect me pretty well, that just makes my job easier as a whole," McMillan said.

The line isn't just blocking for the quarterback though. They are also moving defenders out of the way for the running backs. They have helped the running game improve from 4.7 yards per carry in 2018 to 6.0 yards per carry in 2019.

"The offensive line's improvement has helped my guys tremendously," Tulane running backs coach Jamaal Fobbs said. "The good thing is the guys have been there and have a bunch of game experience so a lot of the looks and things we are doing they are able to transfer in their minds and play a lot faster. For us in the backfield, we know how each one of the guys move and how they'll scoop a certain block or how they'll kick out so body movements are important. It gives us some consistency being able to know where guys are going to be and how we're going to block it so we can anticipate the hole so we can hit it a lot faster."

The coaches are not the only ones noticing the improvement from the offensive line this season.

"The offensive line makes the reads easier," junior running back Stephon Huderson said. "For them to get on their blocks and stay on their blocks longer makes the runs easier and allows us to get more yards."

Senior running back Darius Bradwell has noticed the same thing.

"Having a good offensive line just makes my job easier," Bradwell said. "We're blessed to have a great offensive line."

The offensive line is comprised of five positions: a center, a left and right guard and a left and right tackle. The line has two graduate transfer starting, Christian Montano and Ben Knutson, two recruits from the Willie Fritz era, Corey Dublin and Joey Claybrook, and one of only two players left from before Coach Fritz's time with the Olive and Blue, Keyshawn McLeod.

This group comes from all over the country. Montano comes from Brown University after growing up in Connecticut. Knutson hails from Indiana prior to playing at Virginia. Dublin is a New Orleans native, Claybrook grew up in Starkville, Mississippi, and McLeod is from Port Charlotte, Florida. Having guys from all across the country can sometimes cause problems, but not in this room.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Kennedy said. "I love these guys. It's a rag-tag crew in there. You've got kids from all over and the recruiting classes we're bringing in and the freshman that are here now are building to that. We're getting guys from all over the country that we're getting molded together. It is a little bit of a circus at times, but it's one big happy family and that's why I love coaching that position group."

The players attribute this to their coach, who they call the ringleader to their circus.

"Coach Kennedy is our ringleader," graduate offensive lineman Christian Montano said. "I think the offensive line always takes on the personality of their coach regardless of where you are. He's a guy that knows a lot about football and he's taught us a lot. I think the way that we scheme offensively, the mentality it takes and the way we communicate has all come from him. The culture that he has wanted to bring to the offensive line, he has been able instill really well."

McLeod continued this sentiment.

"We're working as a unit right now," McLeod said. "Nobody is selfish right now. We are calling out plays for each other and everybody is working as a unit. Years before we were working as a unit, but it's really flowing now. Everybody is talking to each other. Communication is really a big key. The coach is a big key too. He coaches everybody the same way."

Offensive linemen don't get the ball on every play. They don't record flashy stats. They don't get the recognition for the big plays, but they wouldn't have it any other way.

"Our whole room is full of great, hard-working, blue-collar guys," Kennedy says. "They're not really about the flash or anything like that, but that's O-Linemen across the country. That's the quintessential offensive lineman. Just go to work every day and punch the clock and good things will happen if you do your job and that's kind of what we try to build."

The average spectator might not look at the five guys up front on offense every play, but these five players make an impact. Their improvement for the Green Wave this season has helped put the team on pace to break records. It all starts in the trenches with the five unsung heroes of the Green Wave football team.

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The Unsung Heroes of the Tulane Football Team

Players Mentioned

Darius Bradwell

Joey Claybrook

Corey Dublin

Stephon Huderson

Ben Knutson

Keyshawn McLeod

Justin McMillan

Christian Montano

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