The Texas A&M offensive line is relying on a group of experienced sophomores and juniors this year.
Sixteen years ago, Mike Sherman was in Jim Turner's shoes -- in charge of the Texas A&M offensive line, a unit with the often underappreciated responsibility of clearing running lanes and protecting the passer.
"We used to have a good line coach in the early '90s and late '80s," Sherman joked. "He was probably the best one they've had. Coach turner is a close second."
More than a decade later, not much has changed. The Aggies go into 2011 with a wealth of expectations and a consistent, competitive, cohesive group up front. Oh, and the trademark Boston accent has been maintained.
"That Boston accent is still there," Sherman said, "to the offensive line in that they don't know what he's talking about half the time."
On an offense expected to be one of the nation's most potent, with a breadth of skill position talent, success -- or failure -- will begin and end with the five up front.
Though they're collectively young, there isn't a dearth of experience. Sophomores Luke Joeckel, Shep Klinke and Jake Matthews, along with juniors Brian Thomas and Patrick Lewis, have been the starting group since midway through spring camp. That stability is of the utmost importance.
"Any stability is helpful," Sherman said. "We've been able to keep those guys healthy and then you don't have to make changes. That'll be a consistent group. Stability at offensive line is most critical of all the positions on the field."
Just because the starters have stayed constant for the better part of five months doesn't mean there isn't competition. Every practice, the back-ups are gunning for the starters. It's a revelation that the guys look at as a positive thing.
"There has been a lot of competition," Matthews said. "We've always got guys fighting to get up to the next spot, so the guys up front are having to work harder to keep their spots."
The competition and depth up front has Turner and his guys extremely comfortable.
"Coach Turner was telling us he's confident in 10 of the guys, that they could go out and play tomorrow," Matthews said. "We always have someone who can step in right away. It's really reassuring."
The consistency, the fire, the competition, it all starts at the top. Turner, an ex-marine, is never one to hide his true emotions.
"He puts me to shame," Sherman said. "He's very intense, very detailed and he's an unbelievable motivator ... You either get fired up or you get fired. He gets everybody fired up. He's not just an emotional guy, he's a smart coach. He's consistent every day. He never changes. He never has a down day."
If the players have a down day, though, they'll hear about it in the meeting room.
"The players walk into that room, they know they're going to get blasted if they have a bad practice," Sherman said. "They know that. But he makes them mentally tougher to be able to handle things on game day."
Turner's fire is one reason both Joeckel and Matthews were so successful during their freshman campaigns -- essentially a Big 12 trial by fire. It's also why Klinke has come on so strong.
"He's very intense and brings out the best in every one of us," he said.
All the minute details that go into football are studied and perfected in the film room. Those little intricacies are what make this A&M offensive line so consistent. It also helps that the guys don't have a choice when it comes to focusing intently during Turner's meetings.
"You'll never see a guy falling asleep in one of those," Klinke said.
And if somebody did?
"They'd probably end up in a hospital bed."
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