We continue our post-spring depth chart breakdown today as we take a look at the offensive line.
Offensive Line analysis:
The Flames will have to replace 2 starters from 2015 as both Max Sommer and Jonathan Burgess have departed. Sommer and Burgess combined to start 60 games during their careers, including each of the last 25 games. The biggest question marks remaining are: how will Tanner Hartman adapt in moving from right to left tackle and who is the starting center? If each of those questions can be answered, Coach Dennis Wagner should have one of his best offensive lines since he arrived at Liberty. It’s also a young group, with only 1 senior in the projected rotation. Coach Gill says he likes what he saw out of the front line in the spring, “I think we have some good football players there. We just got to figure it all out, how do I get those top 5 guys and what position will they play?”
Left Tackle
1. Tanner Hartman (Jr., 6-4, 290)
After transferring to Liberty from Penn State following the 2013 season, Hartman has started 23 games at right tackle, including all 11 in 2015. Now, he will transition to the left tackle spot where Sommer had started the last 25 games. Hartman was voted as a team captain following spring practice.
2. Sam Isaacson (R-Fr., 6-6, 310)
Isaacson joined the team as a preferred walk-on a year ago and redshirted during 2015.
Left Guard
1. Michael Henderman (Jr., 6-3, 290)
Henderman started 10 of 11 games at left guard as a sophomore last year.
2. Devin Crisp (Sr., 6-1, 305)
Center
1. Dontae Duff (R-Fr., 6-1, 320)
If Duff is able to hold on to the starting center spot, he will give the Flames the luxury of being able to move Holder to right guard. If not, Holder can slide back over to center. Coach Gill says he’s still not 100% sure what will happen in the fall, “Duff got the majority of the reps throughout the spring. We had Holder held out a little bit. We’re still trying to figure it out. If we had to play today, this is where it would be. We still haven’t totally finalized that. Holder may be at the center, he may be at the guard.”
2. Ben Fiordelise (So., 6-3, 275)
Right Guard
1. Lucas Holder (Jr., 6-4, 280)
Holder played in 12 games, as a reserve, in 2014, and he started the first 5 games at center in 2015 before getting injured. As long as he’s healthy, Holder will be a starter, either at center or at guard.
2. Beau Carter (R-Fr., 6-4, 320)
Right Tackle
1. Gregg Storey (So., 6-5, 315)
Storey saw limited action in 2015 as a redshirt-freshman, primarily on special teams.
OR Aharown Campbell (Sr., 6-5, 325)
Campbell projects to be the only senior as part of Liberty’s rotation at offensive line in 2016. He is a veteran, seeing significant playing time in each of the past 3 seasons including starting 8 games at right guard as a redshirt freshman in 2013. In his Liberty career, Campbell has played in 33 games and has started 16.