Forgotten linemen step forward

Defensive lineman specialize in moving defenses

Matthew Stoss / senior photographer Redshirt senior guard George Burns protects redshirt sophomore quarterback Justin Rascati in JMU's semifinal game against the Tribe of William and Mary.

A wise man once called the forward pass one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century. Now, in the 21st century, it is the age of the spread offense, where the focus of offensive football is that forward pass.

As a consequence, the running game and notions of "power football" have been forsaken in favor of West Coast football, which features as many as five wide receivers and the single-man backfield.

The forgotten element in all this change is the offensive line. For JMU, the ignored contingent is composed of redshirt senior Jamaal Crowder and sophomore Cory Davis manning the tackle positions, redshirt senior George Burns and redshirt junior Matt Magerko (who was named first team all-Atlantic 10) playing guard and redshirt senior Leon Steinfeld at center.

"We’re definitely underappreciated," Magerko said. "But your team goes as your offensive line goes."

In the 2004 Division I-AA National Championship game, everyone "went" somewhere as a result of the Dukes’ offensive line. The most obvious were those occupying JMU’s backfield.

Redshirt sophomore running back Maurice Fenner rushed for 164 yards on 29 carries in the Dukes’ 31-21 victory over the University of Montana. Fellow back and redshirt sophomore Alvin Banks added 88 yards on 13 carries, averaging 6.8 a touch, while Fenner averaged 5.7 and scored two touchdowns.

Is it because Fenner and Banks are just that fast, and just that elusive?

"The O-line’s job is to make the way, so I can run," Fenner said. "I can’t do what I do without them. They’re real good, obviously the best in our conference, and in I-AA. They opened up big holes and made my job easy."

As appreciative as the JMU backfield is about its offensive line, opposing defenses are less enthused.

"Because we are so physical, the defense gets demoralized," Steinfeld said. "It takes their heart away knowing that we are going to run the ball and they can’t stop us. [For them], that’s the worst feeling in the world."

In the national championship game, that physicality showed as JMU’s offensive line had its way with the Montana defense, especially during the final two drives of the game. The Dukes drove 72 yards on nine plays and 80 yards on 16 plays to score on a 1-yard run from Fenner and a 6-yard scramble by redshirt sophomore quarterback Justin Rascati while the JMU line was moving Griz defenders at will.

"That’s why we say we are the most physical in the country," Magerko said. "We can just go out, and beat the hell out of them."

In total, those drives took up 11:25 and the Dukes longest drive added up to 11:58, which was capped by an 11-yard touchdown run by Rascati in the third quarter.

"We have the most physical team on the field and if you run the ball, we’ll get yards," Steinfeld said.

Of JMU’s official people movers, four will graduate: Steinfeld, Davis, Burns and redshirt senior guard Mike Jenkins, which means the Dukes will have to replace a huge component in their run at a repeat in 2005.

"They’re just young," Magerko said. "We’ve gotten used to playing together, but we’ve been playing together for three years. We trust them."

On the depth chart, the man with the most experience is redshirt junior Harry Dunn, a 6-foot-7-inch, 325 lb. tackle, but because of injuries to frontline players, many others have seen time in the trenches.

"It definitely helps when you lose someone and you know you’ve got guys who have started before," Steinfeld said.