When you’re looking for an ideal offensive line in August, there’s a few things you need to check off. William Monroe’s group checks all the boxes.
Are they experienced? Yes, they’re all experienced players, with the lone loss to graduation being Luke Sutton, everyone has played at the varsity level extensively on a line that cleared the way for a 1,000-yard rusher in Malik Mallory.
Are they strong? Absolutely, Monroe’s offseason program has led to big across the board gains.
Can they play as a unit? Without a doubt.
“When you play as a unit, that’s when you win games,” said Monroe senior guard Tyler Bunyea, who plans to head to Shenandoah to play football at the collegiate level next year. “Most of us men out here today, we’ve all played football together since we were eight years old, seven years old. We’ve known each other for a very long time and I think that builds the bond.”
That foundational group is certainly the furthest along as Monroe started practice this week and a big reason the Dragons are feeling optimistic as they enter their final season in the Bull Run District. In addition to the core five starters, tight end Kyle Kruszewski is like having a third tackle when the Dragons are running the ball at around 285 pounds on a 6-foot-3 frame. Kruszewski proved his pass-catching acumen last year with 19 catches, almost all of it coming late in the year after a breakout game against Clarke in early October. This year he’ll do some of that of course, but working with the blocking apparatus for a Monroe squad that wants to run extensively out of the pistol is going to be crucial.
“We got a lot of conditioning in and over the past two days we’ve been really close,” Kruszewski said. “We’ve been looking good.”
Having a blocker of his caliber on the edge is huge advantage too and has the potential to make the Dragons particularly dangerous on the edge.
“It definitely opens things up a lot more than it has in the past, we’ve never had someone of that structure as our tight end,” Bunyea said. “Kyle has opened up that window for having an extra lineman.”
Titus Carpenter, Tyler Huckstep, Tremaine Hawkins, Bunyea and Davon Smith should be ready to help spring holes for whoever replaces Mallory right out of the gate while also protecting returning starting quarterback Malique Shackleford. They’re big, but they’re also technicians and early in camp the unit’s footwork has looked strong.
“They listen to every word and when (assistant coach Chris Wimmer) says you’re doing this wrong, they fix it,” said Monroe head coach Jon Rocha. “They’re receptive of him and they beleive in him and what he’s saying.”
Monroe was hit by a rash of injuries early in the season and the squad’s offensive system switch to a triple option also fell flat. They closed the year strong though, and with that blocking up front back in the fold as well as Ben Sizemore clearing the point of attack at fullback, the Dragons are poised to start clearing the way for big gains right out of the gates for a diverse group of running backs including Austin Young and Jalen McKinney.
“Last year most of our veterans were at our skill positions but now the linemen are the ones that have been playing coming on three years,” Sizemore said. “A line is so important to a team. You can have the best skill position players possible but it doesn’t matter if your offensive line isn’t that great. I’d rather have a seasoned, veteran line than a bunch of veteran skill position players.”
The Dragons have that line and they’ll be looking to pave the way starting with the season opener on the road against Brentsville September 2.
