Both Iowa, Kentucky value and prioritize strong offensive line play

Building teams from the inside out is something both Iowa and Kentucky value in roster construction. Specifically, the Hawkeyes and Wildcats value offensive line play.

Not surprisingly, both programs have won numerous football games over the last six seasons, and in the middle of it all has been strong play at center, guard, and tackle in the trenches.

“It gives you a chance to win any game,” Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said about offensive line play.

Quarterback is the most important position in the sport. That is a spot that needs to be addressed everywhere. Meanwhile, explosive skill talent can make it easier for offenses to score. However, offensive lines set the culture and floor for your program.

“One thing about the offensive line is that they kind of set the tone for your team,” Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops told reporters on Friday morning. “First of all, there’s a large group of them — 15, 16, 17, 18 large men walking around all the time. With their attitude, their persona, the way they carry themselves — the attitude, the toughness they carry themselves kind of sets the tone for your team. So it’s extremely important.

At Iowa, the Hawkeyes have the best center in college football as Tyler Linderbaum is one of the best players in college football. The former top-500 recruit could be a top-20 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.

At Kentucky, senior right tackle Darian Kinnard is the highest-rated Power Five offensive tackle in college football, per PFF. The former four-star recruit out of Cleveland (Ohio) St. Ignatius looks like a safe bet to be a top-50 pick in this year’s NFL Draft.

Both Ferentz and Stoops value line of scrimmage play. On the offensive line, Iowa and Kentucky consistently record solid recruiting wins and have a strong track record of developing undervalued recruits or former walk-ons. Each program knows the importance of the position.

“You gotta be big, you gotta be physical — and that’s certainly Iowa. That’s certainly at Kentucky what we’re trying to be,” said Stoops.

Football can be a complex game. At one time on any given play, 22 players could be trying to accomplish different assignments. The nuances can be hard to follow, but at the end of the day, the game is really pretty simple. On the line of scrimmage, offensive lines must be able to move and stop big bodies to allow your offense to move the chains and put points on the board.

“You need to be good on both sides of the line of scrimmage, and it kind of starts there,” said Stoops