Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Offseason football position breakdown: Offensive Line
6/21/2020 5:00:00 PM | Football
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — In the beginning of the 2019 season, Middle Tennessee's offensive line operated like an NHL team, with full line changes at times between possessions.
As the Blue Raiders navigate through their nonconference schedule in 2020, the offensive line again could see more than five guys subbing in and out. That way, when Conference USA play comes around, hopefully there are five who push above the rest and solidify themselves in starting spots. They could also escape some early-season injuries.
"That's what you want," offensive line coach Rick Mallory said. "We went in hoping we could get a lot of guys some time and experience, then when we get into conference we trim down a little bit.
"I've always liked to be able to play a lot of offensive linemen. That keeps guys engaged and keeps them competitive, because they always have someone behind them pushing … and that also helps with injuries."
Utilizing that many linemen did wonders for getting a lot of younger players experience in 2019, and that could be the same in 2020. There's a big group of inexperienced youngsters who Mallory is excited about, including five redshirt sophomores, six redshirt freshmen and four true freshmen.
"Overall, we got a bunch of tough guys who like to play football," he said. "It's hard to project true freshmen coming in, because you don't know until you get them into camp. But, we have some guys who we're really excited about."
While experienced linemen Matt Martin, Josh Fannin, Eric Golston, Amir Luckett, Jack Mitchell and Angelo Owens are gone due to graduation, four primary starters return from last year's group — Will Gilchrist, Marcus Greer, Robert Jones and Eric Seay. Look for them to be the anchors of the line.
Returning starters
Robert Jones, Sr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-5/319
Hometown: Chicago
• Played in all 12 games with 11 starts in 2019; Honorable Mention All-C-USA
• Did not allow a sack all season in 2019
• Transferred in 2019 from Highland (Kansas) Community College
Will Gilchrist, R-Sr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-2/275
Hometown: Pasadena, Texas
• Played and started in all 12 games in 2019; Honorable Mention All-C-USA
• Ranked second among linemen in 2019 with 755 snaps played
• Earned Ironman of the Year honors in 2019
Eric Seay, R-Jr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-1/286
Hometown: Albany, Georgia
• Played in all 12 games with 11 starts in 2019
• Led all linemen with 762 snaps played (63.5 per game) in 2019
Marcus Greer, R-So.
Ht./Wt.: 6-3/285
Hometown: St. Louis
• Played and started in 10 games in 2019; named to C-USA All-Freshman Team
• Only allowed 2 sacks in 10 games in 2019
• Injury forced him out of the last 2 games of 2019
Returning Upperclassmen
Luke Harris, R-Sr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-4/277
Hometown: Lafayette, Indiana
• Played in 11 games with 2 starts in 2019
• Earned the team's junior academic award in 2019
Blake Catlett, R-Sr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-1/260
Hometown: Jackson, Tennessee (Chester County High School)
• Played in 1 game in 2019
• Earned team's offensive scout team player of the year in 2019
Cole Kirby, R-Jr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-4/278
Hometown: Franklin, Kentucky
• Played in 10 games with 1 start in 2019
• Missed 2 games in 2019 due to injury
Returning Underclassmen
Jahlil Ryles, R-So.
Ht./Wt.: 6-1/303
Hometown: Phenix City, Alabama
• Played in 6 games in 2019; missed 6 games due to injury
• Missed all of spring practice in 2019 while recovering from surgery
Dawson Bragg, R-So.
Ht./Wt.: 6-6/295
Hometown: Goodlettsville, Tennessee (White House High School)
• Played in 9 games in 2019, mostly on special teams
• Did not play football his junior year of high school
Tyler Falvey, R-So.
Ht./Wt.: 6-4/313
Hometown: Altamonte Springs, Florida
• Played in 2 games in 2019
• Earned team's freshman academic award in 2018
Jacob King, R-So.
Ht./Wt.: 6-1/275
Hometown: Brentwood, Tennessee (John Overton High School)
• Did not play in any games in 2019
Tyler Thurman, R-So.
Ht./Wt.: 6-4/268
Hometown: Kingston, Tennessee (Roane County High School)
• Played in 1 game in 2019
Steven Losoya III, R-Fr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-4/289
Hometown: Nashville (John Overton High School)
• Played in 3 games and took a redshirt in 2019
• Named Nashville's Lineman of the Year in 2018 at Overton High School
Marley Cook, R-Fr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-1/282
Hometown: Water Valley, Mississippi
• Played in 4 games and took a redshirt in 2019
• Earned the team's freshman academic award in 2019
Adam Derry, R-Fr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-3/290
Hometown: Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky
• Played in 3 games in 2019 and took a redshirt
• Rated a 3-star recruit by 247Sports out of Beechwood High School
Dorian Hinton, R-Fr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-4/319
Hometown: Naples, Florida
• Did not play in any games; took a redshirt in 2019
John Lynch, R-Fr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-4/311
Hometown: Winchester, Kentucky
• Did not play in any games; took a redshirt in 2019
• Joined Blue Raiders as a preferred walk-on in 2019
Aran Mohamad-Ali, R-Fr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-0/250
Hometown: Antioch, Tennessee (John Overton High School)
• Did not play in any games; took a redshirt in 2019
Newcomers
Jordan Palmer, Jr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-0/307
Hometown: Northridge, California
• Transferred to MT from College of the Canyons (CA)
• Rated the No. 2 JUCO offensive center in the nation by JCGridiron.com
Conner Griffin, Fr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-1/292
Hometown: Gray, Georgia
• Rated a 3-star recruit by 247Sports
• Named first team all-state in 2019 at Jones County High School
Parker Rogers, Fr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-1/273
Hometown: Leesburg, Georgia
• Rated a 3-star recruit by 247Sports
• Won back-to-back state titles at Lee County High School
Lance Robinson, Fr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-3/279
Hometown: Camilla, Georgia
• Rated a 2-star recruit by Rivals
• Earned all-state honors in 2019
Wilson Kelly, Fr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-0/272
Hometown: Danville, Kentucky
• Rated a 2-star recruit by 247Sports
• Won a state title and finished runner-up once at Boyle County High School
As the Blue Raiders navigate through their nonconference schedule in 2020, the offensive line again could see more than five guys subbing in and out. That way, when Conference USA play comes around, hopefully there are five who push above the rest and solidify themselves in starting spots. They could also escape some early-season injuries.
"That's what you want," offensive line coach Rick Mallory said. "We went in hoping we could get a lot of guys some time and experience, then when we get into conference we trim down a little bit.
"I've always liked to be able to play a lot of offensive linemen. That keeps guys engaged and keeps them competitive, because they always have someone behind them pushing … and that also helps with injuries."
Utilizing that many linemen did wonders for getting a lot of younger players experience in 2019, and that could be the same in 2020. There's a big group of inexperienced youngsters who Mallory is excited about, including five redshirt sophomores, six redshirt freshmen and four true freshmen.
"Overall, we got a bunch of tough guys who like to play football," he said. "It's hard to project true freshmen coming in, because you don't know until you get them into camp. But, we have some guys who we're really excited about."
While experienced linemen Matt Martin, Josh Fannin, Eric Golston, Amir Luckett, Jack Mitchell and Angelo Owens are gone due to graduation, four primary starters return from last year's group — Will Gilchrist, Marcus Greer, Robert Jones and Eric Seay. Look for them to be the anchors of the line.
Returning starters
Robert Jones, Sr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-5/319
Hometown: Chicago
• Played in all 12 games with 11 starts in 2019; Honorable Mention All-C-USA
• Did not allow a sack all season in 2019
• Transferred in 2019 from Highland (Kansas) Community College
Will Gilchrist, R-Sr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-2/275
Hometown: Pasadena, Texas
• Played and started in all 12 games in 2019; Honorable Mention All-C-USA
• Ranked second among linemen in 2019 with 755 snaps played
• Earned Ironman of the Year honors in 2019
Eric Seay, R-Jr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-1/286
Hometown: Albany, Georgia
• Played in all 12 games with 11 starts in 2019
• Led all linemen with 762 snaps played (63.5 per game) in 2019
Marcus Greer, R-So.
Ht./Wt.: 6-3/285
Hometown: St. Louis
• Played and started in 10 games in 2019; named to C-USA All-Freshman Team
• Only allowed 2 sacks in 10 games in 2019
• Injury forced him out of the last 2 games of 2019
Returning Upperclassmen
Luke Harris, R-Sr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-4/277
Hometown: Lafayette, Indiana
• Played in 11 games with 2 starts in 2019
• Earned the team's junior academic award in 2019
Blake Catlett, R-Sr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-1/260
Hometown: Jackson, Tennessee (Chester County High School)
• Played in 1 game in 2019
• Earned team's offensive scout team player of the year in 2019
Cole Kirby, R-Jr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-4/278
Hometown: Franklin, Kentucky
• Played in 10 games with 1 start in 2019
• Missed 2 games in 2019 due to injury
Returning Underclassmen
Jahlil Ryles, R-So.
Ht./Wt.: 6-1/303
Hometown: Phenix City, Alabama
• Played in 6 games in 2019; missed 6 games due to injury
• Missed all of spring practice in 2019 while recovering from surgery
Dawson Bragg, R-So.
Ht./Wt.: 6-6/295
Hometown: Goodlettsville, Tennessee (White House High School)
• Played in 9 games in 2019, mostly on special teams
• Did not play football his junior year of high school
Tyler Falvey, R-So.
Ht./Wt.: 6-4/313
Hometown: Altamonte Springs, Florida
• Played in 2 games in 2019
• Earned team's freshman academic award in 2018
Jacob King, R-So.
Ht./Wt.: 6-1/275
Hometown: Brentwood, Tennessee (John Overton High School)
• Did not play in any games in 2019
Tyler Thurman, R-So.
Ht./Wt.: 6-4/268
Hometown: Kingston, Tennessee (Roane County High School)
• Played in 1 game in 2019
Steven Losoya III, R-Fr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-4/289
Hometown: Nashville (John Overton High School)
• Played in 3 games and took a redshirt in 2019
• Named Nashville's Lineman of the Year in 2018 at Overton High School
Marley Cook, R-Fr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-1/282
Hometown: Water Valley, Mississippi
• Played in 4 games and took a redshirt in 2019
• Earned the team's freshman academic award in 2019
Adam Derry, R-Fr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-3/290
Hometown: Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky
• Played in 3 games in 2019 and took a redshirt
• Rated a 3-star recruit by 247Sports out of Beechwood High School
Dorian Hinton, R-Fr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-4/319
Hometown: Naples, Florida
• Did not play in any games; took a redshirt in 2019
John Lynch, R-Fr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-4/311
Hometown: Winchester, Kentucky
• Did not play in any games; took a redshirt in 2019
• Joined Blue Raiders as a preferred walk-on in 2019
Aran Mohamad-Ali, R-Fr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-0/250
Hometown: Antioch, Tennessee (John Overton High School)
• Did not play in any games; took a redshirt in 2019
Newcomers
Jordan Palmer, Jr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-0/307
Hometown: Northridge, California
• Transferred to MT from College of the Canyons (CA)
• Rated the No. 2 JUCO offensive center in the nation by JCGridiron.com
Conner Griffin, Fr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-1/292
Hometown: Gray, Georgia
• Rated a 3-star recruit by 247Sports
• Named first team all-state in 2019 at Jones County High School
Parker Rogers, Fr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-1/273
Hometown: Leesburg, Georgia
• Rated a 3-star recruit by 247Sports
• Won back-to-back state titles at Lee County High School
Lance Robinson, Fr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-3/279
Hometown: Camilla, Georgia
• Rated a 2-star recruit by Rivals
• Earned all-state honors in 2019
Wilson Kelly, Fr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-0/272
Hometown: Danville, Kentucky
• Rated a 2-star recruit by 247Sports
• Won a state title and finished runner-up once at Boyle County High School
Players Mentioned
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