By CAYDEN SANDERS
Tiger Media Network
The Fort Hays State University football team will be young in multiple positions this season, including the offensive front.
Last season, the team relied on leadership from three seniors – Pat Kelly, Ted Hessing and Kristopher Stroughter. With the offensive line normally five positions, the Tigers must fill those three positions coming into the season.
Offensive coordinator Jeff Bryant is looking for returning players to step into those leadership roles this fall.
“These guys are a work in progress coming into the season, and that is fine,” he said. “They have been working together this offseason. This offense is going to need to rely on the offensive line to get the ball up and down the field.”
The Tigers have a few linemen who got playing time last season, one of them being Josh Shaw. He played in seven games as a true freshman, but in the last four games of 2022 was assigned as a starter at left guard.
“Last season was my true freshman year, and I wasn’t ready at the time,” Shaw said. “But now seeing the field, it will help because I have played enough snaps to know what college football is like coming into this season.”
Shaw worked this offseason to get better prepared as a mainstay on the offensive line.
“This offseason was big for me because I have stepped into the leadership role, and being able to have a better chemistry this year than last year will pay dividends by the end of the season,” he said.
Another offensive lineman who saw numerous snaps last year was Porter Dannevik, a product of Lawrence High School.
“Getting some time on the field last year was big for me, and getting that opportunity will be big helping this team,” Dannevik said.
He played in six games and started four last fall.
“I had a good offseason,” Dannevik said. “I knew going into it I had to work on a lot of things coming into this season, and having that opportunity to learn what to work on was the best for me.”
While Dannevik and Shaw are on the opposite sides of the offensive line, they trust each other to lead a young core.
“I trust Shaw to protect the blindside of the quarterbacks, and having that trust for each other on the field is a great feeling because it takes a lot off my plate knowing that he can handle leading that side,” Dannevik said.
For the offensive line, there has been a new approach for the position as the players believe they are more connected to one another.
“This offseason, we were working out together and working on the field, and getting some time will help us being so young,” Shaw said. “If we are not working together in the field, we are also spending time off the field together.”
The Tigers start their season this week at 6 p.m. Thursday on the road at Northeastern State in Tahlequah, Okla.
You must be logged in to post a comment.