‘O-Block’ setting foundation
Offensive line important part of success for Bears
All Marvin Atuatasi saw was the end zone. On the first snap of the fourth quarter of Morgan State’s 44-10 victory over Virginia-Lynchburg on Saturday, Atuatasi caught a pass from sophomore quarterback Duce Taylor and rumbled 26 yards down the left side inside Hughes Stadium before getting tackled to convert a third-and-15.
There was just one problem.
Atuatasi is the starting right guard and was therefore ineligible to catch the ball. So instead of making the first reception of his career and putting the offense in a position to add points on the scoreboard, Atuatasi was flagged, the play was wiped out and the offense was forced to punt.
For at least one moment, however, Atuatasi thought he might have recorded the first touchdown of his career.
“I thought I was going to take it to the crib until I heard bro breathing down my neck, and then he dove for me,” he said three days after the game. “I was just being an athlete. If you see the ball, just grab it and run with it.”
That misstep has been one of the few blemishes for the Bears’ offensive line. As the team enjoys its first 2-2 start since 2016 and prepares to open the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference portion of its schedule when Norfolk State (0-5) visits Saturday at 1 p.m., the offense has been buoyed by a steady front five.
The offensive line has surrendered just seven sacks — tied for the fewest in the MEAC and fewest since 2017’s squad allowed six sacks. The unit has contributed to a rushing attack that ranks second in the conference at 144.8 yards per game and a passing offense that ranks third with 154 yards per game.
Morgan State coach Damon Wilson said the play of the offensive line is critical to the team’s overall success.
“We’re going to go as far as they want to take us,” he said. “Any team I’ve been a part of, if your offensive line and defensive line play good football, it gives you an opportunity to win games. So everything that we do is going to be based on what those guys allow us to do up front.”
The offensive line’s roots extend back to the beginning of last season, when the starting five consisted of Chris Anthony at left tackle,
Treyvon Branch at left guard, Dexter Carr Jr. at center, Atuatasi at right guard and Chase Carter at right tackle. Fast forward to this fall, and four of the five players have made every start with Carter, a 6-foot-4, 330-pound sophomore, at left tackle; Anthony, a 6-4, 290-pound graduate student, at left guard; Atuatasi, a 6-1, 305-pound junior, at right guard; and Branch, a 6-3, 290-pound sophomore, at right tackle. Carr, a 6-3, 295-pound junior, has started the last three games at center after freshman Daniel Casillas opened at Georgia Southern.
“Last year, we had a lot of growing pains on the offensive line because the five of us hadn’t played with each other before,” said Anthony, an Eastern Kentucky transfer. “But being together and around each other this whole year has really helped us with our communication and building relationships and building double teams.”
Members of the offensive line call themselves “The O-Block.” They spend a lot of time off the field competing in basketball and “Madden” video game tournaments, going bowling, and participating in burger nights at either Carr’s or Atuatasi’s homes.
“It’s really critical because the O-line is one of those positions where you’ve got to work with the dudes to the left of you and the dudes to the right of you,” Carr said of the unit’s chemistry. “So when you’re going to about it, you’ve got to trust them.”
Under the tutelage of offensive line coach Richard Reddix, the offensive linemen also watch a lot of game film with each other, trying to dissect what opposing defenses tend to do. Atuatasi credited Reddix with reminding the players of the fundamentals.
Carr said the linemen have no trouble holding each other accountable.
“We’re so close that we can get on each other even if we’re not doing good,” he said. “I think the main thing is, we’re so close that we’re more like brothers. So it’s more like brotherly love. It’s more, ‘Hey, I’m going to look out for you more. I’m going to yell at you, but it’s because I’m just looking out for you.’ ”
The Bears’ offensive line has caught the attention of opposing coaches, too. While praising the mobility of graduate student Carson Baker and Taylor at quarterback, Norfolk State’s Dawson Odums said the front five has aided their development.
“They play well together,” he said. “They’re doing a very good job in the running game. They’re able to run the ball against every team they’ve played. They’ve been doing a great job of keeping the quarterbacks upright.”