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Line Paves Way For LOL's Offense

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By EDDIE DANIELS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 16, 2007

LAND O' LAKES - Tom Carter is what you would call a perfectionist.

The Land O' Lakes associate head coach oversees the offensive and defensive lines for the Gators, a task he has fulfilled for years.

For the better part of a decade, the Land O' Lakes offense has been known for its passing attack. The likes of Drew and Joe Weatherford at quarterback and receivers like Logan Payne and Develin Robinson predicated such.

This season the squad has rotated quarterbacks and used a steady rotation of running backs, running its record to 9-1 and hosting a playoff game tonight against Rockledge (7-3).

Through all the rotating and the transitions, the offensive line has been that constant.

So why classify Carter as a perfectionist?

"I'm not really that easy to play for. I look for perfection," said Carter, who ranks this offensive line in the top three he has coached at Land O' Lakes since 1988. "Even though we may get a block, if it's the wrong lead foot, I tell them about it. Everything's got to be perfect, especially now.

"There are no 1-9 or 0-10 teams we're going to be playing. So if you take the wrong step and that linebacker's a little bit quicker than you're used to, he makes the tackle. Well, the play's a failure."

It's a cliche, but it's clear that an offense's success starts up front at the line of scrimmage. And there are at least five Land O' Lakes players who should be thanking that unit daily.

The team's three running backs - Ben Hipps, Chris Singleton and Stephen Wood - have combined for 1,211 yards and 14 rushing scores. Singleton averages 6.41 yards per carry, followed by Hipps' 5.83 and Wood's 4.77.

Starting quarterback Ely Payne, a senior, has completed 57 of 118 passes for 884 yards and five touchdowns, while freshman Stephen Weatherford has completed 49 of 91 passes for 648 yards and seven touchdowns.

Seems no matter who lines up behind the line, the group has done its job.

"Each time a new quarterback comes in we have to adjust to them and I think that's what our offensive line is good at, adjusting to the quarterback position," said Gators left guard Raleigh Bamberg. "And our running backs are different. Each running back has his own style. Ben, he's a power back, Woody, he's a juker. So we have to be able to read the blocks on the D-line and get a good block."

Getting the good blocks is priority No. 1 tonight. Not only will it determine the success of the Land O' Lakes offense, but also it may determine whether the Gators' season continues or ends.

"Getting to the playoffs isn't anything to me any more," said Gators left tackle Geoff Roman. "We get in the playoffs every year. Now, it's about getting past that first game. I want to get past that first game more than anything.

"I don't want this practice to be the last day I suit up and hit somebody. I don't want that to happen. I want to keep going to next week, so I can keep hitting and keep working."

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