Offensive linemen usually don’t get the same kind of recognition that quarterbacks, running backs, or wide receivers do. They do all the dirty work and without them, their offense doesn’t survive.
In his first year as head coach, Houston’s Tom Herman has done an exceptional job with the Cougars. The team is 3-0 and pulled off a big win over the Louisville Cardinals two weeks ago. He is finally giving the big uglies up front some of the recognition that the truly deserve.
In a very cool story by Niki Noto Palmer titled “[untold] Sideline stories: Houston’s first class”, she looked at how they way the Cougars traveled changed once Herman took over the show.
On away games, it used to be the Houston boosters that took up the first class seats on the team plane.
“In fact up until Coach Herman took the reigns, Houston boosters occupied first class seats when the Cougars traveled to away games. Not anymore. Louisville marked the first game where it all changed. Coach calls his linemen “gladiators” because they literally bleed on the line week after week. In football nobody gets pounded harder than the front 5. He said if he wants to treat them like first class, he wants to give them first class. He wants to make sure they’re comfortable and taken care of because they take care of us on gamedays.”
Palmer talked about how she asked Herman if he received backlash from the boosters about moving them to Economy class. He was quick to say that he didn’t care because his linemen deserve it.
As a former offensive lineman myself, I truly appreciate Herman recognizing his big guys as the heart of the team. They could be a big reason why the team is undefeated right now.
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*Featured Photo (above) credit to USA TODAY Sports
