Bobcats offensive line 'misfit toys' come together for successful season
BOZEMAN, Mont. — On social media, some say the holes the Bobcats offensive line opened in Saturday’s 55-21 win over cross-state rival UM were almost comical.
As a result, the offense put up 439 yards on the ground along with four rushing touchdowns.
“It wasn’t always clean -- rarely was it clean -- and probably less was it perfect, but they were fast and physical and stayed after it and were consistent with it,” said offensive line coach Briand Armstrong.
This offensive line looks elite, but it just came together nearly from scratch before the beginning of the season.
The lone returning starter of last season’s offensive line, center Justus Perkins, worked with Armstrong to shape this ragtag group into what they’ve become.
“With Justus, all you need to do is tell him he can’t do something, and he’ll go and try to prove you wrong,” said Armstrong. “He’s been that guy since he walked on here.”
Going back to the beginning of the season, the young group needed motivation and found it in the 1997 Denver Broncos offensive line, an underrated group that believed and proved to the world they could achieve greatness.
“It was really the ‘Land of Misfit Toys,’ which is similar to what we were perceived as coming into the year,” said Armstrong. “I was trying to find a way for the whole to be greater than the sum of its parts.”
Like the ’97 Broncos, the Bobcat offensive line is making doubters believe.
It seems this group continues to get better by the week and perhaps will become champions like the Broncos, who brought in a Super Bowl win in 1998.
