Arizona’s offensive line is heading into the season with a different kind of buzz around it - one built on established veterans, younger players who have grown up fast, and a coach who likes the shape of his room.
Josh Oglesby didn’t hide how he feels about the group. He called the unit “extremely excited” about the opportunity ahead and said the room is full of guys who compete and genuinely enjoy being around each other. Just as important, he believes the line is in a better place when it comes to depth than it was a year ago, when a strong group of young players still wasn’t ready for the moment.
Now, those same younger linemen have a year under their belts, and Oglesby says the development is showing up on the practice field. He pointed to the growing competition for snaps as one of the healthiest signs in the room, with different players getting in, earning reps, and helping produce a strong camp.
The starting five is basically locked in unless injuries change the picture, but the battle behind them is still very much alive. Grayson Stovall, Oglesby said, has already shown he can answer the call whenever Arizona needs him.
Javian Goo has also made a strong impression, working at center in camp and taking reps at guard as well. Oglesby said Goo’s physicality is starting to stand out, and his experience at center gives him added value because he knows the calls and can help with communication and targeting.
Nate Hale has also put together a productive camp after starting in a different spot in the spring, while Sione Tohi has become one of the coaches’ favorite stories. Oglesby praised Tohi’s progress as proof that buying into the process can pay off, noting that he has gone from a player people wondered about to one who is now being talked about as someone who could play a meaningful role this season.
There’s also depth coming from Louis Akpa, and the addition of Jake Griffin has strengthened the competition even more. Oglesby said the picture isn’t fully sorted out yet, but he likes that there are players pushing for those jobs.
One of the most intriguing long-term pieces in the room is freshman Malachi Joyner, who Oglesby believes has a bright future even if his first season may be more about learning than logging big snaps. He described Joyner as athletic, strong, and still in the middle of a massive adjustment from high school to college. Joyner himself joked that high school used to be as simple as “zone right or zone left,” but college football asks for a lot more.
Oglesby said Joyner’s athletic ability helps cover mistakes right now, which matters a lot at tackle. He also highlighted Joyner’s natural hips, feet, and punch, while adding that he was glad Joyner chose to stay home.
That learning curve should be easier to manage with Matthew Lado рядом - and Lado, in Oglesby’s view, has come a long way. Oglesby said people tend to forget how young Lado is because he has already logged so many reps and playing time. That experience has fueled major growth, and now the next step is turning all of that into consistent high-level play.
Oglesby said Lado has the tools to become a true “lock down Big 12 tackle,” and the staff is now drilling down on the finer points because the game has slowed down for him. His confidence in his hands has grown, his physicality has improved, and he is starting to carry himself like the big man he is. The one area still being sharpened is his pad level, but Oglesby believes that once that piece comes together, Lado’s ceiling is enormous.
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