NFL Analysis
7/15/24
6 min read
OLine Masterminds Is a Must-Go For NFL Hopefuls
“It’s the best thing in the world…it is like being in the locker room again.”
For former NFL offensive linemen like Geoff Schwartz, it is a way to turn back the clock and feel what it is like to be amongst peers again. For most of the attendees, it is so much more.
It was the seventh annual OL Masterminds (OLM) Summit, which took place this past weekend in Frisco, TX. As a first-time attendee, I was thoroughly impressed by the combination of knowledge and kinship that was dispensed throughout.
The brainchild of Eagles All-Pro offensive tackle Lane Johnson and offensive line guru Duke Manyweather, the Summit has grown every year to the point where over 300 offensive linemen descended upon Frisco for the opportunity to learn from some of the best that have ever done it.
“This is the biggest ‘O-Line’ room you will ever be in,” proclaimed Manyweather when he kicked off the event on Friday.
As a veteran of over half a dozen offensive line rooms during my playing career, I would actually disagree with Manyweather’s assertion because it was so much better than any positional meeting room I had ever been a part of.
Unlike the traditional format, where a coach stands in front of the room teaching or sits in the back of the room grading tape, the OLM Summit is much more interactive.
If it wasn’t Hall of Famer Alan Faneca talking about his daily approach, it was Hall of Famer Steve Hutchinson breaking down why he was so effective throughout his career against the bull rush.
Next thing you know, All-Pro Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson is on the field demonstrating exactly what he is thinking in pass protection, from his stance to his get-off to his finish. Interestingly, Johnson was followed by Dolphins Pro Bowl left tackle Terron Armstead, who explained how he went about blocking elite edge rushers and why it was different from not only Johnson but also Jets left tackle Tyron Smith.
“Lane invites them into his chest and then stops their charge with the double under…Tyron can just stick his one hand out and stop guys because he’s the strongest guy in the world…but I need to get something on them with a punch and then go to the double under.”
Armstead’s “strongest man in the world” comment regarding Smith drew laughs, but the broader takeaway for the attendees was an understanding that there is no one way to do things.
“It is nice for a young player to hear that there are different ways to go about it and different ways to block people,” said Schwartz.
“I think for young players that can really help their confidence.”
Speaking of young players, that was probably the coolest part of the event was to see how many of them took the time to invest in themselves and the game they are trying to turn into a profession.
Looking out at the crowd, my guess is that the Summit was probably comprised of about 10 percent former players like me, Brian Baldinger, Willie Anderson, Robbie Tobeck, and David Diehl, in addition to the aforementioned players above.
Approximately 10 percent would be active NFL offensive linemen like the Chargers Rashawn Slater, Dolphins Jack Driscoll, and the dynamic interior Chiefs duo of Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith just to name a few.
The rest of the event was filled with college players, coaches from both the college and high school levels, and a plethora of media members like Greg Cosell, Matt Miller, and Brett Kollman, eager to learn more about arguably the most difficult position to grasp if you’ve never coached or played in the trenches.
It was particularly impressive to see what appeared to be the entire Alabama, Clemson, Florida State, and Georgia offensive lines, just to name a few. I happened to be sitting at the same table as the Clemson group and could tell how enthralled these young men were to be able to hear from so many people who either have already done or are doing the dream that those guys work towards every single day.
“Offensive line is such a unique thing,” Clemson left tackle Tristan Leigh told me when I asked him why they had decided to attend, adding, “You don’t truly understand it unless you’ve done it, so to hear from all of these guys, with so much experience in the fire is huge.”
As Manyweather mentioned at the outset, everything an offensive lineman is asked to do is new and uncomfortable because most people go into the backyard to throw the football with their dad, not take pass sets.
While video interviews of Hall of Famers Anthony Munoz and Joe Thomas were awesome, and the film breakdowns pulled up by line guru Brandon Thorn were fantastic, the highlight of the event was the frequently scheduled breakout sessions in which former and current NFL players would stand around the field, and both take questions and give pointers to anyone and everyone that approached.
I was talking with Hutchinson when a college player from UCONN approached him to ask him a question about his pass set and Hutchinson took the time to show the young man exactly how he went about it during his illustrious career. I’m sure there are other examples in society, but I can’t think of many when you can get one-on-one time with one of the best to ever do it.
“I agree with Duke’s philosophy that offensive line is a skill position,” Tobeck, a veteran of 14 NFL seasons, told me.
“If I can lend a hand and help someone, I’m happy to do so.”
