Hillsborough's offensive linemen have helped Ricky Ponton gain 1,200 yards and the team reach tonight's region semi.
By EMILY NIPPS
Published November 21, 2003
TAMPA - They go by nicknames such as Meatball, Big Brizzle, Iggy Poo and Groundhog.
When they're not throwing their weight around at practice, they're eating. When they're not eating, they're thinking about eating.
They're so much fun, Hillsborough coach Earl Garcia said.
"They're just big ol' jug butts that love to hit the weight room and like to eat," he said.
Would you believe these guys are the brains of the organization?
Hillsborough's offensive linemen, those big guys with the frowns on their faces and bellies peeking out from under their red jerseys, are touted as the smartest players on the field (although the kickers and quarterback might disagree).
They also are the most underappreciated and misunderstood, doing all of the dirty work without spending quality time in the end zone. While the linemen are straining to read five or six different defensive schemes, the fans cheer the running back streaking down the sideline or the quarterback throwing a perfect spiral.
"As long as the running back is happy," Antonio "Meatball" Mills said, "we're happy."
He's happy.
Terriers leading running back Ricky Ponton has accumulated more than 1,200 rushing yards this season; not bad for a sophomore. Jimmy Sapp and Jonathan Davis average about 7 yards per carry.
"The offensive line played the whole role (in the 1,200 yards)," Ponton said. "They're the reason I succeed."
The linemen shrugged off the compliment. That's how they are.
"For Ricky to say we make him look good ... that's not true," two-way player Evan Lang said. "When we see the back of his jersey running into the end zone, that makes us feel good."
The Terriers' starters (three seniors, a junior and two sophomores) are one of the most fine-tuned aspects of their game and could be their biggest weapons entering tonight's region semifinal against Winter Springs.
Hillsborough (9-2) has three offensive line coaches - Joe Sipp, Brian Emanuel and Isaac Bristol - and all former Terriers who played for Garcia and were National Honor Society students.
They understand what the offensive line goes through every day, and they can't tear themselves away from it.
"It's that joy of blocking, blocking, blocking and then looking up and seeing that jersey No. 5 in the end zone," Sipp said. "Then you know you did your job."
It's not for everyone, but all of the lineman agree they wouldn't trade their position with anyone on the team.
They call it a brotherhood. They have caught the same cold from each other, starting with center Jeff "Groundhog" Baird at the beginning of the season, to Mills, who still has the sniffles.
"We're the guys down in the end zone at practice, kind of by ourselves and telling our private jokes," Bristol said.
More important, they share the same goal.
"We want to be playing with each other for three more weeks," Mills said. "After that, we want to eat."
