Times Observer Photo by Steve Younger Above is the Eisenhower football team’s offensive line. From the left are Mike Jones, Justin Hamilton, Brodie Porter, Caleb Penley, Conner Younger, Gannon Jaquay and Jared Beers.

BThe Cambridge English Dictionary defines the word lineman “as a player on the forward line who protects other members of the team.”

For the starting offensive linemen of the undefeated Eisenhower football team, they’ve done just that this season, almost to perfection.

Seniors Jared Beers and Brodie Porter at the offensive tackles, junior Gannon Jaquay and sophomore Caleb Penley at the guards, sophomore Conner Younger at center, junior Mike Jones at tight end and “sixth man” Justin Hamilton as the versatile sub who can play both guard and tackle have helped spearhead a record-breaking year.

The Knights’ offense has been prolific, averaging 49 points per game, thanks to averaging 286 on the ground and nearly 170 through the air. Leading rusher, junior Cael Black, is averaging nearly 170 yards per game; and senior quarterback Owen Trumbull has thrown 18 touchdown passes and nearly 18 yards per completion and has been sacked just once. Those are all pretty impressive statistics for a unit that has only played into the fourth quarter in one game to this point.

What is the key to this group’s success?

“They work extremely well together,” Knights coach Jim Penley said. “They just know where everyone else is and they make very few mistakes.”

Ironically, entering the season, the offensive line was a question mark. While all of the skill position players coming back, two of last year’s starters on the line changed positions, leaving the only returning starters with a full season of experience were Jaquay at guard and Younger at center.

This year’s line started to take shape during the 2019 season when Beers moved to one tackle spot midway through, and Porter and Caleb Penley both earned their starting spots in summer camp.

“This group has worked extremely hard in the off-season,” said Coach Penley, who was a lineman for the Knights and, later, at Edinboro University. “Some got a lot of reps last year and just matured into their roles. Our two tackles (Beers and Porter) are the two physical edge blockers who have excelled at working the double teams and keeping Owen protected on the edge. Our two guards (Jaquay and Penley) are about as good of pulling linemen as we have had in a long time. Younger has been outstanding with his snaps in the spread offense and done great in the pivot. One of the biggest keys has been the intense edge run blocking of our tight end (Jones), and being able to have Justin Hamilton, who can play both guard and tackle to give guys a breather is just a luxury most teams don’t have. … We have as good a group of linemen as I have had in a long time.”

High praise also came from Trumbull.

“I don’t even worry at all from the snap to the end of the play,” he said. “These guys have taken great care of me.”

A new season begins for the Knights on Friday when they take on West Middlesex. As they have done all season, they will continue to lean heavily on the offensive linemen, but it won’t ever be more than they lean on each other.